I made the decision to cloth diaper long before becoming a mother, or even learning I was pregnant. For years during our infertility struggle, I just knew I wanted to use cloth. Maybe it was my secret inner hippie. Maybe I was leery of chemicals. Maybe I just loved the look of a fluffy cloth butt(I do).
Honestly, my first and foremost reason was the idea of the sheer amount of diapers I would be putting into a landfill each year if I used all disposables. I have read several figures and the consensus seems to be we put about 7,000 diapers per child into the landfills from birth to potty training. Its an astounding number.
For years I have been obsessed with streamlining my life and my routines to be as natural as possible. I have several hormone disorders and enough sources indicated environmental toxins can play a role. My husband and I shifted our grocery list to organic foods. We started trying to mostly use natural or organic hygiene products. I simplified my cleaning products down to vinegar and some mild castille soap.
We rarely used napkins or paper towels. In fact, I had a good laugh when my paper towel roll had finally reached its end. I had been using the same roll for three years at that point, mostly to clean up cat vomit and hairballs. Of course, since our son is now approaching his first birthday, we do use more paper towels than in the past. I grew up in a house where we always had a basket of rags to use for spills, projects or protecting surfaces. As an adult I had my own rag basket for the same purposes. Washing and reusing items just made sense. Luckily, no one even batted an eye at my decision.
And so, once I passed 20 weeks into my pregnancy with my son, I began my stash building with gusto. Once he was born, and I learned my own preferences, I tweaked my cloth diaper collection over and over again. I sold off several barely used diapers that just didn’t work for us. And acquired others. Even nearly a year into cloth diapering, I am still trying to perfect my cloth system. I would like to add a few more fitteds, and have been eyeballing some inexpensive pocket diapers to bulk up our stash so I can eliminate the occasionally needed disposable.
Some may not have thought it possible, but cloth diapering has made me greener. Not in the sense that I don’t throw tons of diapers in the trash. I seek out greener options now more than ever. When you are forced to look at every ingredient in your laundry detergent, diaper rash ointment, and are constantly altering your stash and therefore your washing routine, it makes you more aware of other things. Things you never thought of before. It doesn’t just raise your awareness, it opens your mind.