So, I felt the need to make a confession.

I use cloth diapers. Sometimes my baby’s butt is so fluffy it’s ridiculous.

There, I said it. It’s out there now. I use cloth diapers. The long and short of it is, they’re really cute. I figure, if you have to deal with diapers for approximately two years (or longer if you are as horrible at potty training as I am) you might as well have some fun with it, right? I mean look at that cute little baby butt! And the diapers have names this one is “Tour de Pants!”

 

 

Hey, you get your kicks where you can, right?

So, do I do it for environmental reasons? Somewhat, but I will be completely honest, that’s kind of lower on the list of “Why?”

I just like them. They present a larger up front investment, but I have already recouped a lot of that by selling the diapers I don’t use anymore, didn’t like that much or that he outgrew. Even with the occasional splurge on a

more expensive diaper that is just really fun and colorful, I still will come out ahead in the diaper dollars game. With my daughter, I was always running out of disposables and I could NEVER remember to get a pack when I knew I would need them. Even when I got the GIANT box at Sam’s Club, I seemed to always run out at terrible times. And WIPES. I felt like all I ever bought at any store was WIPES. More and more and more wipes. WHY does it take 25 wipes to clean up such a small butt? So, I went to cloth wipes for use at home this time and I have to say, they’re awesome. Container, water, cut up wash clothes = SHAZAAM! Best way to clean up a butt with just one or two wipes. Ever. With cloth, even if EVERY SINGLE DIAPER I own is in the wash, I can seriously fold up a receiving blanket and put a cover on it until the wash is done. Old t-shirts or kitchen towels would work, too. And don’t give me the “EEEEWWWW” story. You have a baby? Everything is gross, babies are gross. Think about it, you put poop in the trash when you have a baby, I think that’s gross because I would never dream of putting my own poop in our trash can. I would probably have had to pay for extra trash pick up at our house if we had used disposables full time, so yet another money saving aspect of my cloth adventure.

Did I mention blow outs? If you have ever been charged with caring for an infant for more than a couple hours you have probably experienced THE BLOW OUT phenomenon. Up the back, out the sides…everywhere. Poop. Everywhere. With cloth, you can contain the most nuclear of blowouts. I have had to do an outfit change due to poop explodes maybe 3 times with my son versus a bajillzillion with my daughter.

So, let’s see – save money? Check. (I am not good at this in general, so if buying cute butt covers for my baby means I save money in the long run, I’m game.)

Reduce the number of times I have to wad up a pooped on article of clothing? Check.

Don’t put poop in the trash can. Check.

Save the environment? Check.

But am I “crunchy?” This term is ridiculous. I am quite soft and squishy thank you. I do like granola, I do use cloth diapers but I am just me. I buy things with corn syrup in it sometimes…GASP. I buy things for convenience and better believe I buy Happy Meals for me and my kids (sometimes I just want the toy). I just really like cloth diapers. We justified the purchase of an awesome RV to do family camping trips in because I am breastfeeding and using cloth. The money we are saving on those two things alone really amounts to what we paid for the RV. Think about it!? Crunchy or not, that’s just smart living. AND I work so it’s not just something that stay at home mom’s do successfully.

I won’t preach or push things on people, but I will go on endlessly about stuff that I have found enjoyable, easy to use, fun to use, helpful or awesome…so you may hear from me again about this (You all know how I am about Crabbies Ginger Beer, Cadbury mini eggs and yoga pants). The laundry is not that hard, the folding has a meditative quality to it and they are just ridiculously addictive to purchase. And I don’t judge you for using disposables, let’s make that clear. I keep them on hand, too. I guess that’s why I am making a “confession.” I don’t want to be put in a box because I use cloth – don’t judge me or label me. You know me, I’m just me. I think I lean toward keeping it a secret for that reason and that I also don’t want people to think that I will look down upon them for using disposables. I could care less…other than you’re totally missing out on some seriously stylish poop catchers here!

Who knew something that catches your kid’s excrement would turn into a hobby?

Interested? Feel free to ask me any questions. I’ve guest blogged on an actual cloth diapering web site – I mean, that makes me super legit, right? Diaper changes are just more fun when you get to pick out something other than what Pampers decided to put on their diapers.