Monday Mommy

Todays Monday Mommy is Sarah from "The Little HedgeHog" Blog. She has some fun stuff to read about getting started and her adventures with cloth diapering! Enjoy!

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The Little Hedgehog is pretty much about my son and my addiction to cloth diapers. Haha! The Little Hedgehog is a place for me to share our families adventures, where I love to write about all things cloth diapering and how our family is working towards a brighter shade of "green" eco-friendly-ness.

I started cloth diapering Michael when he was 4 months old. I was introduced to cloth diapers from another mom at a breastfeeding group that I went to. She pulled out these cute, soft looking pink cloth diapers and I started asking her questions about them! I was so intrigued that I went home and started doing research and bought my first 6 cloth diapers right away! I've loved them since the moment I first laid eyes on them and only wish that I had known about them sooner! Having no one to "show me the ropes" of cloth diapering definitely resulted in some funny diapering incidents! When I first started cloth diapering, I started with bumGenius and they worked great for us. Well, a couple months later, I got a free Fuzzibunz as part of a shop promotion. I had no idea how to use them and after washing it, I put it on my son and had left it at the smallest setting! I was so excited to try it on him that I didn't read the directions...he looked ridiculous as I squished the diaper on him!

We started cloth diapering Michael because it would save us money in the long run and then started learning about all of the other awesome cloth diapering benefits. I am glad that I started small and learned what worked and didn't work for us without investing a ton of money right away and I am thankful to have a hubby who is totally on-board with cloth diapering and is learning right alongside me how to make healthier and more eco-friendly choices for our home and family.

I am a 27 year old wife to my hubby and best-est friend, Bryan. We have been married for 6 years and it has been a wonderful adventure! I am also a mommy to our son, Michael who is a lively 18 month little boy who (I believe) has no fear and is 100% boy! He has such a happy spirit and has the best laugh...EVER! Our little family lives in sunny, Southern California and I love, love, love the sunshine! I have learned so many things since the beginning of my cloth diapering journey 14 months ago! I definitely still love our bumGenius one size pocket diapers. They fit my son beautifully and I love that I can customize the absorbency. Speaking of absorbency, I use the joey-bunz hemp inserts and they are great for nap time or night time! I've also recently discovered Thirsties and I am a big fan of their covers and duo diaper. My favorite feature that they have is the double gusset...it is awesome at keeping everything ""in"" where it belongs.

""Accessory-wise"", I am rather fond of my Planet Wise wet bag, our diaper sprayer and cloth wipes. :) Funny enough, I started using cloth wipes much later than cloth diapers and again, wish I had known about them sooner! I do still waver between making my own wipe solution or buying it. Also, I haven't ventured into wool yet...it intimidates me a bit, but who knows, I may jump in just as wholeheartedly as I did with cloth diapering and love it just as much!

We love going to the park! Michael loves the swings, climbing all over the jungle-gym and sliding down the slides. We have such nice weather here that I just love getting outdoors to do things. In the summer, we spend a lot of time playing in the sprinkler in the back yard or swimming and splashing at the community pool - Michael is quite the little fishy!

I love it when we get some cuddle time in the big arm chair in our living room! Michael isn't the biggest snuggler since he's become mobile, but sometimes he'll sit with me in the chair and we'll either read a book or watch Baby Signing Time and I just soak it in! There is definitely a lot of playing, chasing, laughing and reading that goes on during the day! We have also started going to a weekly farmers market, which has been super fun for Michael to see so many people, kids, pets and try new local foods! "

I visit a lot of blogs... I love reading what other mom's are doing, learning new recipes, craft ideas, reading about new cloth diapers or tips and tricks that others have. I also love reading reviews and entering giveaways! Haha! It's fun for me - I feel like I am learning something and love that I could possibly win it too! Some of my favorite blogs to read are: Change-Diapers.com, Marine Parents, Lil Bit Of Us, 29 Diapers, Cloth Diaper Addiction, Made by Rae, A Year With Mom and Day and there's more, but I won't continue to just make an uber long list. ;)

Monday Mommy

Introducing Kirsten our newest Monday Mommy! Thank you for sharing with us this week! Kirsten run the blog Becoming A Better Mommy. If you would like to be featured as a Monday Mommy please fill out the form found in the Monday Mommy Tab at the top of the page. Thanks!

Q: What is the focus of your blog?
A: I'm a full-time working mother, struglling to be a little bit better of a mom every day. Topics include cloth diapers, elimination communication, babywearing, pumping & breastfeeding, vegan food and more.

Q: What is the focus of your blog?
A: We've used cloth diapers since Ava was born in December. I have a coworker who has loaned me several brands to try because she said many of them didn't work for her. I guess, since we also do EC, we just don't let Ava get to the point of leaking, cause we've never had any issues with any brands. What is hilarious to me is watching people like my MIL try to put a cloth diaper on. Seriously, velcro in back, just like a disposable. Why is this hard???
Q: Tell me a little bit about your family, where you are from etc.
A: I'm wife to a wonderful and supportive husband, Brian. We just had our first baby (daughter Ava Belle) in December. We also have two fur babies (Biscuit and Cricket). We live in Houston - petroleum USA - so we find it hard to be as green as we'd like. "

Q:What are some of your top recomendations for cloth diapers and cloth diapering related items?
A: My favorites are bumgenius diapers - not the one size. The one size is a great idea, but they are really bulky and poofy in the beginning. I am not a fan of snaps on diapers."

Q: What do you enjoy doing during the day with your children?
A: Ava is still so young, I just love doing something "new" (to her) and watching her reactions,

Q:If you are not a cloth diapering Mommy we would still love to hear about you. What are some must have baby/childrens products you just couldn't live without?
A: I do cloth diaper, but would still like to note I could not live without my Sleepy Wrap!!!

Q: Do you own a store? Make and sell things? Blog? etc. Share with us links to your pages/sites/stores that were not already mentioned or filled in above
A: I blog at becomingabettermommy.blogspot.com, which is my new blog. I have run a private blog for our family for about a year, since we don't live near any of them, but I wanted to start sharing my stories to inspire and encourage other moms (and get inspiring / encouraging comments).

Monday Mommy

If you would like to be featured as a Monday Mommy go here.

I am pretty excited to share todays Monday Mommy (Not that I don't love all my other Monday Mommy's). Today is all about Amy who runs the blog Paint and Prozac. I personally know Amy, as she was one of my boss's at my last job, but don't worry, she is WONDERFUL and I love to check out blog out for things to do with my children. Amy however doesn't cloth diaper...oh well we still love her! Hope you enjoy reading about her AND find some amazing crafts ideas to do with your children.

