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I finally made myself sit down last night and order diapers and supplies. I spent just under $300, which sounds insane. Some of that cost will be spread over my entire diapering career (which will hopefully include more than just Ducky.) Cloth diapering has a lot of upfront costs, and we didn't, by any means, go the cheapest route that we could have--we should definitely still save money in the long run, but not as much as we would have if we'd stuck with the cheapest stuff. (But then, money is only one of three of our primary objectives, so it evens out--the environment and health benefits being the other two.) Another rule that we have set up is that we are buying only new stuff--at least at this point. I'm not that squeamish about the concept of using diapers that another kid has worn, exactly. I AM squeamish about the concept of bad, bad people who sell their used diapers with resistant staph infections thrown in for free. I read about an incidence of this happening on some forum somewhere, and it kind of made me realize that there's an element of trust in the used diaper game besides just with money. I am absolutely sure that almost all of the people who sell used diapers (do you have any idea how MANY people do this?) are selling their stuff in excellent, disease-free condition. I am also sure that this is something that a worrywart like myself just does not need to participate in right now. Reason #429928 that excessive worrying is inconvenient: it costs a lot of money.
This paragraph will be of interest to almost no one, but here's what I bought: three dozen Indian prefolds, a few Snappis, a pail liner, a wet bag, a total of eight covers (two of which were "free") in a mixture of newborn and small sizes and Bummis/Prorap/Imse Vimse brands, six newborn Kissaluvs, three Bum Genius 2.0 one-size diapers and one small Fuzzi Bunz just because I think they're cute. I intend to try to make a few fitteds myself, but I need to either find or draw a base pattern, and I find that a little daunting without an actual baby to test my finished products on. I ordered from Diaperware and No Pins 4 Baby.
Our day of shopping yesterday was fun, although (as expected) shorter than I really wished. I struck out on the pants, so I guess I'll be without jeans for a while, but I did buy three shirts. I have been in a shirt-catastrophe situation for weeks. We also stopped in at the crunchiest store I have ever seen in my entire life. It was so hippy that we sat in the car for a few minutes trying to work up the nerve to go inside. I found them by searching for cloth diaper sales in Lexington. It came complete with a woman breastfeeding openly in the middle of the store. Not that I have a problem with that by any means, but it sure emphasized what kind of store it was because you get thrown out of WalMart for that sort of thing. ;) I was actually thinking of buying diapers there and supporting a local business, but I just can't handle supporting a local business by paying $4.50 PER ITEM more than the online price... including the online price of THEIR OWN STORE. Not all of their prices were that bad, but that happened to be the one that I was planning on buying. I am glad that they're there, though, and may very well go back sometime for other stuff. My mom looks at me sometimes, when I tell her these things, and I can see the question in her eyes--where did I ever go wrong? ;) (kidding! My mom is generally pretty supportive even when she thinks I'm loony.)
I have been a bit on the defensive lately because I know that all decisions that I make will be judged by countless other parents who have (or whose partner has) squeezed out a baby. Everyone keeps assuring me that I don't have to worry about what other people think. The funny thing is that I don't, exactly. I am not planning on changing my mind on the things that are important to me because someone in my social circle doesn't approve--kind of the reverse. I am fairly contrary, and the more people nag me, the less likely I am to change my mind. I'm a Taurus, we're like that. Why was it so important to everyone that I stop being honest and start using more tact, when apparently no one else is required to play by the same rules? My mom nagged me for years to keep me from saying just what I thought at any time because she was tired of soothing ruffled feathers. No one ever tries to hold anything back when they're telling me what they think.
