To moms, cloth is cute. To most dads, cloth is ick. This is a tribute to the brave few who can call themselves Cloth-Diapering Dads.

Here’s to the dad who didn’t gag when his wife ditched the sposies, dressed their little one in cloth, and waited to see what his response would be at that first diaper change.

Here’s to the dad who didn’t gag when one day his wife had too many irons in the fire to be able to change that really awful smelly diaper, leaving him to the task all by himself.

Here’s to the dad who didn’t gag when he turned the diaper sprayer on full force and ended up with smelly poo all over the toilet, the wall, and himself.

Here’s to the dad who didn’t gag when he saw the credit card bill with a three-digit-and-some-change receipt to an online cloth diapering company.

Here’s to the dad who didn’t gag when he mistook the diaper pail for a real trash can and unwittingly caught a whiff of what might knock a lesser man to his knees.

Here’s to the dad who didn’t gag when his wife changed a diaper on the bed next to his sleeping body, of which he promptly rolled over and in to.

Here’s to the dad who didn’t gag when his wife forgot to throw a load of diapers in before vacation, causing them to return to a house that smelled much like a cattle yard.

Here’s to the dad who didn’t gag when his wife announced a new baby would arrive with no chance the first one would be potty-trained, thus creating double the diapers.

Here’s to the dad who listens to his wife go on and on and on about cloth diapers. Here’s to the dad who fiddles with snaps, velcro, and ties not simply as a way to humor his wife, but because he also believes cloth is best for his little one. Here’s to the dad who gets a kick out of that big ole fluffy cloth diapered bottom just as much as mama does.

Cloth-diapering Dad, you are a Cloth-Diapering Mama’s dream come true! Thank you!

Amy of Raising Arrows received the greatest number of your votes for The Most Inspiring Blogger in our Blog to Inspire contest.

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

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Big curious eyes look out from under the longest lashes ever to grace a human being. She looks up and up and up, begging Daddy to notice her. Eyes lock and an instantaneous reflex shoots chubby toddler arms to the sky, while a tiny cherry tomato of a mouth forms the words, “Hold me, Daddy.”

In one sweeping motion, Daddy lifts her tiny frame over his head and back down, snuggly-close to his chest, where he receives the best reward of all…giggles and slobbery smooches.

He is Daddy. He is home. Nothing else matters.

Amy of Raising Arrows received the greatest number of your votes for The Most Inspiring Blogger in our Blog to Inspire contest.

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

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I remember with clarity the day I found out I was pregnant with my first child. I jumped around our studio apartment like a crazy woman. I’m sure the occupants below wondered what was going on! I was so excited and there was no containing it.

The pregnancy and subsequent birth were not quite what I had anticipated, but in the end, I had a healthy, beautiful little boy whose cuteness was only surpassed by his intelligence.

There are still many family sayings that come directly from my eldest son’s toddler-isms. We call grasshoppers “hopgroppers,” and when the sun is shining, we all whine, “Sunny-bright!” just as our little son once did. It seemed as though there couldn’t be anything more wonderful than our little guy. I loved him fiercely.

It was that fact that made me fear having another child.

What if I couldn’t love another the way I loved him? What if our second child got left in the dust because our first was so adorable and smart? How could I possibly give another child the love and attention I was giving my first born?

These, and many other questions, plagued my brain as my body became home to our second child. As she grew, my questions and fears grew too.

That was when I read this quote,

“With your first, you learn the depth of your love. With your second, you learn the breadth of your love.”

When that petite little bundle of baby girl was placed in my arms for the very first time, I realized I could indeed love her just as much and just as deeply as I had her big brother.

A mother’s love is not something that runs out or is depleted as another child joins the household. If anything, it is multiplied.

As mothers, we love each and every child, whether it be one or ten. That’s the beauty of motherhood. . . even when we wish we had more arms, we never need more than one heart.

Amy of Raising Arrows received the greatest number of your votes for The Most Inspiring Blogger in our Blog to Inspire contest.