Q: What is the focus of your blog?
A: Paint and Prozac is all about doing crafts with your little ones. I share craft ideas, supply recommendations, and tons of tips for making toddler crafts fun (for moms and kids). Each craft is easy, only requires a few materials and is rarely super messy.

Q: Tell me a little bit about your family, where you are from etc.
A: My husband and I have one 15 month old daughter, Finley. I worked in early childhood education for 10 years before becoming a stay at home mom. I have lived in The Mitten my whole life (except for a 3 month temporary move to Wisconsin) and I plan to stay here forever.

Q: What do you enjoy doing during the day with your children?
A: We enjoy crafts of course! We go to playgroup, story time at the library, and to the park (when it's not arctic). When we are at home we love music, reading books, blowing bubbles, and baking.

Q: What are some of your favorite blogs to check out? Do you visit blogs for fun, research, learning, to get ideas, etc?
A: I love to read blogs just for fun. My favorites are...
Heir to Blair-She always makes me laugh. So honest!
Enjoying the Small Things-She reminds me to slow down and soak in the moments.
A Year of Slow Cooking-So many great recipes for busy moms.
JennAnd Tonica-She has preemie triplets and I love them!

Monday Mommy

I would like to introduce you to another great blogging mommy, Jill of Tiny Finger Prints. I hope you enjoy reading and learning more about her.

Q: What is the main focus of your blog?
A: I don't really have a "main" focus on my blog. Once my baby boy arrives in late May or Early June I plan to cloth diaper him. So it'll be my first time and I plan to share my experiences. Right now I just post different giveaways for other bloggers, coupons, free samples and other things I feel are useful.

Q:I love to hear about others cloth diapering stories and adventures. What kind of experience do you have with Cloth Diapering?
A: Newbie :)

Q: Tell me a little bit about your family, where you are from etc.
A: I'm originally from Michigan. My husband, kids and I moved to Kansas City MO in 2009. We moved for a better paying job. I have a son Ryan who will be 5 in April, a daughter Rachel who will be 4 in August and a baby boy due 06/08/11. My husband and I have been married since 08/02/08. So far we like living in Kansas City but we miss MI, mainly for the "small town" feeling we grew up in.

Q:What are some of your top recommendations for cloth diapers and cloth diapering related items?
A:I'm a first timer, so I'm wondering the same thing :)

Q:What do you enjoy doing during the day with your children?
A:During the day I work full time. But when I'm home at night my daughter is a typical diva and likes playing dress up, and my son is into video games, mainly Super Mario.

Q: What are some of your favorite blogs to check out? Do you visit blogs for fun, research, learning, to get ideas, etc?
A: I LOVE reading blogs for fun. I have learned a LOT about saving money, cloth diapering, breast feeding, and natural parenting from blogs. My favorite ones are, Cloth Diaper Addiction, Become a Coupon Queen , Hip2Save, Crazy4Fluff and many more.

Q: If you are not a cloth diapering Mommy we would still love to hear about you. What are some must have baby/children's products you just couldn't live without?
A: Wipe warmer. I couldn't imagine having a cold wipe on my bum let alone a little newborns. When I first became a mother I thought the bottle warmer was the BEST thing ever, I soon realized the microwave was faster. (I formula fed my first 2 children, due to lack of knowledge on breastfeeding)

Q: Do you own a store? Make and sell things? Blog? etc. Share with us links to your pages/sites/stores that were not already mentioned or filled in above
A: I'm not very creative so I don't make things or sell things. Maybe someday I'll get some ideas but right now I just blog.

Q: Anything else you would like to share with us?
A: So far, I have learned MOST of my cloth diaper knowledge from Cloth Diaper Addictions blog :)

I would like to thank Jill for sharing with us today! If you would like to be featured as a Monday Mommy you can go here and find out more information!

Monday Mommy

Today's Monday Mommy is Shaina. She doesn't run a blog which is just fine and dandy. I would like to share that she is new to cloth diapering which is WONDERFUL! Welcome to the world of Fluff Shaina!

Here are our Q&A's: (if you would like to be featured as a Monday Mommy please go to the link above (under the top picture) for more information!)

I love to hear about others cloth diapering stories and adventures. What kind of experience do you have with Cloth Diapering?
-CD'ing for about 6 weeks. I started my daughter in them at 12 months old. I wanted them soooooo bad!!... immediately I became addicted to all different kinds!! I purchased12 used FB on ebay, I am learning the hard way I guess that used sometimes is more work? They are the only ones in our 'fluff stash' (hehe) that seem to get ammonia smell after being peed in... so currently, my big life event is figuring out what works for cleaning/stripping those diapers....and it stinks (no pun) as I was hoping to share/sell/trade some, as I have 12 lavender with daisies.. soooo cute.. who wouldn't want them?? (ooohhh someone who doesn't want ammonia!)

Tell me a little bit about your family, where you are from etc.
-I am a 29 year old SAHM. This past year was my first year of being a SAHM. It took serious mental adjustment, as I have always had a job outside the home. I often would/sometimes still do, get consumed by feeling worthless.

What are some of your top recommendations for cloth diapers and cloth diapering related items?
-I don't think I'm experienced enough for this question!! haha.... I'll say, I'm not impressed with Planetwise small wet bag... its incredibly small... but with one diaper (a prefold), I could smell the funk of it about 10 minutes after.... I thought maybe the smell should be contained longer... we were at Disney... Yes!! I, new to CD'ing, did it at Disney...who knew playing in Disney toilets could be so much fun. hahaha!

What do you enjoy doing during the day with your children?
-My son plays baseball, so we often end up at the field watching, as my 12 1/2month old climbs, yes, climbs on the bleachers... (she did stairs at Disney )....
We like going for walks, my son rides his bike or scooter and my daughter and I follow, she loves to kick her feet in the stroller and watch her big brother...
My daughter also loves books, she will bring them to you and then back up into your lap....
i WISH my daughter would take a nap during the day...however, shes crazy and doesn't think she needs to sleep.... she just goes and goes and goes and nurses and goes and nurses and goes and goes.....

What are some of your favorite blogs to check out? Do you visit blogs for fun, research, learning, to get ideas, etc?
-CD'ing!!!!! I'm addicted to anything CD!! I also love love love Paint and Prozac blog for toddler crafts!!!! soooo cool...

