I am very nervous to type the following confession. But I have to be honest. If I try and act like someone I am not, I will get found out sooner or later and will lose the trust of my readers.
Please don’t leave me once you hear this.
I have switched from cloth diapers to disposables. That’s right. I am adding to the landfill problem and putting chemicals on my baby’s tushie.
I bought a box of disposable diapers today. I will be selling my cloth – mostly for the cost of shipping – to some good friends. This is really earth-shattering news! For 2 years I blogged about cloth diapers. I created video reviews of the most daddy friendly brands and wrote about the best cloth diapers for newborns. I connected with other moms in the cloth diapering community and made some amazing friends.
That is why I have to be honest. I still support cloth diapering and think it is an amazing way to save money and cut down on carbon footprints. But will not do this anymore. Before I explain why, let me just answer some possible comments/suggestions I might get.
What was it you hated the most?
Honestly? The smell of dunking and swishing poopy diapers. And the smell of ammonia in my night time diapers or diapers that sat in the pail too long.
Did you try a diaper sprayer?
Nope. We only have one bathroom and a door that does not latch. I have been looking at glass shower doors from Glass Shower Direct to install in our bathroom. I have a hard enough time keeping an eye on my 3 kids, I don’t need them spraying each other with such an accessible weapon.
Did you try stripping?
Oh my goodness sakes yes! I tried every single natural detergent under the sun. Tide was all that worked. In fact, stripping is another reason I don’t like cloth diapers. I don’t enjoy spending 1.5 days washing and rinsing and re-rinsing diapers.
Don’t you hate the smell of a disposable more? All those chemicals!
Actually, I really like that I can pitch the poopy diaper in the outside garbage can and not have to smell it again. And the perfumy smell of sposies? I don’t find it overpowering at all.
What about blow outs?
Thankfully Lucy is 13.5 months old and her poop is a lot more solid now. I don’t have to worry about it.
You are potty training. Potty training while using sposies is so much more difficult! Cloth makes it easier.
Tell that to David! LOL! The only way he is successful is if he goes naked. If he wears undies he will pee in them and refuse to go pee if I set the timer. Naked he is perfect! Cloth or sposies, doesn’t matter. His pee does not discriminate.
Don’t you feel guilty about all the money you are wasting on disposables?
I refuse to allow myself to. Mommy guilt is ugly. I think of all the things I can feel guilty for, this will not be one of them. Yes I have spent quite a pretty penny on my cloth diaper stash. I spent countless hours researching the best diapers too. But the truth of the matter is with 3 kids under 4 years old and my new work-at-home jobs, something has to go. All that time I spent rinsing, washing, folding and stuffing my diapers I will now spend with my kids. There is only so much time in the day and I decided to give up the joys of cloth diapering for the convenience of disposables.
So what are your thoughts on cloth diapering now?
They have not changed! The only thing that changed is my life got way too stinking busy so I had to let something go. I still think organic cloth diapers are the best thing for our babies. They sustain the earth and can help support moms that stay home and support their kids with their business. Cloth diapers remain the most beautiful, soft, squishy, amazing things I ever put on my babies. Nothing beats the cuteness of a cloth diapered bum! I still give cloth diapering advice and share my wisdom to help others cloth diaper successfully.
Perhaps I am over dramatizing it a smidge. Perhaps I am not taking my decision seriously enough. All I know is, when life gets crazy and you make decisions as a mother and a person that benefit yourself mentally, everyone benefits. No one is perfect.
Bravo.
And I love you regardless.
Thanks Kerri! <3 you too!
Love your honesty!
I turned sposie after 2+ years with cloth. The ammonia smell in the morning was bad!!! I will still start over and give it a try with another baby. I think cloth is easiest for the littlest ones. …and they need so many changes it saves a bundle. With older kiddos I also had trouble fitting my 3-year old in pants with his fluffy butt. 🙂
Every Mom makes choices… fruit juice or not, 8pm bedtime or 7pm, TV or no… we all do our best and should love each other for our devotion and hard work. NOT individual choices.
Thank you Andrea. It has been about 3 years of cloth diapering for me. And honestly, the ammonia and difficulty is worse with toddlers than small babies. I loved cloth diapering my little babies 🙂
I totally LOVE your last statement. We all really do our best!
