People being antagonistic because you CD?

[jubles]

This may not be the right place to post this, but I wasn't sure where else to ask the question.

A number of times, I've read offhand remarks here on the boards about mums being treated badly because they use cloth nappies/diapers. You know the kind of thing, people being antagonistic about that.

I'm British, and definitely in the minority among my friendship group, most of whom use disposables, but no one cares what I use. I mean, why would they?

Just wondering if anyone can explain why some mums here have had bad experiences. Is it because in the US the choice to use cloth diapers is seen as going along with other lifestyle choices which aren't mainstream and therefore seen as threatening.

Can anyone enlighten me on this?

[Beth1231]

I think just like any other "alternative" type of parenting choice, the reactions are going to vary depending on who you are talking to and possibly where you live. But yeah, generally when other moms give you a weird look, narrow their eyes and take a step back....they feel threatened and like you are saying they are choosing the inferior option. I think you nailed it on the head.

I don't CD, but I've had that experience with other alternative, hippy mom type things. A lot of moms are just curious though and pretty friendly as long as I dont' try to convert them or something :giggle

[Sweet Life]

they feel threatened and like you are saying they are choosing the inferior option

:up this.

Also, nursery workers (aka the gym or church) seem to have a stigma that it's somehow more work or 'grosser' than a normal diaper change. I think the real problem is that they just aren't familiar with cloth and aren't really certain of how to handle it. :shrug3

[ThreeKids]

There is sometimes a little bit of political worry that "hippie" choices go along with some kind of aggressive environmentalism that would use gov't force to enforce their choices, but, that's not on very many people's radar. For the most part, it's the "inferior choice" explanation.

[breezy]

i found people to be fascinated with my babe's cloth. not so fascinated that they wanted to do it mind you :giggle. never antagonistic that i recall.

[cindergretta]

i found people to be fascinated with my babe's cloth. not so fascinated that they wanted to do it mind you :giggle. never antagonistic that i recall.

This has been my experience, too. Except, I did (accidentally & unintentionally!!) convert one friend! :laughtears

[AdrienneQW]

The two people I encountered who were truly antagonistic both thought cloth diapers were "disgusting" and somehow abusive/harmful for my baby. One of them called CPS on me. :hunh CPS showed up on my doorstep with an allegation that I was "not properly caring for my daughter's toileting/diapering needs." :jawdrop Boy, that worker was CHEESED when she found out it was all over cloth diapering. Her daughter was CDing her twin grandbabies at the time. :rockon She walked off with a list of websites where I bought all my cute CD stuff. :giggle

[cindergretta]

The two people I encountered who were truly antagonistic both thought cloth diapers were "disgusting" and somehow abusive/harmful for my baby. One of them called CPS on me. :hunh CPS showed up on my doorstep with an allegation that I was "not properly caring for my daughter's toileting/diapering needs." :jawdrop Boy, that worker was CHEESED when she found out it was all over cloth diapering. Her daughter was CDing her twin grandbabies at the time. :rockon She walked off with a list of websites where I bought all my cute CD stuff. :giggle

:jawdrop :hunh I think you know me well enough to know - I must be shocked if I am SPEECHLESS!!!

[Aerynne]

I've never had anyone antagonistic towards me for cd, but when the topic comes up a lot of people are very anti. A friend of mine cuts my hair and also has her babies at home and is pg and is going to cd her next babe. She and I were talking and it really gets to both of us when people who never even considered cd knock it.

