Cloth Diapers and My Life

So in a couple of recent blog posts I mention using cloth diapers. In this post, I plan to elaborate on the Why, How, and What.

 What are cloth diapers? Cloth diapers are the diapers your grandmother and her mother and her mother used to diaper their children. Cloth diapers were all you had until the first disposable diaper was invented and patented in 1948 by Valerie Hunter Gordon. Even then, disposables didn't become popular or widely used til the late 50s, early 60s.

 How did I learn about them? Well, I remember one day I was looking through the bathroom cabinet in search of a wash cloth when i came upon what I think was either a flat (large, one layer of cloth), or a prefold (a flat cloth pre-folded ready for use). I remember asking my dad what it was and was shocked to learn that babies actually pooped on it! There have been countless other run-in's with cloth diaper propaganda, but that memory stuck out at me most and is what triggered me to search for them when I was pregnant and and in need financially with my second son.

 Why do I use cloth diapers? For one, they're cute as all get out! Just check out this diaper from one of the main retailers I use. Also, like I stated before, I needed help financially when I was pregnant with my second son, Mikah. Because I had to quit work so early and also be hospitalized in order to stay pregnant, if left us pretty ragged. Had it not been for lots of donated disposables the first few months of his life and later cloth diapers, we might have gone bankrupt. Using cloth diapers also helps me stay home with my son because the money that might have been used on disposables can now be added into groceries, gas, or other bills. Living on one income doesn't leave you with a whole lot at the end of the week and I'm glad I don't have to choose between food and diapers.

 So many families go through hard times at any point in their life. I've seen news reports of parents reusing dirty disposables just to last until pay day so they can still buy food. It's sad but it can be helped with a little innovation and an open mind.