Cloth was the best option for us because

a) we lived in the country with well water and a septic system so we only paid for the electricity to wash and dry the cloth diapers

b) cloth diapers were cheap as chips compared to disposables

c) disposables gave DD a horrific rash. We'd use them only for when we were going out (had no idea how to do cloth diapers on the road) and they came to be called "travel diapers" in our house. Even if she only wore them for two hours she'd have a red rash on her tiny little bum by the time we got home. The longer she wore them, the redder the bum. I was relieved to get home and get her in cloth diapers, her skin would clear up quick as a wink with them.

d) my mother used cloth diapers with my younger brother (seven years yonger than I) so I was used to seeing mother diaper with them and it seemed normal and natural, I had no "euw" hangups.

I seem to remember it coming to two loads of laundry a week to keep the diaper stacks full. Our laundry room was very conveniently located so this was no problem. Folding and stacking the diapers took the most time for me, but it was kind of relaxing and satisfying to fold them while thinking about how much better it was for DD to have cotton next to her skin instead of chemicals and how much $$$ we were saving and how much we were keeping out of the landfill. Landfill space was an issue where we lived, the cities were running out of places to put our trash.

Anhata
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