WHY I Cloth Diaper

There are many, many benefits to cloth diapering your babies. I always wanted to cloth diaper, but my mom scared me away from it because she had tried it with my brother and so many leaking problems. Well, folks, as my mom learned, cloth diapering has come a long way since then. She hates when I put Blake in disposables; she can't figure out how to put them on (don't ask me, I know it's quite simple). Anyway, I'm no expert on the topic, but I have been cloth diapering for nearly 18 months, and I have researched the various options many times over. Here are a few reasons I'm so thankful that I chose to cloth diaper my babies:

1. Cloth diapering is so cute. How cute are those bright colors and patterns? There are so many options! Especially if money isn't an issue for you. (Some people kind of go crazy with cloth diapers and buy "exclusive patterns" for $50 a pop or more! It's insane to me, but that's their choice. Not mine, for sure.)

2. Cloth diapering is green. If you don't care about disposable diapers sitting in a landfill for 100,000 years (which you should, but that's another story), consider the fact that disposable diapers contain lots of harsh chemicals that you put on your baby's bum. Blake has never had a problem with diaper rash because of cloth diapering. Plus we never had problems with blow out poops!

3. Cloth diapering is economical. For Blake, we use Best Bottoms, which I love, but if I could do it over again, I would choose something even more economical. So Blake has 4 Best Bottom covers, 17 hemp inserts, and 3 overnight doubler inserts. This cost approximately $186. I also bought cloth wipes, which I think cost maybe $30. The only other thing needed is a wet bag. I spent more than needed on wet bags, but I have a small one (for small trips), a medium (for a day trip), and two large hanging wetbags (to keep all for laundry day). Those probably ran me $100 total. So we are talking about a little more than $300. When I'm done using these with my two children, I will be able to sell them and get some of my money back. How much have you spent on your disposable diapers and your wipes? More on how to do cloth diapering in the most economical way coming soon...

4. Cloth diapering is easier and less gross than you think. I do two small loads of diaper laundry per week. It is definitely worth doing a little more laundry for the money I have saved. I don't really touch poop any more than you do. I wipe the bum, and then use a wipe or toilet paper to nudge the poop off the diaper and into the toilet. When Blake's poop was runny in the early days,  I snapped the diapers just like you fold over a poopy disposable (we were using pocket diapers at the time), and I just unsnapped them and put it in the washer on laundry day.

I love cloth diapering, and I am so thankful that I have chosen to do it. We don't struggle to afford diapers, and we never have to run to the store because we are low on diapers. I will soon be cloth diapering two babies. You may say it's impossible to cloth diaper when you have two or more in diapers, but isn't it even more worth it when you consider the cost of buying disposables for multiple children? I would rather spend a little more time doing laundry in my life so that we have a little extra money to do something fun together and so I have a little less financial struggle!

You may be thinking, "But I work full time," or "But I don't have a washer/dryer." Neither of these are factors in my life, so I can't speak to that. You have to make the right decision for you and your family, but I think so many people don't even consider cloth diapering as an option. And it is an option that would benefit so many families who are currently struggling with finances! So give it a thought. Don't automatically think that it's gross or impossible or too expensive or time consuming.

a love song

You have changed me. From the moment I found out that you were growing inside of me, something changed. My body wasn't just about me anymore. When I felt you stirring and moving, I felt awestruck in a way that I have never experienced before. When I experienced aches and pains because you were getting big, I had to remind myself that you were going to be worth it. And you were. I waited a long time for you. You grew in my body and did not want to leave (and you are still attached to my hip!). I forced you out against your will and ended up with surgery. But you came out one way or another, and you cried a lot. You didn't sleep quite as much as a newborn was supposed to. And you continued to have sleeping issues for A LONG TIME. You made me more exhausted and more elated than I had ever been in my entire life.

I have seen beautiful things in this world in Paris, London, Rome, and Venice. But nothing compares to how beautiful you are. Your eyes are so bright and full of wonder. Your body is so tiny and cuddly. Your laugh is the most infectious thing. I wish I could bottle it up to reminisce on your graduation day and your wedding day. I wish I could bottle up your hugs and kisses to save for a day when you no longer want to be attached to my hip.

You have made my heart grow bigger. You have made me care about some things more and some things less. You have made me grow in respect for what I am capable of and what my body is capable of. Growing you and nourishing you with my breasts for the first 16 months of your life has been the most holy experience and has made me more in awe of God's design than ever before.

Seeing you run around the yard, putting puzzles together, climbing stairs all by yourself makes me realize time is moving too quickly. So I will let you nap on me until you get too impossibly heavy to accommodate.  I will welcome your distraction from my tasks so we can just enjoy giggling together. I will not be annoyed when you grab onto my leg when I am trying to do my Wii Fit exercise. I will not stress that you aren't talking yet because you are already growing up too quickly. I will not try to force you to "measure up" to the other kids your age because you move at your own pace, and you are your own person. I wouldn't want you to be anyone else. You beat to your own drum, just like your mom and dad.

Soon you will have a new brother or sister, and I will be busy taking care of the demands of a baby. But it will not lessen my love for you or my fierce desire to spend time with just you and me. It will never lessen, no matter how many "I hate you, Mom"s, "I am quitting college to be a musician"s, or "I don't want to raise my kids the same way you did"s that you may throw at me. This new brother or sister of yours might mean that we don't get quite as much time together just me and you. But you, along with your brother or sister, will be my most precious treasures, and I will always value you more than you may ever understand.