Ok so once I found out I was pregnant I went to the bookstore with my husband to check out the book and magazines. I wasn't a big fan of the "What to Expect" books as they seemed dated. I ended up with Jenny Mccarthy's book. Now THAT is a funny book about being pregnant. I also went to the magazines. I purchased Pregnancy and Newborn and Fit Pregnancy, but I also looked at a British pregnancy magazine that was an eye opener! They are very pro natural childbirth and very very pro breast-feeding, but also pro nappies (or cloth diapers).
It was a refreshing thing to see and read. ALL my friends use disposable diapers and none of them have breastfed so it was like seeing stone age ideas coming back. I thought, "could I do this?".
Reading the magazines will freak you out. Seriously how much crap do I need for my baby. You ask friends and get all kinds of different opinions so what do you do. Well if you are me and have a husband in baseball, which allows you a lot of free time, you start to study.
I found that BPA free was the way to go, great. Don't do the diaper wipe warmer or your kid will scream when you change them outside of the house, ok. Crib bumpers are out until they are mobile or they can suffocate, done.
But there were so many other things I found as I applied yet another application of creams, lotions and oils I found to prevent stretch marks. (my poor husband thought I would be an oil slick forever and always sleep in a sports bra!)
I decided breast feeding was the way to go and took all the classes to be ready. Which was amazing to get peoples reactions. "Your going to What? Why when there is formula?", or my favorite "it's so un-natural". I thought I was doing the most natural thing in the world. I mean outside of my husband's thrill of them isn't that what they are there for?
I also chose to use cloth diapers.
I read something online that said that a child wearing disposable diapers will add another 6000 diapers to a land fill and they will not be degraded by the time they leave for college and some parts never will.
That hit me like a ton of bricks. Really? So to make it easier for me to change my kid I will be adding to the already screwed up environment? No thanks. Also all the chemicals that are in disposables to make them absorbent go into your child's skin and effect their health and also cause diaper rashes. Gee all that to make it more convenient? No
I researched and decided to use Bum Genius diapers. I ordered a couple to see what they were all about. When they got to the house and I was showed my husband and he was like "are you sure?". Yeah! I was. He said he did not want to have to clean them and I agreed. I got the sprayer that you can get with them which makes cleaning them so easy. I can tell you and everyone who asks me that I love them. They are, as I say, one of the best decisions I have made as a Mom. My daughter who is 19 months today hasn't had any diaper rashes. And the money we have saved! I use Mrs. Myers scent free detergent and they are like new and clean every time the come out of the dryer!
I also got a reusable diaper pail liner from Planet Wise www.planetwiseinc.com. They are PVC free and truly leakproof! Machine washable. They also come in all these great colors to make any decor you have.
I have had friends horrified at me using cloth diapers and also friends who ask me all about them. I have one friend in news that wanted to do a story about them!
Isn't this what used to be the "norm" way back when. Didn't our parents use them? Or was it an urban legend?
It's funny because I have seen more and more advertisements about cloth diapers since I started using them. I am hoping that more people realize that it's really a better way. Better for the environment, better for your child, oh and cheaper!
I would love to say that I only use my cloth diapers, and I do at home. But when it comes to going on vacation I had to think another way. Not too many people you go to visit are thrilled at the idea of you washing your child's diapers in their washing machine!
I found these amazing eco-friendly disposables called Nature Babycare. www.naty.com The are 100% chlorine free, 100% GM free, and 100% Biodegradable. There is nothing in them that will harm your child and they do not harm the environment. They are a win-win.
Till next blog....
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