As the debate rages on between cloth and disposable diapers, their is a lesser known third option that bypasses diapers alltogether: elimination communication (EC). In many third world countries, diapers are not an option. When Ingrid Bauer visited India, she noticed that mothers would often be carrying diaperless babies fearlessly and with what seemed liked virtually no “accidents.” How is this possible? In many cultures, mothers develop an incredible sensitivity to their babies’ elimination needs and can hold them over an appropriate receptacle when that need should arise. Ingrid Bauer has written a book on EC entitled: Diaper Free: The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene.

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You might have heard the frightening statistic that disposable diapers are the third largest consumer item in landfills and make up about 4% of all solid waste. While most of us want to be as environmentally responsible as possible when it comes to diapers; the prospect of spending hours scraping poop and laundering cloth diapers can be daunting when you’re exhausted in your new role as a mom or dad. Luckily, gDiapers have come to the rescue! If you haven’t yet heard of gDiapers, they are the world’s first flushable, compostable diaper, pairing the “green” attributes of cloth diapers with the convenience of disposables. As a new mom of a five week old baby, gDiapers have been a godsend for my time-constrained eco-aspirations. They are cute, comfy and most importantly, easy to use, and I can’t recommend them more highly.

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In today’s tricky economy, things are getting more expensive and costly all of the time. A great way to save money for the family is by home laundering your baby’s cloth diapers. We are all for the DIY spirit when it comes to doing-it-yourself with eco-friendly methods. Granted not everyone has the time to do household chores from start to finish, but if home laundering is something you want to fit into your busy parenting schedule, consider the following helpful tips to make the most out of your green laundering experience.

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As a continuation of our ongoing series on cloth diapering, we thought that we would share some simple tips for new (perhaps sleep-deprived) parents on getting started with cloth diapers at home. If you’ve made the decision to use cloth diapers, and you have all the supplies you need, it’s time to get started! Have no fear, the following tips will help you on your way to cloth diapering with true ease!

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In our ongoing efforts to try to make cloth diapering a breeze, we have put together some simple guidelines for essential items that might make the diapering process a bit more eco friendly and manageable. Hooray, if you have decided that cloth diapers are right for you! Now it’s time to get busy and stock up on the basic nursery items that you’ll need to make the diapering process easy and fool-proof for everyone involved!

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Let’s face it, we are all trying to do the right thing these days, both as parents and as environmentally conscious consumers. For some, disposable diapers is the best route to go, for others - cloth diapers are the obvious choice. We are certainly not about preaching ‘the diapering gospel’ here at Inhabitots, but for those of you who opt for cloth and are confused about which cloth diaper to buy, here you go!

I have had the opportunity to test several different types of cloth diapers, and I have put together the following list of benefits and drawbacks of each of these options, along with my personal brand choice for each category.

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Mention the word ‘cloth diaper’ to a modern, harried urbanite and you are likely to be met with a look of shock and horror. When I tell my friends about cloth diapering, the response is usually, “But isn’t that SOOO messy and time consuming? All that laundering and poop scraping?” Despite a prejudice in our culture towards the quick-fix disposable, cloth diapers are really the only green choice when it comes to diapering. Not only are cloth diapers healthier, more economical and eco-friendly than their plastic cousins — but their ease of use and convenience has significantly improved over the last decade. Here are five great reasons to go cloth:

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