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

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This following post was an entry in our Blog to Inspire contest. The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

Blog to Inspire entrant Dagmar’s momsense is Dagmar Bleasdale, grew up in Germany then moved to Los Angeles. Now, she lives in Westchester, New York, near her husband’s family with him and their toddler son.

I hadn’t given it much thought before, but the second I learned I was pregnant I knew I wanted to breastfeed. It was one of the things I looked forward to the most about being a mom. I just had a feeling that being able to deliver the nourishment my child needs to thrive would be an amazing experience, and I didn’t want to miss out on that. I had no one to help me — my mother did not breastfeed my brother or me and did not encourage me to breastfeed. After a wonderful, drug-free birth, my doula helped me to latch on my son, but after that I was on my own. I tossed out the schedule they had given me at the hospital because my son nursed so frequently and was so content that I wasn’t afraid that he wasn’t getting enough milk. I followed my instinct, fed him on demand, and trusted that my body would provide what he needed.

My son was thriving, yet my nipples were hurting so much during those first weeks, I would gasp from pain every time he latched on. But I was determined — instead of giving up, I sought the help of two lactation specialists. The first one didn’t know what she was doing — the second one is the reason why I am still nursing. She diagnosed my son as a lazy baby who didn’t latch on properly. We learned the correct latch and now, three years later, I am still proudly nursing my little man. He still nurses several times during the day and night and has no intention of self-weaning, and I love nursing him so much, I am in no hurry for him to stop either.

I feel most like a mother when I am breastfeeding. I was meant to do this — for my son and for myself.

I feel most like a mother when I am breastfeeding. I was meant to do this — for my son and for myself. I never get tired of giving him the comfort and nourishment he needs and wants, and feeling his little body close to me. And I don’t get tired of encouraging as many moms as possible to start and continue to breastfeed. I had no idea I would breastfed my son this long, but I count it as one of my proudest accomplishments to be able to do this for him. I also had no idea that I would become a passionate breastfeeding advocate, a La Leche League member, and that my desire to connect with other women interested in breastfeeding would lead me to start my blog, Dagmar’s momsense.

After learning how important it is to get the correct information and support in the beginning, and that most problems with breastfeeding have to do with an incorrect latch, which often can be remedied pretty quickly, I started writing my blog out of a desire to help other moms. Breastfeeding isn’t easy for a lot of women in the beginning, but while a new mom might think she is alone in her struggle, her problems are most likely not unique — many women before her have encountered the same challenges. I want new mothers to know that there are many resources and free help available and that they can look to me to be their cheerleader if they don’t have anyone else to support them.

After my wonderful experience with breastfeeding, I want as many other moms as possible to experience that special bond with their babies and the pride they will feel about being able to give their children the perfect nourishment and comfort. I believe most women can nurse their children with the right support, and I don’t want inaccurate information, societal and work-related pressures, or inadequate resources to be the reason why they never try it or stop to breastfeed. I don’t expect other women to breastfeed for as long as I have — I just want them to understand that every day they breastfeed is a gift not only to their children’s but their own health.

Making it through those challenging first weeks has been so worth it, and there have been countless situations in the last three years when I was glad that I am breastfeeding my son. Thanks to co-sleeping and never having to prepare a bottle, I have slept just fine since my son was an infant. I have a very healthy child with a hearty immune system, due in large part to exclusively breastfeeding my son for nine months. When flying overseas with him, he was contently nursing in his Maya wrap and people were astounded about how quiet he was. When he doesn’t want to eat his vegetables, I don’t have to worry about his nutrition because I know he gets everything he needs from breast milk. One more welcomed side effect: the added pregnancy weight came off by itself — breastfeeding is pure bliss!

Read about the Blog to Inspire contest and read posts by the finalists and by the rest of the entrants. Forty-four bloggers reached out to inspire on the topics of cloth diapers, babywearing, breastfeeding, and natural parenting.

