Going Greener

Having another child and remembering how many diapers we went through with the first one has made us decide to go greener with this one. We are going to attempt cloth diapering part-time at least. I remember those first few months with Ryane of the diaper trash can filling up so fast and all those wet/dirty diapers weighing so much as we lunged them out to the dumpcart. The guilty feeling of filling up the landfills with stuff that wouldn't break down for years is what got us more into recycling in the first place. We recycle just about everything that the Emporia center will take.

So, in order to prepare for kid#2, I've started my research and purchasing of "supplies". All I can say is WOW! There is so much to learn and so much information out there to research. I've researched everything from the different types of cloth diapering - prefolds, fitteds, pockets, AIO (all-in-ones), or AI2s (all-in-2). For covers, you have options, PUL fabric, fleece, wool. For prefolds, there are guaze, birdseye, hemp, terry, chinese prefolds, indian prefolds, bleached, unbleached. I'm sure I'm forgetting lots, but gives you an idea at how my head was spinning from all the options. In the end, we are going to try chinese prefolds with thirsties covers. I've also been amazed at the actual cost of cloth diapering--some diapers run $20-$25 EACH. Some people say they save money, but I've seen how much some of the stuff cost and if you aren't planning on full-time cloth diapering and using them on more than one kid, it would be tough. I'm not sure if we'll save money doing it, but I am sure we will feel like we are doing a little more to help out the environment. Our plan is to do it at home, but still use 'sposies at day care and while out and about. So, we are going to give it a shot and see if it's for us. If not, I'll know that I gave it a try.

I'm including a picture of our stash (as it's called in cloth diapering world - yah, I'm learning their lingo too). Many of the experienced CD mommy's recommend getting more, but I want to try it out first before sinking more money into it. We have prefolds for newborn and infant sizes and the first XS and S covers, so we should be covered upto 18lbs -- isn't that around 4 months??? Also, for those of you cringing thinking of having to pin a diaper on and poking the baby or ourselves, they have these handy little things called snappi diaper fasteners (in middle of picture) that you just hook and stretch to hold the diaper on--genius invention! It all sounds easy enough to me. They've made cleaning up those #2s easier these days with biodegradable throw-away inserts that are supposed to hold it away from the diaper. We are set, just waiting on that cute little tush to change....