For example, a couple weekends ago I was at a baby shower for a friend. This friend had come to visit at my house a while back and I had of course had to show her all about my cloth diapers. This is her first baby and I wanted to get her hooked right from the start. She looked and said they were pretty neat. She didn’t say much more than that so I didn’t push. Later I heard she wanted to at least try cloth and see what she liked so we chatted a bit and I said, “Ok, for your shower gift I am going to get you some cloth diapers.” Now fast-forward to the shower. When she opened the gift she held it up for everyone and showed them the unbleached Indian prefolds and Thirsties Duo Wrap in size 1 that I bought along with a One Size Pocket Diaper I had gifted to her. I also had given her some baby wash cloths from the dollar store to use as cloth wipes. I love mine and it is so affordable to buy them that way! Confidently tucked on the bottom was the neat instruction sheet Kelly’s Closet puts in every order to help you figure out how to wash and prep you diapers. (Thanks Kelly’s Closet!) I could see from some people they were a little confused on why I gave her that gift. On a side note we decorated one-sies for the baby and I made one that said, “Does this diaper make my butt look big?” I thought it was fitting! After the gift opening I had a group of about 10 gather around the table as I showed this friend how to use the diapers I had given her. I even had my 7 month old twins along in the same Duo Wraps that I gave her to show her how they looked on a baby! While I answered their questions I had several who were pregnant or wanting another baby get really interested and ask me to just write an email to this friend so she could forward it to them! We went ahead and photocopied the instruction sheet from Kelly’s Closet (Thanks again!) so they had the basics in hand. One even asked if I sold the diapers. I of course said no and she said you should!
I think to most of the gals when they heard that you could save up to $2000 or more using cloth on your first baby and it would be even more for your second or more children they got more interested. Of course the infamous “poop” question was asked and when I explained the options and that it really isn’t that bad the idea of cloth again looked more appealing.By the end of the day I was using my status as being a friend of their friend to teach some friends of a friend all about cloth diapers and even converted one bride to-be to cloth diaper her future children! How great is it that even though her wedding is towards the end of summer she was already on board with using cloth diapers for the children she planned to have! I can’t wait to give another gift of cloth diapers to her when her first child is born!
If we all inform another mom about our cloth diapers and some of the great facts that go along with using cloth diapers maybe we can cut down the 6 degrees to 3 or to really have high and lofty goals how about 1 degree away from knowing people using cloth diapers!
By Alyssa N.
16 comments:
I started using cloth because I felt empowered by knowing someone who used them. I think the same goes for lots of moms. Since I've made the switch (two months ago) I can name four moms who did after me! We are a communal bunch!
What an awesome thought!
I have chatted with a few new cloth converts and fluff-curious moms and moms to be this week and it has been so encouraging! It's amazing how people's ideas on cloth change when they see how stinking cute our babies' diapers are :]
I live near Boulder, CO, which is sort of like "hippy central". We even have a brick-and-mortar modern cloth diaper store about half an hour from my house! Diaper services are big here, so many of the folks we know using cloth just use covers and prefolds because of that, but they still like their cloth even without the pocket diapers.
A friend of ours was visiting recently after having moved to Cali and he commented that he doesn't think he knows ANY friends with children who use DISPOSABLES. How awesome is that?! In his circle of friends, we're a little weird not because we cloth diaper, but because we wash them ourselves.
This would be why I want to open a cloth diapering retail business that provides the opportunity to meet with moms and let them see the different diapers out there. I love my cloth diapers and I have only been using them for 3 months now. I wish there was a store around me that had lots to different brands and kinds so I could have really looked at them before I bought. I am currently writing a business plan and trying to find the resources to open a store in my area.
I considered and chose cloth diapers because of other friends who used them. I asked lots of questions ahead of time and was soon researching myself and became addicted to cloth even before I had ordered any. I also gave 2 pocket dipes to a friend of mine for her baby shower (and included the Kelly's Closet instruction sheet!). Most people there didn't know what to think of the gift. I knew she was considering cloth but I think my gift actually pushed her over the brink to start using them because the next thing I knew she had ordered 20 more of the same pocket dipes! She even took it a step further and brought and used her cloth while on a mission trip over seas! We love talking about cloth whenever we get a chance!
Way to go! I've had three different moms-to-be come over to my house specifically to learn more about cloth diapers and see them on my little girl in action. :)
I started using cloth because two of my friends used cloth, and now one of my friends is trying out cloth. It helps to have friends to ask questions and learn new things, especially when it comes to our children.
Just an AWEsome post. I will talk up cloth diapering every chance I get---when asked of course. :)
That is very awesome that you were able to teach a friend and her friends about cloth. I only had my Mother teach me. And out of all us girls (me, my Sister, Sister In Law and a few cousins) I am the only one who is cloth diapering. So I don't really get to teach anyone. I always have to defend my reasons. Even when they know just how bad of a allergic reaction my son had over 5 years ago to sposies.
To me it is so amazing though that people can become so interested after they see just how cute and interesting cloth is. I love when people realize it isn't all flats, pins and rubber pants!
I made all the diapers that my 2 best Friends use on their children. I have no children of my own. I live in a house with one of my friends who I made diapers for her little one. She told me that she had thought about Cloth diapering since she took a class in college that showed how bad for the environment and for babies disposables are. She had planned on using a service but there isn't one in our town and she wouldn't have the money anyway. She loves the diapers I made her. Now several people in my church are wanting to learn to make their own diapers for their little ones. It is great. I have made so many diapers for some one with no children of her own. But I talk to anyone who will listen about cloth diapering.
I wish you could of been at my shower. To this day i get strange looks from people when i tell them i cloth diaper. I dont know any one else that does. My family understands it and supports it, my mom has even bought me a few to add to my stash. But refuses to learn how to use them.
I haven't converted anyone just yet, but I talk up cloth every chance we get. I know one person who is expecting right now that said she might consider cloth because she was here when I got some fluff mail and she loved looking through it all with me and asked lots of questions. And my sister in law is young and not married yet but she said when she has kids she wants to use cloth, she asked me to save my cloth for her even.
How fun! I took a "sampler" set of a few kinds of dipes in our stash to work to show a friend who was interested and while I was there, three or four others saw them and were very interested, people I'd never have thought to share with :).
Thanks for the post! I get the question "is that a cloth diaper?" when I change my baby, and I really enjoy showing people. I hope cloth diapering is becoming and will become more NORMAL. People I know think it would be too hard and time consuming for them to do extra laundry. I think your twins are adorable in colorful (non-disposable) diapers!
My sister is now interested in cloth, and wants to try it when her baby is born in a few weeks. I like your idea of closing in the degrees of separation.
Thanks for all of the great responses to my post! I forgot to add in that post that I was turned on to cloth diapers because a friend of mine started using them and I jumped on board. I completely agree that it is so much easier to make the switch when you personally know someone else doing it! Let's keep spreading the word!
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