One of the first things my husband ever did when he met Michaela for the first time, was check out her backside. I know that sounds weird, but he didn't get to hold her right away because the maternity nurses were doing all kinds of funky stuff to her. They had her layin' out on the isolette, checking her weight, length, putting goop in her eyes, etc. So his first interaction with his child was when she was laying on her stomach under the lights.
And there was her bottom.
We've all heard the phrase, "Soft as a baby's bottom," but here was his chance to prove it.....
And, sure enough, it was pretty stinkin' soft.
***
Baby skin is extremely incredible stuff when it comes to softness. Just silky smooth. Almost glorious. You just want to purr when you rub your face against warm baby skin. There's nothing like it.
And when it comes to putting clothing on a little human that is so fun to touch, the LAST thing you wanna do is scuff it up. Rub it raw. Irritate it. You wanna preserve as much innocence as possible. Even on the skin.
Adding a little bit of fragrance is just a bonus.
Such is life when pampering a newborn's butt. You just don't want to mess it up (they seem to do enough of that themselves). Some really rich guys out there understand this fact, and have introduced every stinkin', smoothin', buttering product known to man---just for our kids' backsides.
Yup, we humans sure pay a lot of attention to baby bottoms.
***
I, especially, like to pay attention to my kids' butts. For some reason, I got overly interested in what goes into taking care of their posterior a few years back. Someone I worked with at the time, brought their toddler into work and was showing off her son's diapers.
I was immediately interested.
Not that diapers are usually a thought provoking conversation piece, but the cool thing about these diapers was that they were handmade.
Yup. She had made her kid some diapers. Out of cloth.
And would you believe it? Those were the coolest things I ever saw (as far as diapers were concerned). I mean, they had a cute print on the outside, and were soft cotton on the inside, and they closed using velcro. So neat. I was instantly fascinated in this world called, "cloth diapering."
I mean, since when did cloth diapers get so "user friendly?"
The more I looked into it, the more it seemed completely do-able to use cloth diapers on my soon-to-be-born baby (my third, Caleb). I was already thinking about the financial pinch it would cause to have a THIRD child in diapers, so I did plenty of research. Come to find out, there were so many different types and styles and patterns to choose from. Not to mention cost. I could spend a little or a lot, or I could make my own. And as far as washing them, I learned that most Moms don't "dunk" their diapers in the toilet like our grandmothers did. New detergents were so effective, that you could simply throw a dirty diaper in a pail, then dump the pail in the washer, add soap, and start it up. Out came clean diapers. No mess, no hassle.
And I really liked the idea of that soft, fluffy cotton on my baby's butt.
(And come to find out, there's nothing like wrapping your child's posterior in a clean, warm, fragrant diaper fresh out of the dryer.......ahhhhhhhh.)
***
I ended up researching everything diaper, and found a cloth diapering style that suited me best. I needed durable (because I knew we were having more kids), easy, and inexpensive. I didn't end up with the fancy type diapers like my friend had made, but what I got, I liked.
And I can't tell you how much money it has saved me to use cloth diapers over the years.
Now, I will say, that I haven't used cloth exclusively on my last 4 children, but every child has had the opportunity to wear them. My diapers have lasted this long, and they still work great. You just aren't wasting your money having cloth diapers around. They're so versatile.
~We use them when a child (even our friends' kids!) has a painful yeast infection.
~We use them to catch drool on a pillow.
~We use some of the worn out ones for cleaning the car (or anything that needs a "soft touch")
~We use them to get on top of recurring diaper rashes.
~Michaela uses our largest diapers as bibs.
And the styles and options keep growing and getting better and even more user-friendly. It's really not a problem to wash, dry, and use cloth diapers. You can even get cloth wipes. I have some, but I found it easier to just use disposable wipes. Especially since I don't use wipes every time I change a diaper.
In general, I would say that disposable diapers are the easiest thing to use when it comes to keeping your child's rear in pristine condition. HOWEVER, most moms find out pretty quick that there's more to life than just convenience, and that includes what's pampering your little one's backside. I mean, how convenient is it to have to keep switching diaper brands because each one makes your baby break out? And how nice is it to hear your little 3-month-old screaming constantly from a horrible yeast infection they got from an antibiotic? Don't forget the price of those things: it's like rubbing your money in doggy doo-doo and throwing it in the trash. Not ideal by far.
So let me just put a bug in your ear: think about using cloth sometime. You've got the internet.....look some stuff up! And if you're not doing the "kid thing" these days, tell someone you love who is. Maybe it's something that would really work out for them.
Here's a website started by a Mom who wants to help people try out cloth. She lets you try different types of diapers for free, just so you can get a feel for what would work for you. Wish she had this up and running when I was looking into it!
And just to whet your appetite, here's some pics of baby Gabe in his favorite fanny fashions:
The diaper part, kept together by a cool "Snappi" gadget (no pins)
A white "snap on" diaper cover, my personal favorite
A very cute velcro print cover that's also very easy to use
Give your soft-bottomed baby the best in bottom attire---cloth diapers!
