One of my besties visited me over the weekend. She is one of those friends with whom I can pick up like no time has passed even though we rarely talk on the phone and it’s been more than a year since we’ve seen each other.

Maybe it’s because the two of us can still finish each other’s sentences after spending six weeks together backpacking through Europe when we graduated from college and before we moved to the big city to start real jobs. Maybe it’s because she was friends with my husband before I was, saw some similarities and insisted that we go out on a date. Or maybe it’s just because since the minute we met during freshman year in college, our souls have connected. Whatever it is, visits with my old pal are never often enough and always leave us crying and saying “we HAVE to do this more often” and “why did we wait so long?”

There is really something special about good girlfriends, isn’t there? Yet so many of us don’t make time for those friends who restore us and uplift us. Anyway… that’s beside the point. Back to my smart friend…

We spent most of our day together catching up, watching our kids play and wondering where the last 15 years have gone. My friend is a relatively new mommy, her firstborn is 8 months old, so the conversation – as it almost always does with moms – eventually turned to parenting topics.

For hours we discussed and debated everything from balancing career and family (she will be going back to work in a few weeks) to sleeping training to inspiring our girls to be confident but not mean to others to how we suddenly have short fuses with our own mothers. I had mentioned cloth diapering briefly in past conversations, but we finally had a chance for her to ask me questions about it. And questions she asked.

I answered each one dutifully and honestly. Went through my weekly routine. The ups and downs. Differences between cloth and disposable diapering.

And then my astute friend said: “So, you mentioned all these reasons why cloth is so great. But why do you really do it?” What was my one reason for cloth diapering above all others? I had never thought of it like that. There are so many benefits, so many different reasons that a group of five cloth mamas might have five different answers.

My one thing is the environment. I just feel good when we only fill our trash can up halfway. When I don’t have to buy diapers that have been trucked to the store and are filled with chemicals that will eventually end up in a landfill after one use.

That’s it. My one thing. The reason over all others that I use cloth diapers. What’s yours?

After a few weeks of cloth diapering tips and tricks, Babble.com news and best green baby products, we’re thrilled to return to our Monday Mama series.

Meg M., new mom to six-month old Eli and wife to Josh, lives with her family outside of Pittsburgh, PA. She blogs about domestic open adoption, parenthood and life at God Will Fill This Nest. She is a developmental specialist for children from birth through three years old and also helps with her family’s restaurant.

Q: How have cloth diapers changed your life?
I honestly did not even know that anyone cloth diapered until two years ago when a family I see for my job began using FuzziBunz (I work for a state program for infants and toddlers with developmental delays). The second I saw that cute little baby running around with that fluffy bum, I knew I wanted to use them, but didn’t know much about them or have any kids yet. When we began the adoption process last year, one of the first things I did was purchase 24 Fuzzibunz One-Size Diapers from a local retailer, for the future baby that would come to our home one day. Little did I know that six short weeks later our son would be placed with us.

By choosing to cloth diaper Eli, I feel like I am giving him the best that we can offer as parents. The first few weeks that he spent in disposables were a constant mess of red skin and bleeding diaper rash…since the switch his skin has been clear and healthy. I like knowing we are doing something natural, and safe, and beneficial for him. I have added to my diaper “stash” since he was born and am in love with new Fuzzibunz Elites that we just purchased. Adoption is also expensive, and I always tell waiting adoptive families that cloth diapering is one way to recoup some of the agency cost. By the time Eli is potty trained, we will have saved enough money to offset application and home study fees. Between the cost and the benefits to our child, it has certainly changed our life for the better.

Q: The first thing I do when I wake up is….
Honestly, the first thing I do is look over and stare at my baby in thankful amazement. Even though he is over six months old, Eli still sleeps in a mini-crib in our bedroom for attachment purposes. Every morning, I check on my sweet baby and feel overwhelmed with how awesome his story is. I love that he is close by and that he is learning early that we will always be there for him. And….the second thing I do is check Facebook on my phone….not quite so deep and moving, huh?

Q: No matter how much time it takes, I always….
Find time to talk to my friends and husband. I love my family, and LOVE being a mother. However, we mamas (and dads!) need to remember to also care for ourselves and foster healthy relationships. Even if its a 15-minute phone conversation with my best friend, I try to make sure to stay connected, to ask about how others are doing and to (very) occasionally go out for lunch or coffee without the babies. I think it makes us better parents in the long run. Playdates are fantastic and certainly one of my favorite parts of motherhood. But the “Girls Night Out” dinner I had with some friends from church this week was equally needed and actually re-energizing for me. Of course, we still talked about babies half the time anyways…but I returned home that evening ready to cuddle Eli, feeling refreshed as a mommy.

