Have You Made The Switch Yet?

Okay...I know you are all familiar with my love for cloth-diapers and all things fluff-related. You know I can't resist my babies' butts covered in cute, soft, fun prints. My 11 year old was solely diapered in Pampers, and even my 16 month old daughter started out wearing disposables. We decided to make the switch to cloth-diapering shortly after we got the shock of a lifetime and discovered we were pregnant AGAIN when my daughter was only 3 months old!

So at that point, due to our panic, we started looking into money-saving options that would help us provide for 2 babies and a preteen. Disposable diapers were expensive enough for 1 baby, so adding a new baby to the mix would positively bankrupt us! Think about it: A case of diapers can run up to 50+ dollars. And that's for usually about 200 diapers, depending on the baby's current size. A case of diapers would generally last us about 2-3 weeks with Sophie. Multiply that amount, and take into account that newborns go through several more diapers in a day than an older baby does, and we're talking serious money here! So rather than making the hubby get a second job JUST to keep up with our diapering needs, we decided to look into the world of modern cloth.

At first, as with any change, we were pretty dumb-founded. There are so many different options out there as far as cloth diapers go. There are prefolds and covers, pocket diapers, All-In-Ones, All-In-Twos, Hybrids, sized diapers....And the list goes on and on. Not to mention all of the possibilities for inserts! There are hemp, bamboo, microfiber, cotton, flannel...It was definitely overwhelming. But once I researched cloth and tried them for myself, it became a lot less confusing. Once I started using cloth, I never looked back.

This is a switch I can fell GOOD about. Not only do cloth diapers save a TON of money, especially when diapering multiple children, they are adorable, chemical free, and environmentally responsible. Can you imagine how many disposable diapers end up in landfills every year, worldwide? Did you know that those same diapers can take up to 500 years to biodegrade? That's not a pretty sight! (Or smell, for that matter!)

Cloth diapers are also VERY easy to use and to maintain. I was a bit skeptical about their use at first. I thought they would be nasty and stinky and hard to clean. I also envisioned diaper pins and plastic pants, like my grandmother used on her babies. Luckily, I couldn't have been more wrong. Clean-up isn't bad at all, and with a decent wet bag or diaper pail, the stink is kept at bay. And with my daughter, who is older, the poop literally peels off the diapers and is flushed down the toilet with ease. And those diaper pins and plastic pants? A thing of the past. Sure, you can still use those old-school prefolds... I use them, and I love them. But there is no need anymore for diaper pins, since you can secure them with a plastic Snappi. And those  squeaky, rubber pants are a thing of eras gone by, as well. Today's diaper covers are slim-fitting, breathable, and are often very cute! The best part about prefolds and covers is that often the covers can be reused. (Unless there is a massive explosion and they get poo-drenched!)

My personal favorites are Ebber-Deeber pocket diapers. Pocket diapers are very easy to use, and often come in a One Size option that makes diapering 2 babies a snap, literally. With a few simple snaps, you can change the size of the diaper to accommodate a toddler AND a newborn, and every size in between!

So have YOU made the switch yet? If not, what's stopping you? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

***Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Cottonelle blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.***