Fiance Tells Me That She Would Rather I Wear Cloth Diapers

[warpiper]

Sooooo, i recently started wearing cloth diapers, and i've been feeling really insecure about it.

And then today my fiance told me how much she applauds that I switched to cloth because it is better for the environment. She says that one of the things that bothered her about it in the past was the environmental impact and the amount of waste that disposables created. So she is all into me wearing cloth... and I'm all like

[Guest diaperboykcmo]

Sooooo, i recently started wearing cloth diapers, and i've been feeling really insecure about it.

And then today my fiance told me how much she applauds that I switched to cloth because it is better for the environment. She says that one of the things that bothered her about it in the past was the environmental impact and the amount of waste that disposables created. So she is all into me wearing cloth... and I'm all like

Enviromental wack o lol! No offense

[Burp_Cup]

Wowww! You're especially lucky if she is OK with the changing and/or laundering of cloth diapers! I LOVE the feel of cloth diapers and own a few of them.

If you're 'insecure' about it, I would at least give it a try for a while, you may like it.

I wear disposables 95% of the time too. Just saying.

[sarah_ab]

i find it awesome and hilarious that of all the things someone could be upset about regarding their s.o wearing diapers and her biggest concern is the environment

[J Y F]

I hope she knows that there has been no definitive evidence that states cloth diapers are more environmentally friendly than disposables. Many studies have been rather biased or come to the conclusion that the water and detergent used in laundering cloth diapers may be just as bad as disposables...

But in any case I don't think you should be complaining =P

[Creepymouse]

All the talk about "disposables being no worse than cloth" reminds me of a report done by a classmate in High School, stating that plastic shopping bags were, in fact, a more ecological choice than paper.

The fact is that you can make cloth diapers out of an old flannel sheet that's getting thin, or those towels you wanted to replace for the last year, and they'll be great. Wash them with a little vinegar, a little soap and maybe a tablespoon of bleach, and they'll get plenty clean. Even those I've made from recycled towels and sheets have lasted dozens of changings, and I doubt I've even used as much water as I would have, had I flushed the toilet every time I chose to wet instead. No...freaking...way the ecological cost of enough disposables to cover all those changes is exceeded by the water and detergent and washing energy of the cloth diapers.

Ahem...sorry about that rant, it is common sense to me, but I don't wear them because they're ecologically sound. I enjoy them more than disposables at night, and I wear posies during the day when I want them. Using my air conditioner during the 100+ degree summers is probably more harmful than diapers.

[DaddyHatiwolf]

If you hand wash and line dry cloth diapers in natural products only then yes they are in fact better for the environment. If you use a washer and dryer on them (second biggest energy hog in your house after your HVAC unit) but are not using 100% solar or wind energy for your washer/dryer, then the impact is greater on the environment.

[timmyc]

I was, am and forever will be a Pampers, diaper boy. I am pretty sure my so called carbon footprint is still a lot lighter than most. I will keep my disposeables, thank you very much.

[J Y F]

Well you guys do bring up logical points, and though I find them very arguable, again not enough controlled tests have been done. I haven't read this paper in a couple of years so I don't remember the details exactly, but I find it's a well done research project. http://documents.realdiaperindustry.org/LCA%202005.pdf

People do bring up points like the "highest impact" cloth users and "lowest impact" disposable users over lap to try and disprove this study, but then they don't know the statistical definition of "significance." There were other points of contention over this paper, but again they were only unproven hypothesizes. Of course, I might not have studied the paper in enough detail...so tell me your thoughts on it.

[tcc]

I am amazed. Your FIANCEE has told you she would rather that you wore cloth diapers...

Let's see. She IS your fiancee. She knows about your diaper side/life/world. She accepts your diaper side/life/world. She is INVOLVED in your diaper side/life/world. OMG. And YOU are going to make a deal out of what TYPE of diaper she would PREFER that you use? Are you kidding me? Have you read nothing about what other people crave here, especially just a smidgeon of acceptance to be free to WEAR - ANY type of diaper - by a partner? And, you want to begin an issue about ecology and soundness of the TYPES of diapers available to wear?

I guess I'll never get it. Some people just don't know how good they've got it with WHAT they already have!