If you are not a cloth diapering Mommy we would still love to hear about you. What are some must have baby/children's products you just couldn't live without?
-I don't think there is one thing I couldn't live without. Is that sad? Should I have something I need?? gee.... terrible....

Do you own a store? Make and sell things? Blog? etc. Share with us links to your pages/sites/stores that were not already mentioned or filled in above
-I wish! :)
If anyone wants to watch my daughter and purchase me a serger or embroidery machine.. I'm all over making kid stuff! I did go on a binge of making hairbows... but couldnt wrap my head around asking people for money... so I gave them all away as gifts!!!!

Monday Mommy

Today’s Monday Mommy is Toni George. Toni runs the blog Crazy 4 Fluff, which is focused on cloth diapering, natural parenting and going green. Below are some Q &A’s about Toni and her blog.

Q: I love to hear about others cloth diapering stories and adventures. What kind of experience do you have with Cloth Diapering?
A: I have been CD'ing since August 2010. After Lillian had severe, persistent diaper rash, a friend recommended switching to CDs. I was immediately on board! Initially I was only CD'ing Lillian until the birth of Olivia in October, now we have two in cloth! It is great. I’ve never looked back.

Q: Tell me a little bit about your family, where you are from etc.
A: I am a 24yr old SAHM of 2 girls, Lillian (2) & Olivia (3months). I am married to my best friend and greatest supporter, Will. We have been together for 7yrs and married since October 13, 2006. We live just north of Memphis, Tennessee. We have two mischievous dogs, Xander and Esme.

Q: What are some of your top recommendations for cloth diapers and cloth diapering related items?
A:This is a hard one to choose! I have so many favorites... I do prefer pocket diapers. Being able to control the amount of absorbency is very important with two heavy wetters. I prefer snaps, mainly because aplix is a major pain when it comes to washing. As of today... my favorite pocket is BlueBerry, my favorite AI2 is BottomBumpers, my favorite AIO is BG AIO or Elementals and my favorite fitted is a Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted. I have recently discovered and quickly fell in love with wool! LOVE IT! :) Must have... CJ's butt cream, Pue Jolie detergent, my diaper sprayer and Planet Wise hanging wet bag! I am not a HUGE fan of prefolds and hybrid systems. They just don't fit our family well. "

Q: What do you enjoy doing during the day with your children?
A: I enjoy being able to take a stroll around our neighborhood {weather permitting}
or just snuggling on the couch<-- those moments don't happen much with an independent, hyper toddler. lol

Q:What are some of your favorite blogs to check out? Do you visit blogs for fun, research, learning, to get ideas, etc?
A: Wow, I have a lot. Forgive me if I leave any out. Happenings of a Harper Household, Dibs, Thrifty Nifty Mommy, Cloth Diaper Addiction, Not-So-Secret Confessions of a First Time Mom, Modified Mommy, and so many more. I am addicted to reviews/giveaways. I love reading about other mom’s opinions on products, their family life, going green, etc. It is because of these mamas that I learned so much about CDing! I am eternally grateful!

Q: Anything else you would like to share with us?
A: Cloth Diapering has made significant changes in my thinking. Initially I chose CDing for the health of Lillians bum but it has quickly grown into much more. I am now making greener choices in my life and making it a goal to live a more sustainable and natural way of life!

Monday Mommies: Terra J.

Todays Monday Mommy is Terra! Thanks for sharing with us! I hope everyone enjoys your story!

1. Tell us a little about yourself, where you are located, how many kids you have, little ones in cloth, etc. - We live near Raleigh, NC. I am married to an amazing man and I a SAHM mom to three awesome boys. Keaton is 3.5years and my two in cloth are Benjamin, who is 2years (and very interested in the potty!) and Caedmon is our newborn. In my "spare" time, I am working on my certification to become a birth doula.

2. What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try? My husband suggested it before Keaton was born, but I refused to do such a thing. ;-) When he was about 6 months old, I started to look into it and said "if ever" we have 2 in cloth, I would probably do it. Six weeks later we found out that, surprise, we would indeed have two in cloth! We started cloth around Christmas of '07 and I've been addicted ever since!

3. What did your family and friends think when you told them you were going to use cloth? What did they think when they saw the new modern diapers available? Family was very supportive, friends thought (and still!) we were crazy for doing something so "gross"! I've converted a few since then ;-)

4. What was your very first cloth diaper? Do you still use it? A friend sent me two Pocket Change diapers from her stash to see how amazing they were - 3 years later, they're still my favorite diapers!

5. What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of; pockets, aio, one size, pre-folds, flats, hybrids, etc.? Which ones do you prefer to use? The first one you grab? We have everything except hybrids and flats. We had never used prefolds until Caedmon was born and I found out I LOVE them! Hubby isn't as in love with them. He prefers pockets or aio's. We've never been a huge fan of one-size, as they've never seemed to truly fit our boys the whole time, but, we have since found two that we love (Nifty Nappy and TotBots!) I'll pull whatever is on top (and I confess that if the diaper will be seen, I go for extra cute) ;-)

6. Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth ; a blog, message board, facebook page, etc.? I really just hang out on facebook to discuss cloth. I have written on my blog a number of times about cloth and I enjoy discussing there as well.

7. What cloth diapering item, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory? Wet bags - perfect for storing dirty diapers!

8. Do you have any special ways to wash or strip your diapers? n/a

9. If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them? As much as us fluff junkies would like you to use them 100% of the time, don't get overwhelmed in the beginning - you don't have to do cloth "all or nothing". If it gets to be too much, pull out a disposable if you must so you continue to enjoy your investment!

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Monday Mommies: Katie A.

This weeks Monday Mommy is a little different from our past Monday Mommies. Katie has yet to take the plunge into cloth diapering but really wants to. Her husband is switching jobs so she hopes to be able to build her stash soon! She has lots of questions about cloth diapering that she would love to have answers too! So PLEASE help a fellow mama out and answer some of her questions in the comments section below! Thanks so much.

I am a mom who would love to start cloth diapering my 4 month old son. I have not tried cloth diapering yet, but I will very soon! I have answered these questions the best that I can with what little knowledge I have on cloth diapers. I would love to get some feedback from the expert cloth diapering moms out there. I don’t care if it is positive or negative advice, I want to hear everyone’s opinion. No one is going to scare me away from this decision, but I do want to make sure I enter this new world fully prepared with all the knowledge I can get. I hope you enjoy reading and I can not wait to read some of your feedback on the questions! Thank you!

1) Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you located? How many kids do you have? How many little ones do you have in cloth diapers?

I am a 26 year old SAHM to my 2 beautiful babies! I am also a new “trucker wife” as my husband is starting a new career in OTR Truck Driving. So I will basically be living the life of a married woman with children, as well as living the life of a single mom since my husband will be on the road so much. I am located in South Carolina, true Southern Belle. Right now I have 2 children who are my world! Staisha is 7 years old and she is my little angel. Colin is 4 months old and he is momma’s boy! As of right now, I do not have my son in cloth diapers. I have actually been using LUVS disposable diapers, but I really want to make the change asap!

(visit her blog here)

2) What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try?

A friend of mine, who is also a fellow momma blogger, posted a link to a very informative article. The article is called “First Steps: The Diaper Debate” and you can find it at:

http://ecochildsplay.com/2010/09/24/first-steps-the-diaper-debate/comment-page-1/.

This article opened my eyes to so many things! I couldn’t believe all the chemicals involved in the making of a disposable diaper, nor could I believe that it takes so long for a disposable diaper to biodegrade in a landfill. Just reading about the possible health risks associated with these diapers in the landfill was enough to sell me on cloth diapering. Just the thought of switching makes me feel like a better mom.

3)What did your family and friends think when you told them you were going to use cloth? What did they think when they seen the new modern diapers available?

When I first mentioned this to my husband, he looked at me like I was crazy. He didn’t think I would have enough time to handle this because our son is very needy when it comes to his momma. Then you add an ADHD 7 year to the mix that doesn’t take medication....there is no time! However, I read the article to him and he was shocked as well. He said he would like to see if it really saves money like the reports claim. We currently spend $30/month on diapers and this will last us from 1 month to a month and 1 week. I told him it was going to be an investment to build a supply, but we needed to start slow until we found the type of diaper that works for us & Colin. Not to mention with his new career choice, we can’t afford to foot out $400 for a complete supply right off the bat.

My friends and mother think I am crazy! They want to know why in the world I would want to add on anymore task for myself when I already have enough. They are basically referring to extra loads of laundry, but laundry honestly doesn’t bother me. I do a load every day, so what is 2-3 more a week? I told them this is something I want to do and they can choose to support me or they can choose not to, but regardless I am doing it!

4) What was your very first cloth diaper? Do you still use it?

I have not tried a cloth diaper yet. I am waiting on my husband’s paycheck, and then it’s off to search for my first cloth diaper. I have gotten some feedback from other cloth diapering momma’s via Facebook and my blog (http://diaryofmomma00.blogspot.com), but I am still in the early phases of my research! I would LOVE to get some feedback from other moms that cloth diaper. I feel the more information I receive, the better off I am at making a good decision for one to start with. I do know that I do not want to start with a diaper that requires a lot of folding. Why? I feel that if I start with a tricky diaper that needs folding I may get discouraged and give up to easily. I do not want this to happen. I want to give this a full fledge effort & I want to make it work. I really feel that this is a great thing for me to do for my son, as well as our wallet! So please...give me some feedback on your personal experiences.

5) What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of: pocket, aio, one size, pre-folds, flats, hybrids, etc? Which ones do you prefer to use? The first one you grab?

Again, I do not have a stash at this moment. Currently, I am looking at GDiapers, BumEssentials, Thirsties, and Doopsy. I have picked these because I have read the most reviews on them, as well as heard the most about them. GDiapers seem like the perfect way to start because it is basically snapping in a liner, inserting the cloth insert, and then cut the baby loose. I think this would be a great diaper to start off with because there isn’t a lot of work involved. The one drawback to GDiapers is their price! A typical GPants runs you about $19 and then you have to buy the inserts for $30. If you own more than 1 GDiaper it is recommended you buy extra liners, which will run you an additional $20. So this may be more than I want to spend to just try cloth diapers out. The other diapers have GREAT prices and seem fairly easy to use. My son hasn’t learned that he can pull a diaper loose yet, so I don’t think it matters right now if I use snaps or Velcro. I think the Velcro is great for your smaller babies, but once they figure out that the diaper can & will come off...snaps are the way to go! Again I appreciate and welcome any advice you expert cloth diaper moms may have!

6) Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth: a blog, message board, Facebook pages, etc.?

I honestly read anything and everything that I can, so I can make myself more informed on this new adventure. I have quite a few blogs that I follow that are specifically about cloth diapering, this includes the Cloth Diaper Addiction. I have also been able to link up with a few cloth diapering mommas with the Facebook Fan pages out there for the brand of cloth diapers as well as retailers. I feel the best advice comes from the mouth of a mom/dad that currently uses cloth diapers, or one who recently stopped using them due to their child(ren) becoming potty trained. I am also keeping tabs on the Cloth Diaper Foundation’s website. This is a program where you can try Cloth Diapers for a small fee before making that big investment on your own. The company takes applications (closed at the moment for applications) and then once you are approved & pay your fees, they will send you some loaner diapers. These are for you to try on your baby, and then send back once you are finished. For another small fee you can also send back your current diapers and upgrade to a bigger size. This is a really great program and I am super eager for them to start taking applications again.

7) What cloth diapering items, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory?

Well as stated before, I am in the early phases of my research. In my honest opinion it does seem like you need a lot in order to be fully ready to cloth diaper, but I will just have to slowly purchase these things as we go along. I do know that you need a wet bag and a dry bag. I am still not sure of the specifics behind these, but I have the general concept. I have read where many moms use a variety of cleaning procedures and products. It was all overwhelming to me, if you want my honest opinion. I would really like to have some great feedback on the necessities you must have to be successful in cloth diapering. All of the different products leave my head spinning & causing lots of smoke to come out of my ears! So tips, advice, etc is always greatly appreciated and welcome!

8) Do you have any special ways to wash or strip your diapers?

This is another topic that I need help on! I have read quite a few things about the problems some moms are having, and I have read some of the solutions. They all seem like great ways, but how do you know which is the best? I have read that sometimes it all depends on the diaper. Help is greatly appreciated once again on this topic! Feed my brain with knowledge mommas!

9) If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them?

Since I am no expert by any means, all I can say is to do tons of research on cloth diapers. This way you can make a good decision for you and your baby. Since I am just now wanting to start....please share with me any tips you may have! I feel that you moms hold the key to a vast knowledge into the cloth diapering world. Please share your wisdom with me! This way I convert to a full-time cloth diapering mom and feel 200% better about this new adventure Colin and I are about to start.