[Zooey]

The two people I encountered who were truly antagonistic both thought cloth diapers were "disgusting" and somehow abusive/harmful for my baby. One of them called CPS on me. :hunh CPS showed up on my doorstep with an allegation that I was "not properly caring for my daughter's toileting/diapering needs." :jawdrop Boy, that worker was CHEESED when she found out it was all over cloth diapering. Her daughter was CDing her twin grandbabies at the time. :rockon She walked off with a list of websites where I bought all my cute CD stuff. :giggle
:hunh That is beyond bizarre. What kind of a [ :shiftyinsert:jawdrop nut of choice:shifty] would think that cloth diapers are abusive?:scratch:scratch

[SweetMelissa]

I've experienced everything from fascination to ridicule. Most often it's defensiveness or regret because they wanted to CD, or now know that they should have but didn't, or that they just aren't for one reason or another. I haven't come across anyone who thinks it's dirty, but I often hear stories of people who have. Adrienne, what a crazy story! I can't imagine what some people are thinking!:no

ETA: I just wanted to elaborate on the ridicule part; I often have people comment on how "fluffy" my kids' bums are. One person said that my son had the "biggest cloth-diaper booty" she'd ever seen. Another person giggled and said my (less-than-week-old) dd's diaper was "so fluffy" and made her legs look tiny, which didn't go over well with my pp emotions. Most recently, someone pointed out dd's "pear-shaped" body. :-/ Seriously, what is the obsession? Our babies should look like fashion models?:no

[canadiyank]

I've had mostly positive responses, some neutral, some "I could never do that"-type responses, and some converts left in my wake. Most people think it's antiquated and are pleasantly surprised when I show them the newer diapers. :tu

[ThreeKids]

:hunh That is beyond bizarre. What kind of a [ :shiftyinsert:jawdrop nut of choice:shifty] would think that cloth diapers are abusive?:scratch:scratch

Is there some kind of law against filing misleading CPS reports? If this person had truly reported the facts: She cloth diapers and I think it's abusive, surely CPS would not have devoted resources to it. The report had to be worded as something that intentionally left the facts out.

[Waterlogged]

For whatever reason, amongst my group of friends, CDs are very trendy. Especially from the environmental standpoint.

However, we're not CDing b/c of the environment. Our part of the country has been in a drought for a few years - I certainly use more water and energy by CDing. So in our area right now - it's a toss-up as to which is better less bad for the environment. In Seattle? Hands down CDs are better, cause there's tons of water and electricity is cheap (and is hydroelectric, so even more environmentally sound).

We're CDing to save money.

Generally the responses are "wow. i couldn't deal with the poop" or "i wanted to but couldn't convince DH" or "isn't it a lot more work?". The most negative response has been from my mom, but generally, she's negative about anything I do that's different from how she did it.

[Aerynne]

For whatever reason, amongst my group of friends, CDs are very trendy. Especially from the environmental standpoint.

However, we're not CDing b/c of the environment. Our part of the country has been in a drought for a few years - I certainly use more water and energy by CDing. So in our area right now - it's a toss-up as to which is better less bad for the environment. In Seattle? Hands down CDs are better, cause there's tons of water and electricity is cheap (and is hydroelectric, so even more environmentally sound).

We're CDing to save money.

Generally the responses are "wow. i couldn't deal with the poop" or "i wanted to but couldn't convince DH" or "isn't it a lot more work?". The most negative response has been from my mom, but generally, she's negative about anything I do that's different from how she did it.

Actually there is more water used in manufacturing sposies than in washing cloth (although that water is used in other places, wherever it is manufactured). And washing cloth uses about as much water as an adult uses flushing the toilet, so anyone who thinks sposies are better for the environment (and I realize you didn't say that) should be wearing sposies themselves instead of using the toilet and wasting all that water. :giggle

[Waterlogged]

chuckle....

Even with full cycle cold, full cycle hot, plus an extra rinse?? If I don't follow that regimen my diapers stink.

And for the record, I don't flush for pee. :bag Just poop. Or when the toilet looks like it won't flush down all the TP.

I imagine that sposies companies are making them in areas with more plentiful water, if they need that much water to manufacture. Last summer, we could only water 1x/week, and the city of Austin had a HUGE fine if you were caught watering on a different day other than the day you were assigned. So...for me, in my area, I do feel some conviction re: water usage for washing cloth diapers. But that's just me. But I still use cloth, FWIW. :)

[AngelaVA]

That is one of the few choices people have not been antagonistic to us about actually. I get a lot of questions about them and some people are surprised that someone "still uses cloth diapers" though.

I cannot believe the CPS call.

