potty mouth.

Like we tell you in our sidebar, we are friendly. We like hearing from our readers. We got an email yesterday from Geneva, who says,

"I was reading through old posts and came across one on diapers and leaks. {Perhaps this one?} I saw that cloth diapers were mentioned in some of the comments and I just wanted to share some info with you all. I think of myself as being on the greener side of society, but I'm definitely not as friendly to the earth as I should be. We are expecting our first child in July and knew from the beginning that I was going to use cloth diapers.

First things first, I love doing laundry, so I think I have an unfair advantage in this department :) But when it comes down to it, I am so much more comfortable wrapping my child in cloth for at least 2 years straight, instead of the plastics, perfumes and chemicals that disposable diapers contain.

She continues and shares the following links with us:
The first is an article from Mothering Magazine (the only parenting magazine I read). It addresses environmental issues and benefits of using cloth. The second link is the company website of the diapers that I will use. I am using the one size fits all diaper that grows with your child. The website has some good info about environmental and financial benefits of cloth.

I thought you guys might find this interesting....or maybe you think I'm crazy :) Most people laugh at me and tell me it won't last. Have you ever noticed how unsupportive women can be towards each other? So now all I need to do is figure out what laundry detergent I will use for our family. Any suggestions?"

Hi Geneva! Thanks for the tip and inspired discussion. Rather than crazy, I think you're admirable. How can I pose judgement on someone who is doing what they know best for both the environment and their {soon to be} baby? Cloth diapering sounds like hard work. I wish you luck and success.

If I'm being completely honest, I would admit to the world that as much as I try to be "friendly to the earth," I've only thought through cloth diapers once. I have chosen convenience and sanity over environmental conciousness. I have a feeling that if I gave cloth diapers a try, I would have an experience similar to the one Amanda Jean Clothier relates when she writes the bottom line: one mom's unscientific study of diapers. Her conclusion?

As my experiment draws to a close, here’s what I’ve learned: I’m impatient.
After trying out cloth diapers, I bow to my grandmothers and great-grandmothers
before me who managed to keep their babies clean and dry without the godsend
that is the disposable diaper. Having said that, I also bow to you women out
there today who choose to use cloth diapers. I see now that it can be done. It’s
not gross or disgusting. It just requires a lot of patience, more than I have.
And in all fairness, the Fuzzi Buns probably would have received a better review
if I had tried them last, after I realized what was required. This is definitely
a choice that only a parent actively committed to environmental consumerism
would make.
As far as disposables go, I’m switching to Costco’s Kirkland
Signature brand. Since we’re members of Costco, they’re the cheapest for us, and
I didn’t have any bad experiences with them. They also reminded me how much I
dislike the strong baby powder scent of Pampers. If on occasion I run out of the
Costco brand, either Pampers or Huggies will suffice.

But then, in my own research of cloth diapers, I found gDiapers, the cloth diaper with a 100% compostable flushable insert. So, they're the in-between for cloth versus disposable. Not a bad option, I think.

And they're pretty cute. Any experience with gDiapers?