Wipe, rinse, wash, repeat. Feeling me, momma? Does that sound like the majority of your day? Perhaps throw in some laughs, cuddles, sweat, and possibly a few tears, and that pretty much sums it up. We feel it, too!
There is nothing more impactful on the planet than the sheer amount of waste that is created from each child we welcome earthside. According to the EPA, an estimated 20 billion diapers are added to landfills each year, accounting for more than 3.5 million tons of waste. More than 200,000 trees are utilized for the manufacturing of disposable diapers each year in the US alone. In addition, it takes 3.4 billion gallons of fuel each year for diaper production. These numbers are awe-ing and significant and provide an innate commentary on our focus on innovations of convenience.
We are currently living amidst a trend towards a greater awareness around sustainability. Less than forty years ago, it was considered modern and luxurious to feed babies manufactured formula, use disposable diapers, microwave frozen meals and package with plastics. After observing the massive effects of these practices on the environment, new mommas are now also given the opportunity to educate themselves on other options: breast milk donations, local farms and foods, reusable packaging, and, of course, cloth diapers.
Cloth Diapers Help You Save
Perhaps you’ve thought about the idea of cloth diapers, but it just seems absolutely out of the realm of possibility. How could you possibly do one more thing each day, especially dealing with even more of your baby’s bodily fluids? Deep down you know this could be beneficial for your baby’s skin, for the health of the planet, and for the sanctity of your heart, but it just seems inaccessible and unaffordable. This type of self-talk is absolutely normal within the mindset of the momma overwhelm! So how can we transform your quality of life and make all of this accessible?
First things first, let’s consider the logistics of cloth diapers. Cloth diapers are better for you, better for your baby, better for the planet, and better for your wallet. Fortunately for all of us, cloth diapers are not what they used to be. The antique diaper pins and rubber pants have been replaced with easy-to-use all-in-ones in fun prints and styles. You’ll simply need to do a little research to figure out what kind of cloth diapers fit best with your lifestyle: pre-folds + flats, fitted, pockets, or all-in-ones. Go check out our absolute favorites at Kanga Care, and get 10% off your first order when you use OHANA10 at checkout.
Cloth Diaper Cleaning
Once you’ve chosen your cloth diaper style, then you can start to create best practices around rinsing and washing. What is your laundry situation like? Are you living with readily available city water or a limited resource such as a well? Do you have the opportunity to wash a load every other day? Or would you prefer to find an eco-friendly laundry service that offers weekly pick-ups and drop-offs? If you’re living in the greater Denver area, check out Bundle Baby* for some great options (* they also carry Kanga Care products because they’re the best in the biz!). Whatever you decide that is best for your family, know that you are beginning to operate with a deeper connectivity to nature and the world around you.
The truth is that all living systems are connected. Our children are connected to us on physical (uhhh yea, like all day long), emotional, and energetic levels. Our neighborhoods are also connected to us: like a complex neurological network, vibrations travel from person to person and impact the entirety of the ecosystem. If you think about this on a larger scale, we begin to truly realize that our actions are connected to the entire health and wellbeing of the planet. In this way, we can begin to make conscious decisions of how we operate, consistently opening our hearts to find joy in all things, including the mundane of wipe, rinse, wash, and repeat.
While you’re waiting for your diapers to get clean, feel free to drop into a 20-minute post-natal class to find a little connection with yourself. Get your first 14-days of Ohana Online Free!
Alyssa Manny is the owner of Ohana Yoga + Barre as well as a mother of two. She knows the pain of finding ways to make time for yourself while caring for your kids and business and loves to help women navigate their way to balance. Find out more about her here.