[Mokek Kwe]

it could be something to do with guilt on the other person's side. I know that before I started using any cloth at all, I thought, "oh man... I'm so embarrassed that I use sposies, I don't want anyone to see the paper-and-plastic on my sweet baby's butt. I would be SuperMom if I could do cloth.". Then, I started cloth, and now I do both sometimes (mostly sposies lately :bag), but I don't care as much either way.

[Beth1231]

I love the CPS call story! Wow.... :giggle

Back when I was pg with Flutterbye and making the lists of pro and cons (sposies and CD), my Dad was flabbergasted that I was even considering CD. But he was pleasantly surprised to find out that cloth diapers are no longer a thick piece of white cloth that is held together with big ole safety pins (like when I was a baby). I honestly think most people (certain pockets of the US are exempt) do not have any clue about how far cloth has come and how cute and modern they really are now. So to the OP, that might be some of the initial negative response?

[BarefootBetsy]

The only negative things about CDing I've heard were said by co-workers before I had my first baby and before I learned about ECing :lol Once I told them about ECing they thought that cloth diapers sounded downright civilized! It's amazing what a more extreme view can do to change others' minds about these things...

[justTrish]

Mainly the reactions I have gotten are that it is "so gross" to deal with all that poop and wash diapers in the same washer that my other cloths go in. lol The funniest reaction I have gotten by far though was the sweet new pregnant lady at church who clutched her chest and said" oh good !! That explains it!!" when she heard me mention cloth dipes. turns out she had noticed how much fuller my babys pants were all the time and she thought I was constantly keeping him and a really saturated saggy diaper. lol She was relieved to find out that the bulk was from cloth.

[Hermana Linda]

:up this.

Also, nursery workers (aka the gym or church) seem to have a stigma that it's somehow more work or 'grosser' than a normal diaper change. I think the real problem is that they just aren't familiar with cloth and aren't really certain of how to handle it. :shrug3

May I just say that I'm so old that it sounds odd to me to see disposable diapers referred to as "normal." :doh I still think of disposables as, "pampers" and think they are gross. :shifty Babies are supposed to wear a bulky diaper. :shrug3 That is the typical baby pic I've seen all my life. :shrug3

The idea that someone could consider cloth diapers abusive just floors me. :jawdrop

[jubles]

Thanks for all your insights, ladies!! Utterly shocked by the CPS call story!! :jawdrop Hope they followed up the caller for major time wasting, and false reporting!

It does give me a bit more of an understanding to hear your stories.

[tigerlily]

When I told my mom I was going to cloth diaper she said "Why would you want to do that?" :rolleyes

At least she knew what cloth diapering was way back when -- I don't think that she liked what I was doing, but I think she was impressed with the way they've changed.

Other's opinions on cd don't bother me like opinions on other things I do (ebf). And I get very few negative opinions. In fact, I only ever remember curiosity.:shrug3

[solatido]

I have only had people be curious/interested in CD. One little girl at church now thinks cloth diapers are far superior :rockon and she has watched me change DS countless times. In fact, she was freaked out and worried that DS had lost a lot of weight one time when I had him in a 'sposie after a long car trip! Too funny!

One college age girl witnessed a diaper change and told me it was very effective birth control (she'd wait anyway), but I think that was more the bright yellow poop than the cloth part :giggle

[shekinah]

Usually when I express interest in cloth diapering when these kinds of conversations come up, I get this attitude from other females like, why on EARTH would I do that to myself, making all that WORK, blah blah blah. Cloth just seems to have this mainstream reputation of draining energy, having you standing over a tub scrubbing the dang things for hours, adding so much more to your plate when you already have enough, etc. It's as though I should be a modern, free woman who can break away from the chains of domestic chores like CLOTH DIAPERING. :no I dunno.. I suppose I have yet to actually do it, but it still doesn't strike me as something that will be back breaking labour, and if it is, who cares about modern conveniences when you have made a choice you think is best for your children?

