Real Diaper Week - Outreach

Welcome to Real Diaper Week 2012!  Today's topic for the Real Diaper Week blog hop is outreach.

Why outreach?  Doesn't everyone know that cloth diapers are an option?  All babies have to wear diapers......

Sounds sort of silly, until you really think about it.  If you were to ask people on the street what they think about when they think of cloth diapers, I would bet that most people would picture prefolds, rubber pants, and pins.  While pins and prefolds are still used today, they are not the only option!

There is a generational gap when it comes to cloth diaper knowledge.  Most of us were not diapered in cloth, or if we were, our parents hated using prefolds, pins, and rubber pants.  When we are looking for advice/support from our families, cloth is one of the last things they recommend.  And what are parents supposed to think when our families tell us it is not worth it and so hard to do?

For those of us who have chosen cloth, it is our responsibility to educate the public and other parents.  Show off your diapers when you are out in public.  Start a conversation.  Mention it at your doctors office.  Brag about how easy they are.

Don't forget to mention a few key reasons to try cloth diapering:
Cost - you can save around ~$800 per year per child!
Environment - in our local county 63 disposable diapers enter a landfill every MINUTE!
Chemicals/comfort - wouldn't you rather have cotton against your body than plastic?

Here at Carolina Cloth, outreach and education is very important.  We hold local Cloth Diapering 101 classes at a local maternity spa - Expecting Well.  We also offer home consults (free!).  At both we like to introduce parents to the different styles and nomenclature.  We explain the differences between the brands and let you get your hands on the diapers.  Our belief is if we can take the fear and the unknown out of cloth diapering, parents are more likely to try.



Have you converted any families to cloth diapering?  How do you teach others about cloth diapers?