5 Reasons to Give Cloth Diapers a Try
Are cloth diapers right for your family?
By: Alexandria Powell, www.kaboose.com 

If you think you know cloth diapers, you may want to think again. The last 15 years have produced an array of choices in cloth diapering that are easy and beneficial in so many ways. If you're curious about cloth, find out why many parents are taking on that extra load of laundry—and loving it.

The Real Diaper Association, a collective non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the use of cloth diapers, estimates that five to 10 percent of US babies are wearing cloth diapers at least some of the time.

So what are some of the reasons families choose cloth diapers for their babies and toddlers?

Because diapers have come a long way, baby

"One of the biggest myths about cloth diapers is that they are too hard to deal with," says Linda Byerline, founder and CEO of Happy Heiny's, one of the world's largest manufacturers of modern cloth diapers and diaper covers. "What many moms don't realize is that the cloth diapers made today are not exactly like they were even 15 years ago."

The days of uncomfortable rubber pants and dangerous sharp pins are gone, says Byerline. "Most cloth diapers today are as easy to use as [any] disposable diaper."

Today cloth diapers come in two basic systems, although you can find endless styles and materials used—fabrics include cotton, wool, and even hemp, and organic versions are available.

Diapers with separate waterproof covers are available in flats (the large rectangle you may remember from childhood), or fitted (which are shaped to fit around your child's body without folding).

All-in-one diapers are fitted diapers with the waterproof cover sewn on. Many, if not most, of these diapers use Velcro, a tie, or snaps around the waist, eliminating the need for pins.

And that simplicity is what's attracting many moms to cloth."I was at the Green Festival [a fair put on across the country to promote socially responsible businesses, and environmental, social justice, and community organizations] in Washington, DC, last fall, and they had a lot of people who were surprised when they picked up fitted diapers, because they thought that diapers were what their grandmother had used—big, 36 inch fabric squares," says Lori Taylor, founder of the Real Diaper Association. "When people saw these diapers, they saw 'cute' and 'easy', and a lot of them said, 'I can make this choice!'"

Because they are easy to care for

Worried about washing? Don't be, says Linda Pruitt, founder and owner of Vermont Diaper Company, a manufacturer of organic cloth diapering supplies. "Any mother will tell you that you are going to be doing laundry—breast milk leaks, babies spit up on sheets," says Pruitt. "Caring for cloth today is no harder than doing any other load of laundry."

"Today, we do not recommend that you use a wet pail filled with bleach like they used to," says Byerline. (The 'wet pail' method was common in the days before modern washing machines. It's not necessary anymore, and it's also messy, hard to carry, and can even be a health hazard if not properly covered.) "We suggest just using a dry pail, and then you just put the dirty diapers in the wash, wash like you would wash every other load of clothes, put them in the dryer, and take them out."

But what about those especially dirty diapers? Not a big deal, says Byerline. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, you won't need to do anything extra. After your baby starts solids (or if he or she is formula-fed), you'll need to hold the diaper over the toilet to remove excess waste—most of the time, the bowel movement will fall right off the diaper. There's no need to 'swish' a dirty diaper in the toilet bowl. (Actually, adds Byerline, even disposable diapers are supposed to be 'dumped' over the toilet before they are thrown away—this helps to keep feces in the sewage system, where it belongs.)

Finally, know that some cloth diapering families don't have to worry about laundry at all. That's because they have access to a diaper service, says Taylor. A diaper service is a professional laundry that rents cloth diapers. If you use a diaper service, they will deliver clean diapers to your home and pick up used diapers on a weekly basis. The diapers are then laundered using professional equipment—some going through as many as 14 washes before being dried.

"Diaper services are a great way to go for people who need to have something that doesn't add any extra workload," says Taylor. (Check the website of the National Association of Diaper Services, an organization that promotes high standards of diaper