Going Cloth!

I am embarking on a new path. The path of the cloth diaper. This is a rather intimidating task, and there are so many choices and opinions about cloth diapers out there. I love that anyone who uses cloth diapers love to share their information and their wisdom which has made me feel more confident about the switch. I also love that it is possible to try different brands and sell them if they don't work for us. I also love that in the long run it will save us money. As long as we can get it all figured out. I may be blogging about this switch a bit. With Chris in school and us living off the small income I can make, I am just looking for a more economical way to live. 

Pro's of the cloth diaper (in my opinion):


1. When I was talking to one of my good friends about her cloth diapers, she brought up a good point. If there is ever a disaster (family or natural, money or otherwise) she will not have to worry about where to get diapers ect. They are covered no matter what. I thought that was also a good point and a good reason that every parent should at least have a stash of cloth (even cheap pre-folds and pins).
2. Initial upfront investment (however they last through multiple children so the savings will keep adding up).
3. Less garbage!
4. Do not have to worry about buying diapers all the time. If your short of cash, you can buy food instead of diapers.
5. I am simply a fan of buying reusable items, making money stretch and last. I guess the financial aspect is the biggest pull for me, however there does seem to be a nice social aspect with lots of support. It is nice to be part of a group with young children to talk about everything to do with children from cloth diapers and beyond.


Cons (in my opinion):


1. The mess and extra laundry. I am not so worried about the wet diapers, but am definitely not real excited about poopy messes (*there are creative ways to make them easier with cloth though).
2. Traveling with cloth seems difficult. (*Flip diapers have disposable inserts for when you are traveling or out and about and covers wipe clean, or you can just use disposables)
3. They are just so expensive to get started
4. They seem bulky (especially on younger babies) 
5. They can be intimidating for others to use when babysitting ect.. 


All in all I think the pros do outweigh the cons for me. I can find ways to deal with the cons that seem reasonable for me. All of my research has led me to believe it is at least worth a try, so I spent a little over $50.00 and am going to give it a shot. Wish me Luck!