It's FLUFF WEEK here on The Mommy Blog! I'm so excited to share a little about cloth diapering with you. I'll be providing you with some important information today, and I'll be sharing great reviews, personal experience and some giveaways with you this week. Let's change the way moms think about cloth diapering, together!

'You can do it. I used cloth diapers with you when you were a baby. I had no choice. We couldn't afford disposables,' my mom said to me as I contemplated cloth diapering versus disposables. Disposable diapers truly are expensive, and other than convenience, what do we gain by using them? 

We gain an average of 5,300 diapers per baby from birth to potty training age sitting in a landfill, unable to break down- just sitting there, literally becoming mummified and exposing the public to human waste. Gross, and irresponsible, if you ask me. Disposable diapers are the third largest product of waste behind newspapers and beverage containers. Every year, 20,000,000,000 disposable diapers are thrown away in the US and Canada. 

Did you know that in order for cloth diapers to be made, the pulp is treated with chemicals? Yeah, that's right... chemicals are rubbing up against your baby all day long when using a disposable diaper. Sodium polyacrylate is in the fluff layer of baby's diaper, and it's something that you really don't want in there- it's what turns baby's urine into a gel, which makes for a very absorbent diaper, but it's also what's been linked to toxic shock syndrome in tampons. It's also been known to cause diaper rash, and bleeding. The use of cloth diapers is a safe form of diapering for babies... no chemicals, no plastic. Yes, please. Help spread the word about cloth diapering! Did you know that because of the high cost of disposables and the strain on the economy that many families are re-using disposable diapers? It's sad and very true. Disposables are designed for single use, and instead of being changed every 2 hours or so, babies are being left in the very same wet diaper all day long, because they can hold up to 100 times their original weight. This makes me so sad, which is really why I am wanting to help spread the word about cloth diapering and the many options that surround the topic. It's so different than it was years ago. Every mom with a baby in diapers needs to know about cloth diapering options!

Savings will vary from using cloth versus disposables, but trust me, you'll save over $1,000.00 a year just by switching to cloth. The initial cost of cloth diapers can be expensive, but I encourage you to research different systems, find one that works for you, and then stick with it. Yes, it's going to be more laundry, but to me, it's worth it to do a load of fluff every day rather than spend $20.00 a week or more on disposable diapers. Average about 40 hours of laundry over 2 1/2 years. And think about this... are disposables really more convenient when you're having to run out to get more in the middle of the night, or on your way home from work? With a supply of cloth diapers at home, they'll always just be a few steps away.

I wish that I had started using cloth right from the very start. The new cloth diapering systems that are available today are so different than the pre-folded, pinned and plastic pant covered diapers I wore as a baby. There are a multitude of sizes, colors, inserts, covers and styles available at a variety of retail and online stores. I hope that you'll join me this week as we explore cloth diapering options and accessories together. And just one more thing... if I can cloth diaper a baby, so can you! It's so much easier than it looks, and once you've switched to cloth, you'll never want to go back to plastic!

I'd love to hear your comments about cloth diapering. Please use the comment form to share stories, experiences- good or bad, advice, and opinions. Let's make a difference together by taking a very simple step together!