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 In 2001, when I was pregnant with my first child, Jack, I looked into using cloth diapers. My only experience with cloth had been babysitting a younger cousin. My teen-age-memories (accurate or not) of changing those diapers were streaked with chemical-smelling diapers and an acrid diaper pail full of who-knows-what. That experience planted a seed of fear that grew the more I read. I read about wet pails, and dunking and rinsing. I read about Indian prefolds and Chinese prefolds and flat diapers and more acronyms than I could keep straight. I wanted to use cloth diapers, but I was afraid and overwhelmed.

Two and a half years later when my second son came along, I had brief thoughts of switching to cloth, but again was afraid of getting out of the familiar routine. My second son, Andy wore disposables and suffered from near-constant diaper rash. We tried different brands of diapers, different brands of wipes, and when he was older, we tried switching to soy milk to see if milk had been causing the rash. In the end, we ended up going through tubes and tubes of diaper rash ointment.

When Andy was 2 1/2, my husband and I were thrilled to discover we were expecting number 3, also a boy. I was determined to break away from the familiar and do what I had wanted to do five years earlier. I read some more, and this time, found a wonderful website written by Karen Fegelman (www.diaperpages.com), full of information that I could relate to.

I’ve had a hard time describing to friends and family my exact reasons for using cloth diapers, and I admit I have told people what I think they will relate to the best, that it’s cheaper, that it’s better for the environment, that it cleared up my son’s rashes. Those things are all true, but they have not been my mail motivator (although the cost was a big push for my husband). My main motivation for using cloth diapers has been that I love it, it feels right to me. Sometimes people look at me strangely when they discover my baby wears cloth diapers, and I imagine they do so because they picture cloth diapers from 20 years ago, and the idea of sticking their hands in a toilet rinsing poop out of the diaper repulses them (and really, who can blame them), but a surprising number of people are really interested in cloth diapering and why I do it, and how it works. As I learned more about cloth diapering, I discovered that my fears were based on my mother’s cloth diapers. Cloth diapers have come a long ways since then.

I switched Andy to cloth diapers a few months before the new baby, Collin, was born. Being a three-year-old, he wasn’t thrilled with the new amount of bulk. Cloth diapers are bulkier than disposables, but within a week, it was business as usual. He learned quickly where to position himself when I put the diaper on the floor. He’s learned all the terminology, and best of all, he hasn’t had any diaper rashes since we made the switch. For him, cloth diapers were a good transition to toilet training.

When Collin was born, I could hardly wait to use the new cloth diapers I had waiting for him. Cloth diapering Collin has been like coming home. And now, when people ask me why I cloth diaper, I know what to say.

Alice Roberts is a stay at home mom to her three sons, Jack, Andy, and Collin. She is grateful for a husband who shares in the joy and the mess of diapering. She can be reached at greenpeasbaby@gmail.com, or through her online retail store http://www.Greenpeasbaby.com. Cloth diapering is addicting, and Alice wants to help any one who wants to cloth diaper take that first leap.

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Many people choose to use cloth diapers because of environmental reasons or because they feel it’s more comfortable for the child. Some people use cloth diapers to be more natural or to keep chemicals away from their baby’s skin. And still others choose to use cloth diapers because of the cost factor. You can save a lot of money by using cloth diapers instead of disposables, but you can also spend a lot more if you’re not careful. If you’re looking to cloth diaper without breaking the bank, here are some ways you can do it.

Go traditional. Use prefolds and diaper covers. Prefolds are the least expensive type of cloth diapers available and you can get good, quality diaper covers without spending a lot, either. Prefolds generally run between one and three dollars each and covers usually cost anywhere from seven to fifteen dollars each. This is a a great way to save money when diapering! Want to go even cheaper? Sew your own prefolds and save a few more dollars.

Buy one size diapers. Don’t want to use prefolds? If you would prefer a diaper system that includes fitted, pocket or all in ones then using one size diapers can save you a lot of money. One size diapers are generally designed to fit from around 8 to 12 pounds up to around 25 to 35 pounds and are meant to be used from soon after birth to right up to potty training. Basically this means you buy a lot less diapers since you don’t need to keep buying the next size up.

