Fluff Friday

Why does this picture make me so happy?

These are some of my cloth diapers hanging to dry in front of our bay window (which gets direct sunlight when I have the blinds open). That's right. In case you didn't know, we cloth diaper. So in honor of Fluff Friday, I am writing my first cloth diaper post.

When we told people we were planning to cloth diaper we got a host of different reactions. Our crunchy friends said 'good for you' and others asked, 'are you insane?' But we were committed to at least give it a try. We have now been at it for 10 weeks and the more I do it the more I love it. Here are some of my reasons for loving cloth:

Laundry! I love doing laundry. It is my favorite chore. In the words of my SIL, "I like it because there is the concrete 'done' factor. You start, you finish, clean clothes, magic. It smells nice, it is warm. It feels good and reminds me of being five." I really can't say it better than this. (Thanks Tiffany) I really do look forward to diaper wash day.

Color! Cloth diapers come in every color imaginable and even adorable prints. The diaper is no longer a baby necessity but a baby accessory. I love matching her diapers to her outfits. I love letting her diaper count as her pants and just putting a shirt on her. I can put a blue one on her if I'm feeling blue and a hot pink one on her if I'm feeling sassy.

Savings! This is the original reason for why we decided to do cloth. You really do save money. Even if you aren't blessed with a relative who gives you a lot of hand-me-down diapers (again - thanks Tiffany!), you will still save money in the long run. If you are willing to use some prefolds, buy used, swap with other moms, register for them when you have a shower, buy one-size diapers that fit infant to toddler, and use the more economical brands, then you can save even more.

The environment. I have to admit that 'going green' was not my motivation for wanting to use cloth. But when I read that the average baby goes through 4,000 diapers before they are potty trained, well I have to admit, I really do feel good about the fact that there won't be 4000 diapers sitting in a landfill for 1000 years on account of my one baby.

It's natural! No chemicals! When I was in the throws of infertility and doing lots of research, I became convinced that one of the main reasons for the rampant infertility in my generation (1 in 5 couples now) is that we were all exposed to so many chemicals growing up. Things are getting a little better now with the BPA-free movement and the availability of organic foods in the regular grocery stores. All the same, I am committed to exposing my daughter to as few chemicals as possible. I like that her precious little bum will not be sitting in chemicals for the first few years of her life.

No more diaper rash! Keziah has super sensitive skin. Michael Paul and I both have really sensitive skin, so genetically she was doomed to have it as well. She breaks out when people who use certain detergents hold her. She breaks out to several brands of baby wipes. We fought diaper rash for several weeks after she was born. But with a few adjustments to our cloth diapering (using fleece liners and covers, and adding a splash of vinegar to my rinse cycle) we have been rash free for a month now. I imagine I would still be fighting it if she were in disposables.

It's nostalgic. It reminds me of a simpler time - a time before fast food and microwaves and instant gratification - a time when convenience did not trump doing what was right. Yes it takes a little bit more time to put a prefold diaper on her. But this is time I cherish. It forces me to slow down, to focus on my precious baby, to smile and talk to her. Each diaper change is a reminder of what is really important.

And my #1 thing I love about cloth diapering:

FLUFF! I love her fluffy bottom! It is so cute it just makes me melt. I especially love her bedtime diapers because they are extra fluffy due to the doublers I put in that enable her to make it through the night without a change. Confession: I have been known to dance around the house with my extra fluffy baby singing sir mix-a-lot's "I like big butts...." I really do love the fluff!