So, she PREFERS that you wear cloth diapers.

Let's see. You'll need plastic pants. You'll need to procure a supply of cloth diapers - ready made or have HER help you MAKE your OWN cloth diapers, to YOUR specification to YOUR comfort level/zone. Get used to cloth diapers, and how to utilize them instead of disposables. Pretty simple, even if there ARE some "convenience"(or lack thereof) issues.

If you can't get over your preference for disposables, while you have a partner that accepts your diaper side/life/world ALREADY, it makes you look damned selfish and self-centered, when most males would give body parts to have an acceptent partner of ANY kind, to ANY degree.

More than my 2 cents. Just that most people don't know how good they've already got it until it's gone away...

[Bettypooh]

The best you can do in life is get most of what you want- nobody gets everything they wanted And instead of hijacking this to the old cloth-vs-disposables line, I'll give you some strategy to help you get more of what you want I love cloth diapers but they do have their downsides. They require a lot of work compared to disposables- if she's doing the laundry give her a lot to do and don't make it pleasant Unless you wash daily they have to be kept somewhere till laundering- if the diaper pail lid isn't fitted well the 'aroma' can get pretty strong in the house- 'accidents' do happen! Cloth has a high initial investment- you may have to spend all your 'fun money' and not get to do movies or dinner out for awhile because of all the things you 'need' , and she won't enjoy that There's also the issue of changing away from home- you can't just toss out the used diaper so you'll need to have lots of kit with you which is rather inconvenient Since she wants cloth and you don't, have her deal with the extra kit you could have got by without if you were in disposables- especially taking the used one home Whenever possible point out how much more convenient disposables would be for her side of things- but don't over-do that; just enough to make her think about that option. And last but not least, let her 'find' the research online which proves that there is really little difference both financially and environmentally between the two in the long run Like everything else there are few things in life where one single approach is always best. I'd go cloth almost 100% if I could, but practicality steers me otherwise, and practicality matters too With the right approach you can change the mind of almost everyone in time, but avoid those people whose minds cannot be changed when they are wrong because that only gets worse. And remember, that last thought applies to you too Good luck with this!

Bettypooh

[BabyGizmo]

i still need to try some cloths. would save a ton of mony, and maybe my fiancee will let me go 24/7....

[warpiper]

i think some people misread me, because i was in kind of a weird mood when i dropped my topic in here.

I recently started wearing cloth diapers because I ENJOY wearing them, especially to bed. I had only bought 2 of them because I didn't want her thinking that I was wasting money on stuff that we didn't need being that the wedding is coming up 5 weeks from today. What i was all mystified and amazed about was the fact that instead of being all weirded out or just kind of "eh" about it like she usually is, she had a definite opinion which was definitely in my favor. And she encouraged me to get some more, maybe not all right now, but to find some stuff that I liked before buying in bulk after we move to DC.

For those out there thinking that I live this life of awesome and luxury because I have a partner who accepts me: she has changed me maybe 5 times in the last 4 years since I told her, so that's not happening too often. I wash/change my own diapers. I do all the sewing in the house, she doesn't even know how to work the sewing machine. She's getting her doctorate, and I am a nurse.

Given all that, I certainly appreciate that she accepts me, diaper lover and all, and she even will wear on occasion. I'm sorry if I came off as selfish somehow, it was not my intent.

[Bettypooh]

.... I'm sorry if I came off as selfish somehow, it was not my intent.

I'm sorry if I misinterpreted what you said (which I obviously did ) and you didn't come across as selfish to me Besides, being selfish isn't necessarily bad, though being too selfish or being selfish too often likely is. If you're never selfish, you'll never get what you want so do indulge yourself and be a little selfish now and then- after all you do deserve it don't you? There, all better now!

Bettypooh

[Honu]

Warpiper,

Good response! TCC nailed the key issue and you put things back on track. My house has similiarities. Baby Maggie quilts, but does not sew. Due to all the meds she takes, cloth diapers disolve after just a few washings with her so she has to stay in sposies, which is her preference. I'm the one that has taken sewing lessons, made a half dozen pocket diapers and still trying to design the perfect adult pocket diaper. If you are curious, I've made some progress! A whole lot easier is making prefolds from birdseye fabric. I can give you sources for that as well. The key is finding material in a wide width. We each take care of our own diapers, but put each other in night time diapers as part of our routine.