Q: The most unusual thing in my diaper bag or purse is…..
A random assortment of pamphlets and flyers on community events. Being employed in human services for seven years, I accumulate a lot of “stuff” in my car, bag and house. Providing families with resources as a career trickles over into my personal life, too. I love being able to whip out a brochure for someone about a local daycare, pull out my phone and give a friend the names and numbers of two local eye specialists for kids or tell everyone I know where the upcoming community rummage sales are. MOPS, special needs and adoption support groups, and free events for kids are all on my radar. Community connectedness is important to me and I like to pass that knowledge on to others.

Q: If I could live in one outfit for the rest of my life, it would be….
I do like style and enjoy dressing up when its appropriate…but I am all about comfort! I would have to say my favorite outfit is my black capri pants that are sooooo faded and old, and a cotton tank top (with a zip up hoodie if its chilly!). Flip-flops are also my shoe of choice. We spend weekends through the summer at our family’s cabin in the mountains and my capris/tank/flip-flops is my uniform for the warm months. The second I get home from work, I change into “comfy clothes”- then I feel like I can relax, hang out with my husband and play with Eli. I even have a stash of comfy clothes at my mom’s house for when we go there to hang out!

A few weeks ago, our Cloth Diapering Unwrapped blogger Sarah took a new laundry detergent option out for a spin. You might already be familiar with Eco Nuts, which are berries that grow in the Himalayas and naturally produce a soap that is eco-friendly and gentle on sensitive skin. Sarah said that not only to soap nuts clean her cloth diapers but “the great news is that soap nuts work incredibly well on regular laundry too.  I’ve used them with my kids’ clothes and they come out buttery soft, fluffy and easy to fold.  When I used them for the first time on my husband’s and my whites, he actually asked me if I’d changed detergents because he loved the way his undershirts felt.”

Because we want you to experience soap nuts too, our friends at Eco Nuts have offered to give one (1) lucky FuzziBunz blog reader a 100-load box of Eco Nuts soap nuts ($12 retail value). All you have to do to enter is follow the instructions below via Rafflecopter using Facebook or Twitter.

Good luck to all and happy laundry day!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As moms, we have a love/hate relationship with poop.

We hate it for the obvious stinky, gag-inducing reasons. But the love part is a little harder to describe and certainly something I never, ever thought I’d ever say. Ever. In a million years.

Anyway, since the day my son was born, I have been borderline obsessed with what ends up in the diaper. I think the nurses at the hospital probably inspired this obsession. Or perhaps the countless baby books I read while pregnant with my first. But either way, poop is kinda my thing.

When my son was a baby, he was in disposables (before I had my cloth diaper enlightenment, obviously) and I was so into checking out the poop that whenever my mom changed a poopy diaper, she would leave it for me to examine. Actually, it was less like examining, more like quickly checking it over for anything unusual, but it was important to me.

Looking at their poop (heck, looking at our own poop) is a good way to tell what’s going on on the inside. It’s one of the first measures of a healthy newborn, one of the first questions at each pediatrician visit and one of the first lessons you learn as a mom: What does the poop say? Poop can indicate anything from food sensitivities to full-blown allergies, constipation, illness, dehydration or an over- or under-supply of nutrients. And man, do those blueberries do a number.

Checking out the poop is so important. And as I thought about it, I realized that cloth diapering parents are in a much better position to notice and diagnose issues with the poop than those with kids in disposables. Think about it. Most moms changing a baby’s poopy disposable diaper are going to glance at it once, say “ewww,” then quickly clean it up with disposable wipes, which are probably piled on top of the offending excrement, wrap up the diaper into a small ball, throw it in the trash and forget about it.

Cloth diaperers, on the other hand, are rinsing, spraying or otherwise cleaning the poop from the diaper. For good or bad, we spend a lot more time with it. That’s a lot more time to consider the consistency and frequency of moving bowels, investigate anything out of the ordinary, or even notice when something is out of the ordinary.

