Cloth Diapering: An Epilogue

It's been over a month since my daughter and I made the complete switch to cloth diapers. Before, I used them when I was feeling guilty or short on cash. I didn't have the proper supplies or any kind of routine, so it all seemed like a giant pain in the tukhes. Surely, I thought, I can do more good by putting my energies elsewhere.

Of course, this was a big fat excuse and I knew it. Mrs. Hannigan makes cloth diapering look so dang easy, so when I found the basic supplies on sale at an internet boutique for less than $20, I put a portion of that month's diaper budget toward cloth.

By basic supplies, I mean as basic as you could get. I had enough diapers for a day, two velcro covers, and no pins. But we got through it, and soon it was routine. This month I bought some snappi fasteners, more diapers, and two adorable covers. Now it's like second nature, and the small pack of disposables I bought for when we leave the house sits virtually untouched. I still use a disposable at night, although now that I think about it, I'm not really sure why. That'll probably be the next habit to go.

So, for the last two months I spent the same on diapers as always. For the rest of Rachael's diaper-wearing career, I can use the diapers we already have and spend nothing. There is a bit more water and laundry soap used, but I off-set that by taking even shorter showers. I use only a tiny amount of detergent in diaper loads because I don't want any residue to irritate my baby's skin, so the financial impact there is minimal, especially if you are making your own detergent. And think of all the diapers we are keeping out of landfills! I get excited just thinking about it.

I called this an epilogue because it is the end of a story, a comedy about my love-hate relationship with cloth diapering. But really, it's a beginning. I'm hoping I can make this look as incredibly simple as it (usually) is and be someone else's Mrs. Hannigan.