Cloth diapers these days are nothing like the old terry cloth towels you had to fold and pin. These days they have all-in-one diapers that work just like a disposable, that, once soiled, you dump a flushable liner into the toilet, and put the diaper into a lidded bucket. Once the bucket is full, you just dump the diapers into the washing machine. Since we don't have a clothes dryer, we'll have to remove the liner for it to dry. I've done a test run of the ones I bought and they dried easily overnight, despite it being fall/winter in England. It's a few more steps than a disposable, but we'll see how it goes. I'm very realistic about it, and plan to use disposables when necessary and possibly also in the first few weeks until we get used to the routine of taking care of the baby.
When some people first hear that Pedro and I have decided to try cloth diapering, I tend to get some raised eyebrows. I've talked with a few women here in England who have successfully used cloth diapers from birth to potty and our local council will even reimburse us $100 of what it costs to pay for the diapers themselves. After talking a lot about it, our reasons for wanting to try it out are baby health, economy, and the environment. I could paraphrase all the research I've done here, but I'm not out to preach to anyone since I have yet to try it out myself. While I'm not yet 100% certain that it will work for us, we're committed to give it a good try - a bit more than that, I think. If you're interested I will leave you with some good links at the end of the post. I also have a lot more information if anyone is more curious.
The Nappy [Diaper] Lady website: http://www.thenappylady.co.uk/
“Pocket” diapers (the kind that is probably best for us since we don't have a dryer): http://www.weecarediapercompany.com/weecart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=7
Green parenting / diapers http://www.grizzlybird.net/labels/diapers.html
Cloth diaper care, step by step: http://www.grizzlybird.net/2006/03/how-to-wash-cloth-diapers-at-home.html#links
Natural baby wipes http://www.naturodoc.com/library/children/newborn_skin.htm
More general info: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2004/12/ecotip_nappies.php
We finally got around to getting a photo during daylight hours - the days are so short here in winter that by the time we remember to take the weekly photo, we're stuck with poor indoor lighting. It's not warm here, despite my wearing a short-sleeved shirt - it's cold and it's windy!
