Anyway, this isn't meant to be a preach entry, as I am sure I have a log in my own eye. However, while reading my Inc magazine, I stumbled across an article about a couple from Australia who were peddling a flushable diaper. Interested, I looked it up online. http://www.gdiapers.com/
The G Diaper, as it is called, has a well-made cloth exterior with breathable wicking fabric on the inside, a snap-in liner and either a cloth or flushable/disposable insert. The cloth inserts are handled in much the same way as the diapers I remember Mom using, but they are smaller, only a portion of the whole diaper set-up, don't use diaper pins, and don't require plastic pants. The disposable inserts, with which I am familiar, break down within 30 days. They can be flushed (they begin dissolving when the inside of the insert hits the water), composted, or thrown away; all with a happy conscience!
Practically speaking, I am now using a very well-made, comfortable diaper that has a very low instance of the "blowout" that all moms dread. They fasten with velcro - no pins needed. I always have another diaper loaded with an insert and ready to go. When I take off the used diaper, I set it aside until Jackson is happy and clean. Then, I pull out the insert and either toss it or flush it. (The website has instructional videos on the flush process, which is not difficult). Finally, I put a fresh insert into the diaper and it is ready for the next time. Occasionally, with a dirty diaper, the snap-in liner will be soiled. In that case, I unsnap it and pop it into a bucket of OxiClean and water in the laundry room sink. Every once in a long while the outer cloth portion will be soiled, but rarely. Both the outer portion and the liner are machine washable. The liners dry quickly in the air, and the outer cloth portion can be tumble-dried.
All this to say that I have a couple of extra steps, but they aren't difficult, gross, or time consuming, and it is so worth it.
When I explained the diapers to Franz, before I ordered them, he stopped me quickly when I mentioned that the diapers were reusable and "we would wash them if they were dirty." He said, "You lost me at 'we'." He declared that I could use whatever diapers I wanted, but he'd stick with the tried and true disposables. Well, any little bit counts, so I ordered them anyway. When the diapers arrived, Franz watched me change one and remarked on the amazing quality of the diapers. With the next diaper change, Franz volunteered to change one and declared that they were easy to use and so well-made that he also preferred them. To date, he has not flushed one, preferring to toss them, but knowing how quickly they biodegrade, we feel happy with either method of disposal when compared to the alternative.
It is a small improvement that, when measured on the scale of volume and duration for just one baby, will make a difference and I am thrilled that the change (pun intended) was so easy. I don't feel we had to compromise on convenience or ease at all. And we gained quality, fewer diaper rashes, and fewer blowouts. I take the diapers out of the house in the diaper bag, and even had a babysitting friend elect to use them over disposables when given the option. I am a convert 100%, so please excuse my evangelistic post today!
3 comments:
As a visitor to the Forman Ranch, I can also attest that I love these diapers. So easy to use, and yes I had the same aversion that Em had from my childhood to the plastic-pants version of cloth diapers. But there are NOTHING like them. I will definitely opt for a better alternative to the disposables when we have kids, many, many years from now. :o)
I'm glad you put that qualifier in your last sentence. People were starting to get excited; you could have started a rumor! ;)
I just had to be safe. So many family members read this blog. And I wouldn't want any rampant rumors on this topic about us. Yikes. I thought absolute clarity would be best. Glad you caught it!
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