Actually, due to a resurgence of interest and discussion at work about the Meyers-Brigg personality type thing, I ran upon an article about INFJs that I think pretty much hits it. The article was claiming that people take things much more personally coming from an INFJ than they do from others, and specifically from INTJs (which M is, which is one reason it was so interesting.) That's pretty true--people are less likely to be offended by something M says than something I say. I believe the theory is because INFJs have a tendency to know what people are thinking, so any criticism feels more personal. I don't know. I just find it exhausting because what it means is that someone asks me a question, I answer them, they tell me that I am crazy for doing that when it's so much easier to do it the way THEY did it, and then they are somehow really offended when I very carefully--because I am now one with the tact--stick to my original plan. I just don't quite think that's fair but that seems to be what happens. I didn't say that their way was wrong, after all! So I have been disclaimering my way through the last few months, and.. well, really, it doesn't help so I guess I might as well stop, and start getting everyone mad at me in preparation for Ducky's actual arrival when my contrary side comes out even further. ;)
This paragraph will be of interest to almost no one, but here's what I bought: three dozen Indian prefolds, a few Snappis, a pail liner, a wet bag, a total of eight covers (two of which were "free") in a mixture of newborn and small sizes and Bummis/Prorap/Imse Vimse brands, six newborn Kissaluvs, three Bum Genius 2.0 one-size diapers and one small Fuzzi Bunz just because I think they're cute. I intend to try to make a few fitteds myself, but I need to either find or draw a base pattern, and I find that a little daunting without an actual baby to test my finished products on. I ordered from Diaperware and No Pins 4 Baby.
Our day of shopping yesterday was fun, although (as expected) shorter than I really wished. I struck out on the pants, so I guess I'll be without jeans for a while, but I did buy three shirts. I have been in a shirt-catastrophe situation for weeks. We also stopped in at the crunchiest store I have ever seen in my entire life. It was so hippy that we sat in the car for a few minutes trying to work up the nerve to go inside. I found them by searching for cloth diaper sales in Lexington. It came complete with a woman breastfeeding openly in the middle of the store. Not that I have a problem with that by any means, but it sure emphasized what kind of store it was because you get thrown out of WalMart for that sort of thing. ;) I was actually thinking of buying diapers there and supporting a local business, but I just can't handle supporting a local business by paying $4.50 PER ITEM more than the online price... including the online price of THEIR OWN STORE. Not all of their prices were that bad, but that happened to be the one that I was planning on buying. I am glad that they're there, though, and may very well go back sometime for other stuff. My mom looks at me sometimes, when I tell her these things, and I can see the question in her eyes--where did I ever go wrong? ;) (kidding! My mom is generally pretty supportive even when she thinks I'm loony.)
I have been a bit on the defensive lately because I know that all decisions that I make will be judged by countless other parents who have (or whose partner has) squeezed out a baby. Everyone keeps assuring me that I don't have to worry about what other people think. The funny thing is that I don't, exactly. I am not planning on changing my mind on the things that are important to me because someone in my social circle doesn't approve--kind of the reverse. I am fairly contrary, and the more people nag me, the less likely I am to change my mind. I'm a Taurus, we're like that. Why was it so important to everyone that I stop being honest and start using more tact, when apparently no one else is required to play by the same rules? My mom nagged me for years to keep me from saying just what I thought at any time because she was tired of soothing ruffled feathers. No one ever tries to hold anything back when they're telling me what they think.
Actually, due to a resurgence of interest and discussion at work about the Meyers-Brigg personality type thing, I ran upon an article about INFJs that I think pretty much hits it. The article was claiming that people take things much more personally coming from an INFJ than they do from others, and specifically from INTJs (which M is, which is one reason it was so interesting.) That's pretty true--people are less likely to be offended by something M says than something I say. I believe the theory is because INFJs have a tendency to know what people are thinking, so any criticism feels more personal. I don't know. I just find it exhausting because what it means is that someone asks me a question, I answer them, they tell me that I am crazy for doing that when it's so much easier to do it the way THEY did it, and then they are somehow really offended when I very carefully--because I am now one with the tact--stick to my original plan. I just don't quite think that's fair but that seems to be what happens. I didn't say that their way was wrong, after all! So I have been disclaimering my way through the last few months, and.. well, really, it doesn't help so I guess I might as well stop, and start getting everyone mad at me in preparation for Ducky's actual arrival when my contrary side comes out even further. ;)