The most cost effective way to go cloth initially is prefolds, pins and vinyl pants. The pants have a limited service life as the vinyl loses plasicizers and gets stiff/cracks. The pins weaken the cloth over time, but most weaves will give you a few years of servicibility. Prefolds can become stuffers in a PUL based pocket diaper as your sewing skills and funds improve. Right now, pocket diapers aremy goal, not a practical reality yet. There is a lot of cost and work to make an adult diaper that actually works without vinyl pants over top. Again, I'd be glad to tell you more if you are interested.

Good luck in D.C. I used to live up around there and much prefer it down here in Florida. Sure, there are lots of fun things to do there, but everthing is so expensive and then there is that four letter word that starts with S in the winter - brr!

Regards,

Honu

[Rihanna]

i think some people misread me, because i was in kind of a weird mood when i dropped my topic in here.

I recently started wearing cloth diapers because I ENJOY wearing them, especially to bed. I had only bought 2 of them because I didn't want her thinking that I was wasting money on stuff that we didn't need being that the wedding is coming up 5 weeks from today. What i was all mystified and amazed about was the fact that instead of being all weirded out or just kind of "eh" about it like she usually is, she had a definite opinion which was definitely in my favor. And she encouraged me to get some more, maybe not all right now, but to find some stuff that I liked before buying in bulk after we move to DC.

For those out there thinking that I live this life of awesome and luxury because I have a partner who accepts me: she has changed me maybe 5 times in the last 4 years since I told her, so that's not happening too often. I wash/change my own diapers. I do all the sewing in the house, she doesn't even know how to work the sewing machine. She's getting her doctorate, and I am a nurse.

Given all that, I certainly appreciate that she accepts me, diaper lover and all, and she even will wear on occasion. I'm sorry if I came off as selfish somehow, it was not my intent.

Is she going to wear during the ceremonies to keep herself dry? Wish you both the best!!

[sarah_ab]

oh course then there are people who really do not like cloth diapers at all.... for me wearing a cloth diaper is just awful, it feels like i'm just peeing in my pants... it has non of the allure of being put in a disposable diaper...

so if my boyfriend/daddy suddenyl said he only wanted me to wear cloth diapers i WOULD be upset, because as this is sexual for me, the thought of cloth diapers is a big turn off.....

[babystevie]

You're a lucky man! I love cloth diapers & plastic panties! Though I will wear sposies sometimes...

[redneck diaper boy]

I wear cloth diapers because I prefer them. As for the environment, most people agree that it is a "break even" condition when you consider the energy use of laundering them. You may get slightly ahead by line drying them.

If done correctly, the right cloth diaper will out perform any disposable including Abenas.

My wife took cloth diapers on a camping trip because I wet through disposables.

Sooooo, i recently started wearing cloth diapers, and i've been feeling really insecure about it.

And then today my fiance told me how much she applauds that I switched to cloth because it is better for the environment. She says that one of the things that bothered her about it in the past was the environmental impact and the amount of waste that disposables created. So she is all into me wearing cloth... and I'm all like

[Aina]

... there is that four letter word that starts with S in the winter - brr!

Er ... um ... ah ... erm

[warpiper]

hey, i like snow. scratch that, LOVE snow. and ice. ice climbing, ice skating, SPEED skating (yes, I did that too). Mountaineering in the winter and the like, my favorite activities. And skiing (though I don't do NEARLY enough of it).

I've actually tried pocket diapers, and don't actually find them all that appealing. sure they are easy to put on, but I actually find that i enjoy the way that the cloth prefolds fit on me better. The way that I have been folding it gives it this really nice put together look.

I need to get some more waterproof pants, as I have one that is way too small and cuts into my gigantic speed skating legs and the other is like 3 sizes too big. oh well, i'll get it all figured out soon.

[BabyJune]

I grew up with cloth diapers and rubber pants, so that's what I like. After all, for me it is all about going back to what it was like when I was a child.