Cloth Diapers - Making the Switch

For a while now, I've been toying with the idea of switching over from disposables. For one, diapers are not cheap and while disposables are very convenient, it sucks to be spending so much money on something that will just end up in the trash. Just a rough estimate, but we've probably spent around $800 on diapers alone in the past year. That's not counting the money for wipes either. (That may not sound like that much to some people but keep in mind that Baby is only 1 year and probably at least a year from potty training.) That $800 also accounts for approximately 2700 diapers. Two thousand seven hundred. Aside from the cost, it's a well known fact that diapers are right up there with cat litter when it comes to biodegradability. The diapers go straight to the landfill where they will sit for approximately 300-500 years before they even start to break down. All this adds up to my feeling like there has to be a better method.

I've been researching different types of dipes and there are a lot of options for cloth diapering. Who knew? I've read articles and blog posts about different types, the cleaning process, traveling, and searched the net for reasonably priced cloth diapers. Because while the new models are often much more convenient than the cloth diapers our parents or grandparents used, that convenience costs a pretty penny. I've been off the cloth diaper kick for a little bit only because there was a lot of other stuff going on in our lives but this week Simple Mom is doing a series called Cloth Diapering 101. It got me back on the bandwagon and I'm going for it.

In my opinion, this is an ideal time to try it out for several reasons. At 1 year, Baby is literally pooping less, which I have to say makes the whole cleaning process easier to stomach. She also uses fewer diapers than she did when she was younger. In terms of preparedness, being a mom is comfortable and familiar now, as opposed to the stressful and somewhat chaotic beginning. Trying to figure out cloth diapers and washing cloth diapers while also attempting to take care of a newborn for the first time would not have been a good combination for me. But now I have the time and energy (and sanity) necessary to take on a new adventure. This also gives me the chance to get it down before any future diaper-wearers come along. I'm still looking into the best options for us. After all, it has to be easy enough that Fiance will still participate in the diaper-changing!