I love cloth diapers!

When I first heard of people my age cloth diapering, I inwardly gagged. I mean, I understand it in other countries or past generations where it really wasn't an option, but why on earth would anyone choose to use cloth? Aside from the nuisance of pins and all the extra work, I had vague ideas about dunking and swirling poopy diapers :shudder: and it just sounded gross.

So how did I become a convert? It turns out that I had a lot of misconceptions. My friend was generous enough to lend me some and answer all my questions. We took the plunge and switched about two and a half years ago, and I am so glad that we did. The results?

*Less work than taking out the trash. YAY! I do a few extra loads of laundry, but tossing them into the washer and then into the dryer isn't much. It isn't like you need to fold and iron them.

*Not gross. No dunking and swirling. Eww. I have a bag made from the same fabric as the diapers, so I toss the diapers in there, and just empty the bag. If there is solid poop just hold the diaper over the toilet and it rolls right off the fleece. BTW, did you know that you are supposed to do that with disposables, too? Check the box!

*Better for babies' skin. Our kids are prone to eczema, but almost never have diaper rash (and we never use creams, etc.). The fleece keeps their skin dry, and it is soooo soft. I'd be much more comfortable w/ soft fleece than with paper undies. Also, have you looked at the bleach and chemicals that can be absorbed into your skin from the disposables? Scary stuff!

*Better for the environment. Think about the huge piles of diapers that your baby can go through in a week, then multiply that by the time it takes to potty train, and then try to imagine it just for the kids in your family--for us we would be talking a large hill, maybe small mountain. That doesn't even get into the environmental impact from manufacturing disposables.

*$$$. We have saved so much money. We were spending close to $100/month on disposables. We spent less than $500 to get all our Fuzzi Bunz (including a set of mediums and a set of large). That covered Ariana for almost one year, Joel from two months all the way through potty training, and Elena from about 6 weeks through potty training. Wow. Be warned, though--they can get addictive.

*CUTENESS! There are so many colors and designs. You can coordinate to perfectly match outfits, and in the summer they can even double as shorts.

*Easy. We use pockets, which you stuff to create the perfect absorbency. So we add an extra insert for overnight. No leaks. They have adjustable snaps, so you don't worry about pins, and they grow to fit your kids. Also, our little ones tend towards small waists and chubby thighs, and these custom fit them. Joel wore mediums on different settings from 2 months to 15 months.

I just wish we had used them with Ariana from the beginning.

Material Girl

I don't think of myself as an acquisitive person. We've never had a lot of money, and I have always been content. I'm fashion-impaired, so buying lots of clothes, shoes or jewelry has never been a priority for me. Between Ariana's hand-me-downs and the gifts she has been given, the only clothing I have bought for Elena is two pairs of pajamas that I picked up last weekend. One might think I am protesting too much. One would be right.

The unlikely source for my current attack of I-must-buy-this-right-now? Cloth diapers. I just tried a medium Fuzzi Bunz on Elena and it fit! (Well, it is a *tiny* bit big, but she can definitely wear them). Now I am positively lusting after the gingham pink floral one. We first started cloth-diapering with Joel, and so we have no pink ones. And I normally don't even like pink that much. But it is taking every ounce of self-control I have to not order several right now.

Whenever anyone ask me about cloth diapers, I mention how much money you can save. In theory, and even in practice, this is true. After all, we are using the same ones we got over two years ago, and wouldn't have to buy any more until Elena is potty trained. We saved several hundred, if not over a thousand dollars, with Joel. I am sure we will with Elena, too. I.must.resist.

On the other hand, I do have a coupon that expires at the end of the month...

http://www.cottontailbaby.com/item_408/Fuzzi-Bunz-Pink-Gingham-Flower-Print.htm