Why do I have to convince my mother that cloth diapering is wonderful?
Out of all the things in the world that mothers should be resistant to — tick bites, sunburns, trans fats, twerking — cloth diapering should NEVER be one of them. Why are our own mothers (and grandmothers and mothers in law and aunts and every other woman who had babies in the 70s and 80s) the hardest people to convince that cloth diapering is wonderful? Half of them even cloth diapered their own kids!
I find that most people (like my mom) who are resistant to cloth diapers have unpleasant memories. In the old days, cloth diapers were very different than modern systems we have today like bumGenius, Flip and Econobum. I’ve listened to my family retell their stories of diaper leaks, diaper covers, diaper pails, diaper services, stained diapers, and the story that every mother has of sticking the diaper pin through the baby’s leg.
Before my husband and I actually decided to cloth diaper, we researched the pros and cons. The cloth diapers available to us now have changed from those available in the 70s. Cloth diapers today fit better and are even available in cute patterns! My husband and I found that cloth diapers are better for the environment, better for our baby’s soft, delicate skin, better for our check book (by a lot) and they are not as much “work” as one would think. I was shocked that the older women in my life had to be persuaded.
The question I always received about cloth diapers was “why?” Why would you cloth diaper when disposable diapers are readily available now? Why would you make life harder on yourself and be a slave to laundry? First of all, cloth diapers do not require that much more laundry. I have never been the mom who stays on top of laundry. With two in diapers, I do a load of diapers every other day and it works.
Now after successfully cloth diapering for a while, other family members have seen our success and realize that it isn’t the same routine of the 70s and the related horror stories are a thing of the past. It’s not like we could Velcro our baby’s skin together, right? I have learned that my family members who were resistant to cloth diapers have become believers when they see my happy, rash-free baby dressed in an adorable outfit with matching diaper.
If I can use cloth diapers, anyone can. I truly believe that, if people actually take the time to research modern cloth diapers, they will see the benefits and convinced to cloth diaper full time.
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My family was initially resistant, but once they discovered the diapers worked just as well as disposables (and many times better), they have become more accepting.