Use a clothesline. A clothesline is a great thing to have around anyway if you’re going to be using cloth diapers since sunning diapers can help take out stains. But it’s also a great thing to have around to help save some money on your electric bill every month and help out the environment. Instead of tossing your diaper load into the dryer everytime, hang it on the clothesline every other wash and save yourself some money.

Buy used. There are lots of places you can buy used cloth diapers over the internet and this is a great way to save some money, especially if you want to use modern diapers like pockets or all in ones. Many people will buy a few diapers to try a new brand or a new style and find they don’t work for them and then sell them, so you might even be able to get some barely used diapers this way. Try to use a site that has user ratings so you can have an idea of how reliable and honest the person you are purchasing from is. Look for diapers that are in good or excellent condition so you can get lots of use out of them. Make sure to give them a thorough cleaning before using them on your little one.

Sell your used diapers. Consider selling your diapers after your baby has outgrown them or if a paticular style isn’t working for you. You won’t be able to recoup all the money you spent buying them new, but you can get a good percentage back if your diapers are in barely used or excellent condition.

Read reviews. Browse through sites that house cloth diaper reviews before you purchase. This is a good way to get an idea of whether or not a certain style diaper might work for you (thus, saving you money because you’ll be less likely to buy things you don’t end up using). It also is a great way to find out which diapers are built to last. Try to find reviews from people who have been using a diaper for awhile - this will help you to know which diapers will stand up to the tons of washing you will give them. This leads us to the last tip:

Keep your used diapers for future children. This is one way that families can really get a lot of bang for their buck when using cloth diapers. If you spend only a couple hundred dollars building up a cloth diaper stash for your first baby and can use most of those diapers for your second or even your third baby - that is a huge amount of savings over buying disposables for each child. Buying quality diapers that are made to last and making sure you care for your diapers the way the manufacturer recommends are two ways to keep your diaper stash usuable for baby after baby.

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There are many decisions that new moms and dads must make when they first find out they are having a baby… from picking the right car seat to picking the right name. Add to that list of decisions the choice you will have to make between disposable and cloth diapers. While disposable diapers have been the most mainstream diapering option in the last few decades, cloth diapers have evolved greatly and have become a more convenient and accessible option. Here are just a few of the reasons you may want to give cloth diapers a try:

• Cloth diapers are fitted and snug

In days past, the most common diaper type was a flat piece of cloth that had to be folded to fit a baby’s form and then fastened with safety pins. Today there are cloth diapers that resemble disposable diapers with their contoured shape, elastic in the legs and back, and easy closures like Velcro or snaps. Some diapers have a one-size option, so that one diaper can last from birth to potty learning.

• Cloth diapers are infinitely more attractive than disposable diapers

When disposable diapers are your only option then it is easy to put function before fashion but with cloth diapers you can have it all. Cloth diapers come with a variety of different fabric options…velour, bamboo, organic cotton, silk, and fleece, among others. The fabric patterns and colors are also endless. From electric pink to midnight blue and from tie dye to Tinkerbell, parents who use cloth diapers never get bored with all their choices.

• Cloth diapers are cost effective

The baby business is booming and you can easily spend a fortune on diapers, baby clothing, accessories, toys, and furniture. If you need to be cost conscious then cloth diapers will help you save money. It is almost always more frugal to reuse items than to buy new every time and cloth diapers are no exception. Experts estimate that disposable diapers can easily cost up to $3000 over a three year period. Cloth diaper costs usually range $300 to $800 from birth to age three. If you are inclined to sew your own diapers and use reclaimed materials you can use cloth diapers for next to no money at all.

• Cloth diapers are the more environmentally friendly choice

As cloth diapers climb in popularity there has been an increase in corporate funded studies designed to show that cloth diapers have just as much environmental impact as their disposable counterparts. The claim is that energy and water usage from laundering cloth diapers is comparative to the environmental impact of disposable diapers in our landfills. These studies conveniently forget to factor in the energy and water usage created from mass manufacturing disposable diapers in a factory, the lost of precious resources as trees are cut to make the paper pulp innards of these diapers, and the tremendous impact of shipping disposable diapers all over the world by ship, plane, and truck. When ALL the environmental factors are considered, cloth diapers seem to be the clear cut winner in the great diaper debate.

It is not hard to see why more and more parents are factoring cloth into their diapering decisions.

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