Let's talk cloth!
Forewarning: This'll get a little personal. Personal enough that I've spent the better part of writing this article blushing. You've been warned.
1. Cloth Diapers - There are a lot of reasons that cloth diapering is a good choice to make, but I certainly pass no judgment on those who decide it's not for them. I thought I'd throw that out there first since I have a lot of friends who don't cloth diaper whose feelings I don't want to hurt. I truly believe you're either cut out for it or not. It can be a dirty, stinky game and it's not for the faint of heart. It also requires more time, more water and more patience.
Now that I've gotten the negatives out of the way, let's move on to the goodies. First things first, cloth diapering is FUN! If you talk to a mom who cloth diapers, you will inevitably discover that she has a *slight* addiction to the fluffy butts. Just check this out and tell me it's not the cutest thing you've ever seen!
Photo from gdiapers
This?
Meh, no comparison. But, really, do our babies' bums need to be cute? No. It just makes the work worth it. So let's move on to advantage number two.
Some are hesitant to cloth diaper after looking at the prices of these babies. Yes, they're expensive and yes, it's an upfront investment. But even if you go a little crazy for diapers like I have and spend $800 on cloth diapers and accessories, you're saving yourself tons. The average family spends $2000 on disposables for each child. If you cloth diaper through two children and spend $800 on your "stash," you're saving $3200. Now, being realistic, that's not entirely true. There are other costs to consider, such as washing and drying. I usually line dry, which cuts out that cost, but we definitely pay for extra water and detergent. Even so, the resale value on cloth diapers is pretty incredible. So let's say the resale value when you're done cancels out the extra water costs. You can realistically diaper your child in the cheapest option (prefolds), spend no more than $100 - $200 when it's all said and done and come out ahead by $3800 or more. If you have more than two children, you'll continue to see your savings grow, though you may not be able to resell by that point. It really is incredible. I'd much rather spend my money on something both reusable and adorable than blow it on something ugly and kinda uncomfortable.
Just picture this scenario with me for one moment. Someone says to you, "Hey, would you rather wear these paper underwear that you can just throw right away and don't have to wash for $1000, or these soft, plush, luxurious undies that do require washing for $100." No brainer, right? WHY would we spend $900 extra for something uncomfortable that sits in a landfill and pollutes our Earth? Such is cloth diapering.
I think for many, the decision is made simply because that's what people do. I had NO idea that cloth diapering was gaining popularity until I was several months pregnant and a friend of mine started talking to me about it. Even then, I was way too skeptical to consider it an option. I remember thinking, Who cares if they're cute?! I do NOT want to deal with baby poo! Turns out, it really isn't that bad. Sure, we dunk our diapers in the toilet on occasion and I schlep on the ole' yellow gloves to put them in the washer, but that's the extent of the grossness. You can even cut down on the smell almost completely by investing in a nice diaper pail deodorizer that's safe for cloth diapers, such as fluff dust. Just know that there are other options and they really aren't too difficult, time-consuming or stinky. A little, but not much. Also: these ain't your grandma's cloth diapers.
Advantage #3 is the obvious: better for the environment.
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