Why can't there only be one?

23 weeks

The above picture is just to show how big I'm getting. I noticed tonight that my belly button is almost gone... How did that happen?

Anyway, the actual topic of this post is cloth diapers. Stuart and I are generally waste-conscious, so it should come as no surprise that we want to use cloth. The thought of all those disposables going into landfills pains me.

So that's it. We made the decision. Cloth diapers it is.

Turns out it's not that easy. As I'm discovering with just about every baby-related thing, there's never a simple choice or decision. There's not just one general type of cloth diaper -- there are several types of diaper systems that you must choose between before you can even decide which brand to buy. Pre-folds, all-in-one, all-in-two, pocket ... that's just a few. After reading multiple articles and watching several very helpful videos online (how did anyone figure this stuff out before the internet?) I've decided that each system seems to have a its own positives and negatives. Which doesn't bring me much closer to a decision.

We're all about ease of use. Especially Stuart, who seems to think that if he keeps saying that he's not going to change any diapers, then this will actually become the reality. Several of the systems look very appealing to me because they are easy. But then the question turns to which ones are actually effective when used on a wiggling newborn that will need to be changed 10 to 15 times per day (I read that online and still can't believe it's that frequent).

I'll definitely be turning to my mom friends for advice on this one. However, at the same time, I know every baby and every parent is different. A product that works perfect for one family may be completely wrong for another. But if any of you moms who use cloth are willing to let me come over sometime and at least see what type of system you use, I would appreciate it.

Overall, I feel like this baby product thing is more complicated than it should be. On the one hand, I'm really glad that innovative people in our society have come up with all these great ways to make child-rearing easier. I'm thankful for all these diaper options that make the process much easier than the square piece of cloth and diaper pins my mom used on me.

But at the same time, it can seem to get a bit out of control. Sometimes the options to protect baby from this or that other murderous thing just feel unnecessary. Babies survived for thousands of years without many of these products, so I shouldn't freak out if I don't have all these products for my own child.

So I'll just keep plodding along in my research, try to pick what looks good, and not be too concerned if I have to adjust my choices later. My baby won't be permanently harmed if I pick the wrong diaper. Once my baby is here, I'll learn a lot more about what's right for him, and I'm open to that. This is obviously the most level-headed way to approach these things.

Of course, all that level-headedness goes out the window when I think about strollers. But that's for another time.