As I write, there’s a plastic bucket sitting next to my toilet holding the day’s dirty diapers. My first act tomorrow morning? Washing those diapers in my tub and hanging them out to dry.
Not because I have to. Because I choose to.
Unlike so many families around the globe, I have a washer, and a dryer. I have electricity around the clock. My house is fully plumbed.
I have diapers.
This isn’t the reality of many mothers the world over. It certainly isn’t the situation many mothers here in America face; concern has been growing over the so-called “diaper gap.” A new awareness has finally dawned as those who have pause and consider that those who have not are pressured, daily, to provide everything … right down to what’s covering their baby’s bottom.
In March, The White House revealed a new initiative designed to meet the needs of the nearly 1 in 3 families confronted with either keeping the lights on or buying diapers. The problem? The focus was solely on disposables– which must be purchased over and over again. No mention of the frugality and freedom of cloth!
Cloth is impractical, critics contend. Without a washer or dryer, you can’t do cloth. Daycares won’t deal with it. And who can afford the start-up costs?
As someone who has faced the same challenges being addressed by those trying to cross the diapering divide, I know that the arguments don’t actually hold water. Handwashing is a viable option. Cloth-friendly daycares exist; even if they won’t accept cloth, using it at home takes the pressure off somewhat. And cost? Folks, you can cloth diaper on the cheap. Trust me.
With this in mind, I’m participating in the Flats and Handwashing Challenge for a second year. Using a one-time investment of inexpensive flats, receiving blankets, and covers, I’m hoping to convince at least one person that cloth can work for a family forced to choose between food and diapers.
Check back throughout the week to follow my journey.
