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Your cloth diapering questions answered by real moms: What made you decide to use cloth diapers instead of disposables?

So, you're thinking about using cloth diapers? A little more than a year ago, while I was pregnant with my daughter, I was trying to make the same decision. And it was really confusing to me.

That's why I decided to get together a
band of women who were already using cloth diapers, and ask them to answer a few questions. It'll give you a good overview of some of the basics.
Your cloth diapering questions answered by real moms: What made you decide to use cloth diapers instead of disposables? Real moms answer survey questions about how they use cloth diapers.
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Today's questions:


1. How many kids do you have, and how long have you been using cloth diapers?


2. What made you decide to use cloth diapers instead of disposables?


(Click here to see all the other posts in this series, or better yet- sign up for my email newsletter so you don't miss anything from now on!)
Elise from www.whimsipost.blogspot.com
I have one child, and I have been cloth diapering for almost 2 years. 
We decided to use cloth diapers because we knew that it would save us money, especially since we were planning on having more children.
Carolina from www.abutterfulmind.com  
I have 2 kids but only cloth diapered my first for 1.5 years.
I started cloth diapering my son with Grovia shells and GMD prefolds when he turned 2.5 years because I had heard that the feeling of the wetness against their skin from the prefolds might actually help an older toddler to recognize that it's "potty time". 
Your cloth diapering questions answered by real moms: What made you decide to use cloth diapers instead of disposables? Real moms answer survey questions about how they use cloth diapers.
Katy  
1 child, cloth diapers for 7 months

Save money - we bought a pre-loved stash from a diaper hoarder and have spent approximately $350-400 overall, eliminate landfill waste, they're so cute....
Becca from www.nursegonenatural.com
3 kids, 5 years
Reduce toxin exposure, to save money, to reduce waste, and they're so darn cute! 
Sarah from www.InternationalBlessings.com
I have two kids - 3 1/2 year old & 2 year old. I used cloth diapers on my oldest from around 3 months until maybe 18 months and thinking about potty training. My youngest I only used them for a couple months, because he leaked through them too easily.

Cheaper in the long run if you plan to have several kids and way less trash!
Rebekah 
3 kids - almost 4 years. (I've had at least 1 child in cloth diapers throughout those 4 years, right now I have 2 in cloth.)

The financial benefit was the primary reason we decided to cloth diaper - knowing we would save $1000s over the years of having children. Knowing we were also preventing a few thousand diapers from being put in landfills for 100s of years was just an added benefit.
Rachel 
4 kids. I started cloth with baby number 3, 2 years ago.

The chemicals in disposables were a huge factor in making me want to switch, and the cost effectiveness was another big factor for us, followed by the cute-butt factor. And we were glad to be saving on waste and such.
Your cloth diapering questions answered by real moms: What made you decide to use cloth diapers instead of disposables? Real moms answer survey questions about how they use cloth diapers.Bethany from www.thelaundryblog.wordpress.com 
Three kids, using cloth diapers since first baby was born in 2009.

Finances was the main factor, but I also liked the idea of it being safer, healthier and more eco-friendly
Jessica from www.adventuresofacavemom.com 
We have three kids. We received five cloth diapers at our first baby shower (3 years ago), and used those periodically. We got more cloth diapers and started using mainly cloth diapers about a year ago.

Aside from the initial expense, cloth diapers are significantly cheaper, especially if you have several children.
Charlotte  
2 kids, they are now out of diapers but we used them for the first 2 1/2 years with our 1st child and the first year with our 2nd

Less waste, natural materials
Lauren 
One son almost 10 months, and we have been using cloth since he was 3 months old.

Cost effective (if you plan on having more than one child); positive for our environment, but mostly to protect our son's sensitive skin.

Darci 
I have two children and cloth diapered my second for 18 months.

Cost... and they're cute. 
Your cloth diapering questions answered by real moms: What made you decide to use cloth diapers instead of disposables? Real moms answer survey questions about how they use cloth diapers.Julie from www.julievarner.com 
Hi! I have four children. I couldn't cloth diaper the first two because we lived in an apartment and had to use a laundromat and couldn't afford to pay for multiple washings, but my youngest two I cloth diapered each for two years. 
My aunt gave me a stack of BumGenius for my first cloth diapered little one. I loved the convenience and financial savings since we owned our own washer at that point. 
Emily 
1, almost one year

I read that one baby produces about one ton of trash from disposable diapers. ONE TON. Also, I liked that it was a cheaper alternative and reduced the amount of chemicals touching my baby.

Mary 
1, 6 months

Environment 
Elissa 
2; since the oldest was 1 month old.

Saving money, keeping waste out of the landfills, and choosing a more natural option (in that order). 
Beth
I have two boys--now 7 and 9, but used cloth diapers on them both!
To save the environment!!! But once I started to delve into the world of cloth diapers, I found a whole new world of like-minded moms. I loved learning about cloth diapers and a more green lifestyle. 
Raye from www.maisonraye.blogspot.com 
I have 1 child and we used cloth diapers with him from 3 months old until he was potty trained at 2-1/2.

I decided to use cloth diapers for several reasons. I felt that they were a more sustainable, environmentally friendly option, and I also loved that with proper care they can be used for years and with multiple children. We found out several months in that my son is also very sensitive to chlorine (caused rashes), so cloth diapering was yet another way to limit his exposure to chlorine in a cost effective way. 
Andrea
I have 2 kids (18mo old twins) and a 3rd on the way. We have been using cloth diapers for 16 months.

I had always wanted to be a stay at home mom, and when we found out we were pregnant with twins, it became even more of a necessity. We were looking for any ways to cut costs, as we would be losing my salary. I had never really planned to use cloth diapers, but I came across a blog post on accident about someone's cloth diaper routine. And when I actually did my research and saw the cost savings, it was really a no-brainer! 
Kristine
We've been cloth diapering our one-year-old son since he was one month old. 
Mainly cost; being good for the environment and cute were extra pluses.
Amy
I have 4 kids, and have been using cloth diapers almost continuously for 8 years. 
The expense of disposables was our primary reason, but we also liked the idea of something that wouldn't end up in the garbage. In the end, we realized that potty training is easier and that we almost never had a diaper rash to deal with, and stuck with it for our next 3 kids. Plan on using them starting this fall on #5!
Kathryn
I have one son, 19 months now, and another baby due in a month. We've been cloth diapering our son since about 8 weeks. 
Cost was our biggest factor but we also liked the idea of not filling up the landfill with disposables.

 And my answer?
Well, I'm Laura from www.LaurasPlans.com. ;) 
I've been using cloth diapers for a little more than a year for my sweet little girl. 
And my reason for using cloth was 60% to save money and 40% because I wanted to be the hip young mom who's always up for trying the new cool thing. (Even though cloth diapering is actually a really old thing. . .) 
I also love the idea of being kind to the environment. And the one thing that really convinced me? How EASY it seemed. I thought, why not? And I'm glad I did! 

Still have questions? Subscribe to my email list and stay tuned for the next post in this series. What tips or tricks have you learned to make cloth diapering easier? In the meantime, feel free to email me. I'd love to answer any questions I can for ya. ;)