[ThreeKids]

doesn't strike me as something that will be back breaking labour

It is more work. If I were working outside the home, I'd drop CD'ing pretty quickly. The cost (in time) / benefit (in money) just wouldn't work out at all anymore. Not so much a back-breaking issue, but the pay-off balance changes.

There are a couple things that would have me coming back. For example, dd does best in the heat in a pre-fold only or, if she had a yeast infection she'd be in cloth and a wool cover at night regardless of finances.

[erh384]

:shrug I don't think I've encountered much antagonism over cd... more curiousity. Choosing to ec however- I've had some seriously heated opinions thrown my way.

[Littledisciples]

for the most part it hasn't been too bad but I had a few things
Once at church a lady threw away the diaper because she didn't know it was reusable. I informed her they where cloth and they just wash and use again. Oh so next time it was all rinsed out in the toilet :giggle I then told her no need to soak it just throw it in a bag in my diaper bag I will take it from their. That was a few years ago.

Recently I went to co-op and I had a cloth on FDS and when I came back to get him. They had changed him and used someone elses disposable diaper because She did not know how to use a cloth diaper. I have to admit that kinda made me a bit mad. They could have came and got me and I would have done it. I just don't like my kid being put in someone elses cheap diaper. :shrug3 It kinda bugged me but I been using sposies for co-op after that. Next year we will see how it goes but I will tell them I don't want them to do that and to come get me if they can't put it on. I am wierd like that I only want my child's things on them unless it was an emergency situation.:shrug3

[Castle On A Cloud]

I do not think I have ever had a truly rude comment about them... I have had some who use them as well, but mostly people will ask how I *do* it, or comment on how cute they are, or how they could never do that... my MIL does CONSTANTLY comment on how big my *poor baby's* butt is, and how she doesnt fit into any clothing cause of it:giggle

[mwwr]

The most obnoxious comment I ever heard was a nursery worker complaining about how much extra work it was to change a CDed baby. I never left my baby in cloth in the church nursery after that because I didn't want anyone whining about my dc like that. :mad

[shekinah]

It is more work. If I were working outside the home, I'd drop CD'ing pretty quickly. The cost (in time) / benefit (in money) just wouldn't work out at all anymore. Not so much a back-breaking issue, but the pay-off balance changes.
Oh definitely. I agree there. It's obviously more work, but it's just the way people have made it sound, like I'm trading everything good and worthwhile about my life for wanting to take this on.

[Mokek Kwe]

:shrug I don't think I've encountered much antagonism over cd... more curiousity. Choosing to ec however- I've had some seriously heated opinions thrown my way.


I hear about this a lot.... if you don't mind sharing, what kind of heated opinions are there about EC? It's not mainstream in America, but it's not like it's gross/messy/dirty or perverted or anything.

[zak]

With the EC stuff, people think you're just crazy. Catering to every "whim" of your baby?! :snooty How dare he control you like that! :giggle Some people recall old stories of "Infant Potty Training" where babies were made to sit on chambers/toilets in abusive ways (and often hit).

I would like to think people know me well enough to KNOW I'm not doing THAT! We EC part time and have full time CD'd since Larry was 8 weeks old (I used a handful of sposies the first 8 weeks).

AFA the workload, I think people imagine me up to my elbows in toilet water :sick . I'm not a "dunker". ;) The EC'ing makes CD'ing nicer *because* I don't have to deal with poo diapers. :giggle

[thrillofhope]

The only negative comment I've gotten was kind of a snarky (albeit impressed) "well aren't you just the supermom." from my cousin. Her husband didn't understand when I changed dd. He said, "so she goes to the bathroom in that just like a regular diaper?" :giggle

I have heard negative comments about ec. My child development professor talked about infant potty training with really negative connotations. I thought it was bad until I came here.

[DoulaClara]

I've gotten everything from "Oh neat! <change of subject>" (which is my preference) to the snark and sarcasm, to just the uninformed. The older generation always act like paper diapers were the biggest God-send (but do admit that they leaked more) and I'd say the average response when Gianna was not yet born, and then newly born, was, "Oh, let's see how long it takes for this to get old for Clara. Hey, Clara, switch out of cloth, yet?"