Katie, Thank you so much for sharing with us. I hope that everyone can help give you advise on how to get started at answer some of your questions!

Monday Mommies: Robyn L.

Todays Monday Mommy is Robyn L. Thank you for sharing!

1. Tell us a little about yourself, where you are located, how many kids you have, little ones in cloth, etc.-

I am a SAHM/WAHM in Oregon. My husband and I have 5 children, two together, and three from previous relationships. I have one sweet daughter in cloth right now, but have cloth diapered two of my other children for very short periods of time. My youngest is my first baby to be cloth diapered exclusively!

2. What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try?

I decided to give cloth diapers a try because of our budget primarily, then I fell in love! I also love the environmental impact, and hate the thought of chemicals and paper on my babies bottom.

3. What did your family and friends think when you told them you were going to use cloth? What did they think when they seen the new modern diapers available?

They thought I was old fashioned and a little bit crazy. Well, not all of them. But they all thought it would be so much work and be messy and gross.

4. What was your very first cloth diaper? Do you still use it?

My very first cloth diaper was a Coolababy from Ebay. I do not still use it. Once I figured out that there were so many types and styles of cloth diapers out there, I branched out. Plus, I did not like the diapers.

5. What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of; pockets, aio, one size, pre-folds, flats, hybrids, etc.? Which ones do you prefer to use? The first one you grab?

My stash mainly consists of Fuzzibunz pockets that were hand-me-downs, prefolds with homemade covers, and AIO's I made myself. I love pockets, and the one I grab first is a cute little Tinkerbell pocket I made.

6. Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth ; a blog, message board, facebook page, etc.?

I love all the Facebook cloth diaper pages, Cloth Diaper Addiction blog, The Cloth Diaper Whisperer blog, and I love blogging about cloth diapers and other mama stuff on my own blog "Quest for the Perfect Cloth Diaper". I also belong to a Yahoo CD group.

7. What cloth diapering item, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory?

I would say wool, but I haven't had too much experience with it, so I will say my cloth wipes and wet bag!

8. Do you have any special ways to wash or strip your diapers?

I do a cold rinse, then a hot wash with either Rockin Green or Tide Free, then two more rinses. I strip my cloth diapers as needed with a blue Dawn, or I rock a soak.

9. If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them?

Don't buy all of one kind of diaper when you start. You will probably end up liking lots of different diapers and styles for different situations!

Come see me at Quest for the Perfect Cloth Diaper!

Robyn Lucas
questfortheperfectclothdiaper@yahoo.com
http://questfortheperfectclothdiaper.blogspot.com/

Monday Mommies: Jamie C.

Today's Monday Mommy is Jamie! Thank you so much for sharing with us. Also If you would like to become a monday mommy go to the discussions tab on our facebook page for more information! Thanks!

Tell us a little about yourself?
We are in Huntsville,AL and I am from Chicago, IL. I am a stay at home mom to 3 boys 6-4-2. I have my youngest in cloth full time and we are starting to use the pottty. I have my 4 yr old in cloth at night.

Why did you decide to use cloth?
What made me think of cloth is I wanted to do better for my sons and the earth so we started cloth when my youngest was 1 and I started using cloth for my at the time, 3yr old, when he got burned from the pampers he was wearing. I wanted to have him in cloth for night time but hes a big boy I found a great WAHM on eBay to make him some diapers.

My mother-in-law has been trying to get me to use cloth and I said no to the thin cloth and pins with rubber pants. That is what I thought of cloth diapers. I thought when they peed it would be all over. My family thought I was crazy but not my mom or youngest sister. My husband didn't care, what ever I wanted was fine. When my mother-in-law saw the new cloth she was so happy she wished she had had them.

What does your stash consist of? What was your first diaper?
My first diaper was flats with covers thirsties, kushies and bumgenius They all got super used. I only have the flats and covers. I like to try new and different diapers. I get bored.

Where is your favorite place to look online about diapers?
My favorite place would be all over FB, gdiapers, diaper swappers, CCBaby,,anything that has to do with cloth diapering.

What do you use to launder your diapers?
I use Charlies soap and LOVE it never had any problems. I strip by adding a little dawn to a wash and rise and rise a bunch of times. I have really need to strip scine I went to charlies.

Do you have any advise for someone considering switching to cloth?
My advise to anyone is there is alot of opptions out there not all diapers will work for you and you LO. Try as many differnt ones untill you find you you like.

Also there is a lot of different WAHM's out there how make great diapers.

Monday Mommies: Whitney C.

This weeks featured Mommy is Whitney C. If you would like to be featured as a Monday Mommy (or Daddy) go here and fill out the form and email it to me at kristina(at)thecoffeycan(dot)com

1. Tell us a little about yourself, where you are located, how many kids you have, little ones in cloth, etc.-

My name is Whitney, and I live in Texas where my husband John and I own a small photography business, and I am starting my journey to become a birth doula. We have a 12-month-old son named River, whom we have been cloth diapering for about eight months. I have a blog over here (Leaves of my Tree) where I often discuss cloth diapering and other natural parenting topics.

2. What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try?

When I was pregnant, I heard about cloth diapers from a lady's blog. I honestly had no clue people still used cloth diapers, and it sounded so weird. What made me want to research cloth diapers was the cute designs. They looked so modern and convenient, which made me curious. Through my research, I discovered cloth is better for the earth, a baby's skin, and your wallet, which is a win-win-win in my eyes. I was discouraged when I realized using cloth would be more complicated since we don't have our own washer and dryer, and would have to use a laundromat. However, I was encouraged by many cloth diapering mamas, and just decided I might as well try it. I felt like I was jumping off a cliff! I was so nervous and so afraid it just wouldn't work out, and that I would fail. But, just like every other mom who "just started" and is still doing it today, I didn't fail, and I am so happy it worked out for us. And washing the diapers at a laundromat really isn't as bad as I thought!

3. What did your family and friends think when you told them you were going to use cloth? What did they think when they seen the new modern diapers available?

I know some people thought we were crazy, but a lot of people seemed pretty interested in it, too, whether or not they would consider using cloth. We received many questions [and still do] and I'm always happy for a chance to talk about cloth. I'm not sure if I'm "converted" anyone, but I have had a few friends switch to cloth. And of course, we get a lot of comments about River's cute "pants" or "bloomers"... I love being able to say, "it's actually a diaper!" which always sparks a conversation.

4. What was your very first cloth diaper? Do you still use it?

My first cloth diaper was a Cloth-eez prefold and a Thirsties Duo Wrap, and yes, we still use it.

