I started CDing my baby a few months ago and I am really enjoying it. Not sure how much you've looked into it but there are a lot of people you can find online who are REALLY into CD. I find it helpful to have that online community when I feel like I'm the only one CDing.

I am really liking not having to go to the store to buy diapers and wipes. No wrestling with that big diaper box in the Supermarket. No having to store diapers in our already too full apartment.

I'm finding environmental issues particularily challenging when interacting with others. Like you, I've tried to never push my beliefs on anyone (and honestly I'm not even very "green") but it seems like even at the mention of the topic many people get defensive. So, I generally don't talk too much about any "green" type things our family is doing. I just keep doing my thing.

I would love to start cding with my son and am saving up some money to buy them. A couple of years ago I started eating a vegan diet and got tons of bossy, negative remarks and I felt like you do now. Any time you step outside the norm you challenge people's comfort levels and many respond badly.I think it's great you are determined and I wish I would've had the sense to do the same so early on.

That is so silly, its like everyone betting how long a dieter can resist a cookie or some other vindictive nonsense. I only part time cloth diaper and I wish Hubby didn't insist that we keep some in the house (for trips or grandparents) or I would use them more. I am the best when we run out because there is no temptation for the 'easy way.' Even if I use them sometime it is still better then never. Like even if you bring bags to the grocery store sometime, it better then NEVER remembering.

My family did similar things.. the betting.. don't keep them in the house or the temptation to do it will be there, like eating and entire bag of chips in one sitting....

Congrats on the pregnancy!!!! Sounds like you are really making an effort to be informed about your new arrival, I wish I had been more on the ball when I was pregnant.

We got the same thing when we went out and bought our cloth diapers.... people are odd. They have all changed their tune now though and comment on how 'easy' it is????? You have to wonder dont you?

I have to say though that we do use the disposables at night simply because LO wakes up too easily and a diaper change in the middle of the night = two hours of awake baby!!! We also keep a packet of disposables in the car.... just in case. We barely ever use them but when we have needed them they have been great.

Keep your chin up, people will change their tune when your LO arrives.

We have been cding since my first was 6months old. He had such bad rashes that we had no other choice! I'm so,so, SO glad we did! My DH and I both love the nice soft fluffy baby bobo's. Much easier on them and the smell is so much better! When we used disposable diaper our entire appartment smelled like poop. Seriously. I had the diaper genie and all that jazz, but it still smelled like poop and air freshener! lol

I have also found that the prefold diaper, like these are actually really easy to use. I also like the snappi's and a few diaper covers. Wool is more expensive, but it works really well.
THere are also diaper kits which is what I use. I really like the AIO or AI2 but can't afford the expensive kind. These work great, take some time to sew-

I think that cloth diapering is a great thing. You shouldn't feel alone, or that it's too hard or too much work (may take some time to figure out how to wash right) but it's better than having a baby sit in plastic,chemicals that cause rashes and make things like asthma even worse! Congrats on the pregnancy! Welcome to the cloth diapering world!

My Mom was so weird about us cloth diapering and it bugged me. It was like she didn't trust that I could handle it. I had a hard time, but she is also remembering the cd's from when I was a kid which were more difficult. She used them on me and was a single mom, so I just tried to remember that she was thinking of her own experiences and show her how different it is now.

Now, she's a total convert to the new kind of cloth diapers and loves them. She knows it's best for the baby and the environment so she's always been a fan.

Others have been weird about it, but it's almost like they are defensive. I wonder if people assume that we are judging them for using disposables because we have cloth? I try to tell people that it's what works for us, but I think people take that as judgment. I don't know. Just let it roll, get used to saying "It's what works for us" and be happy knowing you're doing everything you can for your baby!

Oh, and congrats on the baby!

I discovered Cloth Diapers when I was pregnant with my first and was very intrigued. The more I researched it online at diaperswappers and diaperpin I liked what I read and saw. And, like you, I was very excited about it and told my co-workers and friends and they did the same thing. Told me it wouldn't last, it was gross, and that they were going to set up a big betting pool on how long I'd last with it. I told them, Great, set the pool up and make sure to give me all the money because I really was going to do it!