I agree that EC-ing is oddly threatening for some people. I used to share a lot of photos on Picasa Web Albums with my family (we live out of state, and a good 6 hours from everyone) and I sent one out that included Gianna on the Baby Bjorn at 8 mos old. Holy Moly. Relatives were very kerflummoxed, and sent me all kinds of articles about how one shouldn't potty train until a child is ready, around 3 or 4. It was (and still is) very difficult to get their brains to switch from the "Potty training" mindset to the "communication" mindset.

But yeah, overall- there's such a lack of a sense of community among real people. The internet seems to be (feeling sardonic and pessimistic today, bear with me) the only way people feel comfortable relating to one another, so when they see something different from them, they seem to instantly go right to- "This is threatening to me! I'm threatened! "YOU are threatening ME!" instead of thinking, "New! Interesting! Must work for her, and for her family. Neato. Moving right along..." :rolleyes

[Littledisciples]

I have never met a EC mom in real life. If I did at least I know what they are doing. I personaly wouldn't attempt it with a newborn but then again I think when I am sleep deprived it is enough to get up with a newbaby.
I do think it is truly a wonderful idea and hey I would be happy to baby sit a one year old that doesn't poop their pants. :) I love all the asspects of EC but I am too lazy to do it. I am better at changing cloth right away. I actually would think it was cool to meet a EC mom. I know GCM has influenced my ideas on it too. It is amazing.

The thing about clothes not fitting cloth diapered babies is that over the years they have made the clothes to fit disposable diapered babies. If you find older clothes in the thrift shops even from the 80's even the butts are bigger. I think they make some clothes way to tight even like the cotton PJ's. :shrug3 I always have to buy a size bigger and roll them up just to get my kids head on them. And I have heard but not sure the connection to it but the legs develop easier in cloth. Something about the thickness and the leg formation. But like I said I don't know everything about it. :giggle

[Rabbit]

Samantha's first babysitter insisted that I was abusing her by putting her in cloth diapers, because the diapers were bulky and spread her legs. She dragged the cable man in to show him, while she was ranting at me. She stopped being Samantha's babysitter that day.

Samantha's hospital playgroup institute new "infection control" measures, insisting that all mothers must change diapers in the bathroom only, not on a diaper changing mat in the playroom. And then I found out the rule was only in effect if I was there, the only cloth diapering mother.

[Blue-EyedLady]

I get the EWWW... GROOOOSSSS! thing a lot. People aren't convinced that a home washing machine could properly sanitize diapers. I tell them that my sanitation cycle is the AZ sun when I line-dry the dipes.

The nursery worker for DS's Sunday School class won't (flat-out refuses) to change a cloth diaper. He once had a truly messy poopy diaper that she tried to change, and she refuses to do it again. What she doesn't know is that his poops are always soft and messy - the clean-up is just as bad in a 'sposie. I carry a pager now, and change him myself between Sunday School and church hours. :shrug

MIL won't change cloth diapers, either, but she says it's a dexterity issue. She will use something like a BumGenious, but not the prefolds with Snappi and cover that we're currently using. She buys her own 'sposies for when DS is there. I don't argue with free babysitters who buy their own diapers. ;)

Oh, and definitely talk about your more extreme habits when wanting CD to look "normal". I started using cloth wipes for DS, which led to family cloth and mama cloth. Yeah, tell people that you spent $$$ on cute mama cloth pads and they'll really :hunh ;)

[tofufoofoo]

I receive a lot of antagonism over CD and EC but we live in an area where I've met no one outside of my AP group that uses cloth :dohBut a lot of my choices are "odd" to people here and like PP mentioned, I think they may feel challenged or guilty? Here are comments about cloth diapers: "why do you make everything so much harder on yourself", "those can't possibly come out of the wash CLEAN", "she can't fit into any 'real' clothes", "do you think they make it harder on her to crawl?", "how do you have the time"... nothing was said in my church nursery but some passive aggressive stuff... and DD *always* has a "leak" (and my dipes neeeever leak!) and they have removed her pants TWICE so that I am walking around with a half-naked baby after church. Is it to say "hahaha see I knew these didn't work!!" :no Needless to say DD does not go in there very often at all. :-/

