Family and friends thought I had lost my mind when I announced my decision to cloth diaper my first born child. My mother regaled me with stories of leaky plastic pants and how she'd wring poopy diapers out in the toilet with her bare hands. My grandmothers both pitched in with tales of accidentally safety pinning their babies to their diapers and one whispered conspiratorially to the other, "I give her three months."

I'll admit, I blanched a little, but my husband and I were motivated. See, our decision was fueled by finances. We knew we could save quite a bit of money by making the switch. So I bravely pressed forward wondering if I could find some extra long rubber gloves to use for diaper rinsing duty.

When using cloth diapers turned into sewing cloth diapers, and sewing cloth diapers turned into a home business, I faced more and more raised eyebrows from family and friends. Curious pals would ask, "So are you a tree-hugger now? Are you going to go vegan on us?" I realized that choosing cloth diapers over disposable diapers carried with it a stereotype. But the reasons people choose to cloth diaper their babies are as wide and varied as the people themselves.

Some, like us, may be motivated out of economics; using cloth diapers -- especially if you stick to the basics -- can save you quite a bit of cash. Others choose to use cloth diapers out of concern for the environment. Some folks are naturalists and fill their homes with organic fabrics, whole foods, and reusable diapers. Still others have expendable income and like getting into the wild trends, spending top dollar for popular boutique cloth diapering items with fancy appliques, dying techniques, and exotic fabrics. There are other reasons too, perhaps a child is sensitive to the chemicals in disposables and cloth diapers help get rid of a persistent allergic rash. Many mothers are hobbyists and crafty seamstresses who make clothing and toys for their children, why not make diapers too? A lot of us have a variety of reasons we choose to use cloth diapers, perhaps a combination of factors contribute to the decision.

The mamas and papas I've met over the near decade I've been involved in the cloth diapering community are varied and unique individuals from all kinds of financial, political, and economic backgrounds.

When I was first investigating the cloth option, I kept running across cloth enthusiasts insisting that modern cloth diapers were just as easy as using disposables. It was true, many advances had been made since my grandmother was sticking my aunt with a diaper pin. We now had high tech waterproof fabrics that wouldn't crack, leak, and retain odor like the plastic pants I wore as a baby. We had fitted diapers with elastic around the legs to keep messes contained. And diapers now fastened with hook and loop Velcro-like closures or easy snaps. One could forgo learning to wield a diaper pin altogether if they chose.

However. As a many-year cloth diaper veteran, I disagree that it's just as easy as using disposables. Cloth diapers do take a little extra effort. A little extra work. But it isn't bad effort, it isn't terrible work. The process becomes routine, and even enjoyable. Seriously.

"Experts" will argue over whether or not disposable diapers do scary things like infertility. They'll argue that the water and electricity you use to wash cloth diapers evens out the environmental impact. They'll disagree on what is fact and what is myth. But all that contention and confusion aside, I choose cloth because I like it.

Cloth diapering takes a little more effort. A little more dedication. A little more thought. Depending on the diapering system you choose, it can also take a little more time to change your baby's diaper. But I enjoy those moments. A friend once said that when your baby is on the changing table, he or she is usually quite focused on your face. And how nice if your face was smiling over choosing a cute diaper with a pretty print instead of wrinkling your nose in disgust over the task at hand.

Washing diapers becomes routine, but in a different way than microwaving a frozen dinner can. It slows you down a tiny bit, seems to reconnect you with the past. Folding clean diapers, fresh and warm from the dryer is one of my favorite chores. Stacking colorful diaper covers and All in Ones on my baby's nursery room shelf is a joy.

All of that, and you're never out. You never have to run to the store to pick up a pack of Huggies. I personally feel like cloth diapers are better for the earth, better for my baby's skin, more comfortable for baby to wear, beautiful to look at, pleasing to sew, fun to purchase, and affordable to use. I get to say, "I'm not only doing something I feel is better for my baby, but I'm doing it even though everyone else out there thinks it's too hard. Hey!!! I'm COOL!!"

And that's a pretty good feeling to have.

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