Baby steps

Nothing like a new baby to slow down your blogging! Our new Mouth to feed is a joy, but it’s safe to say that the first two weeks of parenthood have kicked my butt.

Speaking of butts, one bloggable nugget has emerged from the recent haze of sleep deprivation and poop overload. It has to do with the derriere—specifically, what to cover the soft, newborn bum with. (And don’t even talk to me about elimination communication. At least not at this stage of the game.)

Anyone who has even thought about procreating is probably aware of the environmental debate over disposable vs. cloth diapers. Disposable nappies aren’t very earth-friendly to produce and take forever to biodegrade; cloth ones require water and electricity to clean—and if you use a diaper service, you have to factor in the transportation factors as well. It’s a classic case of the importance of considering embodied energy.

Now there’s a new entrant to the debate: gDiapers, which feature a reusable cloth outer layer and a biodegradable liner that you flush down the toilet. According to the company’s site, the liner has been given two thumbs up from the Cradle to Cradle guys. Now, gDiapers are old news to parents with diaper-wearing kids, but Mr. Wallet Mouth and I only recently learned of them, and I’m happy to report that (a) they fit our infant’s bum fairly well (they don’t work for every baby) and (b) we’ve not found them to be too much of a pain in the ass, though they are more work than disposables.

Also, the gDiapers website says the company works with China Labour Watch “to keep an eye on the mill we use to ensure workers are treated fairly and working conditions are constantly being improved.”

Still, I can’t help but feel guilty about all the extra water we’re using with all these additional flushes, especially since we live in an apartment with a regular, non-low-flow toilet. One of these days I’ll get around to rectifying that, but probably not until I’ve had more sleep.

Comments

[cassie]

Can't you put a milk jug or something in your toilet to make it low-flow?

Check out this article - an easy project for Mr. Wallet Mouth!
http://www.greendaily.com/2008/01/06/how-to-make-your-old-toilet-a-low-flush-model-on-the-cheap/

[Bronwyn Ximm]

Hey, cool, thanks!