Cloth Diaper Shout Out

Since its Earth Day and all, I'm going to wax poetic cloth diapers.

I was intimidated at first, but I talked to other moms (my SIL Rachel for one), tried different products and read other mom reviews on DiaperPin. I still do use disposables - for outings and at night sometimes. I thought disposables would be more absorbent and better for nighttime, but I have actually seen more leaks with the disposables vs. cloth, so I'm going back.

For most Moms the diapering choice is - Pampers or Huggies. It is not suprising, given the multi-million dollar advertising budgets that the Procter & Gambles and Kimberley-Clarkes of the world put behind disposable diapers.

Why switch to cloth?
1. Environment - Think about the landfills that you are not filling up with each cloth diaper you use.
2. Health - disposables are plastic, and have chemicals in them. Would you rather wear plastic or cotton underwear? My girls don't have skin allergies, but I have heard that some babies do much better with cloth.
3. Cost I haven't done my own calculator but the girls have been wearing the same size cloth diapers (fuzzi bunz) for a year now. They were $17 a piece, but I'm sure they have paid for themselves many times over. And you can use them for Baby #2 or 3, or resell them.
4. Cuter do Pampers come in aqua? Brown with pink polka dots? Didn't think so. They come in Elmo and Cookie Monster. There are some super cute brands out there - including a local one called Poppy Pants.

If you want to read a facts and figures side to these issues. Read this Mothering article.

If you don't like to deal with poop. Read this.
If you object to additional laundry. Read this.
If you think its too late to switch to cloth. Read this one.

Just consider.