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This following post was an entry in our Blog to Inspire contest. The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

Blog to Inspire entrant The Feminist Breeder is Gina Crosley-Corcoran, a 31-year old married mother of 2 young boys, a 4.0 GPA pre-law student (that means she’s smart, yo), and a women’s rights advocate and activist.

Throughout the entire first year of my second son’s life, I worked 40+ hours per week outside the home. I also continued earning my pre-law undergraduate degree full-time at night. While just those two tasks alone are a lot for one person to handle, I also ran a part-time cake decorating business out of my home when ever I could get orders. I even maintained my volunteer advocacy efforts and wrote for my blog in the (very little) free time I had.

And throughout all of that, I also breastfed my son. Exclusively. My baby made it all the way through that year without a single drop of formula.

Of course, there are people like Hannah Rosin who would say this is impossible. Those like Rosin say that breastfeeding “is a serious time commitment that pretty much guarantees that you will not work in any meaningful way.” I’m sorry, Ms. Rosin, but I beg to differ.

My first son was formula fed. After an unexpected cesarean, and not enough support, breastfeeding proved to be a challenge I just wasn’t up for at the time. I made it four weeks before throwing in the towel. Everyone told me my life would be easier and I would be happier if I quit breastfeeding, and I wanted them to be right.

But they weren’t right. As soon as I stopped breastfeeding, I wished I hadn’t. The more I saw breastfeeding mothers, the more I wanted to be one of them. Formula was messy and expensive. It took time to prepare bottles and clean them after. One time we accidentally left the house without a nipple and I had to listen to my son scream in hunger for a half hour while we located a store to buy another nipple. That wouldn’t have happened if I’d had my baby’s lunch sitting right there on my chest.

So I made a pact with myself; if I had another baby, that baby would never have formula. And I meant it, too.

I had to return to work at 12 weeks postpartum. I had a supportive employer who gave me plenty of time to express my milk at work (which is actually required by law in my state.) At school, I told my professors on the first day of class that I was nursing an infant, and I would need more than the normal break time to pump for him. None of them had a problem with that, especially because I was (am) a committed 4.0 GPA student.

I would be lying if I said any of this was easy. A week after I returned to work, my supply dropped, and I panicked. Over the course of that year, I spent many hours of my life tracking down and trying every lactation aid on the market, along with acupuncture and other stimulation techniques. Sometimes I felt like all I ever did was pump and transport breastmilk. Often times I even had to wake up in the middle of the night to pump if my stash was running low or if my supply needed a boost. And on the hardest days, I thought it would never, ever end.

But I made a promise to myself, and I planned on keeping it. I know the benefits of breastfeeding to both me and my baby, and I knew how elated I would be if I actually made it that whole first year.

And I did make it. My baby’s first birthday came and went, and six months later it almost feels like that year was only a few months long. My son is even still nursing a few times a day.

Of course, I would never advocate anyone taking on as much as I did in that first year unless they absolutely had to (which I did). But many women do have to, or want to work or go to school, and I want mothers to know that with the right support, breastfeeding doesn’t have to stop you from doing anything you want to do. Breastfeeding is a precious gift to give yourself and your baby, and it most certainly will not prevent you from doing anything meaningful. On the contrary, a mother providing breastmilk for her baby is doing something incredibly meaningful. It is a worthwhile cause.

So if anyone ever tries to tell you that you cannot successfully breastfeed your baby after returning to work or school, tell them you know someone who did do it, and lived to tell about it. Let no one determine what you are capable of except you, and trust me, you are probably more capable than you may think.

Read about the Blog to Inspire contest and read posts by the finalists and by the rest of the entrants. Forty-four bloggers reached out to inspire on the topics of cloth diapers, babywearing, breastfeeding, and natural parenting.

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This following post was an entry in our Blog to Inspire contest. The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

Blog to Inspire entrant Code Name: Mama is Dionna Ford, a lawyer turned work at home mama to an amazing son. She’s also one of those crunchy liberals her parents warned her about. She and her husband practice natural parenting and try to live consciously.

