Granola, anyone?

Cara outed me to Ann last week. It's true. I'm crunchy. It all came out in a debate over whether Ann could toss a bagel crumb out Cara's car window. Cara wouldn't allow it, and Ann thought she was nuts because the crumb would be sweet manna for the hungry pigeons in winter, not refuse on the side of the road. So Cara asked what I thought - and of course I was horrified that anyone would toss anything (even a breadcrumb) into our already polluted environment. But then Cara revealed that we use cloth diapers on X at home, and Ann - smart cookie that she is - suspected that Cara set her up for chastisement by asking the opinion of a treehugger like myself.

So, yes, we do cloth diaper. But before you think I'm sloshing dirty nappies in and out of a toilet bowl all day, I have to say that these ain't your mother's cloth diapers! There aren't any more pins on which to stick your finger, either - snappis are revolutionizing cotton pre-fold diapering everywhere. When the baby is older and you need to spend a minute toilet-side with a dirty dipe, consider using a modern mini-shower to replace that old-fashioned dunking.

Some disposable diaper information:

8.8 million babies in the U.S. are using 27.4 billion disposable diapers each year.

Disposable diapers generate 60 times more solid waste and use 20 times more raw materials like crude oil and wood pulp.

Americans spend 7 billion dollars on disposable diapers each year.

Mainstream disposable diapers contain Dioxin, a carcinogenic listed by the EPA as the most toxic of cancer related chemicals.

Swedish and German studies have linked the worldwide decline in sperm count to the rise of disposable diapers.

Here are a few good articles for more reasons to consider cloth: Why Choose Cloth Diapers?, Cloth or Disposable? and The Joy of Cloth Diapers.

If that weren't enough to think about cloth as a diapering option, consider the cuteness factor. Cloth diapers are just darn cute nowadays - with all kinds of prints to choose from it adds a bit of fun to each diaper change. Seriously.

But my favorite knitterly reason to consider cloth diapers is most definitely wool soakers. Soakers are woolen knitted diaper covers used over the top of absorbent but not waterproof cloth diapers. As most knitters reading this blog will already know, wool is an absolutely amazing fiber - it's hollow cores are absorbent at the same time that the lanolin is water resistant, both of which contribute to an excellent diaper cover. Moreover, wool is breathable, which helps maintain proper body temperature. Check out Why Use Wool? for more.

Check out what's on my needles for some soft woolen goodness. It's a wool soaker knit using (yes, I'm extravagant) Malabrigo in color Carrot Top. Pattern is the Original Soaker from Little Turtle Knits:

That's the shaped butt side, created with the use of short rows. Speaking of which, when knitting this up and following the wonderful appendix of instructions that accompanies all of the LTK patterns, I realized that up until now I've always done my short rows incorrectly without wraps. That wrap technique had me a bit confused for a bit there, but it's all under control now.

I have quite a bit of knitting time on my hands right now as sweet little X has a respiratory infection. He probably picked up the cold I had last week, but having spent New Years with his 13 cousins, it could have been something those buggers my most wonderful nieces and nephews seem gave him. Since he's still so little (but growing! He was 9 lb 6 oz yesterday!, his pediatrician is staying away from medications unless absolutely necessary, but instead had us set X up in his crib with a nebulizer of saline solution, and then the crib tented over in plastic to keep the environment moist for him to breathe. He's supposed to be in there for 20+ hours a day, so the pug and I are camping out in the recliner here in the nursery through Friday, when X gets rechecked with the doctor.

So the soaker will probably be finished soon. I have to say, though, that knitting with Malabrigo is always a treat. As Cara said with the last Malabrigo soaker that I knit (and which still needs buttons), "I want one for MY ass!". Hey, C, if for some ungodly reason you end up in cloth diapers, I'll knit you a Malabrigo soaker. :-)

Comments

[Vicki]

I hope cloth-diapered babycakes is better today!

; )

[Wendi]

I CD too, and have knit several LTK soakers. My little one is 2 weeks old now, and that soaker knitting was adictive when I was pregnant!

[Anne]

Hey, I think it's *fantastic*. Especially because you're demonstrating it's not necessary to "freeze in the dark" to have an environmental conscience.

[dixie]

Congratulations! I am extatic to find other cloth diaper mama's out there! I personally sew and sell cloth diapers. It is important for mothers to have a local source to touch and see first hand that... THIS AINT YOUR MAMAS CLOTH DIAPER!

plus we have a small black pug in the house whose main redeeming value is that she is good to the children

[Carole]

I can remember my nana knitting soakers!

[Elinor]

I'm with you on the cloth diaper bit. Have you checked out the amazing diaper cover patterns Phildar has in its Layette line? They are so adorable. I'm about to start a white one with a big pink flower on the butt!

[ann]

christ, am I ever glad I read that after I had my babies .... although I will concede to the allure of the soakers ...

[Rebekah]

Well I think it's wonderful that your using cloth diapers. I didn't mean anything else yesterday when I postet. It's great for everyone to do what they can to help the environment, lord knows it needs it.

Hope he feels better soon.