I have always held interest for being environmentally friendly and health conscious. When I decided to have children, I wanted to do everything possible to give them a healthy start in life. I decided I would stay home as long as possible, breastfeed, offer organic food whenever possible and use cloth diapers.

My sister and my mom also possess a "tree hugger" lifestyle. But when I told my sister I wanted to use cloth diapers, she basically told me I was crazy! She told me how when her son (now a teenager), was born, she tried using cloth diapers. She had nothing but problems with leaks, bulkiness, stench and so on. She also believed that it’s not really environmentally friendly because you pollute the water when you wash them. .

Back when my sister used cloth diapers, things were extremely different than now. She used the old-fashioned plastic covers and bulky cloth. Additionally, there was not as much research available about the effects of disposable diapers on the environment and the health of our children.

I went online and learned about all of the different fabrics to choose from and how easy they are to wash. I was so excited to try these "new" diapers that I could hardly wait for my baby to be born! I started stocking up on different ones so I could try them out. I went to all of the cloth diaper forums online joined several. Whenever I had a problem, all I had to do is post to one of the forums and I had all the support I needed!

Did you know it takes up to 500 years for disposable diapers to biodegrade and they account for 1/3 of our waste in landfills (they are expecting it to raise to 50% very soon)? I also learned there are many harmful chemicals in disposable diapers such as dioxin. Dioxin is listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-related chemicals there is. It is not only in disposable diapers, it is also in nearly every plastic item we are exposed to every day of our lives. This fact was the most disturbing thing I learned about during my journey into cloth diapering.

I also learned that my sister was wrong about how cloth diapers use more water. The truth is that disposable diapers use three times more water than cloth diapers do during the manufacturing process. Also, disposable diapers are being linked to male infertility. I think we all know at least one couple that is having trouble conceiving. It is thought that disposable diapers heat up baby boys' testicles to such a degree that it stops them from developing normally. According to the study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, diapers lined with plastic raise the temperature of the scrotum far above body temperature and can lead to a total breakdown of normal cooling mechanisms... Did I mention cloth diapers cost about 70% less than using disposables for one child? They will last you through an average of three children. There are many other health factors to consider when using disposable diapers that I haven’t even mentioned….

Overcoming the myriad of objections from my friends (who held fast to myths about diaper rash and other notions), I discovered that disposable diapers actually cause diaper rash! Everyone is so used to using ointments when changing disposable diapers that we just don’t think about it!

With cloth diapering, I quickly realized it is just as easy as using disposables. I fell in love with all of the different kinds available and fun prints. Most cloth diapers are just as trim or even trimmer than a disposable diaper now.

After all of my research, I began to feel sorry for babies in disposable diapers being exposed to harmful chemicals and trapped in uncomfortable plastics. I feel it is my responsibility as a parent to help ensure a healthy environment for future generations. That is how cloth diapers became my passion. I know that every parent wants the best for their precious babies. So, I decided that if more parents were educated about the importance of using cloth diapers then they would choose to use them also.

Using cloth diapers is just one way to help your child stay healthy and protect our environment. It’s all about decreasing the odds. Most babies will be in diapers nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for at least the first two years of their life. When our pores become wet, they are like a sponge so all of the chemicals in the diapers are going into their blood stream. I think using cloth diapers is an easy, cost effective way to "decrease the odds."