My youngest is now 29mo old and I STILL cloth diaper her and her new baby brother. I even discovered the world of mama cloth!

I say, if certain folks are not being supportive of your desires, ignore them. We'll support you here all you need!

BTW- Congrats on your pregnancy!! I miss those pregnant days!

I know what you mean about people taking what you do as some sort of silent disapproval, it definitely gets frustrating.

I've cloth diapered exclusively since my son's birth and he'll be seven months old next week. I've really enjoyed it. Every once in a while doing the wash feels a little overwhelming but really that was when our water was acting up and I could only do one load and only after my husband got home...there were too many restrictions and it got overwhelming. Since then the weather here has settled back down so our well has settled back down and all is happy again.

I got the Motherease part time package at my baby shower (my request for friends to just go in together on that) and then an awesome friend gave me her stash of Wonderoos. Both kinds are one size so I've been using the same stash this whole time. I try to wash every other day, but really it usually ends up being every three days...and I probably have about 3 dozen diapers I guess. Here and there I do a little elimination communication with him, but not too often. I would have cloth diapered no matter what our financial situation, but it has helped our tight situation so much. I really can't think of much that I have bought our son and the things I have bought were usually just for fun rather than a need. We are really blessed with our diaper stash being established through my shower, an awesome friend, and cheaply sold used prefolds (I use to stuff the diapers). And my mom sewed our cloth wipes for me from fabric I bought from the scrap bins at the fabric store. And we got so many hand me down clothes that I haven't had to buy anything there either. And that is what works for OUR family. It is a shame that often these blessings to us can be viewed as a high horse, I don't get it, especially since I've been awed time and time again at people's generosity, but I've learned all I can do is be kind and assume the best and try to deal with stuff that is obvious enough that it can be dealt with. Sometimes it is all so subtle that it would be worse to directly address it. Your situation is pretty out in the open though. In that case I might consider saying "it hurts my feelings that you are saying that and I would appreciate your support." But then you'll probably get some comment about pregnancy hormones. Some people it is worth the possible argument and others you have to just say this fight isn't worth it.

People still give me a hard time sometimes but not my main core group of friends/family. I do often hear stories about why a person can't cloth diaper and I try to assume they are just sharing and are not feeling like I must be silently criticizing...it does get hard though because I often feel like I cannot share in return or it does become viewed as a criticism. I face the same balancing acts when it comes to my vegetarian diet. I tend to not share my choices and when people notice or ask then I just deal with it on a case by case basis. Not hiding but not advertising either. The hardest time was when I was trying to decide what diaper package I wanted to request for my shower. There was so much to read and research and I felt like my world consisted only of diapers during that time...then you try and have a "normal" conversation with someone...it was a little nutty, but since I was pregnant I just blamed pregnancy hormones for being stuck in one track at that moment.

Sorry this became a novel, hang in there and do what works for you, whatever that ends up being. There is a wide range of choices out there, just in these responses there is a wide range of diapering experiences, and I appreciate how they were all shared in a matter of fact, this is what WE did way, and that everyone is taking all the responses in that way...it is so refreshing.

Of course, you (the original poster) might wind up being the kind of person who prefers cloth under all or almost all circumstances. I only use disposable diapers when we travel, and occasionally when I go somewhere by public transportation and don't want to carry a diaper bag.

It's true that I don't use cloth diapers in every possible circumstance -- if I were really hard-core, I would use cloth when I travel, too! But I definitely prefer cloth under most circumstances.

A lot of people thought it was odd that we planned to use cloth diapers before our first child was born, too. I'm sure some of them thought we'd give it up -- one woman at work told me in detail about all of the problems she'd had using cloth diapers a few years earlier. Perhaps if all I'd known about where Gerber prefolds, pins, and nylon pants, I would have given it up, too!

attachment parents are almost always counter-culture! it can be difficult sometimes. or it can make you feel like an advocate for something that you really believe in, such as attachment parenting.

my daughters used to say, "mom, how come you're the only one who uses a sling?" but now they see more babies in slings and pouches and realize their mom isn't so weird after all.

perhaps what's bothering you is the lack of confidence your loved ones have that you can persevere in cloth diapering or anything similar that may be difficult but is important to you. if this is true in your case, why not reply next time by saying something like, "i'm hurt that you don't think i can persevere in this even if it's difficult." see what happens.

