The debate rages: cloth or disposables?

GrandBoy is trying out cloth diapers for a while. Face it, the cost of buying disposables in bulk every time you turn around does mount up. So Kate is giving cloth diapers a whirl to see if they fit into the modern lifestyle. There seem to be all sorts of makes and models now - not just a square of soft cotton (grab the rubber pants, folks) and safety pins.

I reckon one can make an environmental argument for using cloth instead of tossing all those soggy disposables in the garbage - though, running two or three loads of diapers through a washer and dryer every day must have an environmental impact as well.

I must confess that when Kate was a baby, cloth diapers never crossed my mind. OK, maybe briefly when I was pregnant and doing a hot Krispy Kreme run, passing one of the local diaper services en route - but, seriously? No. Disposables were just too easy - hang the cost - and Kate never suffered from any rashes or infections, so, yeah, I was all about disposables. And our mothers thought we were so lucky to have disposables (and clothes dryers).

Environmental pressures are greater today (sorry, I draw my touchy-feely save-the-environment line at air conditioning and disposable diapers), and cloth diapers come in a lot of configurations now. Plus, no pins.

I'll get to see how they work up-close-and-personal once I land in Atlanta tomorrow. I still have some concerns over the "shitey-nappies," greatly preferring to hold my nose, wad 'em up, and toss 'em in the diaper pail for trash. I'm hoping they've invented something that just magically makes all that stuff disappear without much work on my part.

In the end, whatever works for whoever's having to do the work is just fine by me. Cloth, disposable - doesn't really matter. Though, Kate may want to check the trash for "loaded" diapers if I'm the one doing the changing.

I will report back. With pictures.