Reusable or Disposable Diapers?

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Choosing how to diaper a baby is simple, really. I remember when I was faced with this decision 26 1/2 years ago, everyone just assumed I would use disposable diapers. After all, they were the most amazing things since

sliced-white-bread-in-a-plastic-bag-from-Kroger's.

Just buy a bag of diapers, tape one to your baby's bum, then (here's the best part) toss the smelly thing into the trash bin. Never to think about it again.

(unless the trash bin sits too close to the house)

But, I didn't want to use disposable diapers on my baby. First of all, I couldn't imagine having a chunky plastic and paper thing taped tightly to my waist and bum. ACK, that sounds seriously uncomfy. So, why would I tape this plastic thing to my tiny, soft newborn baby?

Oh, that reminds of how I went crazy when I heard that La Leche League International agreed to take $$ from Proctor & Gamble? Yeah, it was extremely horrible. P&G made these butt-ugly (of course) plastic (of course) bags with their sickening information plastered all over them, then stuffed the stupid things with some of their sickening pamphlets. We were expected to give these horrid bags to new mothers! I thought I would die.

Anyway, plastic diapers were not happening for my baby.

Besides the uncomfy-factor, I was pretty creeped-out by the chemicals used in plastic diapers that turned to a heavy, stinky gel after it got wet. More fun for baby.

Then, I was extremely weirded-out by the fact that plastic diapers sit in landfills (full of human feces, full of disease, leeching into soil/water) for more than 500 years! Didn't think I could handle that responsibility.

Oh, that reminds me of the time when I wrote to P&G about their horrid products and what they're doing to the planet? I was pretty upset. This was way before it was popular to worry about our pitiful environment.

So, when my sweet, little (6lbs 11oz) baby girl was born, her soft little bum never felt those nasty plastic and paper and chemical diapers. I can't imagine.

We used reusable, breathable, cotton diapers.

Sure, we had to learn how-to use cloth diapers, how-to pin them onto baby without poking a finger or the baby, and how-to clean dirty diapers.

It was worth it.

All five babies were given the same gift.

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cheryle