The Big Switch: New Diapers for the Little One's Bum

After 17 months of buying disposables for our son, we have switched to cloth diapers. So far most of my friends that have noticed the new "fluff" (slang for cloth diapers) think that I must have lost my few remaining marbles. When my son was born a year and a half ago, I had a cloth diapering friend that I thought was crazy too. If you had asked me then, I never in a million years would have thought that I would EVER try cloth diapering. However, I have been slowly pushed toward it due to several factors. First, my son has incredibly sensitive skin. The last year since he started solids has been a roller coaster of rashes, allergies and irritations due to various diapers. For the most part, we have been buying Seventh Generation and Whole Foods 365 unbleached diapers because they are the only ones he can tolerate. That brings us to the second concern: cost. No diapers are cheap considering that your kid pees in them once and then you throw them out. But environmentally friendly, chemical-free diapers are RIDICULOUS in cost. I stocked up during the sales around Earth Day last April, but since then have been paying about $11 per pack. Finally, my new resolution to buy local products is well-supported by the switch to cloth. While Seventh Generation is still made in the USA, most other disposables are made in China.

I thought at first that cloth diapering would be difficult. After all, no one likes leaks and blowouts, and I really hate to do laundry. However, cloth diapers are almost as easy as disposables these days thanks to super fabrics and smart construction. I have yet to have a leak in 3 weeks (that would never happen with the Seventh Generation diapers) and the laundry routine really is pretty easy. No special wet pails or equipment required. Besides, I am a design freak, and cloth diapers are really, really cute.

Fluff gets really addicting, and so far I have already tried 5 different cloth diapers. I have really liked Happy Heinys pocket diapers. They are based locally in California, and their diapers are made in the USA by moms. Gotta love that! This type has velcro across the front and an absorbant insert that you take out when you wash. Since the stuffing comes out, they dry really fast. Even DH thinks they are as easy as disposables. I would encourage anyone with kids to give cloth diapering a shot. You might be pleasantly surprised!