A member of an online community forum recently asked: “Do you think toddlers are too old to nurse?” What followed was a variety of disapproving comments regarding breastfeeding in general and “extended” (better known as “full term”) breastfeeding in particular.

I joined the community in order to educate the ill-informed and defend those champions of lactation – the mamas who give their babies breastmilk beyond one year. I dug up some research on breastfeeding past infancy; found links and statistics; and attempted to write something coherent. (It’s hard to be coherent, though, when my almost two year old often climbs onto my lap, dives for my nursing tank top, and does scissor kicks somewhere between my body and the keyboard.) Below is an expanded version of what I posted in response.

Health Benefits to Children and Mothers

In addition to the myriad health benefits to mother and child from breastfeeding for even a short time period (1), there are even more health benefits when mothers continue breastfeeding beyond one year. Here are only a few examples of the benefits to children and mothers, all established by credible research:

• “Nursing toddlers between the ages of 16 and 30 months have been found to have fewer illnesses and illnesses of shorter duration than their non-nursing peers.” (2)
• “Antibodies are abundant in human milk throughout lactation. In fact, some of the immune factors in breastmilk increase in concentration during the second year and also during the weaning process.” (3)
• There is “a significant inverse association between duration of lactation and breast cancer risk.” (4)
• Breastfeeding beyond one year “can reduce your risk of ovarian cancer by about one-third.” (5)
• “[T]he longer a woman breastfeeds, the less likely she is to get endometrial cancer.” (6)

Breastfeeding Toddlers is Normal

Much of the criticism toward extended breastfeeding has nothing to do with health and everything to do with cultural biases. Many disagree with nursing a toddler who “can ask for it (or who have teeth),” or “when it’s just used as a comfort.”

Such comments reveal the writers’ own discomfort; they are not grounded in fact. Disapproval based on comfort level is not a logical basis for discouraging mothers from breastfeeding for any length of time.

Mothers have historically nursed into toddlerhood. In fact “the median age of weaning throughout the world is between ages three and five [years].” (7) Because breastfeeding is “a heavily culturized activity, it is” influenced by the current beliefs and attitudes regarding “infant health and nutrition, . . . the nature of human infancy and the proper relationships between mother and child, and between mother and father.” (8)

Those who condemn nursing a child who is “old enough to ask for it” operate under the illusion that the breast’s primary purpose is sexual. Most people wouldn’t raise an eyebrow at giving a toddler a bottle (which is a breast substitute), or at hugging or cuddling a toddler; why should breastfeeding be different? All are forms of affection. A toddler does not see a breast as sexual, nor should anyone who happens to view the nursing relationship.

The argument that breastfeeding should be discontinued after it is “more comfort than nutrition” is similarly misguided. Aside from the established health benefits of nursing a toddler, it makes no sense to take away a food source just because it does not meet every nutritional need.

“We don’t say that children should stop eating bananas once bananas are no longer a significant part of their diet. Bananas eaten once in a while are as nutritious as bananas eaten three times a day. In fact, you might even consider the rarely eaten banana to be more important nutritionally. Why do we not see that the same is true of human milk?” (9)

Nursing My Own Toddler

In responding to the forum query and in writing this post, I examined my own reasons for continuing to nurse my son.

Nothing can soothe my toddler’s bumped head or broken heart more effectively than breastfeeding. Nursing provides Kieran security and comfort when he is feeling sad, unsure or overwhelmed. And, quite simply, we both enjoy our nursing relationship.

If I hadn’t nursed beyond one year, I would have never been able to enjoy Kieran’s impish grin before his inevitable toddler nursing gymnastics; the request for “mama milk dance!” as we swept across our living room dance floor; or waking up to his big blue eyes locked onto mine as he hugged my chest and sleepily murmured “love mama milk.”