5. What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of; pockets, aio, one size, pre-folds, flats, hybrids, etc.? Which ones do you prefer to use? The first one you grab?

Right now we are only using prefolds and PUL covers, my favorites being Chinese prefolds and Thirsties Duo Wraps. I am going to start buying some different brand pockets here and there; I really want to try them out, and have something other than prefolds for babysitters, who usually end up using disposables.

6. Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth ; a blog, message board, facebook page, etc.?

I love diaperswappers.com! I just recently started reading the message boards, and I can't believe what I've been missing. A whole website dedicated to butt fluff -- ah, perfect. :)

7. What cloth diapering item, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory?

I don't own many accessories -- our cloth diapering life is pretty simple. But I would lovelovelove to own a diaper sprayer. No more rubber gloves, no more dunk and swish!

8. Do you have any special ways to wash or strip your diapers?

Since we don't own a washer, I find rinsing each diaper in cold water, including the pee diapers, after each use cuts the time and cost at the laundromat. Then just go straight into a hot wash and then one more cold wash [since a plain old "rinse" ins't really an option on the washers].

9. If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them?

Don't buy a whole lot of the same diaper all at once. Buy three prefolds here, one pocket diaper there, a cover or two in a different brand... this way if you end up not caring for something, you don't have twenty of the same thing. And what works for one person doesn't work for everyone, in terms of both products and a wash routine. When I was first starting out, I bought a dozen Cloth-eez prefolds because everyone was raving about them, but I ended up loving my Chinese prefolds so much more! And we dove right into using Charlie's soap, because it was what was recommended by a lot of websites, but I did not like it one bit. Now we are using Tide, but not quite sure if it will work for us. It's a process and a journey, one to learn from and have fun with!

Monday Mommies: Lori C.

This weeks featured Monday Mommy is Lori C!

I am a first time mom to a 6 month old son. We live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We've been cloth diapering for 2 months now. I'm a Pilates and Gyrotonic® trainer, and even though technically I am on my one-year maternity leave, I am back to teaching a few hours a week.

I decided to give cloth diapers a try mostly because of the impact disposable diapers have on the environment. When I did the math (10-12 changes a day for a newborn!), that is a lot of disposables going into the landfill and taking years to decompose. While I realize that the cloth diapering manufacturing process and the energy and water used for washing them also has an impact on the environment, I believe that in the end, cloth diapers make more sense. Financially, I will have spent less on cloth diapers (as long as I don't let my cloth diaper addiction get out of control) than on disposables, and if we do have another child, we will be able to use them again.

We had a diaper consultant from a local company come to our house to help us decide which brand/type of cloth diapers would be best for our family. It was great - she brought samples of all the types of diapers they carry, and went over the benefits of each one. We decided to go with Applecheeks sized pocket diapers, with bamboo inserts. We love them! An added bonus is the fact that Applecheeks are made in Canada, so we were able to support a Canadian product.

Here is our diaper drawer:
A lot of people still have the misconception that cloth diapers mean diaper pins and waterproof pants. When I showed my family our pocket diapers, they were surprised at how cute and easy to use they were. Many of my friends are already cloth diaperers, so I had many people I could ask for advice.

Do you still use the first diaper you purchased?
We are still using our first cloth diapers, Applecheeks :) We currently have sized pockets (Applecheeks and AMP) and bamboo sustainablebabyish fitteds for night. We have a rainbow of colors, but my favorite is the Sailor Blue.

What are some sites you like to look at for cloth diapering?
I check out the diaperswappers.com message board once in awhile, and the applecheeks and www.sogreenbaby.com's blogs are good resources as well.

A must-have cloth diapering accessory is a wetbag... although they can be like a shoe or purse addiction. So many patterns, choices, colors! Who can choose just one?? Also fleece liners - makes clean-up so much easier!

What washing routine do you use?
Still trying to figure out the best washing routine - we use either Rockin' Green Rage against the Raspberries Hard Rock or Claudia's Choices. Pre-wash cold, heavy-duty wash, with 2 extra rinses seems to do the trick. Any stains get sunned out on our deck :)

Cloth diapering is not as hard to do or as gross as you might think! If you can take advantage of a local company that do diaper consultations or diaper trials, it's a good way to figure out which cloth diapers you like best. Also to know that there are great resources out there (such as Cloth Diaper Addiction) to help you out along the way.

Monday Mommies: Christi H.

Hi fellow addicts, This weeks Monday Mommy is Christi H! Check out her great story below!

Hi! My name is Christi, but these days I’m usually just referred to as “Adah’s Momma.” She’s my 7 month old darling that I fall more in love with each day. We live in

southern Minnesota where Daddy is Pastor at a small country church.

Adah’s tush resides only in cloth diapers. I have very sensitive skin and I figured my kid would likely have some of the same tendencies, so we decided to go cloth and haven’t looked back! Our family loves cloth for many reasons including the money saving aspect (although once you become addicted, it’s hard to stop buying them), it’s so much nicer on those adorable baby butts, and it’s just darn cute.
People’s reaction when they hear that we cloth diaper is usually admiration. “Oh, I could never do that” I often hear. And then I say, “Yes you can!” Cloth diapers these days sure are a lot different than even 10 years ago. The variety of options and ease of use make cloth diapering a lot more accessible than most people think.

When I first started diapering Adah in cloth, I made a bunch of contour diapers with an extra microfiber soaker. I planned to use these with Snappies and Thirsties or Bummis covers. After a while, I discovered all-in-ones (AIOs). Still loyal to Thirsties—gotta love the double leg gusset—I purchased a few of these.
While I liked the AIOs, the drying time was killing me, so I decided to try some pocket diapers, which offered the convenience of AIO with less drying time. A love affair was born. I experimented with several brands and styles, but these days I primarily use Nubunz and Bum Genius 3.0 for daytime and Fuzzibunz with an extra insert for overnight.

At first I thought I’d be a liberal cloth diaperer. You know, when it was convenient for me, when we were at home, we’d use them, but when we went out or on longer trips or overnight, we’d use disposable. Instead, I have become so convinced of the benefits of cloth diapering that we are hard-core full-timers. A disposable diaper hasn’t touched my Adah’s tush in months. We’ve gone so far as to have gotten rid of the disposable wipes too! Who needs all the extra ingredients and to spend the extra money and fill the landfill with that trash? I make my own and even sell them in my Etsy store (http://www.etsy.com/shop/christihagen)
I love converting my friends to cloth diapers. So far I have managed to convince no less than 4 people to make the switch! My biggest piece of advice to someone interested in cloth diapers is that it isn’t as hard as you think; you can really do this! And, invest in a diaper sprayer. It’s worth every single penny.

