Adventures in Cloth Diapering

For months now I’ve kind of been researching cloth diapers. Before you go thinking I’m crazy, you need to realize cloth diapers are COMPLETELY different than what most people think of when cloth diapering. Yes, it still requires more laundry, but it’s not those Gerber prefolds with the old school safety pins anymore. The options are limitless. And that’s why I say I’ve “kind of been” researching them. It’s slightly overwhelming.

Trust me, I’ve heard my fair share of naysaying – even from my own mother, “Trust me, you’re not going to want to mess with the extra laundry.” And yet I still feel compelled to try. I found out that a sorority sister who has twins did cloth. Also, one of the women we’re looking to use as a babysitter has her 2 girls in cloth (a 6-month old and a 2 year old). She also said she could help with washing some!

Even though I think it’s great that they’re “green” my main motivator is cost. It’s also the thing that’s holding me up. The monetary commitment up front is intimidating when we don’t know if we’re up for the challenge. There are ways to get used ones (and ways to sanitize them). What I’m leaning toward at this point is getting a trial package. There are numerous websites where you can get X number of diapers for 20 days or so to see how you like them.

We have been given a LOT of diapers. We still plan to use these but it doesn’t mean I’m giving up on my cloth diaper plan. I’ve read a lot about how cloth diapers are actually better for containing the newborn blowouts than disposable!

I finally found a GREAT site that I felt like I could use to make some decisions – www.jilliansdrawers.com.