This is exactly the type of thing I talk about on my sites. Not cloth vs disposable, but being free to make the choices that are right for your family at the current season in your life without feeling guilt, or without feeling an invisible pointing finger wagging at you. I understand your need to justify a bit since you were a very strong proponent for cloth, but the reality is, you have to do what you have to do. 🙂
Good for you Annie! And good luck in your new work!
Bernice
40 tips to simplify your life
Thank you Bernice. I am going to go and promote that post you wrote. It is soooo needed!! And yes, I was such a public supporter of cloth that I needed to be honest with my readers.
Its ok Annie we stopped using cloth a long time ago and now that he is three he rarely goes through a ton of diapers, and since I am not home I guarantee someone would forget and leave the cloth dipe somewhere for days.
Yeah….see….that definitely happened with us. I found a cloth diaper under a seat in my car. YUCK
Good for you Annie. You have to think about what works for your family at this time. Don’t feel guilty or pressured into putting more stress on you or the fam.
I’m all for cloth diapering, but I worked full time when my first 2 were babies. I didn’t even consider cloth until my 2nd was over a year, and I was able to stay home. I didn’t do it very long with her because its hard to fit a 40 pounder, and I wasn’t able to make a big investment.
I am fully commited to cloth diapers for baby #3. I really hope it works out like I plan. You should have told me you were selling out. I’m all about buying used diapers right now!
Audrey, I have not sold all of them. I will email you! Really, cloth does take time. I just got a new Work at home job and don’t think I will have time to do it anymore.
I know it takes a lot of time and determination, but I’m making the commitment. I look forward to your email.
I had diaper service from my friends, and I liked it at first, but i was glad after the 3month gift was alll over,They had to be in a huge container (from the co.) and
would really stink. I’m really proud of you, and you are doing great. !!!
Thank you grandma Nancy!!
I have many friends that use sposies. I would never get rid of one of them because they didn’t choose cloth! I use cloth because its right for us. It doesn’t work for everyone. Hope it gives you a little extra time with your little ones!
Thanks Heather! I am sure it will give me time. I will MAKE the time ya know? But cloth worked for me for 3 years. I loved every minute of it until last month or so. There is something so fun about fluffy mail, squishy bums and seeing dipes hanging on the line!
I wish it was easier for you. I too am a true blue Tide user. ammonia is the worst. although I didn’t find ‘rinsing’ worked. just bleach.
something you may not have considered is just cd’ing part time for the fun of it, say on weekends when you’d have a bit of extra time. (or maybe you have, who knows?)
But I’m glad you’re still a believer and someone else is benefiting from you loss, so to speak! Keep up the good fight. Although if you start extolling the virtues of disposables, I might leave you a snide comment. I’ve been commenting here long enough, you know I tell the truth (as I see it!) 😉
I can always depend on you for your honesty Jill!! If I have time I might still write pro-cloth posts and I doubt I will ever promote sposies…..although I will admit I do have a price and if they pay me a ton of money I couldn’t really say no…..I DO need a new car! And if I ever do write a post promoting sposies I hope you do come in with barrels blazing! I wouldn’t expect any less 😉
First off, I love the pic! Secondly, I admire your honesty and openness. Thirdly, I don’t really care what you put on your kid’s butt. 🙂 And I mean that in a really nice way. I don’t think any differently of you because you’ve switch from cloth to disposals. I do find your reasons to be based on love and what more can a Momma do than love? 🙂
And, lastly, I can NEVER remember to click the “confirm you are NOT spammer” button. 🙂
I had fun with the pics in this post 🙂
Oh that spammer button? I had to put that on cause Askimet was not catching hardly any spammers and I kept getting a ton go through! Frustrating.
As a disposable using, formula feeding full time working mom, I applaud your honesty. It takes a good person to admit when they have to make a change like this. I however believe it is simply reality that sometimes we just can’t manage to do what is considered best. Sometimes what is ‘best’ is what keeps our sanity! A cloth diapering mom who gets zero sleep is NOT what is best for her kids!!!
Thanks for keeping it real!!!!!!
This cracked me up Lisa! I will always keep it real!
You have given me a lot to think about. I was seriously considering cloth for our next but I don’t know now. With three kids and my laziness, disposable sounds easier. And like something I could trust my husband and others to do correctly.
