As part of our Earth Day 2010 Contest, Sarah J (our winner in the Seasoned Mom category) shares her thoughts on why cloth diapers have been a good fit for her family:

I can still remember the first day - everything swirling around in my mind - toys, diapers, rashes, feeding, dog barking, my older son yelling and my baby crying AGAIN.  It was like slow motion.  I had tried EVERYTHING.  I  was at my wit's end.  My baby had the WORST diaper rash and NOTHING was helping.  I had switched to every kind of disposable diaper and diaper cream.  I shudder to think of the environmental impact that all of this had not to mention the economical impact that the experience had on my wallet.  I opened my mailbox and found an ad for cloth diapers.  Cloth diapers - the ONLY diapers I had not tried.  So I ventured.  I bought a pack of Bummi's Prefold diapers and pre-washed them three times to prepare them to be absorbent. Skeptical?  Absolutely!  I was at my wit's end remember?  My daughter was colicky and rashy and miserable.  Nothing helped.  Nothing stopped the rash or the crying.  I put the diaper on and waited.  First pee change - rash was less.  Second pee change - rash was less.  Third change - NO rash.  Seriously?  Wow - I was hooked!!  Even my husband who thought my project was crazy, jumped on board with great excitement!  Our daughter never had a rash again and she potty trained at 18 months. Since that monumental moment we have had another daughter who is cloth diapered since birth.  She is also rash free.  She is our cloth diaper tester and has worn most of what is out there.  She certainly has her favourites at 8 months old!! I have pangs of guilt daily that my oldest child was not cloth diapered because I think that it helps to set a precedent for how they will treat the environment - though he is very earthy now helping with his sisters.  It has become a way of life for them!  We wash our diapers in the evening and then my middle daughter helps to hang them on the line.  My middle daughter doesn't know what a disposable diaper is and I hope to keep it that way!  I have talked to many a new mom and mom-to-be about the benefits of cloth diapering.  The biggest EXCUSE that I hear is that it is "too much work".  Honestly I tell them that they can't AFFORD not to try. How much work is a load of laundry??  Start the wash and walk away.  That isn't a lot of work and the benefits to their darling skin, the environment and your wallet are AMAZING!!