crunch crunch crunch...

When you read this title I know you were totally thinking potato chips. Or I guess if you are more like me you were thinking Cheetos. Either way both are equally delicious. JK Cheetos rock the pants off potato chips any day and every day! Anywho….

I was just thinking about writing this post about my love of cloth diapering. Cloth diapering- Love? What? Is Danielle crazy? Well, sort of. There are many reasons I am crazy but cloth diapering is not one of them. I am dead serious. LOL

My interest in cloth diapering began sometime in the summer of 2011 a few months before I gave birth to my 2^nd child. I was trying to find ways to save money. I always feel a bit guilty being a stay at home mom rather than being out in the world working and reeling in the big bucks.  So I figure I can always contribute through saving money.

I Pinterested and Googled the crap out of the topic. There is just so much information out there. It’s totally over whelming. I ended up buying a few prefolds and three covers just to start and see how I liked it. Long story short- I had like 0 support in doing this and so gave up quickly. It wasn’t that it was hard- I was just worried that it wouldn’t work out.

So there- I just gave you some personal insight into the real me- I am so afraid of failing that I often give up right away.

Then when I was pregnant with my third baby I decided I was definitely going to do this. (I have become much more confident in the last few years. GO ME!). I think the biggest motivation I got was this website. It’s a site full of cheap cloth diapers. They are used so if that freaks you out I suggest looking elsewhere. But I feel like I can get stuff pretty clean so I wasn’t grossed out in the slightest.

There are only 2 really challenging parts to cloth diapering.

1. Picking the kind of cloth diaper that works best for you.

2. Having an effective wash routine.

The first one I found easier to solve by buying used diapers. They were cheap enough for me to buy a few different kinds to see what sort of system I enjoyed. Before ever clothing diapering I figured I would like AIO’s the best. But after trying a few, I found that I really like covers and prefolds/inserts. I use Best Bottoms diapers (just FYI). Diapers also have a great resale value so after all is said and done you aren’t really out that much money at all.

Having an effective wash routine- please listen to me now- DON’T believe like anything you have read on Pinterest/Google. The best way to get your diapers clean is much like that same way in getting clothing clean. Use a good quality laundry detergent- Tide, Gain, etc. I have joined the best Facebook group (Fluff Love and CD Science) ever and they are serious laundry scientists. They can and will get your diapers clean. It might be hard for you to believe- but you don’t need to buy special detergent and you don’t have to do a million rinse cycles. It’s actually really easy to wash diapers. Join that Facebook group and I promise your experience with cloth diapering will become the easiest thing ever.

So now back to the crunchiness of this post. I am sure after reading this and my last few posts you probably think I have turned into a total granola mom. I promise that that is not that case. I still vaccinate my children, bribe them with candy to get them to do things, and make my children share. See- I am fairly normal. Right? I guess not totally normal but I don’t think I am too nuts.

So why again do I love cloth diapering? It’s cute and cheap. If any of you have any comments or questions feel free to add it below.