These tender moments are memories I would never trade, and Kieran’s comfort and happiness far outweigh any possible criticism about extended breastfeeding.

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(1) See “101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child,” http://www.promom.org/101/ (and citations therein) for some of the significant health benefits to children and mothers from even a few months of breastfeeding.
(2) “Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet” (citing Gulick, E. The Effects of Breastfeeding on Toddler Health, Ped Nursing 1986 Jan-Feb;12(1):51-4)
(3) Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet (citing Goldman AS. et al., Immunologic Components in Human Milk During Weaning, Acta Paediatr Scand. 1983 Jan;72(1):133-4; Goldman, A., Goldblum R.M., Garza C., Immunologic Components in Human Milk During the Second Year of Lactation, Acta Paediatr Scand 1983 May;72(3):461-2; Hamosh M, Dewey, Garza C, et al: Nutrition During Lactation. Institute of Medicine, Washington, DC, National Academy Press, 1991, pp. 133-140)
Toddlers who nurse also have fewer allergies, are smarter, and are well-adjusted socially. (see Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet and related citations)
(4) Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet (citations available at http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/ebf-refs.html#BreastCancer1)
(5) 101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child, (citing Hartage et al, “Rates and risks of ovarian cancer in subgroups of white women in the United States.” Obstet Gynecol 1994 Nov; 84(5): 760-764; Rosenblatt KA, Thomas DB, “Lactation and the risk of Epithelial ovarian cancer”. Int J Epidemiol. 1993;22:192-197; Gwinn ML, “Pregnancy, breastfeeding and oral contraceptives and the risk of Epithelial ovarian cancer.” J. Clin. Epidemiol. 1990; 43:559-568)
(6) 101 Reasons to Breastfeed Your Child (citing Rosenblatt, KA et al “Prolonged lactation and endometrial cancer” Int. J. Epidemiol. 1995; 24:499-503)
(7) “Breastfeeding Beyond a Year: Exploring Benefits, Cultural Influences, and More,”
http://www.llli.org/NB/NBSepOct07p196.html (citing Huggins, K. The Nursing Mother’s Guide to Weaning, Boston, MA: Harvard Common Press, 2007)
(8) Breastfeeding Beyond a Year: Exploring Benefits, Cultural Influences, and More (quoting Dettwyler, K.A. “A Time to Wean” in Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives, Hawthorne, NY: Aldine de Gruyter, 1995)
(9) “Comfort Versus Nutrition,” http://www.breastfeeding.org.sg/comfort-versus-nutrition-by-kathryn-orlinsky.html

Read about the Blog to Inspire contest and read posts by the finalists and by the rest of the entrants. Forty-four bloggers reached out to inspire on the topics of cloth diapers, babywearing, breastfeeding, and natural parenting.

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This following post was an entry in our Blog to Inspire contest. The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

Blog to Inspire entrant The Eco Chic is Calley Pate, a thirty-something wife and mother of two beautiful babies. As a mother she wants to lead by example in the hopes that her children will grow up with the knowledge and passion to make a difference.

Whether you are considering cloth diapers or already using them one of the reasons for choosing cloth is because of your concern for the environment. You can’t see adding 6,000 disposable diapers to the landfill. But you’ve also heard that cloth diapers cause diaper rash, and that scares you.

We’ve all been there, our little ones wake from their naps and what do we find inside their diapers?

A big red diaper rash!

Admit it. When you see it for the first time, you feel like the world’s worst parent. When my son was a baby we used disposables and his little bum was always covered with a rash. No matter how much cream I lathered on his bum it was always red. Back then the world of cloth diapers was not much more than pre-folds and covers and the only person I knew who used cloth was my mom! Our pediatrician (thinking it was caused by the chemicals in the wipes) told us to use cloth wipes (wash clothes) and water. It was months before I tried regular wipes again but the rashes still appeared. This experience was one of the primary reasons I wanted to try cloth diapers with my daughter.