Hey, we all do what we have to get by. If your kid’s butt is clean, I don’t care how you diaper. 😉
Maggie, I will be 100% honest about my likes and dislikes with cloth. You can email me annie at mamadweeb.com. Cloth diapering was so hard for me cause I have 2 in cloth and one of them is a 2.5 year old boy. Cloth gets more difficult to use as they get older. I actually really loved cloth diapering my babies. But that being said if you don’t enjoy laundry cloth might not be for you LOL!!
I totally understand! My use of cloth goes in waves. It is easiest when they are under 6 months and just have the breastmilk poop. Solid poop is my enemy and you have to be really on too of the laundry at that point…my hubs refuses to help, so that is when I usually make the switch.
Good for you for choosing sanity over “The Cause” and who cares what others think. 🙂
Seriously the breastmilk poop is so easy to clean! It is the after solids poop that is disgusting.
We’re all mom’s who do things differently. I never ever considered using cloth diapers or breastfeeding…and I have perfectly normal kids. You will too!
Keep on keepin’ on, friend!
Thanks Sky! I sure will keep on!
I would never judge a mom for making the best choices for HER family. I love cloth-diapering and am trying to convince friends to do it but if they don’t, it doesn’t change how I feel about them in the least.
I will say that I’m going to miss your cloth giveaways though. 😉
I love hosting cloth giveaways. And I still love my cloth retailers and promoting them – especially applecheeks diapers and the Diaper Daisy store! So I doubt the giveaways will be gone completely, but the reviews will be gone unless someone guest posts it for me 🙂 (not a bad idea actually).
I love and support cloth, I just don’t have time for it right now.
Ooh ooh…pick me! 😉
Oh Annie, that had to be hard. But kuddos to you for even trying cloth diapers. It was too overwhelming for me so we used sposies with all three of ours and they turned out okay 😉
Thanks Crystal! Cloth really is time consuming and time is so hard to come by these days!
Anyone who would ever judge or degrade you for making the choice that is best for you and your family is probably better off not being a reader anyway. You and I differ in many ways as you know and I formula fed and disposable diapered all 3 of my babies. Guess what? They survived.
Good for you for doing what works best for YOU!
HUGS always xxoo
I have never ever cloth diapered, truthfully I am going to be blasted but the thought of washing poopy diapers makes me want to puke.
So I commend you for using them that long and don’t blame you at all for switching with your very good reasons.
I was a mom that could not do cloth for many reasons you listed but mainly the swishing of the poop to get it out of the diaper. For my sanity (and to keep my from throwing up) I went with disposables. I think it is awesome that people can do it but I just could not stomach it (literally). Kudos for lasting so long!
barely scandalous to be sure my sweet thing …
sometimes one merely needs a break from some of the poop that life throws our way 😉
Welcome to the sposies side! 😉 I honestly think that you ladies that cloth diaper are awesome. I tried it for one day with my fourth. One. Day. And I too could not get past the dumping and swishing of the diaper in the toilet. I’m way too lazy.
Good luck with your sposies.
We have all been there where cloth becomes a burden or stressful and can cause burn out. Sometimes I wonder if it wasn’t for my blog if I would have thrown in the towel a time or two over the years, but I have never cloth diapered two children or multiples and I can only imagine how that would make you feel like all you ever did was wash diapers.
And thanks for stopping by my personal blog today. I am trying to be more diligent in writing there and it is Emi unplugged– just goofy old me and our crazy little life! We still need to try and get together before we move further away this spring/summer!
Doesn’t matter what your choice is, just that it’s the right one for your children. I would so do disposables in a heart beat, but we are low on funds, so I keep washing and stuffing. *shrug* life goes on, no matter what your lifestyle is.
and do you still have any diapers left?
I love cloth diapers and used them exclusively with my son. Then, I had two little girls 18 months apart and had to share a washing machine in our apartment, and all of my cloth diapering dedication failed. I am right there with you. Hopefully this will be the year we train the girls and go diaper free!
What about organic diapers? Have you tried them? (I haven’t, myself)
I have Mommy Guilt because I have never TRIED cloth diapers…this post reassured me that it might be okay to just stick with disposables! I can’t add in another time consuming thing right now or I will lose my mind…totally understand why you need something to go away.
There is no need to feel guilty, you do what’s best for you and your family!
