So, we’ve decided to take the plunge!  We want to cloth diaper right off the bat.  Everyone I spoke to has something to say about the issue, but I thought I would give it a try and form my own opinion.  Knowing myself, if I begin on disposable diapers, I may just stick with them for convenience sake. 

Since we will be newbies in this area of life, we decided that we will take small steps when it comes to cloth diapering.  We will start off using infant sizes — which means a few months of cloth diapering, and if cloth diapers don’t fit our lifestyle in that time period, trust me, the whole idea will be chucked! 🙂  After talking, we also decided that we will use disposable diapers while we’re out of the house running errands, going to church, or visiting people.  But most of our time will be spent in-house for the first couple years, so cloth diapering seemed beneficial to me.  Why?  Well after all the research I’ve done for the past several months, cloth diapering is:

1.  Cost-Effective:  Cloth diapers can save one over $1000 in diapers.  “On average, you will spend $2000 on disposable diapers per child.  Compare that to an average of $700 (that includes laundering expenses) for your first child’s diapering years using cloth diapers.  A second and third child will cost much less, as many of the diapers can be re-used.  Depending on the diaper system you use you can spend a little less or more than the above mentioned amount for your first child.”

2.  Comfort:  Cloth diapers are so much more comfortable on a baby’s bum.  It really makes me chuckle when I hear Ohio Becky say, “imagine yourself wearing a disposable diaper — how comfortable would that be?”  Cloth diapers apparently also reduce diaper rash — it’s a more healthy alternative.

3.  Environmentally Friendly:  I know I won’t feel bad throwing diaper after diaper after diaper away in the trash, because I will be washing and reusing them instead. 

4.  Simply Adorable:  Enough said.  Cloth diapers are the cutest things!

5.  User-Friendly:  Cloth diapering is not what it used to be 20 years ago.  “The new styles of cloth diapers now available are as easy to use as a disposable.  Plus by using the flushable liners (a soft, tissue like piece that you flush down the toilet with all the solids), you won’t have to deal with a messy cloth diaper.” 

6.  Potty Trained Faster:  “On average cloth diapered children potty train 6 months earlier than children wearing disposable diapers because cloth diapers do not mask the sensation of wetness.”

To start off, Greg and I plan on using the prefold + diaper cover system with our newborn.  And to my delight, the gDiaper covers were on sale today on www.babysteals.com!  For more information on cloth diapering, here are some diaper facts.