Today is the last scheduled guest post in the infant diapering series. Today we have a family that used a different option – the best of both worlds … Here is Amber’s story in her own words:
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When it comes to diapering, there seems to be two distinct schools of thought. Disposables vs. Cloth.
Unfortunately,quite early in our pregnancy the hubs and I realized we weren’t on thesame team. The hubs had heard horror stories of leaky, ineffectivecloth diapers and he was horrified of prefolds; his friend had beenpinned to hers as a child. As an environmentalist, I on the other handcouldn’t stomach the thought of disposables filling my garbage can(and the landfill) unnecessarily. I tried to explain that there are oodles of cloth diapering options that don’t require the use of pins, but when it allcame down to it, the hubs didn’t want poop in the washing machine andhe didn’t want to deal with all the extra loads of laundry. I arguedthat the laundry wouldn’t be an issue, but the hubs wouldn’t budge.
It would seem we were at an impasse, but we found a middle ground that we could both agree on. Diaper Service.
Iknow the hubs was skeptical, but when our pre-birth delivery arrived aweek before the boy, he was sold, he kept exclaiming ‘who wouldn’t wantfleece next to their bum?’ The diapers themselves have been effectiveat keeping the messes in and we’ve literally been using them since themoment we brought the boy home from the hospital. Diaper servicesgenerally requires the use of a diaper cover, but you can purchase themyourself or rent them from the company.
For about $26 a week, we get an unlimited number of clean diapersdelivered right to our front door. It’s easy to budget for and wenever have to run out at ridiculous times to buy diapers at exorbitantprices. Diaper service also satisfied the hubs ‘no poop in the washingmachine’ rule, in fact we barely have to deal with the poop at all. When the poops are shakable, we flush them down the toilet, whenthey’re mucky, we drop them in the diaper pail as is, no rinsingrequired. The poops are literally someone else’s problem.
That being said, laundry is still an importantconsideration when it comes to diaper service. Our diaper service usesa phosphate, surfactant and bleach free process to launder the diapersand also balances the pH of the diapers to minimize potentialirritation to tender tushies. Unfortunately, not all diaper servicescan make these claims, make sure that you ask about the launderingprocess if you start investigating services in your area. If the washprocess is damaging to the environment, your eco-friendly intentionsmay not be as effective as you’d like.
Although I would have done the extra loads of laundry in order to use cloth diapers, Ididn’t realize quite how many extra loads a baby already makes, and nowthat I’m back to work, its hard enough to get all the laundry done andI’m continually thankful that someone else takes care of the diapersfor us.
I recognize that diaper service isn’t available everywhere and toeveryone, but if you live in or near a major city, its worth a littleresearch, especially if there are differing opinions about diapering inyour home. The prices and options may vary, but overall I truly feelthat diaper service is an option that is not considered oftenenough. Search around, ask questions, try out your options and find the best diapering fit for your family.
In our house, diaper service IS the best option; I’ve even heard the hubs recommend it to friends and coworkers, a pretty amazing feat in my books.
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Guest post written by Amber an environmentally conscious, full-time working, Gluten-Free Momma to an adorable boy and another baby on the way!
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I love hearing from you! Leave a comment below ♥ Accustomed Chaos | Gluten Free Attachment Parenting™ Email: accustomedchaos@gmail.com |
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All I can say is…. I love your blog!!! You are a strong woman, but you are also an example to women who may have struggled like you. My children including myself have severe food allergies and I love that you have recipes that rarely include any of our allergies in them. I'm not an attachment parent, but I am a spiritual parent and I love that there are some similarities. Your blog is everything that I want in my own. Thanks!
You know, I never considered cloth diapers bc I thought I'd have to wash them but it makes total sense if you use a service, which I'm sure we have ton of here in NY. I'm seriously thinking about it. Good for you Amber! You continuously impress!