Undercover Mother: RAVE: It ain't over 'til baby poops in the toilet

I love diapers.
Rest assured, I didn't always feel this lovingly toward them. And if you're a disposable-diapering mama, you probably aren't feeling the love; you're probably just feeling the leaks.

I had a rendezvous with 'sposies, and I have to tell you that little love affair left me feeling a little hosed. It also left my bedsheets, Gabe's pajamas and his swaddling blankets rather cold and damp. I thought 'sposies were supposed to be super absorbers of pee and other unsightly bodily fluids. After all, the ladies in the commercials for disposables pour cup after cup of water into the dipes and the fluid never leaks. A few weeks into using disposables at night, I threw in the towel, and I never have looked back.

No, Gabe isn't potty trained nor is he one of those diaper-free babies. Rather, we're a cloth-diapering duo. And I've got say it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Some facts about cloth diapers and disposables
Cloth diapers have come a long way since our mothers' days of diapering. Gone are the rubber pants, simple large rectangular cotton squares and diaper pins. Today's cloth diapers don't require mamas to fiddle with sharp pins near baby's delicate skin; Velcro-like materials have made using the old pin-and-cloth system a choice rather than must. Cloth diapers now are actually quite sophisticated, functional and comfortable. It's also worth mentioning that cloth diapers are extremely environmentally friendly, superbly cost-efficient and wonderfully absorbent. We don't have leaks in cloth diapers. Not even overnight. (I can hear some of you disposable-diapering moms gasping in disbelief, but it's true!) A mom and pop could save an estimated $800-$1600 by cloth diapering just one baby for 2.5 years (EarthEasy.com). The money saved by cloth diapering increases with each child as many cloth diapers will last long enough to clothe a second little one. And if we're talking honestly about diapers, I've got to go in depth about the green factor. As quoted by a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show, Americans throw away about 49 million diapers every day, and diapers take an estimated 500 years to decompose. We throw away enough diapers every day to make a diaper trail to the moon and back. And though I hate to employ any types of scare data into a blog post, disposable diapers are made with harsh chemicals that probably should not come into contact with your baby's delicate skin. (It takes one cup of crude oil to make the plastic for one disposable diaper, according to author and researcher Heather Sanders. Sanders has written articles for The Diaper Hyena, which is a cloth diaper resource Web site.)

Yeah, you might be thinking, disposables are not so great, but they sure are easy. Cloth diapers are easy, too. After you take the diaper off of a baby, you simply dump the dumps into the toilet (no need to do this if your baby is solely breastfed!) and throw the diapers into a garbage can until you're ready to start a load of laundry. Laundering cloth isn't tough. Simply cold wash/rinse the diapers, wash with diaper-friendly detergent on hot and cold wash/rinse again. Hang the covers to dry and dry the cotton in the dryer on low. (Tip: Go to Pinstripes and Polkadots for more tips on effectively laundering cloth diapers!)

If disposable diapers aren't looking so friendly anymore and cloth is, rest assured that you can easily make the switch! Even if you've been disposable diapering your babies bum for months or you have used 'sposies on every one of your kids, it's not too late to switch! It isn't too late until baby poops in the toilet!

Welcome to the wonderful world of cloth!
You've got so many options to chose! Here's a list of the different types of cloth diapers:

All in Ones (AIOs) - this type of diaper simply fastens to your baby's bottom just like a disposable. The waterproof cover is built-in! Easy on and off. ($$$$)

Prefolds - cotton squares that have extra layers of cotton in the middle. Can be fastened on to baby's bum with a snappi and covered with a water-proof cover or used inside another diaper as a doubler to provide added absorbency. ($)

Fitteds -usually made of cotton or sometimes bamboo, hemp or microterry fiber and has Aplix hook and loop (Velcro-like) closures. Can be fastened onto the baby's bum just like a disposable and covered with a water-proof cover. ($ - $$$$)

Covers -can be slipped on, snapped on or closed hook and loop style (like Velcro). Made out of various materials that are water resistant or water proof like wool, PUL (polyurethane laminate) and fleece to name a few. ($ - $$$$)

Pockets - looks like a disposable with Aplix hook and loop (like Velcro) closures. The outside of the pocket is water resistant or water proof. The inside of the pocket is soft and usually made from a material that wicks away fluid to the insert. The pocket must be stuffed with an insert, which will absorb the fluid. ($$-$$$$)

My favorite diapers include the following:

Green Mountain Diaper prefolds -I use them as doublers inside my fitted diapers or spit cloths! (Please note that not all prefolds and fitted diapers are made equally! Green Mountain Diapers sells quality fitted and prefold diapers.)

Under the Nile diapers - I use these for night time with a prefold folded up inside and an Aristocrats wool cover on the outside! No leaks ever!

(picture: Under the Nile fitted diaper with a Thirsties cover for high absorbency and a trim fit during the day!)

Thirsties cover and fab-fitted diaper -- I use these during the day, and I love them! They are so easy to get on and off, and they don't leak! I especially love the cover because of the leg gussets.

Snug-to-fit fitted diapers for older infants and GMD infant fitted diapers for newborns are wonderful, inexpensive fitted diapers. They work well with the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap cover.

I also really like the Bamboozle Fitted Diaper. These also work well underneath the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap or Thirsties cover.

We really like the ease and cuteness of Happy Heiny's, but one stuffin doesn't always do the job. You need to stuff the diaper with an prefold from Green Mountain Diapers.