Now with EC, just looking at my guest's faces when DD is running around with no dipe... it is as though she was a bomb about to explode and when she comes up to them to play they are sooooooooooooo freaked out! :roll :sh5

[ThirstyTurtle]

Other than my mom, I have never met anyone who has been antagonistic about cloth diapers. I have met people who seem defensive about why they aren't using cloth and I just counter :shrug3 I don't really care how other people diaper their babies. I use cloth because it saves money and *I* don't find it to be much trouble (at least with only 1-2 in diapers ... it's been more challenging.

My mom has always hated that I use cloth and attacks it all the time. I don't know why ... she has never been around enough to even have an opportunity to change a diaper. So what's it to her? She was retelling me about a conversation she had with someone and my use of cloth diapers came up, and my mom told me, "I told her I just didn't agree with you using cloth diapers. I just don't agree with it." Really? You don't "agree" with someone else using cloth diapers when it has absolutely no bearing on your life whatsoever? :hunh

[solatido]

I just tell the nursery workers to put the cloth in a bag and always have a pocket dipe in there for them. However, I mention my emergency 'sposie stash is in a little pocket and tell them to use that if they will be more comfortable (I explain all this in one breath and most of the time this is met with a pretty flexible attitude). But he rarely needs a change during church b/c he poops first thing most days. I've only just started putting him in the nursery and half the time nobody is there (small church) so I wind up watching him there myself after the choir sings.

I can see the whole dexterity issue with the MIL using PFs and snappis. It takes some practice, especially with an older wiggly baby.

[Hermana Linda]

The only person I was aware of doing EC in real life was the Pearl follower. :( Apparently the Pearl followers tend to be really into many crunchy things. :sigh

[mwwr]

Well, *I* was cloth-diapered, and I turned out OK.

:giggle

[zak]

Well, *I* was cloth-diapered, and I turned out OK.

:giggle

You sure about that, M? ;) :poke

Yeah, I was CD'd too. We recently had a couple over and they were expecting their first and they said they were getting a LOT of flak about CD'ing their to-be-born son. I said, "WHY? Weren't YOU CD'd??".

Blank stares. "Uh, no".

:bag

Ok, I felt SO old... and I'm really only about 5 years older than they are. :giggle

[klpmommy]

I was born in 1970 and my mom tells me about how pampers came out when I was in diapers, but I was allergic to them so I had to be in cloth. So most people I know who are parents of young kids were not cd'ed.

My mom told me "well, I guess I won't change any diapers then." Whatever. We hardly see her, it isn't like that has any possible impact on my life.

[Rabbit]

I was born in 78 and was in cloth, but I think it was a combination of rash and cost issues.

[DoulaClara]

I was born in 81, and was in cloth. :shrug3 Most dipes from the Army base store in Germany (Huggies, etc) my mom tried, gave me a rash. So, prefolds, pins, and plastic pants. I think I PL'ed pretty quickly, though.

[3PeasInAPod]

I think a lot of sposie mom's don't realize you're still supposed to put the poop in the toilet before you throw away the diaper. A few of my friends who have more kids than I do are still freaked out by poo - hence they "could never do cloth"

[gerberadaisy]

My mom was pretty interested when I showed her my diaper stash. She was most interested when I showed her the origami fold on the flats that my MIL gave me which she bought for my hubby over 40+ years ago. I mentioned that we'd probably get more AIO's for daddy and grandma's and she surprisingly said that she wouldn't mind changing the plain old prefold or flat though she might have a bit of trouble with a snappi. She has more concerns about using wool. Though I don't care what she thinks, my sister will be the one with the snarky remarks. She always has snarky remarks about anything I do that's different. The rest of my friends and family will either say "cool" or shake their heads. The only one who's opinion I care about in this matter is my hubby's and his only concern is travel. He'll come around.

[klpmommy]

The only one who's opinion I care about in this matter is my hubby's and his only concern is travel. He'll come around.