What causes diaper rash? There are actually many causes of diaper rash and we may need to channel Sherlock Holmes to figure it out.

• Wetness
• Rubbing or Chafing
• Chemicals in urine/stool
• Teething
• Diet
• Perfumes
• Detergents
• Antibiotics
• Fabrics
• Illness

And I’m pretty sure that there are more reasons that I’ve missed! Did you know that the rate of diaper rashes have increased since the development of disposable diapers? Did you know that diaper rashes are most common in babies between 9-12 months? Did you know that ALL babies get at least one diaper rash in their lifetime?

If you are lucky enough to determine WHY they have a diaper rash, you are now plagued with another challenge in the world of cloth diapers. Diaper rash creams can ruin your cloth diapers! The bases of most creams are oils which will leave a residue on your diapers and can cause them to repel…your worst nightmare!

Don’t put away those cloth diapers yet, you can help your baby and still use your favorite cloth diapers! Here are some tips to help return your babies bum to soft and smooth:

Find a good cloth diaper friendly diaper rash cream. The traditional creams that you can find at your local big box retailers are probably NOT your best choice. The cream we use on Lil’ B is more like a lotion than a cream and has always healed Lil’ Bs rashes within a day or two. Ask your favorite cloth diaper retailer what they recommend.

Don’t have a good rash cream? Try one of many home remedies that can treat diaper rash. Did you know that coconut oil and olive oil can be used to treat rashes? Or that tea tree oil can be used to treat yeast infection rashes?

Use a liner between your baby and the cloth diaper. You can use flushable liners or make your own cloth liners from fabric scraps (old t-shirts or blankets work well). When using a cloth liner, be sure to wash them separate from your cloth diapers since the creams can transfer to your diapers.

Change their diaper more frequently. Your goal is to keep them as dry as possible.

Practice elimination communication or diaper free time. Regardless of the type of diaper rash the best way to treat it is by allowing their bum to air out. Even 20-30 minutes every few hours can help keep the wetness from their red bum. Think of this as the ultimate in environmentally friendly diapering.

The most important thing to remember is that all babies get diaper rashes; they are common! Have patience and try to eliminate the causes of the rash. Don’t forget why you chose to use cloth diapers to begin with. They are better for your baby, better for your wallet, and better for the environment!

Read about the Blog to Inspire contest and read posts by the finalists and by the rest of the entrants. Forty-four bloggers reached out to inspire on the topics of cloth diapers, babywearing, breastfeeding, and natural parenting.

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This following post was an entry in our Blog to Inspire contest. The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

Blog to Inspire entrant Stretching the One Income Dollar is Monique Rowe from Saskatchewan. She is the author of the book, Stretching the One Income Dollar, mother to two great daughters, and soul mate to Gerry.

There are many reasons to and advantages to using cloth diapers. First of all, cloth diapers are less abrasive against your baby’s soft, sensitive skin which causes fewer rashes than disposable diapers. Cloth is more economical because you wash and reuse the diapers instead of throwing them away after one use like how disposable ones are designed. Diapers can be very expensive if you have to keep buying them, and cloth is a onetime investment that gets multiple uses. They are also better for the environment because disposable diapers are often times not biodegradable and cloth isn’t meant to be thrown away.

The greatest advantage that a lot of parents are experiencing with the use of cloth diapers is that their babies potty train earlier than most kids that wear disposables. Babies that are wearing cloth will potty train up to six months earlier than expected -which have been proven in studies about potty training. Talking to parents who have used cloth on their babies will prove they are potty training way soon than those wearing the disposables. Cloth diapers also make potty training easier in addition to happening faster. Babies that are wearing disposable diapers cannot feel as well that they are wet. This is not such a good advantage . It is important when the babies are being potty trained that they feel the wetness. It is thought that babies want to potty train earlier because they are not liking the wet feeling from cloth. Your baby will know when to go to the bathroom because they can feel when the diaper is wet.

