that cloth diaper post

1. They aren't like the diapers from the days of yore. Gone are the rags and safety pins. These diapers look just like a disposable diaper, except fancier. And cuter. Which leads me to #2...

2. They're cute. The colors! The patterns! The fluffiness! I can't stand it.

3. They're cheaper in the long run. If you've heard anything about cloth diapers, that's probably the first thing you've heard. But it's so true. Here's a little breakdown that we did:

Crazy, right? And that's assuming that you get good deals on cheap diapers. And that your kid is potty trained in 2.5 years. And it doesn't even account for the fact that you go through, ohhhh, 20 diapers a day when you bring them home from the hospital. AND you can use the same cloth diapers on future kiddos. Again I say, CRAZY.

4. Fewer leaks/blow-outs. Jack could NOT stay dry in disposable diapers. We weren't even planning on using cloth until we got settled in CT because I didn't know how traveling and moving would go of we couldn't just toss the diapers in the trash. But after going through three or four outfits a day, I was ready to give cloth diapers a try. AMAZING. He's had zero blowouts and only a handful of leaks - all of which were caused by being out too long without a backup diaper. So that was my fault. And at bedtime, I just double-stuff the diaper. So far, we've had no nighttime issues.

5. They seem to be more comfortable. When we used disposables, his little thighs always looked ouchie. And the diaper rash has been non-existent since we switched. Cotton for the win!

6. Fewer trips to the trash can. Oh my word, SO MUCH TRASH. I know that seems minor, but the last thing I wanted to do at the end of the day was bag up the diapers and take them to the trash can in the back yard. And I feel better about sending less to the landfill.

7. No yuck on his bum. Except for the obvious. The little beady things in disposable diapers that absorb moisture kind of creep me out. As do all of the other ingredients listed on the box. You know I'm all about keeping it natural around here.

8. You always have the next size ready. The diapers we got have several snaps that adjust to grow with the baby. They adjust in width and length - he's still on the smallest size in width and we've graduated up one in length. But he should be able to wear them until he's out of diapers, which I find really convenient.

9. Potty training is easier. I obviously can't attest to that, but I've heard several people claim it to be true. They say that because the cloth doesn't hide moisture like disposables do, babies know when they're wet and want to do something about it. Sounds good to me, but we'll see.

10. No emergency diaper runs. I love having complete control over my diaper supply without having to hurry up and place an order on Amazon. And let's face it, going anywhere with a baby takes days of preparation, so there is no "run in real quick" trip to the store. When I see that we're low, I just start a load of laundry. About an hour later, we have clean diapers.

You guys. I could just go on and on and on. In the spirit of not rambling, I think I'll plan another post to talk about what we have, how we do it, things we've learned, etc. And I'd love to answer any questions. In fact, here's a little question-asking device! Ask away!