I currently have 3 in disposables (yep 3!). I like the target brand the best, they are the cheapest and they put out coupons regularly on their site for them.
We Americans have a strange “All-or-Nothing” way of thinking sometimes. We tend to think that, if we want to be more environmentally responsible, we have to go completely all the way all the time. Not so! If we use just one small reusable container to replace just one plastic bag per day per child’s lunch, we’ll keep scores (or more) plastic bags out of the garbage every year. If we invest in a home water filter and drink from that only at home (still using bottled water away from home) we keep that many bottles from the environment. If we cloth-diaper using earth-friendly detergents most of the time, but use Tide (which I love, BTW) when we need it, see how much we’ve reduced chemical use? If we go ahead and use disposable diapers but in other areas we recycle/freecycle, add reusable containers, water bottles, napkins, etc to personal use, and purchase from environmentally aware companies when we can, we make a collectively huge impact towards towards sustainability. “Going green” is like collecting, it’s a process not an all-or-nothing all-at-once gotta-do-it-this-second kind of thing.
I really can’t judge you for that. I only have one child in diapers and I get frustrated when I have to strip diapers, but I love cloth. I think using cloth diapers for any period of time is really great for the environment. Think about all of the diapers you didn’t throw away because you used cloth. Seventh generation has biodegradable disposables that are free of chemicals. That’s what I would use if I ever used disposables again.
I don’t believe they are much better.. I saw a documentary that they dye their diapers so that they look like they are unbleached. Practically the same as bleaching in my opinion!
I’m alllllll about diaper sprayers to avoid dunking and swishing… but if I had 3 under 4, there’s NO POSSIBLE WAY I would install one.
Good for you for being so honest! And look at it this way, you saved tons of diapers from landfills as it is 🙂
Not leaving! Because my confession is that we chose to use disposables from the beginning with Mouse. We too have our reasons and it is a decision that has worked for us. From time to time I get flack from other mommies but I let it roll off my back. You’re stuck with me as a reader. 😉
Don’t feel guilty!! I use cloth diapers {almost} exclusively, but I’m more prone to use disposables at night because I don’t have the ammonia smell in the morning when changing her diaper. Do what works well for you and your family. It is easy become a slave to cloth diapers.
Ok this article made me laugh esp the first picture =). I have tried cloth diapers ONCE out of 4 kids and that sucker leaked all over everything so I said screw it I’m using my reliable sposies. I think its great that your being honest about it and you still support people who CD. My friend has 5 kids 2 who are twins who just turned 2 she has CD all until they bought a new w/d and it would not clean the CD right she tried everything but kept giving them rashes so now she uses sposies (she is very earth friendly organic all the way type of Mom). Her hubby wasn’t too happy but she reminded him of the 9 yrs spent exclusively CD their kids he got over it. I hope no one chooses to not read your site anymore because you’ve :gasp: changed ;-). Keep doing what your doing keep being honest and the Lord will continue to bless you =)
Way to go for being honest. I totally understand, and was of the cloth mindsent before having my little one. I’m in disposables too. To each their own, we tried. That’s all we can do!
I did try cloth diapers. They’re great if they work for you. Unfortunately for us, they didn’t. My baby would wake up with diaper rash because she would sleep through the night and be sleeping in a soaked through diaper in the morning. No matter how many diapers I put on her. So disposables were for us and they worked just fine. Yes, that was a huge amount of money but in our case, it was the only thing that worked for us.
How dare you…the gall.
Right, I kid, I kid. I already said it on FB, but you shouldn’t feel like or have to defend yourself. You have to do what works for you! And, it’s horrible that moms are so bad to each other and so quick to judge. We have to do our own thing!
You’ve got to do what’s right for your life at the moment. And think of the difference you did make cloth diapering as long as you did. I’m still cloth diapering one of my twins during the day (the other has just recently potty trained) and both twins do cloth diapers at night. But the hidden costs did add up for us – we had to buy a new dryer last summer, a new sump pump this fall, and a new washer in December. Still, I wouldn’t change it.
No judging here, since I have never clothed diapered!
I honestly wish someone would create a “Like” button to accompany every comment in the blogosphere. Sometimes we just can’t say it better or different and “Liking” would be our way of saying “You go girl (or Mama)!”
Love your blog!