okay. i realize that this post will be of zero interest to the vast majority. if that is the case for you, just look at the cute pictures! and for anyone who does happen to be interested, i'd love your feedback.
this is what i made with some of my new fabric, by the way. and the inspiration just keeps on coming!
so, here is my struggle with cloth vs. diposable diapers.
(i have a mean streak- i absolutely love pictures of my babies crying!)
first, a little background.
i didn't know anyone used cloth diapers anymore until the end of miles' first year. the idea instantly appealed to me, although i was somewhat apprehensive. mr. o was totally opposed to it, not suprisingly, but i volunteered to do all of the diapering- so caught up was i in this new world of adorable and eco friendly diapers.
i eased my way into it, using g diapers at first, and getting a lot of good advice from my sister's friend, aimee. but once i started, i was totally dedicated. there were no more disposables in the house- ever. not for babysitters or grandma (same thing, i guess!) outings, church, or anything. i even used cloth/g diapers when we were camping.
it is definately more work, but when you're doing it, it's no big deal. you just do it.
fast forward to finn. i had saved up for newborn diapers throughout the pregnancy, bought them little by little until i was stocked up, and planned on exclusively using cloth from go with him. i was barely convinced to leave them home and let him have disposables for a few days at the hospital. then, in the sleep-deprived, hormonal fog of those first weeks, i was talked into putting off cloth diapering until we got more sleep. that, and the fact that mr. o had put miles in disposables while i was gone.
re-enter; the disposable diaper.
oh, they are easy. and trim. and so incredibly (though freakishly) absorbant. and here's the clincher for miles at least- they got rid of a nasty patch of eczcema that had been on his bottom for months- in one day. i had stubbornly put miles back into cloth when i got home from the hospital, and that rash came right back. i had honestly been battling that for the longest time, and seeing how fast it cleared up in disposables, i really couldn't rationalize cloth for him anymore. i had tried everything with cloth, believe me.
so that makes it complicated. it was hard to do cloth for one baby, and disposables for the other. plus, i had some issues with a few of the diapers i was using on finn, and ended up getting two replaced by the manufacturers. it just seemed like so much work by comparison.
so my problem?
the guilt.
it just nags and nags. i really really hate throwing out piles and piles of gross disposables that won't decompose for 500 years. it's a big deal to me.
also, i have invested a lot of money into stocking up on cloth diapers. so spending money on box after box (for 2 kids!) of disposables is frustrating.
also, i have invested a lot of money into stocking up on cloth diapers. so spending money on box after box (for 2 kids!) of disposables is frustrating.
so hear me out on some pros and cons:
cloth diapering pluses-
environmentally friendly
no chemicals on baby's bottom
oh, they are adorable!
money saving in the long run
and the negatives-
really bulky
more work, more changes, more laundry
can be hard on sensitive skin
disposables pluses-
super trim
super absorbant (but, again, gross!)
super easy
disposables negatives-
so hard on our earth. they just pile up in landfills.
really weird stuff in 'em
so, i think it comes down to two big things for me. convenience and my boy's skin. cloth is definately out for miles. i think if he was potty trained, it would be easier to give cloth a good go again with finny. but then that sounds like an excuse.
i kinda want a cloth diapering momma out there to give me a pep talk!
whew.
in case anyone out there is interested in cloth diapering, a few of my favorite websites are:
nicki's diapers (my total fav)
baby bunz (they have good covers/fitted diapers)
diaper pin (for diaper reviews/articles)
............
oh- and i am so happy finny's room/the office is starting to come together. we moved the desk into the closet, and will cover it with a curtain. don't you love the wall pictured here? the pictures are from belle & boo and sarah jane and the little owl is from craftpaca. i love the yellow/grey and how it all came together!
8 comments:
Evie,
I love love love your wall!!!
And I think your drawer of cloth diapers is just as adorable!!!!
I'm so loving that diaper stacker you made! Can I have one? I'll do some embroideries for ya! :)
You and I are so alike. Seriously, I have that same Belle and Boo print, and Sarah Jane is on my faves list. Gotta get one of hers. That wall is darling to death!
As for the cloth diaper issue, I have the same struggles as you do. I guess what has made me decide to give it a try this time (aside from the guilt that comes from killing the Earth with every garbage day) is that I've found a diaper service in the area that will deliver and wash them for me for about $18 a week. The "yuck factor" is what has kept me from trying them until now, and we just didn't live in an area that had a service. So for this baby I'll probably start off with disposables, then move to cloth when he's not "going" so frequently.
Anyway, thanks for this post. You really gave me some good real world info on cloth diapering that I haven't found elsewhere. I'll definitely be checking out those sites you mentioned.
Your diaper holder turned out fantastic Eve! I love it!
I don't think waiting 'til Miles is potty trained is just an excuse. I think its a great idea. The thought of doing cloth diapers for two kids is much more intimidating. And dealing with different kinds for each kid is rather a pain too. So I say just wait, get all geared up and psyched for Finn, when Miles is ready make the switch.
I don't have any advice for you, I just really wanted to say that you have some wicked cute little boys. End.
Wow, TOTALLY adorable wall deco, Evie!!! I hear you on the dilemna but you were always far and away more dedicated than me... Maybe when Audrey gets potty trained I can start up with Luke-- lol!
(AUSTIN commented on your blog?!?!? I'm so jealous!)
I sometimes feel guilty for not doing all I can to save the earth, though I know it isn't much, until I go to a place like, say, Dillard's, where my husband works, and I watch them throw out about a ton of trash a week that I just know could be recycled or reused in some way, and then I think about my little lot of diapers that are filling up landfills and I let it go. I figure that once major polluters start behaving better, so will all the little people.
What if you just did cloth diapers a few days a week, or something? That would be better than nothing, but not as hard. Maybe every other day, or weekdays only. That way you can use your diapers and save the Earth (and money), but hopefully not be overwhelmed. If you used cloth diapers half the time, you'd cut your consumption of paper diapers in half, too! Yay for you to take care of our sweet planet! Everyone can do their part.
thanks everyone for all the comments. i think when miles is closer to potty training, i'll put them both in cloth. that way, miles is uncomfortable when he's wet. for awhile i put finn in cloth except for nap time and night times, but it seemed it was always nap time and it took too long to get enough cloth dipes for even a small load. so maybe i will do cloth on finn on certain days/half the time instead of dividing up times of the day.. it took us so long to get a working night time diaper solution for miles, though, so i am hesitant to do cloth overnight with finn. at least until i am 'back in the saddle' and only diapering one kid!
i hope it doesn't bother finn's skin, because he has eczcema too. however you spell it. i was really really passionate about cloth diapers for a long time (funny, but true) and i still have strong feelings about it, they are just really smothered right now!
anyways.. didn't want to make a whole new post on the topic, but in case anyone checks this out again, i do appreciate the feedback!
Post a Comment