--Christi H

Monday Mommies: Jenn L.

Todays Monday Mommy is Jenn. Hope you all enjoy her 'story' on cloth diapering!

1. Tell us a little about yourself, where you are located, how many kids you have, little ones in cloth, etc.-

My name is Jennifer (who's isn't? )...haha. I'm 24. I'm married to my high school sweet heart. We have two beautiful children. Kendall is two, Grayson is 2 1/2 months. Our girl is potty trained...our boy is a part time CD'er. We just haven't got our stock pile up yet! We live in Erie, Pa.

2. What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try?

My friend Mindy introduced me to cloth diapers. She showed me how, even did a demonstration at her house for me. A few days of talking about it, researching and my hubby and I were sold. I fell in love. I loved the way they looked, the way they felt. After reading about disposables....gag. I am very upset that our world is allowed to make these things...but I suppose they still allow cigarettes (and nameless other things!) to be made.

3. What did your family and friends think when you told them you were going to use cloth? What did they think when they seen the new modern diapers available?

My mom and sister said 'Why'? To which I clearly explained our reasoning. They had nothing more to say about it. I showed them our diapers and my mom was in shock. She was like, well these are nothing like what I knew cloth diapers to be. She was thinking things never change, apparently. My mother in law thought the same thing. They were both impressed with the Rumparooz I had.

4. What was your very first cloth diaper? Do you still use it?

My very first CD was a Rootbeer aplix Rumparooz. Of course I still use it. :)

5. What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of; pockets, aio, one size, pre-folds, flats, hybrids, etc.? Which ones do you prefer to use? The first one you grab?

I only use pockets. I currently only own the one size also. My collection now has 4 brands. I have my Rumparooz, then 6 BG's, a Fuzzibunz, and a Doopsy. I typically just grab for any because they are all great!!

6. Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth ; a blog, message board, facebook page, etc.?

I like to talk about cloth on my blog. www.mommyhood22.blogspot.com. I also like to check out www.diaperswappers.com once in a while. Sometimes you can find a good used bargain there.

7. What cloth diapering item, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory?

Must have...a wet bag. Hands down.

8. Do you have any special ways to wash or strip your diapers?

I have not had to strip any diapers yet. Thankfully. I just use cloth diaper specific soap. Love the scents they have. I also use wool dryer balls!

9. If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them?

It's not as bad as you think....you actually become addicted to it. Literally. Check my bank account. Haha.

Monday Mommies: Wendy K

Today's Monday Mommy is Wendy! If you would like to be featured as a Monday Mommy please visit our facebook page and look under the discussion tab for more information!

1. Tell us a little about yourself, where you are located, how many kids you have, little ones in cloth, etc.-

• My name is Wendy, I'm 27 years old and I have just one daughter, Mason, who just turned 8 months old. We live right outside Seattle, WA.

2. What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try?

• At first, cloth diapering was a way to be save money. The upfront cost was greater but in the long run it made so much more sense. But after she was born, it wasn't really about the money anymore because you get sooo addicted to trying every single different kind. It became about what was really best and more natural against her new skin.

3. What did your family and friends think when you told them you were going to use cloth? What did they think when they seen the new modern diapers available?

• Everyone, except my sister, thought I had lost my mind. I had to explain that it wasn't plastic pants and pins anymore--although I thought it was too when the idea to use cloth came to me (and I was actually willing to pin). When I showed them the modern diaper they were all so shocked but rinsing poop still was a huge issue for them.

4. What was your very first cloth diaper? Do you still use it?

• The first diapers we used were unbleached organic cotton prefolds and Thirsties covers with aplix. We don't use those exact ones anymore because they are too small but we use prefolds and covers still when we run out of pockets.

5. What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of; pockets, aio, one size, pre-folds, flats, hybrids, etc.? Which ones do you prefer to use? The first one you grab?

• My stash is mostly pockets (FuzziBunz) and then prefolds/snap Thirsties Duo wraps when I run out of pockets. I also have 3 Thirsties fitteds that I am liking more and more. I usually grab pockets first, especially if I am going somewhere. I love prefolds but they take up more room in the diaper bag.

6. Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth ; a blog, message board, facebook page, etc.?

• I (heart) Fluff is one of my favorites. Cloth Diaper Addiction is one of my new favorites =)

7. What cloth diapering item, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory?

• Wet bags. I have 3--one for pockets, one for prefolds and one for the diaper bag.

8. Do you have any special ways to wash or strip your diapers?

• I use RockinGreen religiously (because it rinses completely away) with minimal soap and lots of water. That's the key to keeping the stink away.

9. If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them?

• Don't use so much soap!
  

Thank you for sharing Wendy!

Monday Mommies: Laureen B.

Each week we will be featuring "Monday Mommies" where our readers share about their own adventures and experiences with cloth diapering. If you would like to be featured as our next Monday Mommy please email me at kristina(at)thecoffeycan(dot)com. I can email you questions to get started or if you want to just write something up on your own that's great too! I am looking forward to hearing everyone's stories.

Our first Monday Mommy is Laureen B., Mommy of three!

1. Tell us a little about yourself, where you are located, how many kids you have, little ones in cloth, etc.

• First off I am a high school Family & consumer science teacher (Home EC) turned stay at home mom. I have been married to my high school sweetheart since 2001(We graduated in 1994 in case you were wondering). We have 3 fantastic boys, Gabriel and Reese, the twins, are 2 ½ . Little Brother Nico is 5 months old. We live in Las Vegas, Nevada but are native San Diegans(CA). We have lived here 5 years. Nico is a cloth diaper baby full time and the twins are part time CD babies for now.

• I also have a new blog called The Momccupation @ www.momccupation.com which is a mommy blog with all sorts of new stuff an giveaways coming soon!

2. What made you decide to give cloth diapers a try?

• I was really excited to try cloth diapers with Nico. The initial expense scared us away with the twins at first but, I decided to give it a try with Nico. I saw an awesome deal on babysteals.com for Gro-baby diapers and so I jumped in without reservations.

3. What did your family and friends think when you told them you were going to use cloth? What did they think when they seen the new modern diapers available?

