Cloth Diaper Trial

Well before this little mama was born, the concept of cloth diapering (CDing) really intrigued me, and not necessarily for the reasons one might suspect.  I am by no means what you would call an environmentalist.  Truthfully, I am embarrassed by my own consumption of paper towels and the rate at which I waste things ::hangs head in shame::  I am making a conscious effort to improve this flaw and become more green.  Really.  So, although CDing is not something I'm looking into as a means to save the planet, I am happy to be reducing the carbon footprint of my family.

The real lure for me began with the excitement of having pretty little things to launder, neatly stuff, fold, and color-coordinate.  I live for that kind of stuff. And who doesn't fancy fluffy baby bottoms--all padded and cushy in all colors of the rainbow? I should also mention that Elena's heiney bears a slight resemblance to two perfect little mozzarellas and is practically begging for cute little bum covers!  That heiney and all it is capable of is what sealed the deal and pushed me to do a CD trial.  This is what I have been dealing with on a daily basis...

Ass-plosion

                           

Blowouts.  Lots of them.  I don't know what the heck this kid eats when I'm not looking, or where the force of wind she can muster comes from, but it is impressive.  Listen, I've fastened many a diaper in my day, so I am fairly certain my diapering skills are not to blame.  And yes, I've tried different brands and bigger sizes...but nothing has outsmarted her poop. What is a mom to do?  I love laundry and all, but this girl has only so many clothes, and going through 2 and 3 outfits a day is not happening no matter how much I love a costume change.  And frankly I was getting a little embarrassed every time I went out and needed to strip down my poor girl and de-poop her.  Did I mention I had to use scissors to cut and remove a onesie saturated in poop the other morning? True story. So, I started thinking about CDing again, how it interested me, and how I remembered reading that leaks and seepage were less common in cloth.  No brainer.  Husband was an easy sell, surprisingly, and so I have decided I am going to give it a shot.

When you hear cloth diapers, don't be fooled.  We aren't talking those boring white pre-folds of cotton that your mom used to fasten with ducky pins.  Oh no.  These bad boys don't even need to be dunked in the toilet like the cloth diapers of the past.  These are much cuter and a lot friendlier to clean! Just pop them in a wet bag and when you have enough dipes to wash, dump the dipes and the bag in the wash.  No pre-treating or dunking necessary.  Now, once baby girl is on solids, and baby poop is no longer the lovely, water-soluble poop of the exclusively breast fed baby, you will have to let the poop roll off the dipe into the toilet before tossing it in the wet bag. Behold, the glorious stash that awaits my baby's tush.

Package of cloth diapers of assorted brands from http://www.jilliansdrawers.com

I have done a shit ton of research online about brands and styles and stumbled across this site which is one of several that offer a cloth diaper trial.  How cool is that?  Basically, I paid $165 for them to send me the above goodies to test drive.  I can wash, use, soil, fall in love with them and keep them.  Or, do all of the above and return them if I hate them for a refund!  This way, I don't have to lay out a bunch of money on only one brand and risk hating them.  Instead, I can try out the different styles--All in ones, pre-folds, pocket diapers, one-size etc.-- and see which, if any, I want to keep or return. Seems like a no brainer! I am totally nerding out over this and cannot wait to get started. 

There are countless other reasons that make cloth diapering appealing...the financial savings compared to disposables, no harmful chemicals touching baby's skin, and better for the environment. I am sure to be met with the side eye when people learn of my decision, but I feel good about it.  If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out.  But I have a feeling it will.  This is just the kind of thing I can see myself getting addicted to.