As someone who has poked around in more dirty diapers than I care to admit, the realization that cloth diaperers probably have a better handle on what’s going on in their baby’s insides, was a pretty significant one. It’s nice to know that if something serious was going on in my little one, I would likely see something unusual as I was rinsing out the diaper and perhaps we could catch it sooner. Just one more advantage of cloth diapering.*

Have you ever noticed something unusual while rinsing out a cloth diaper that turned out to be a serious issue? Is there a food your baby likes that always surprises you on the other end? Join us on Facebook and let us know!

*Writer’s Note: This is not to say that disposable diapering parents don’t notice what’s going on with the poop, I know most of them do, but I think cloth diapering parents are forced to confront it when they are faced with getting the diapers clean.

We get tons of email every day but we love it when great news lands in our inbox! This past week, our friends at Babble.com notified us that we were included in Babble’s Best Cloth Diaper 2012: Top Picks for All-in-ones, Prefolds and More.

We’re delighted to be in such great company! We loved reading writer Casey Mullins’s thoughts about FuzziBunz, including, “FuzziBunz’s cloth diapers can save parents a bundle on disposables. If you have a child who needs diapers for an extended period of time, be it bedwetting or special needs, no other diaper we found went up to the XXL size (70 pounds) like FuzziBunz Perfect Size diapers.”

For more about cloth diapering, be sure to visit Babble.com to read the full article.

Nevermind that there is a steady, cold rain coming down outside my window and rain is predicted for the rest of the week. My mind is on spring, spring, spring! There are so many things I look forward to each spring, but this year, there are a few at the top of my list:

1. Planting our garden. We dipped our toe in the waters of gardening last year and I’m looking forward to planting a full kid-friendly raised garden bed this year. Currently, our plan includes tomatoes, corn, pumpkins, green beans, lettuce and some herbs…but I’d love to hear any of your ideas for kid-friendly, edible gardening!

2. Sunning the diapers. I can’t wait to get the drying rack out of our guest bedroom and into the backyard again! I’m craving the smell of diapers dried in the sun.

3. Leaving the coats behind. I swear, not wrestling two kids into coats saves me at least five precious minutes every time we leave the house. That’s at least an hour every week of time saved. We aren’t quite there yet, but we’ve had enough warm days for me to look forward to walking out the back door in what we’re wearing.

4. Fresh air. The air in this house is starting to feel stale and I’m itching to get the windows open and let the breeze and sunshine inside. I know come August, it will be too hot to keep the windows open, but airing it out in the spring is one of my favorite things!

5. No pants! My daughter is still wearing pants, tights or leggings under skirts and dresses. Ev-er-y-daaaay. I’m so sick of it. I just want to put her in her fun, flowy cotton spring and summer dresses and let her diaper show!

6. Bring on the pastels. Along the same lines, I’m consistently reaching for the pastel diapers these days. Very fresh, very spring-y, very fun. You should have seen my diaper basket the last time I stuffed and put away diapers. I put the pinks, blues, greens and whites in the front (where I grab first), meanwhile oranges and browns were relegated to the back of the basket (your time will come again , fall colors!)

7. Getting in shape. My kids both like riding in the stroller, thank goodness. So getting out every day to walk, jog and just play at the park will be good for my waistline and for tiring out two active kiddos. Plus, we always see something interesting, run into a friend or find something new for my son’s “nature box.”

8. Dining alfresco. One of my favorite things to do is eat outside. We had so many fun evenings as a family last spring and summer just hanging out and having dinner in the back yard. Now that my daughter is a little more self-sufficient, I’m looking forward to enjoying a glass of wine with my husband while relaxing on the deck, watching them play sweetly together in the sandbox. Ahhhh. A girl can dream, right?

9. Reconnecting with the neighbors. We always say that we hit the jackpot when we moved into our neighborhood. The people here truly care about their neighbors and the kids of all ages have fun playing together. *In nice weather.* The neighbors that we enjoy impromptu happy hours with during the warm months, we barely see when it’s cold outside. I’m looking forward to getting outside and building those memories for my kids and myself.

10. No shoveling!! My husband travels for work a lot, so its Murphy’s Law that whenever there is a snowstorm, he has just left for a business trip and I am stuck with the shoveling (when we got 22 inches last winter, he was conveniently in Florida on business!). When spring comes, I’m always happy to take that worry off of my plate for a few months.

11. FuzziBunz Spring Prints! Just announced yesterday, I already can’t wait to get my hands on the bright, bold Strawberry Delight cloth diaper to add a little bit of spring to my cloth diaper collection.

