They have a 12 step program for this right?

My husband laughingly jokes, "They have a 12 step program for this right?" He's talking about my love affair with cloth diapers. It IS a love affair because there are many nights I've abandoned him to stalk web pages and blogs to learn more about cloth diapers.

How did I get started with this? It was 5 years before I ever became pregnant. A friend was having a baby and I wanted to make her something, so I thought cloth diapers should be fairly easy. HA! Little did I know you needed you need to know HOW to sew in order TO sew. To make a very long story short, it was a dismal failure. So, I ended up purchasing 36 preemie prefolds. I was going to hand embroider a bunch for her to use as burp cloths and distribute the rest to my husband and family members to use for house cleaning and car detailing. However, my friend ended up getting a gift card to Babies r us. I just couldn't part with the cloth diapers. They were so small and so cute, and I could just imagine putting this cute white fluff on a baby's butt – I was in love, so in my basement they went, and off to my computer I went to learn more.

A warm fuzzy feeling enveloped me when I started researching information on cloth diapers. I read about cotton, hemp, bamboo, prefolds, AIO, AI2, Pockets, fitteds, inserts, liners – I couldn't get enough information fast enough. They were cute, environmentally friendly, and a lot cheaper than disposables, exactly what my husband needed to hear to jump on the cloth diaper bandwagon. – [The fact that I said I would do all the diaper laundry didn't hurt either. Smiles.]

Fast forward five years later. I'm finally pregnant with our first child and I began buying more cloth diapers. The very same day that I got the positive pregnancy test I bought 36 infant sized prefolds and 6 newborn/small sized covers. I figured I could wash every 2-3 days and that I was set. I then said to myself, "I'm going to need toddler sized prefolds eventually", so I went ahead and bought 36 of those too. – Oh, how am I going to attach the diapers? Check. I bought 5 Snappies and a few sets of diaper pins. Covers, I need larger sized covers. Check. 7 one sized covers ordered. Then, I thought I was done, and I was - for a few months.

Fast forward 5 months later, and then I discovered The Cloth Diaper Whisperer. See where this is going? With so many reviews and articles on so many diapers, I was officially beyond the point of no return. bumGenius has hook and loop closures- that would be easier for my husband to change the diapers. Check, I purchased three. I read older babies will sometimes remove hook and loop diapers. Check. I bought three bumGenius in snaps. I read about the Kawaii diaper and they were so cute with all the different prints, I had to have some. Check. I bought six. I saw some Valentine's Day diapers on eBay and thought they would look cute on our new little girl. Check, I bought two. I read the one-sized diapers really start to fit well between 8-10lbs so I had no pocket diapers to use when we first bring her home. Check. Seven pocket diapers purchased in four different brands in sizes small enough to cover a newborn. AIO's, I didn't have any AIO's. Check. One of each of three different brands purchased. I read some more. Check. I purchased six hemp doublers in case she was a heavy wetter. Because my stash should really be a broad mix of diaper styles - Check. I bought three more diapers in different brands. I should really be using cloth wipes too. Check. Two dozen purchased. Then, of course, I read some more, then Check. Check. Check. Phew!

I believe I now have enough diapers in every size to cover my baby from birth to potty training washing diapers three days a week with enough hook and loop diapers to make changing convenient for my husband. But then again, I have six and a half more weeks until the baby gets here and with Kelly's Closet's free shipping opportunities and great coupons…well…… maybe I do need to start looking for a 12 step program.