I'm currently using disposables for many reasons that I won't go into here, but even before this point I came to the conclusion that it was easier to travel with disposables. There is *nothing* that says you can't use cloth except when you don't want to for some reason. It doesn't have to be "all or nothing". :hug And if you do use cloth while traveling-- wtg! :yes

[Rabbit]

I cloth diapered my newborn while living at the hospital for two weeks with my middle kid. I was so grateful for prefolds and plastic pants. ;)

[AdrienneQW]

I'm currently using disposables for many reasons that I won't go into here, but even before this point I came to the conclusion that it was easier to travel with disposables. There is *nothing* that says you can't use cloth except when you don't want to for some reason. It doesn't have to be "all or nothing". :hug And if you do use cloth while traveling-- wtg! :yes

Amen! We travel quite a bit and I used cloth sometimes and disposables other times, depending on factors like whether or not I would have laundry access at my destination, how long the trip was, whether we were driving or flying, etc. And we went to disposables overnight for a several-month period when Celeste was an older toddler because she was complaining about the bulky cloth between her legs. Whatever works! :shrug

[gerberadaisy]

I'm currently using disposables for many reasons that I won't go into here, but even before this point I came to the conclusion that it was easier to travel with disposables. There is *nothing* that says you can't use cloth except when you don't want to for some reason. It doesn't have to be "all or nothing". :hug And if you do use cloth while traveling-- wtg! :yes

Our travel consists of A) going to visit family with washers/dryers B) Time share resorts with washers/dryers in the rooms about 75% of the time (we'd know ahead of time) or C) camping, where we'd probably use g-diapers. I'm actually ok with disposables occasionally BUT I don't want hubby to automatically go there when we don't have to.

[klpmommy]

Our travel consists of A) going to visit family with washers/dryers B) Time share resorts with washers/dryers in the rooms about 75% of the time (we'd know ahead of time) or C) camping, where we'd probably use g-diapers. I'm actually ok with disposables occasionally BUT I don't want hubby to automatically go there when we don't have to.

ITU. The vast majority of our travel is your first two. But sometimes on vacation you don't want to take the time to wash diapers. :shrug Or at least I don't. Or deal with the extra room/bulk packing them. But really, if you use cloth while traveling, that is *great*, but if you don't it isn't bad. Do whatever works for y'all. :yes

[BarefootBetsy]

I'm currently using disposables for many reasons that I won't go into here, but even before this point I came to the conclusion that it was easier to travel with disposables. There is *nothing* that says you can't use cloth except when you don't want to for some reason. It doesn't have to be "all or nothing". :hug And if you do use cloth while traveling-- wtg! :yes

The bolded goes for EC too :) I've EC'd all of my children (with cloth backup) and yet, during a weekend doula course recently, I used Seventh Generation disposables so I could pay attention and wouldn't be disrupting the class by potting my infant frequently. I was just so happy to be able to bring my baby to the class and not have to either forgo the class or leave her yet! And really, what are three days of disposables (or of full-time diapering) in the grand scheme of things?

Cloth diapering and ECing are more freeing than anything else, IME. You can choose to potty your baby or not. You can choose to CD or not. However, people who use only disposables full-time seem to be stuck with just that one option until their child is old enough to PL.

And I totally understand why some people don't or can't CD or EC :heart

[Waterlogged]

When life gets rough around here (illness, depression, out of town company, travel), I switch to sposies. My least favorite chore is laundry, and it's hard enough to keep up with clothes laundry sometimes.

My DH has figured we've still saved money even with sposie use from time to time.

And...DD poops a ton (usually during her naps/night), and seems to be really sensitive to her own poop, and so she gets rashy, and then we use cream/sposies. Cream seems to be the only thing that clears it up sometimes.

[Blue-EyedLady]

My mom says that I was allergic to the cloth diapers (probably the detergents) so she used 'sposies on me. (late 70's)

[ThreeKids]

My mom says that I was allergic to the cloth diapers (probably the detergents) so she used 'sposies on me. (late 70's)

My mom used cloth because I was allergic to the sposies. Late '70's is about when moms went either way without a mainstream assumption about which way you'd go.

