The usual response was laughter.
Oh, silly girl. You don't even have running water! Just wait until you actually have a baby. Then we'll see who's using cloth diapers!
Hm. Sounded like a challenge to me.
I bought a bag of about 25 used cloth diapers and covers from my doula, and a baby potty, too. I thought a combination of cloth diapers and elimination communication would be just perfect.
Well, one month went by, and those cloth diapers sat, untouched, in the bag I brought them home in. I'd look at them every once in awhile, and talk about them, but I never put them to use. The potty, however, I did make a start with. At every diaper change I'd sit with it held between my thighs, with Aedan held over it, and more often than not, I'd catch a pee. If I was real lucky, I'd catch a poo, too.
Then, life got a little crazy. Dealing with a diagnosis of neo-natal diabetes took center stage. I completely gave up on the potty, and that bag of cloth diapers got moved to the shed, destined for the thrift store. I felt like a bit of a failure. Like all those laughing customers were right. I felt resigned to sending plastic bag upon plastic bag of used disposable diapers to our landfill.
But last week, 5 months in, I made a decision. I rescued those cloth diapers from the thrift store pile and I started using them! And I even bought another 30 second hand on Kijiji. It's a bit of a challenge, not having running water, but not so bad. Some days I wish for a creek or a stream running by the house (but not plumbing. That's kinda weird!) I get by washing diapers twice a week at the moment, one load at the laundromat and one at the CPNP (more on that later). I bring them home and dry them by the woodstove, a sight that makes me immensely happy.
Well, one month went by, and those cloth diapers sat, untouched, in the bag I brought them home in. I'd look at them every once in awhile, and talk about them, but I never put them to use. The potty, however, I did make a start with. At every diaper change I'd sit with it held between my thighs, with Aedan held over it, and more often than not, I'd catch a pee. If I was real lucky, I'd catch a poo, too.
Then, life got a little crazy. Dealing with a diagnosis of neo-natal diabetes took center stage. I completely gave up on the potty, and that bag of cloth diapers got moved to the shed, destined for the thrift store. I felt like a bit of a failure. Like all those laughing customers were right. I felt resigned to sending plastic bag upon plastic bag of used disposable diapers to our landfill.
But last week, 5 months in, I made a decision. I rescued those cloth diapers from the thrift store pile and I started using them! And I even bought another 30 second hand on Kijiji. It's a bit of a challenge, not having running water, but not so bad. Some days I wish for a creek or a stream running by the house (but not plumbing. That's kinda weird!) I get by washing diapers twice a week at the moment, one load at the laundromat and one at the CPNP (more on that later). I bring them home and dry them by the woodstove, a sight that makes me immensely happy.
And I've got back in the habit of offering the potty at every diaper change, too!
So there, naysayers. Don't tell me I can't do something!
We did cloth when we lived in the arctic since diapers were so expensive! But then I got lazy on baby number two... But at least number two was potty trained two weeks after his second birthday so we save the environment from a few more months of diapers! hehehe
ReplyDeletewahoooo! YEAH. don't tell her she cant. :0)
ReplyDeleteThats so neat that you catch a poo in the potty sometimes! and even pee! I 'm gonna try this with the next babe.
I got some really good advice from french Reggie (works/ed at parks, lives across river) he told me in the winter, if its poop in the cloth diap, just put it outside so it freezez and then it'll come flaking off! It must be hard without water, but you don't know another way, so it just is!
We are pretty hybrid nowadays. we use sposies for night time and usually at least 2 cloth in the daytime, if not fully. saves on cash and feels good each time I use one!
also, when we run completely out of sposies, we have cloth! Lots of times, I'll just "forget to buy more diapers and then Steve has no choice!! he's lazy on the cloth.
We really need to strip ours, they smell pretty bad.
In fact, I'm going to start on that right now.
Happy diapering/EC-ing!
That's a really great idea about putting the poopy diapers outside! I'll try that next time I get one. I'm getting really good at catching poos, though. I'm lucky that Aedan is pretty regular. I think it's been at least a week since I've head a poopy diaper!
DeleteHow do you strip the diapers? Is it something that could be done with cloth menstrual pads, too?