There are going to be a lot of accidents with babies when they are potty training. This is natural. It will be a new feeling that they have to learn to understand when they need to go to the bathroom. A great advantage of using cloth during potty training is that you’ll save a lot of money. Instead of having to buy disposable diapers after each accident, you can just wash the cloth ones and reuse them. Cloth diapers have come a long way to what they used to be like. The older style diapers were the big white pieces of flannel that looked like they could drape a small table. Today, there are so many nice colors. There are ones that are fitted and ones that have Velcro. Wow- not like it used to be. It is also so nice to not have to use pins anymore. Because of the newer features of cloth diapers that are fitted, it makes them easy to use during potty training. There are so many great leaps and bounds with the new age diaper.

Cloth diapers should be used during potty training, and before as well, because of the advantages they offer to both the parents and babies.

They are

• convenient,
• more economical,
• better for your babies’ skin,
• better for the environment, and
• most important they will make your baby potty train earlier and easier.

Read about the Blog to Inspire contest and read posts by the finalists and by the rest of the entrants. Forty-four bloggers reached out to inspire on the topics of cloth diapers, babywearing, breastfeeding, and natural parenting.

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Long before I cloth diapered, I used cloth pads. That’s kind of backwards from the norm, I know, but when I first learned of mama cloth, I didn’t have a little one to diaper. I had read so much good about cloth pads, I wanted to jump right in and try it.

The very first pads I ordered were from a WAHM (Work At Home Mom). Despite the fact that stuffing them was a bit clumsy, I fell in love! I kept an old ice bucket (purchased from a thrift store) filled with water beside the toilet. I just dumped them in there and no one was any wiser as to what my bucket was for. At the end of my cycle, the entire bucket was dumped in the washer and washed clean, ready for the next month.

When I started cloth diapering, I realized how cloth diapering and using mama cloth truly do go hand in hand. I no longer needed the ice bucket, I simply tossed the mama cloth in the diaper pail I kept in the bathroom. Mama cloth and diapers all got washed together!

Then came the addition of cloth wipes. Everyone in the family decided these were a great idea. Once again, the use of cloth wipes just made sense. The diaper pail served to house them as well. Everything went to the laundry together and the whole world was a happier place.

Occasionally, family members chide me for using cloth because back in the “olden days” people would have given their right arm to have the time-saver of disposable products. However, the benefits I’ve reaped from using cloth far outweigh any time savings. Less cramps, less poopy blowouts, less clogged toilets are just a few of the benefits I’ve received. In addition to all of that, I’m helping to lessen the load this planet has to bear. So to those who say, “Oh my!” when I tell them I’m a cloth mama, my answer is, “Oh yeah!”

Amy of Raising Arrows received the greatest number of your votes for The Most Inspiring Blogger in our Blog to Inspire contest.

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

Pregnancy by Nature carries a full line of cloth menstrual pads and other reusable menstrual products.

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Several of us have found ourselves diapering more than one child at a time despite our best efforts to have the last child potty-trained. However, when you cloth diaper, double diaper duty really isn’t all that bad. Here’s why:

1. The landfills will thank you! There is nothing more disgusting to me than driving by our local landfill and seeing disposable diapers littering the fence. Because you’re doing double diaper duty, the landfills don’t have to deal with two children’s weekly stash of diapers.
2. Your stash gets more life. There is something terribly satisfying to me about diapers being passed down from one child to the next. The ability to reuse something twofold is the ultimate definition of recycling!
3. Laundry is worth it. One of my favorite things about cloth diapering two is the fact that my diaper pail is at just the right spot for a full load and a full line every couple of days. When you only diaper one (especially as that one gets older), you rarely get a full load at the right time to be washing.

So, be encouraged! Diapering two really isn’t that hard and the benefits of sticking with cloth diapers are well worth it on so many levels!

Amy of Raising Arrows received the greatest number of your votes for The Most Inspiring Blogger in our Blog to Inspire contest.

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of Eco Baby Steps or Parenting By Nature.

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