The Road to Cloth Diapering

Lily playing around in her FuzziBunz Diaper

I guess now that I have the chance to win 9 free cloth diapers, I will go ahead and out myself. Over the last couple of months I have been working to switch Lily over completely to cloth diapers. Yes, I know, I've really lost it now. No, in fact it is not as bad as you think. Cloth diapering has become a whole world of its own and is not anything like it used to be. So I know this decision needs an explanation so here it goes.
I thought about cloth diapering for about 5 seconds before I had Mac and then said, "Um, no." Before I had Lily, I ran across this article, and actually considered it pretty heartily, but was simply too intimidated and overwhelmed (as I tend to get by new ideas) and continued down Huggies lane. The part of the article that really got me was this:
"Disposable diapers contain PVCs and SAPs (super absorbent polymers; these are the gel crystals you’ve likely seen when a sposie has “exploded” on your baby). SAPs were removed from tampons during the 1980s because of their link to toxic shock syndrome, but are still used in disposable diapers. Both of these chemicals have been banned in the European market, but are still used in the United States."

I had seen these crystal like things on Mac before when I changed his diaper and had no idea what they were. So this revelation made me consider, but somehow managed to push it to the back of my mind. Probably mostly because right when I had Lily I figured out how to get disposables super cheap, I never paid more than $5.oo a pack--so that made it even easier to not think about.

I realized a few months ago that I needed to do some soul searching when it came time to be diapering another baby because I am no longer bothered by poop and I knew cloth diapering would be overall better, but I thought I would have to do some serious self-motivating before I went down that road. Then I thought--Well why don't I go ahead and get practice on Lily! That thought lingered for a good month until I stocked up on about 100 disposable diapers and within 4 diaper changes I found the SAP crystals on Lily every time!! And it gave her a horrible rash which didn't heal for a week! At that moment I said "THAT'S IT!" I was on the hunt that day for other things to wrap her bottom in!

It has been a long, and overwhelming process. Not the actual diaper changing at all...that is easy! Just soaking up all of the information and trying to make a good investment (because it is an investment!)

But so far I really love it, it is not hard, and there are so many resources out there to make it even easier. I have been very blessed to run across Kelly's Closet and The Cloth Diaper Whisperer. Right now The Cloth Diaper Whisperer is giving away 9 free cloth diapers in honor of Kelly's Closet's 9th anniversary. This post has been something I have been planning to write about and now is partly an attempt to win the diapers because it sure would help me make my complete conversion! But if you think you might want to cloth diaper as well I encourage you to check out the giveaway and enter because what a great place to start!!

She's so happy about her cloth diapers! And I had to put this picture up...I wouldn't like it if someone showed a picture of just my bum.