#cloth4all

I've been in hiding, finishing school, having babies, remodeling our home, the usual stuff. Now, here I am, thinking it's time to get back out there, put all that schooling back into practice, I freaked out the other day correcting a letter I sent to school. Let's be frank in the past my posts have gone from being all about me and my babies to my AHHHHmazing crochet skills, to my last revealing, random announcement of Baby Parker. I'm going to keep with this random theme, but with my decession to try and begin a chapter of The Rebecca Foundation I will be a little more informative and maybe a little OK a lot advocate-y about cloth diapers. Ya'll can follow me on Twitter as I tweet random diaper/baby giveaways,  #cloth4all photos of my adorable #fluffybums. With that said here's the beginning of my #cloth4all story.

11 years ago, I was 22 years old, pregnant with my first baby, Chloe (my angel) and had decided I wanted to use cloth diapers, because global warming and all. All the research I had done at that point, in 2003, told me I would save money, save the earth, blah blah blah. I bought one package of gerber prefolds and sadly back in 2003 the only option I could find for a water barrier were plastic pants. I washed my prefolds, put them in my growing stock of baby items and continued on my way. Every time I mentioned with a broad smile I wanted to use cloth my support system of grannies, aunts, and mamas met me with negativity. I was told how it would be a burden, doing it would drive me into a swirling pit of PPD, disposables are cleaner. I gave up used my gerbers as burb cloths and left it at that. Chloe was born, she was the first Grandchild, Great Grandchild, and if I'm not mistaken the first Great Great Grandchild, on all sides of my family and Hubby's family. Everyone was there. (Without going into the whole "Childbirth Story" that all mother's love to retell to each other) I was in labor nearly 20hrs, I chose to go natural because I was scared of that needle up my back. Looking back, I don't remember pain, I remember lots and lots and LOTS of pressure, I think I was too excited to meet my little angel (had I known then what I know now) to focus on pain. ANYHOO, to make this half shorter, because of negativity I went down the road of disposables and didn't think twice about it again.

Fast forward two more babies, both girls, known to me as Natalie (my ginger), and Aggie (my papaw's favorite)  Hubby bought a HUGE box, 150 diapers, of Newborn Huggies and my first diaper genie upon bringing Aggie home. I happily used both until Aggie began solids and I was unable to hold back my gags during "Genie Duty", this was also how I discovered I was expecting Mikey (my bubby boy). I was more than determined to use cloth, battle worn now, walking in shoes I had worn three times now, there was no amount of negativity that would deter me. I went to my local K-Mart, bought a package of Gerber prefolds, diaper pins, and plastic pants and never looked back. I happily washed diaper after diaper, my Nanny (my mother's mom) showed up on one of  her visits with a stack of prefolds and more plastic pants for 0-3mths. I was so over joyed to finally be encouraged I bought more pins, going on 20, and prepped my diapers. From the time Mikey was born he was in cloth, I washed twice a day, having no way of knowing about modern cloth, wet bags, or the no-no of using fabric softner I carried on happily and bragged about how I loved not having to buy disposable, loved that I had no genie stink to deal with. I was in love! Yes, using prefolds and plastic pants, if that were only option today I would still be happily diapering with it. « How's that for bad grammer, I don't intend on fixing it either ;) Naturally not everyone was on board with my cloth, in fact I was told once to stop a certain family member from changing Aggie's diaper, because she was too good to change cloth diapers. Yes, too good, yet she had changed countless disposable prior to my switch. (There are other insults from this person that have cut me deeply,but I look past them most days. At least I don't hold them against her) Aside from that, all went well until my plastic pants began to fall apart and my local K-Mart no longer offered them at all, not even the toddler sized ones. Reluctantly, a year later, we went back to disposables.

Fast forward (again) 3 years, Pregnant with baby #5, you can read about Parker's arrival and homemade layette here, I was more than determined to go with cloth. I bought 30 babycity (I should have know better) pockets, and was hooked. I washed every two days, discovered the endless support groups, made my own laundry soap (wish I knew then what I know now), and bragged to everyone I knew. I journeyed into the world of making my diapers. I was proud, maybe more than I should have been.

I have to say, choosing to go cloth with Parker was the best decision for my baby I've ever made. During the first two weeks, with his circumcision, I used gauze pads to protect my diapers from his ointments, I didn't fret or freak about it causing repelling. I live by the notions that if it did happen I'd just put on my big girl pants, google it and deal with fixing it. I didn't keep quite about using cloth with him either, I showed every visitor what modern cloth was, encouraged them to "have a go" at changing him, pointed out that it was just as easy as disposables,  and let them know that I didn't have to deal with genie stink. I tried every style I could get my hands on, made a few things from my own twisted mind and enjoyed every triumph and fail.

Now, with our newest addition, Kiki (my sunshine), I'm diving headfirst into the world a advocacy and nearing borderline obsession. I've found myself begging for a bigger budget from Hubby to buy new styles, colors, brands, and just any diaper to expand my stash and add to my growing gifting stash I try to give my "new mama" friends and family. In this little patch of the world I've only met one other mother who has used cloth and helped another sending her to my favorite preloved cloth retailer. I'll talk about her in another post next week. It's lonely without other cloth lovin' mama's but now that certain family issues have been settled I'm ready to put my "Ya'll Should Give It A Go" hat on. In short, I'm in this world of cloth diapering for the long run. Me, Parker, and little Miss Kiki.