About Cloth Diapers ...

      For most new mothers, buying diapers every week is just a realism that comes with motherhood. Any other option seems moot. Cloth diapers? Didn't that end in the 60's? Who could possibly want to deal with the safety pins and rubber pants and the washing? Cloth diapers are dirty words and a thing of the past ... Right? Wrong! There is a whole "underground" movement that is somehow escaping mainstream advertising. Chances are unless you have seen someone using them, you have no idea what the new generation of cloth diapers even looks like!
     Disposable diapers were not available until the 1940's and only to the people who could afford them. Before that, people used cloth - cotton flannel or linen and before that there were leaves and animal skins. As mothers began to join the workforce, there became a need for a diaper service. They would pick up your dirty diapers and leave you fresh ones. If you didn't use a diaper service, you were probably pre-rinsing in the toilet. By the 1960's, the disposable diaper became much more affordable and much more functional. With this, the extra work of the cloth diaper began to look much less appealing, making throw away the new norm.
     What many people don't realize is that the new cloth diapers can look much like a disposable diaper! They can come with aplix fasteners or snaps. You can buy an all-in-one diaper or a pocket diaper. There are hybrid diapers where you can either use cloth inserts or an Eco-friendly version. Or, you can do the classic tri-fold or flat. BUT there is no need for pins with ANY of these options. There is a fastener available. It's rubber and plastic and amazing! The options for cloth diapers today are almost endless.  You can use hemp, cotton, wool, and microfiber. The best part is the money you save using these options, but there are more perks than just saving money.
     I've talked to a lot of moms who have used the cloth diapers and almost all of them have told me their little one's never got rashes while using them. That's almost unheard of with disposables. That means no spending money on powders and creams. Another perk is that children who are cloth diapered tend to be potty trained sooner than their disposable wearing counterparts. Also, your mark on the planet is much less.
     There are a ton of different companies making reusables. Prices vary widely and some can be quite expensive. However, it is very easy to find them in thrift stores. There are even websites devoted to finding used diapers such as diaper swappers.
     Diaper services do still exist, but cleaning them yourself is not hard to do so long as you have a washer. One very useful tool is a diaper sprayer. It is simply attached to your toilet so messy diapers are just sprayed off and the waste is flushed away. A quick search can show the various ways to make a diy diaper sprayer to save money. It is not a necessity, but is completely worth having. Plus, after you're done using cloth diapers, you have a bidet. ;-)
     There may still be some extra work involved, but I think the reward is worth it. There are less synthetic fibers being exposed to baby's oh so sensitive skin, the environment isn't taking on such a heavy burden, and baby can be ready for undies sooner. That's not to mention the amount of coin you can keep in your pocket! So, go do a search of all in one cloth diapers or pocket diapers and see for yourself what I mean. You may even become a diaper junky collecting all the adorable prints.



   

Posted in: