The Enduring Diaper Question

Hey Mr. Green,

A comment rather than a question on your "Great Diaper Debate" answer in Sierra magazine. A benefit you didn't mention for cloth is that those same diapers work for the next kid too. After two kids, about half my supply of prefolded cloth diapers was still in good enough condition to give to an expecting friend, and the rest made great cleaning rags.

The non-prefolded kind are the world's best multipurpose cloth, especially for backpacking: You can use them as head coverings for sun or wind, emergency arm slings, tight wraps for a strained knee, face coverings for dusty trails, quick-drying bath towels, cleaning rags, and so on. My youngest is now 24 and I'm still using and enjoying a few of those diapers!

–Jan in Clovis, California

Thanks for advancing the cause of cloth diapers, in the best tradition of reduce, reuse, and recycle. I didn't have room to note this benefit, but reusability and immense longevity does go a long way toward offsetting the environmental stress caused by growing cotton for the diapers. Unless you're afflicted with empty-nest syndrome, there can be an inexpressible joy and a sense of release in deploying diapers on an outdoor recreational jaunt instead of on—a baby.

Some readers even advise doing away with diapers entirely, though they may be suggesting more "communication" with baby than many of us stay-at-home parents can handle. However, because there’s an obvious environmental upside in backside alternatives, we offer the following description of diaperless baby management from a reader who advocates it:

"All over the world, people employ knowledge and techniques that allow their babies to wear few or no diapers at all. This process of dealing hygienically with babies' waste is variously called 'elimination communication,' 'EC,' or 'infant potty-training' by people who are relearning this ancient art of baby care. Elimination communication involves observing a baby's signs and signals, providing cue sounds, and can be done with or without diaper use. Another bonus, besides reduced diaper costs and laundry: no potty-training necessary, since baby hasn't been diaper-trained in the first place! EC can be practiced full-time or just occasionally, started at birth or at 9 months or older. The best part: learning to communicate with your baby is fun, something that changing poopy diapers really isn't, whether they're plastic or cloth. For more information and resources, visit www.diaperfreebaby.org."

Comments

[used bucket trucks]

If I switch to cloth diapers will you come to my house and do my laundry :)

[Cindy Donahey]

Pioneer Diaper Stories

Many pioneers used the urine of healthy young children. Cutoff was about age 7 - with a maximum weight of around 40 lbs. Urine from older children was filtered through moss(dirt side up), charcoal and leaves (the last two from sugar maple for instance). Spring water was filtered the same way. especially when manure was about in the fields. They would use moss soaked in urine as a compress and even soak their feet. When sold, this was very expensive. Clarity and tone was important. People would drink a lot of water and then try and sell this, so there was a lot of fraud about - a buyer beware situation. This made about the nicest urea in the world. Some people thought the fecal matter of babies especially contained life giving essence. This was especially true of very young babies. The fact of the matter is, most parents tolerate everything about their young children.

There was one type of moss especially, that is almost gone. I thought I saw it a nature sanctuary in the Arc of Appalachia, just a patch. It was pretty much driven into extinction.

I had a lesson about this once from a 90 year old man, who could both recite (from memory) Elizabethan poetry and talk with any degree of hillbilly. He, however, pronounced Appalachia in the usual way, not the affected way. So how can you trust anything I say.

[carforallnet.blogspot.com]

I would love to read more about this topic.

[Momma Claire]

Washing cloth diapers is not much different than any other load of laundry. Most cloth diapers simply get tossed into the machine and voila! clean diapers come out.
I have used a few different types with my children and have found them all very manageable.
The monetary benefits are unbelievable, especially when you are reusing the diapers for subsequent children. Mr. Green's estimate of the cost of disposable diapers from birth to potty training is quite low. Seventh Generation diapers will cost you closer to 5,000!
And, Mr. Green, greener options are available for cloth! You mentioned pesticide and plastic but organic cotton and wool are much better choices.
Please check out Mothering.com 's invaluable cloth diapering resources.

[Laurie]

We used infant potty training with our third and enjoyed it very much, were delighted to start and finish sooner than we had with traditional delayed toilet learning. That was 30 years ago and now our grandchild is using it too :-))

Here are a few links for anyone wanting to read up on the practice:
http://www.TimL.com/ipt
http://www.pottywhisperer.com

book: “Infant Potty Training: A Gentle and Primeval Method Adapted to Modern Living”
DVD: “Potty Whispering”

[Moby Wrap]

I love these Ergo baby carrriers and other sling contraptiond for carrying your baby around. So somfortable and easy to use....cant be better !

[sevenjeanssale]

I love the idea of reusable diapers. When I think of all the commerical ones dumped in our landfills it makes me sick. There are always ways to take care of ourselves and our children without harming the planet.

[Adult Incontinence Products]

When i had my kids i was scared to use cloth diapers. I was convinced that they wouldn't work and i would end up having to clean up other things like the car seat, couches, floor. etc.

[bucket trucks]

Hmm, I've never heard of this. It kind of reminds me of house-breaking my dog though. It would be great to save on diapers and not have to worry about potty training as much. Cool idea, thanks for sharing.

[Polish Mama on the Prairie]

I used Cloth Diapers parttime with my first along with part time Elimination Communication (which came very naturally since I was already paying a lot of attention to her anyway instead of, say the tv). She was completely self potty trained at age 15 months.
I committed full time to cloth diapers with Baby #2 at age 7 months after mentally overthinking it for a while (it's as easy to wash another load of laundry every other day as it is to go to the store constantly spending $$ on disposables that could be spent on something more fun like the zoo, a trip to Europe, ice cream, etc.)and because I babywear, am practicing parttime E.C. currently. I can't wait until it warms up outside so I can do it full time with her. Apparently, it's how my Polish mother did with me and at age 6 months, I was a nearly fully E.C. baby.
I love it and it bonds me so much closer to my kids than anything else. I mean, you basically have to listen to your kid and try a bit harder to slow yourself down to their level. Then, after a bit, it's second nature.
Btw, I also have time to volunteer at my older daughter's school, clean my house, cook from scratch just about every day, blog, travel, take the kids to parks, museums, zoos, etc. extremely often, and generally have a life, even with the cloth diapers and Elimination Communication.
I just don't have time for the tv, darn... :) It's all in what you want to make your true time priorities.

[Christian Louboutin Sale]

Sorry,i don't know how to receive my response, why?

http://www.christianlouboutindiscounts.com/

[Vanessa]

Keep posting good quality articles like this one! I will be back here..diapers and keeping babies clean is very importatnt I think..

[alexis]

Very Useful post, I didn't know that, keep up the good work!