When my sister-in-law started talking about cloth diapers, I will admit I thought she was insane. They were expensive and they seemed like such a pain. I had already had one baby and had never heard of them and kind of felt like maybe she thought I wasn't a great mommy for not looking into cloth diapers and only using disposables (which she didn't, of course). But, once she crunched the money numbers for me and actually had her little boy and I got a chance to see them in use, I really got on the cloth diaper band wagon. I don't think I ever said anything to make her feel like she was making a bad parenting decision, I just didn't understand her position at first. Now, she's given us cloth diapers and we don't use them exclusively, but I do love them very much for our second daughter.

I know it's annoying to constantly be questioned about your parenting decisions when honestly it's not a big deal (it's not like you've said you're going to only use diapers made of pinecones or something dumb like that). Just know that it's a decision that you are making because you are comfortable with how it will work for you and your growing family. And try to stay positive when you're questioned about it, they'll eventually see all the benefits when you're child doesn't have nearly as many (or any) diaper rashes as other kids!

We've been CDing on and off for our 21 mo old since she was born. The things that made me stop were extended trips to visit family and DIAPER RASH!
We use prefolds with diaper covers--Super easy! Love the system!
The diaper rash isn't a problem for everyone, but is a big problem for some of us. Usually starts after intro to solids and exacerbates with teething. (which seems to happen so often!)
My suggestions are to be willing to search for solutions if you have problems. There are good forums for CDing with lots of suggestions. I really found the most help from Green Mountain Diapers. If you order they will send you a washing resource they put together. And Rockin' Green detergent. Seems like great CDing detergent and Kim is amazing at emailing people back with personal advise.
You can totally do the CD thing. My Mom in law thought it was weird too, but she's gotten over it. Everyone has an opinion.
On the disposables note. I let my DH decide for himself what to use when he cares for my DD alone. With cloth whe needs changed more frequently and sometimes she spaces on that, so to take the pressure off him and to protect her bottom, I let him decide.
Congrats!! and unfortunately, his is just the beginning of unsolicited advice from people :-)

If my dad said something like your stepdad said, he'd have to put his money where his mouth was, and I'd go trotting off with some extra dough to spend on a nice diaper sprayer. Cloth diapering is NOT the same as it used to be 20 years ago. It's also a little ridiculous to tell anyone that they "can't" do something- just take it as a challenge to not give up when you might feel too busy to do a load of laundry. But honestly, you're going to be doing more laundry than you ever though possible when you have an infant, so what's one more load?

I did cloth diapers at the end of my daughter's run with diapers. When we were pregnant with my daughter we lived with my inlaws and were searching for a house. We bought our house and moved in the same day I went into labor. I was hesitant to buy cloth to begin with because I wasn't sure if we would have a house with a washer and dryer and I was sure it was going to be too far for the 45 minute drive to the nearest diaper service. Unfortunately we were pretty close to broke after buying a house, losing an income, and having a baby, so I tried to buy a few diapers here and there and they were not good quality. It was silly to wash a single or three cloth diapers at a time so until I had good supplies I did not stick with it. Get some good quality diapers, a good diaper sprayer, and get your tounge ready to stick out at your stepdad.

My son had been in CD since he was six weeks old (and he is almost 5 months now). The only regret we have is that we didn't CD from the day he was born! Good for you for knowing that you want to CD! There are so many options for cloth any more. It can seem overwhelming trying to decide what will work best for your LO but so many options make it so you can find the best system/brand, etc. I'd recommend checking out Real Diaper Association (http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/). The local circle in my area has lots of meetings (which I haven't been able to attend one unfortunately) and an active online forum. The forum has been useful for me, great for asking lots of questions.

I'm so sorry you have had family react so negatively to your choice to CD. It can be so difficult to be a counter culture parent. Again, my husband is very supportive of AP and when I start to get discouraged, he reminds me that we are parenting in a way that feels normal and natural and anything different would be odd because we'd be fighting our instincts. Hang in there, there will be naysayers along the way, but stick with what is right for you and your family. We are all so lucky to have the API forums to support one another!!!