• The family thought I was a little crazy at first when I said we were going to cloth. I think they thought it was a lot of work, messy and not very easy. When I showed them the diapers and how easy they were they were so impressed. My mom couldn’t believe how easy they were, especially since she used cloth 30 years ago with me and my younger sister. My sister can’t wait till she has kids and can use some of my stash and start her own.

4. What was your very first cloth diaper? Do you still use it?

• Our first cloth diaper was a Gro-baby AI2. We still use the Gro-baby diapers all the time. I love them. We use them as a reusable swim diaper as well.

5. What type of diapers does your stash primarily consist of; pockets, aio, one size, pre-folds, flats, hybrids, etc.? Which ones do you prefer to use? The first one you grab?

• My stash mostly consists of Gro-baby AI2 one size, Fuzzibunz, Rainforest babies, WHAMYs n CuteyBaby. I love the pocket diapers for night. I have fuzzibunz which I primarily use at night, they are really absorbent. I like the AI2 –Gro-baby diapers because you can reused the shell more than once, which saves on laundry. I have some hemp pre-folds I use for the big boys because they are heavy wetter’s! Note to self: need to buy more hemp and try bamboo. I am newer to cloth diapers and can’t wait to try out more. I am totally addicted to it!

6. Do you have a favorite place to hang out and talk or learn about cloth ; a blog, message board, facebook page, etc.?

• I love Diaperswappers.com, lots of the CD blogs and Facebook pages. MY favorite FB page is Cloth diaper Addiction and baby steals, baby half off… too many great deal sites and pages to list here!

7. What cloth diapering item, besides diapers, do you consider to be a must-have accessory?

• I think the diaper sprayer is a must have. I didn’t get anything fancy. Just one they have at Home Depot called the Mrs. Bidet, lol. It works so good, I can’t do without one. I will never dunk and swish again!!!

8. Do you have any special ways to wash or strip your diapers?

• I don’t have anything too special yet. I like to do a prewash in my washer with detergent, then wash with distilled vinegar with a extra rinse cycle in hot. I love the fact that I can set my diapers and inserts in the sun and the stains come out!!! Love it!!

9. If you could share just one tip with someone who is just starting out with cloth or considering using cloth, what would be your best piece of advice to them?

• Just try for a few days and you will be hooked. It is so easy now and if you give it a good try you will be amazed at how much you will save in the long run. Plus almost no diaper rash, got to love that!

Hello fellow Cloth Diaper Addicts,

Recently while scouring the web for more information on cloth diapers I came across a new blog called Cloth Diaper Challenge. It is a new blog but contains handy information about different diapers. Each post features a new diaper, and all you need to know about it. I asked the writer of Cloth Diaper Challenge if she would be interested in sharing with us a little about her cloth diapering adventure. Here is what she shared:

Cloth diapering is my obsession. I am proud to say it! When I started out two years ago I never thought it would get this bad. I decided from the moment I found out I was pregnant with #2 that I was going to use cloth. I hate to admit that I never knew any different than using disposable diapers with my oldest child. I spent my entire nine months researching and learning about the different cloth diapering systems and brands. It was like learning a new language! AIO's, AI2's, Fitteds, Flats, Prefolds, Pocket, OS, my brain was filled with too much fluffy information. It didn't put me off, but I was terrified of 1) not buying the "right" kind of diapers for my baby, 2) not washing them correctly or 3) getting leaks. It seems like every forum started on DiaperSwappers was something having a problem with stink issues, fit issues, stain issues, leak issues or something else. I did my research, collected a variety of different brands and types of cloth diapers and prepared myself for becoming a mother of two and using cloth diapers. I also wanted to add in my family thought I was nuts and so did my husband. I bought my first batch without him knowing, and when he found out he said I would get bored of it after a week but he helped my dye them. I convinced him that if he let me do this I would not make him change a diaper. I find him changing a diaper once in a while now, and telling me why he likes the brand he choose to put on, and he supported me when I decided to not go back to work and instead start a cloth diaper business.

My son arrived 11 days late, and his first week of life flew by. I didn't even look at the cloth diaper stash all washed and arranged nicely. It wasn't until he was a week old, my husband went back to work and we settled into our new life that I took a deep breathe and took the plunge into cloth diapering. And it wasn't hard at all. They were easy to use, I rarely had a leak, I changed him just as often as I did with disposables and they fit under his clothes. A few weeks later I decided to switch to using cloth diapers at nighttime, then a few weeks later I stopped buying the flushable gDiaper inserts for the diaper bag and just used cloth and a wet bag. I can honestly say in the last 17 months I have bought 2 small bags of disposable diapers, just for that first week. It feels great not to have to add a bag of diapers to our grocery bill, instead when I am running low I run a load of laundry. I only buy diapers now because I want to buy them (I am a sucker for new diapers, and adorable patterns and colors).

At first I wanted to cloth diaper to save money, and I have. I feel good about not throwing out a bag of diaper laundry each week knowing they would sit in the landfill for 500 years. I also feel good about the fact that my little one's sensitive bum will not be next to chemicals 24 hours a day for the first 2 year of his life. I love the convenience of not running to the store to buy diapers, another load or two of laundry a week is nothing in our household. It might be a pain if I had to go to the river to scrub the diapers for hours on end, but in today's world I have a handy dandy washing machine and a clothes line for quick drying. And my favorite reason for cloth diapering? The adorable fluffy bum my little guy has everyday. Each diaper change is a chance to put on a new adorable diaper, and at 17 months he now has his favorite diapers and picks which ones out he wants to wear. His favorite is his "fishy" GoodMama. Potty training I have a feeling is going to be easier since he can feel when he is damp and tells me, and I love when he picks out a minky diaper to cuddle with on the couch (clean of course!). There is so much to cloth about cloth, it really becomes a part of your life instead of an inconvenience of changing diapers.

There are so many brands out there to choose from. I have tried a bunch but not nearly all. Which has started me on my most recent project, The Cloth Diaper Challenge. My new blog, where I am going to try out and review each cloth diaper brand out there! Visit my blog to follow me on my journey (Cloth Diaper Challenge) and become a fan on facebook If you want to help out and donate some diapers please email me or send me a message. All donate diapers will be donated by me to a baby in need once I am done with my review. You can email me at clothdiaperchallenge@gmail.com

If you are undecided about trying cloth diapers I urge you to give it a try. Buy a few and use them at home when you get a chance and then slowly add to your collection. Cloth diapering can fit any budget and lifestyle. Don't be afraid, give it a shot!

You can check out her store online at:

Down to Earth Baby Gear

Or email her at: downtoearthbaby@gmail.com