The change of seasons always gets me excited and spring is no different. What are you looking forward to as the weather gets warmer? What does spring mean to you?

Sarah is a mom of two and blogs about her adventures in motherhood, cloth diapering and everything in between. Catch her “Cloth Diapering Unwrapped” series on the FuzziBunz blog every Tuesday.

Kim loved the fun, bright colors

“After sharing the Strawberry Delight and Whimsical Whale cloth diaper prints with several moms, we got overwhelmingly positive feedback. These moms told us that they felt the new prints truly represented their tastes and styles,” says Tereson Dupuy, the founder and CEO of FuzziBunz® and who is also known as the Mother of the Modern Cloth Diaper. “The best part is that the latest prints can be repurposed as a cloth swim diaper too, making them as versatile as they are sweet.”

The two new spring cloth diaper prints include:

FuzziBunz® Strawberry Delight: Strawberry Delight is a whimsical and magical cloth diaper print that will please any baby girl and the parents who love her.  With swirling pink strawberries surrounded by luscious oranges, this cloth diaper design, available in both the FuzziBunz® One Size Elite and Perfect Size options, looks good enough to eat. (Do not eat them, of course!)

FuzziBunz® Whimsical Whale: This cloth diaper print design will bring a delightful squeal to any baby and his or her doting mom or dad. Whimsical whales adorn this blue and aqua green reusable cloth diaper also available in One Size Elite and Perfect Size options.

Kim Rosas, the owner of the popular blog Dirty Diaper Laundry, says, “The prints are fun and colorful, with patterns that made me smile. FuzziBunz is right on trend this season, with the fashion-forward neon colors and fruit-themed pattern.”

FuzziBunz® forever changed the modern cloth diapering world when it was introduced on the market in 2000. Today, FuzziBunz® diapers are available in One Size Elite cloth diaper and Perfect Size cloth diaper options. The One Size Elite diaper is one of the most adjustable cloth diapers on the market and is made to grow with a child from birth through toddlerhood. The Perfect Size diaper, which comes in x-small, small, medium and large sizes, is made for parents who want a sized diaper that fits perfectly every time with no adjustments needed.

Another blogger, Gina Crosley-Corcoran of The Feminist Breeder, adds, “I absolutely adore the new FuzziBunz prints and am very happy that FuzziBunz has added prints to its line of wonderful cloth diapering products and accessories. Prints were the one thing about the brand that I wanted but was missing.”

The new spring FuzziBunz® cloth diaper prints retail for $13.95-$16.95 (Perfect Size) and $19.95 (One Size Elite) and are available at a variety of stores on- and off-line worldwide.

Further, FuzziBunz® is making several other new additions to the FuzziBunz® collection, which include:

Specialty Sizes: FuzziBunz® Perfect Size diapers now come in specialty sizes XL and XXL for larger babies/children or special needs children who require diapering for extended periods of time.

Comfort Pads: FuzziBunz® is now offering new colors in their line of super absorbent, ultra discreet and oh-so-easy to wash Comfort Pads for eco-minded menstruating moms.

For more information about FuzziBunz® or any of these new products, please visit http://www.FuzziBunz.com. 

About FuzziBunz®

Known as the “gold standard in cloth diapering,” the patented FuzziBunz® cloth diapers are a modern, convenient and sustainable diapering solution for today’s busy parents. The reusable pocket cloth diapers ensure no leaks, no rash and no waste. FuzziBunz® diapers include three layers: 1) a waterproof outer barrier to keep wetness contained, 2) a soft microfleece inner layer that touches a baby’s skin and pulls away moisture, and 3) a unique, pocket-style opening that enables a parent to customize the absorbency using super absorbent micro-terrycloth pads. Stay-at-home-mom, Tereson Dupuy, invented FuzziBunz® in January 1999 in response to her infant son’s chronic diaper rash and her overall dissatisfaction with all available diapers.  Tereson stitched the first FuzziBunz® in her home and a short time later, the modern cloth diapering movement was born. For more information about FuzziBunz® cloth diapers and accessories and to find a list of retailers, please visit www.FuzziBunz.com.

We hope you’ll enjoy this clip as much as we did!

Some of you did just that and we put together a quick video montage so that you could all experience the great event together. We are grateful for everyone in our community who is helping to spread the word about the importance of using cloth diapers.

Now, go grab some popcorn and sit back to watch The Great Cloth Diaper Change in action!