Green in the Life – Using and Loving Cloth Diapers {Green in 365}

This is Day 247 of the Green in 365 series!

Cloth Diapering my kiddos will always hold a special place in my heart. Kinda weird that my kiddos diapers would mean so much to me, I know. Because let’s be honest, sometimes they are just plain GROSS!

But, using cloth diapers was one of the very first changes our family made on our journey toward more green and natural living, and I had no idea when I started this road that it would lead me down. It’s really more about the mindset behind using cloth diapers, then the actual diapers themselves.

Although, you mamas who cloth diaper will understand – there can become a little bit of an obsession with the actual diapers, they are so stinkin’ cute that they are hard to resist, and you just want to try every brand and every cute print and style out there, am I right?!

Once I began using cloth diapers though, the act of washing and reusing something, instead of using it once and throwing it away, began to change the way that I looked at things all around my home. If I thought it was a bad idea to throw away disposable diapers, how could I then move into the kitchen and clean with paper towels and disposable cleaning products and toss them into the trash without a thought?

And if I was concerned about the chemicals in the diapers that were sitting next to my little one’s bum all day, then wouldn’t I also be concerned about the ingredients in the products that I used in her bath and rubbed onto her skin?

And as I researched and read everything that I could about cloth diapering in those early days, devouring the information in blog posts and forums, my mind was opened to this whole wide world of green, natural, and responsible living, and our lives have not looked the same since.

I’m so thankful. I’m thankful to my cousin who first introduced me to the idea of cloth diapering and made me believe that I could do it. I’m thankful to my family, my parents and my in-laws, who didn’t think I was crazy (okay, maybe just a little bit) and didn’t try to talk me out of it, and even used the cloth diapers on my kiddos.

I’m thankful to all the cloth diapering mamas who went before me and gave me the information and inspiration I needed to move past just using cloth diapers and make changes to other areas of my life. And I’m thankful to my friends who also use cloth diapers and make me feel like I’m not I’m not alone and who I can talk to when issues arise.

So, cloth diapering holds this special place in my heart. Although now that I’m on to cloth diapering my third babe, it’s lost some of the shiny awesome newness that it had with my first. But, I still appreciate how easy they are to use, how well they work compared to disposables (Can I get an amen for no newborn blowouts!), and how every time I use a cloth diaper on my child, instead of a disposable, I’m doing one small thing to protect the future of the earth for her.

If you’re new to the idea of using cloth diapers, I’d encourage you to start with this basic cloth diapering series I wrote a few years ago:

• The Basics of Using Cloth Diapers 

• Using Cloth Diapers Day to Day 

• Using Cloth Wipes as a Part of Your Cloth Diaper Routine 

If you’re pregnant or have a new baby and wondering about cloth diapering a newborn, you’ll want to be sure to check out these posts too:

• Cloth Diapering a Newborn – Where to Begin

• Cloth Diaper a Newborn – Prefolds, Fitteds, and Covers 

• Cloth Diapering a Newborn – Pocket Diapers 

And if you’re having some issues with your cloth diapers, see if these posts can help you:

• Disinfecting Cloth Diapers After a Yeast Infection
• How to Strip Cloth Diapers of Dryer Sheet Build Up 

And I also want to encourage you to check out the awesome cloth diapering ebook: Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert by my friend Erin at The Humbled Homemaker. It’s literally EVERYTHING you ever needed or wanted to to know about cloth diapering, all in one place! It is the handbook for getting started with cloth diapering! If you’re interested in learning more about cloth diapers, you should pick up a copy today!

Your turn! Share with us in the comments about one of the first changes you made that led you toward and greener, more natural, lifestyle!

Find all the Green in 365 posts.

__________________________________________

*Disclosure – There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I’ll receive a small commission. Thanks for supporting Live Renewed!

Please visit our Sponsors:

Spark of Amber – Calming Baltic Amber Teething Necklaces and Jewelry for all.

Wild Mint Shop – A conscious movemint.

Diaper HQ – Your cloth diaper headquarters.

List PlanIt – Lists to put your world in order.

Mighty Nest – Every product sold on Mighty Nest is free of harmful chemicals and handpicked for durability and design.