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 from Muskoka Bear Bums is AmyLynn Duffield, who blogs about her story of how her family tries to keep ‘natural’ parenting an attainable reality.
Why are so many parents today choosing cloth diapers?
Well, can you reuse a disposable diaper? Can that same diaper fit from birth to potty training? Can you then take that diaper, and start again with your next child? Or can you donate that diaper to another family who is in need?
The clear answer to those questions is a big NO. With cloth all those options and more are made possible. Cloth can be a realistic, cheaper option to disposable diapers. Yes, more money goes out in the initial purchasing, but the savings of this choice can be in the thousands. Allowing that large amount of money to go a long way when raising a child.
Parents are choosing a proven system that has been used for thousands of years. A safe choice for the environment and a healthier choice for their babies.
What are my options?
I am not talking about big flat pieces of fabric, held onto your baby with pins, then covered with bulky rubber pants… minds tends to go back to the 1950′s. I am here to tell you that there are tons of well thought-out, designer choices. From traditional pre-folds and covers, to the ultimate top-of-the-line style in diapers; an all-in-one with a custom, fun outside print, that is virtually no fuss or work in changing. With hundreds of other options in between these two sides of the scale, there is sure to be a system that will work for every parent, and every budget.
Where do I buy my cloth diapers?
My personal favorite place to buy my diapers is from fellow parents who work from home. They produce high-quality diapers that they would, and have, used in their cloth diapering experience. Hyena Cart for me is a great place to browse and find awesome custom handmade excellent quality diapers.
That said there are also many online stores offering great name brand cloth diapers. These stores have many other products available as well; toys, clothes, laundry, babywearing, and home items that make the shopping experience easy and natural parenting to seem attainable. I have found so many awesome products by cruising online and realizing “Hey, I am not alone on my quest, and other parents have great ideas!”
How do I spread the good word?
Isn’t it fun to show your fluff off? To pack a fun, color-filled diaper bag? Show another parent how easy and simple cloth diapers can be. Taking multiple snap shots of my happy baby in a great diaper. Sending those pictures off to family members on Christmas cards or uploading to Facebook lets my community of fellow parents know, “Hey, I use cloth, its fun!”
Show your gorgeous baby off in that chunky, funky cloth bottom. Be willing to share your cloth diapering experience, your favorites, likes and dislikes, opinions and reasons behind your choice to anyone and everyone. Even the most strong-willed parents have a natural side that needs to be awakened. I am sure of it! Tell the messy, dirty truth about disposable diapers, and bring everyone over to the fluff side.
Who cares?
Our children. We are leaving behind this world, the mess and the destruction. Our parents and grandparents have made choices, and along with our own quest of convenience, we have had a strong, horrible impact on the planet. We are saying, “Stop! Enough is enough,” by choosing to cloth diaper our babies. Each parent has the ability to save thousands of diapers from entering our landfills for each child they choose to cloth diaper. Together we have the ability to reduce the use of harmful chemicals, the extra carbon output, and water waste that is produced when manufacturing disposable diapers, by choosing cloth diapers.
We can teach our children from day one how important our planet is, how we as their parents are making life changes and choices to do our part in leaving a healthy, natural, environment for generations of cloth diaperers to come.
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.
