Cloth Diapering

While I had always known that I wanted a natural labor, I didn't know I would soon desire a more natural approach to diapering. Diapers hold poop, how special do they need to be? But the researcher insomniac New Mommy in me wasn't satisfied with the simple path; I needed to really know what made up the disposable vs. cloth diaper argument.

I wish I could say I went into this desiring the best health for my baby {disposable diapers are FULL of carcinogenic chemicals} but the truth is that the pain of shelling out an estimated $3000 for diapers that would end up in the dump {and stay there for an estimated 500 years!} just didn't sit well with my money saving mentality. Cloth diapers tout an expensive price point but since they are reusable the overall savings is significant {$250 investment for a set of 12 that will last from 0-potty training}.

Not wanting to spend my hard earned cash on a product I had no experience with, I spent countless hours watching Youtube reviews, researching brands and exhaustively comparing all that the cloth diaper market had to offer {I was on bedrest, remember?}. In the end, I settled on Fuzzi-Bunz One Size Elite, a diaper designed with a series of snaps and expandable elastics that grow with baby from birth to potty training.  The Fuzzi-Bunz we used are no longer available but the updated equivalent can be found here!

While I did try Bumgenius Flips, Ecobums and traditional prefolds, the Fuzzi-Bunz offered the biggest bang for my buck. They are the only cloth diaper on the market with replaceable elastics, come in a wide variety of colors, receive consistently glowing reviews and happen to fit my baby perfectly. All of that being said, I still endorse waiting until your little bundle of joy arrives before committing to an entire set of any specific brand. Fit is something that is specific to your baby and while Fuzzi-Bunz are perfect for my baby's bum, they may not be perfect for yours.

And of course, cloth diapering is not for the faint of heart. There are several wonderful products on the market that make it an easier experience, but they are still a time consuming commitment.I personally believe that the diaper sprayer is a must unless you want to resort to what one friend lovingly referred to as a "poopula" {that's one part spatula one part poop}. And as far as disclaimers go, I assure you that at some point you WILL "get the poo on you". I can also assure you that your love for your baby will be so overwhelming that EVERYTHING they do will make your heart swoon.

And if you have any interest in knowing more about my cloth diapering experience, just let me know. Seriously, I was on bed rest for 6 weeks. When it comes to online research I have "viewed all the things".