Another idea I came across that I've been trying to do in my home (with better success before the pregnancy) was a "tree-free home".
I used cloth diapers with Autie for about the first 6 months. Then we moved and were sharing a washer, so the practice kind of died. We didn't do so well with Izzy either. My excuse is that we moved 15 times the year he was born. I plan to go back to it for the twins since we are (hopefully) a little more settled and not living with room-mates. (Sorry, Heather doesn't count as a room-mate. As Big D says, "She's your little slave girl." Good thing she has a sense of humor!)
Not only does it greatly reduce the waste from a home, it saves LOTS of money. The average baby uses about 6,000 (!!) diapers in the first two years of their life. At about $0.25 per diaper, that would be $1,500 each year for two babies. And many moms who cloth diaper say that their children potty train sooner. So less time dealing with poop! Who would complain about that?
I personally prefer the prefolds rather than the all-in-ones (AIO) or pocket diapers. Besides the fact that they're cheaper (About $1.00 per prefold vs. about $15.00 each for the either of the other two), they were just easier for me to use. Even Big D could change a cloth diaper in the same time and with the same yuck factor as a disposable one. Besides, the flat diapers come in handy after the baby is older. They can be used for cleaning rags and they last forever. I still remember my mom having and using them when I was a teenager - as cleaning rags, I swear!! All totalled (I bought preemie prefolds, infant and regular sizes) I invested about $200 in prefolds and probably another $50 between snappies (the bestest thing EVER if you use prefolds) and diaper covers.
So, in just a monetary way, I saved about $500 with Austin, and if I consistently use them with the twins, I'll save about $4,500 (if they potty train at about 3 years old). So, $5,000 savings for maybe $250 invested (plus the soap and water for the washing). And I can still sell the used diapers on ebay for at least some of the money that I've paid for them once the girls are done. I'd say it's a big win. Not even mentioning the 20,000 diapers that DON'T end up filling our land fills.
Not only is there the money issue (seriously, do you need a better reason?? If so, just send me the extra money and give it a try anyways!) there is the fact that it's just way better for little butts and the earth.
We'll start with the "Save the Earth" crowd. Disposable diapers are just that, disposable, thrown away, disposed of. Check out the all-mighty Wiki and look at the debate section [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaper ]. It states: "An estimated 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used each year in the US, resulting in a possible 3.4 million tons of used diapers adding to landfills each year." That's a lotta poop!
Now, honestly, depending on how they are washed and dried, cloth diapers can still cause a strain on Mother Earth. But I have a HE washer, and live in the driest place in the world (maybe not, but it feels like it) so can hang dry the diapers. I use homemade laundry detergent, vinegar as a fabric softener and don't ever bleach my diapers. I'd say I'm being reasonably kind to Mother.
Disposable diapers have all sort of chemicals. Depending on which anti-disposables website you look at, some of the loverly things in diapers will include: polyethylene and polypropylene plastic with bleached paper pulp, AGM (a gelling substance), petrolatum, stearyl alcohol, cellulose tissue, elastic, and perfume.
[ http://www.diaperjungle.com/disposable-diapers-exposed.html ]
These things aren't great for the environment, but they're worse for the delicate skin of our babies tushes. When I was cloth diapering, we almost never had a problem with diaper rash. Yet there are several types of disposable diapers neither of my boys could wear because they would end up with a rash within a couple diaper changes. The best way to cure diaper rash for my kids? Put them in cloth diapers for a couple days. We never had to use the extra diaper creams and butt pastes when we were using cloth. (Again, saving the earth and some $green$)
Besides, there ain't nothing cuter than a baby butt in a cloth diaper!
Even better would be the idea of Elimination Communication. Check out http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/ for more info on that!
Now, before you get the idea that cloth diapering is getting to be pretty common and therefore I'm not too far off main stream, I have to add that I not only use cloth for the kids, but I use it for myself. Instead of the store-bought maxi-pads, I use cloth when I'm menstruating too. Honestly, that hasn't happened too much in the last couple years, but when I'm on the rag, I use rags. Well, not really rags, but mama pads. I've found that they are way more comfortable than the plasticy pads available at the store, I change them about as frequently and some people say they even reduce the cramping and other DMS (during menstrual syndrome) effects that they normally feel using "normal" pads or tampons. I personally can't use tampons, but for those who prefer the not-lining-your-panties type of protection, there are Diva cups
[ www.divacup.com ] Again, better for the earth and better for our bodies.
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