An adventure of epic proportions: cloth diapers

www.sweetdollbaby.com

Over the past few months I have been studying Proverbs and how the book as a whole relates to the Proverbs 31 woman. I'll blog later on some interesting parallels I've found throughout the book, but for now I'm heading in a different direction. Now that my women's group is studying the 31st chapter, I've really been thinking about the theological and practical applications that relate to me as a mother and wife. Practically, I've started to wake up earlier than Josie, so as to not create so much stress in the morning, and I've been rethinking my method of meal planning (which I haven't had much success at since I started 6 months ago). My intentions are to create a more peaceful and efficient home by being wise in how I use my time and resources. I keep praying for wisdom in knowing how to go about these changes without overwhelming myself. So, needless to say, that's how I started my commitment to switching over to cloth diapers. The thought has been in my mind for several months, but the desire to change the method of cleaning up after my toddler became stronger over the past 4 weeks. So here's my story:

Initial thoughts: I love disposables! They're convenient, quick, and simple. A little expensive though, since cheap diapers (i.e. walmart and target brand) made Josie break out in allergic reaction. Costco has been wonderful in helping us cut costs. I'm not a "green" person, per se, so the environmental debate isn't a big factor for me (Although I must admit, this week I've realized just how much Josie adds to the landfills). But with our family adding a new addition and needing to trim monthly budget for our move (and future costs of seminary), my price comparison chart indicated cloth diapers were more cost efficient....so we switched.

Preparation: 15-20 hours of research. Cloth diapers are complicated! There are several different types of cloth diapering "systems", all with different pros and cons! (examples: All-in-ones, pocket diapers, prefolds with cover, flat diapers with covers...I'm sure there's more). What works for one family doesn't necessarily work for another! And some people use combinations of the different systems! In addition, you can only use specific detergents, so as to not leave residue that repels liquid. I also found that initial costs of getting the cloth diapers are expensive! Some diapers are close to $20 a piece! So I bid (for the first time!) on ebay and got some sweetdollbaby one-size, pocket diapers for $160 (about $7 a piece). That was after another price comparison chart I created and reading extensive reviews (about 80% were positive...and the negatives seemed fixable from what I could tell). So after waiting impatiently for them to arrive, I took 1/2 out of the box and washed them a few times excitedly...carefully line drying them in front of a heater.

Jumping in: I couldn't figure out how to make all the snaps adjust to Josie's size! She's so tall and skinny! Finally, I decided on a trial and error approach. Starting with a large size and 2 inserts, we went out and ran errands. 5 hours later....no leaks! Yay! That night we tried again....crazy leakage the next morning plus a heavy smell of urine on my poor girl's skin = bath. Over the past week we've gone through size adjustments and insert adjustments (1-3 at a time), but we have still had quite a few leaks. When I say leak...I really mean leak (i.e needing a bath). Night times have been horrendous, but I finally made one diaper last 15 hours overnight for my heavy sleeper and wetter. Here's a picture:

And a close up:
Greg and I were laughing hysterically at the sight...we started to crave Burger King after thinking about the spongebob squarepants commercial. I did adjust the diaper slightly, but we made it through the night with no leaks : )

But after yesterday with 3 leaks...I gave up and put her in a disposable. I was so upset! I wanted to cry! I don't give up easily by the way, once I put my mind to something I have to stick it out...which reveals a lot about my sinful heart. I become a fierce competitor with whatever it is that is not working out....in this situation, I was mad at the diapers, literally. I was sitting on the couch holding one with anger building up inside (I almost threw it)! I prayed about my heart, asking for wisdom in this situation and for forgiveness in becoming so overwhelmed and angry about my diapering experience and for my frustrations with Josie in the process of giving bathes.

Today I had a revelation...what if I'm not changing the diaper enough? Disposables can make parents a little lazy; I feel like I've won something when I only have to do 3-4 diaper changes in 24 hours! Josie's only had 2 mild diaper rashes her whole life...so I must be doing things right. I really do believe that diapers need to be changed more frequently than that, since I don't like it when kids at the hospital are left in wet diapers for hours on end. Well here's what I found this morning while researching. Cloth diapers should be changed every 2-3 hours, 4 hours max for outings. Disposables gave me luxury because they are so absorbent! But cloth isn't as absorbent as those little artificial, super beads in the disposable diaper! So I'm jumping in again...knowing that I will be devoting time by having to change more diapers (which really only take 2 minutes, so it can't really be that much of an inconvenience).

So, it's really a funny thing. My adventure in cloth diapers exposed some sin in my heart! How foolish I am to become so overwhelmed with a task that I become angry with myself, my child, and a diaper! I do this all the time! With dinners, getting out the door to run errands, even having to fill up on gas when I didn't think I would need to! I seem to be viewing my time and efforts as the most precious thing in my life! That's why interruptions from Josie or changes in Greg's plan to come home for dinner all have such an impact on me! I love how every little thing in life can be a learning experience...this has really been a test of character, even though it is so mundane! It's funny how the Lord can use such a little thing in my life to reveal a deeper aspect of my character. I continue to pray for wisdom and humility in helping our family use our time, resources, and finances efficiently. I pray against pride if I feel success in my efforts. Like always, may the Lord be glorified in everything, even in how I choose to diaper my children.