[megmac]

I'm really lucky, I have had no mean comments about CD.

Mostly people are really open to cloth. My children have been going to a childminder (like a babysitter) once a week since Jan and I told her we use cloth, very apologetically, expecting the worst. She just shrugged and asked me to show her how to use them. I think that was when I knew she was a keeper.:)

We have only EC'd part-time, I'm not good at it :shifty but any negative comments I get, I remind people that I was EC'd as a baby. So were my siblings and our adult toilet habits are well within the range of normal.;) That tends to leave them a bit speechless.:giggle

[Lila]

I was born in 78 and was in cloth, but I think it was a combination of rash and cost issues.

I was born in 89 and had terry cloth nappies.

[Hermana Linda]

I remember cloth being still pretty normal through the 80's but I didn't have much involvement with babies during that decade so I could be wrong. In the 90's, it was a bit unusual, but not shocking. :shrug I used prefolds, diaper pins and Gerber nylon pants on my son. :giggle

[nadezhda]

I (thankfully) haven't had anything negative happen b/c of CD. In fact, my pediatrician & his wife now use cloth for their DS, with the ped asking me all sorts of questions about what I liked, what I thought was best, which cleansers to use, etc.! It was a more difficult choice for them b/c they both work, and they had to specifically look for a daycare that would "deal" with CD.

[Littledisciples]

I remember cloth being still pretty normal through the 80's but I didn't have much involvement with babies during that decade so I could be wrong. In the 90's, it was a bit unusual, but not shocking. :shrug I used prefolds, diaper pins and Gerber nylon pants on my son. :giggle

That is what my mom used on my brothers in the 80's. I remember when they did come out with Huggies and they had baby Mickey and Minnie on them. Mom bought them but we only used them for church and camping. :D
They where too expensive to buy for full time use.

[milkmommy]

I've never had any negitive comments myself at least nothing worth writing about :lol I've had the wow that cool I "envy your strength" which I laugh at because it really doesn't take super powers to CD.. Or the my mom CDed she hated it comments but really no one has really cared eaither way. M ped thinks its cool she has 1 year old twin boys and says at 20 diapers a day she should use cloth :giggle (said she was doing 40 a day as newborn)

Deanna

[Eowyn]

You sure about that, M? ;) :poke

Yeah, I was CD'd too. We recently had a couple over and they were expecting their first and they said they were getting a LOT of flak about CD'ing their to-be-born son. I said, "WHY? Weren't YOU CD'd??".

Blank stares. "Uh, no".

:bag

Ok, I felt SO old... and I'm really only about 5 years older than they are. :giggle


I was born in '81, with siblings in '85 and '90, and we were all cloth diapered with occasional sposie use. My mom ran with a really crunchy pack though, so all of the babies were cloth diapered, extended nursed, etc. :tu

[mwwr]

I've had the wow that cool I "envy your strength" which I laugh at because it really doesn't take super powers to CD.

But it *does* take superpowers to load up two wiggly toddlers, go to WalMart to fill the cart with diapers and formula, plunk down half your grocery budget, and repeat it again within 2 weeks. :rolleyes

[mom2manybeebees]

The two people I encountered who were truly antagonistic both thought cloth diapers were "disgusting" and somehow abusive/harmful for my baby. One of them called CPS on me. :hunh CPS showed up on my doorstep with an allegation that I was "not properly caring for my daughter's toileting/diapering needs." :jawdrop Boy, that worker was CHEESED when she found out it was all over cloth diapering. Her daughter was CDing her twin grandbabies at the time. :rockon She walked off with a list of websites where I bought all my cute CD stuff. :giggle


wow that's insane!:jawdrop I can't even believe people would do that to someone.

[Littledisciples]

Adding something. I forgot my boy was in cloth and his home health nurse came. She was acutually really interested in my cloth diapers. She thinks they are awesome and asked where I get those from. :) I was pleasently suprised by her response.