Mama's Got Milk: Crunchy Mama

Apparently breastfeeding is crunchy. I found this out on Babycenter (which, if you haven't hear of it, is a community of over 100 million parents, chatting about everything baby and non-baby related). People often talk about being crunchy. I actually wrote a short article about what being crunchy means, so if you're not sure, head on over and check it out.

So breastfeeding is crunchy because it is natural. I guess that makes sense. I got to thinking what else I do that might be viewed as crunchy. Well, I recycle, but who doesn't? I try to conserve energy but I think these days that's a given. I cloth diaper. That's a good one! While cloth diapering is becoming more and more popular (I definitely know more mamas who use cloth than disposables) it's still not a given. It saves your baby from being exposed to harsh chemicals and it helps the environment. There are other reasons I cloth diaper too, such as the cuteness, softness , affordability and of course, the addictive factor, but I don't think those count as crunchy.

I figured I would share some of my cloth diaper expertise with my readers, even though this blog is mostly about breastfeeding.

Let's start at the beginning. There are many different types of diapers. For a concise, informative outline of the various types, check out this article on Diaper Junction, my go-to website for diaper info. My personal preference are all-in-one (AIO) and all-in-two (AI2) diapers, but I really do like them all and I have a little bit of everything in my stash. I like that AIO's are all one piece, just like a disposable, and they are easy for babysitters and grandparents who might not be familiar with modern cloth diapering. The only down side of AIO's is that they often take a long time to dry. There are some brands, such as Thirsties AIO's, that can be turned inside out to reduce drying time. I love me some Thirsties! AI2's are great too, especially the "hybrid" diapers which cut down on cost and laundry by using several inserts in one cover. My favorite hybrid is the Flip system, it works great and fits as trimly as a disposable (not to mention the super cute colors it comes in!). Other favorite brands of mine include Tots Bots and FuzziBunz. The brand names are super cute too, aren't they? Most diapers come in a "one size" option which means you spend about $500 total on diapers to last from birth to potty training. Considering that the average disposable diapered baby will go through $2000 worth of diapers (which then end up in a landfill) I think that's a pretty decent savings. Plus, lots of people buy used diapers so you can buy used and save more money, or sell yours when you're done and make half your money back. Pretty thrifty, huh? Anyhow, so I cloth diaper and I love it! I might even say I like it as much as I like breastfeeding. Man, I'm gonna miss having babies!

Just for fun, here are a couple pics of both of my kiddos in their cloth diapers!

Jax in his first ever cloth diaper - Happy Heinys