Living The Fluffy Dream... My Cloth Diapering Story.

I love fluff.  No, I'm not talking about yummy, delectable marshmallow fluff, but doesn't that sound good right now?  Oh goodness, my mouth is watering, but I digress.  I'm talking about adorable fluffy cloth diapers.  My love affair with cloth diapers began back in August after a fateful meeting with Jennifer Labit, the owner of Cotton Babies in Saint Louis, Missouri, and the creator of bumGenius, Flip and Econobum cloth diapers.  And so our story begins...

Once upon a time, a Facebook friend (we'll call her Jo-Momma) "liked" a few pages and they showed up on the Facebook news-feed wall.  Out of sheer curiosity, I decided to check out these pages.  The first page I visited was the Facebook page of Cotton Babies.  After perusing the page for a few minutes, looking at their info and pictures, I decided to like it, too.  Cotton Babies was an online/brick & mortar baby store with fabulous baby and toddler products.  What wasn't there to like?  I'm always on the look-out for new baby products and stores, so this was a perfect fit.  Jo-Momma also liked the Facebook page of Jennifer Labit, so I decided to check out that page as well.  Again, after looking over Jennifer's page, I decided to like her page, too.  Come to find out, Jennifer Labit was the owner of Cotton Babies, so it made perfect sense for me to like her page.  OK, Jo-Momma liked a third page, bumGenius cloth diapers.  I'm sure you know the rest of the story by now, huh?  So, even though I wasn't a cloth diapering momma, I decided to also like the bumGenius page.  

Over the course of several months, I would get updates from the three pages and stayed up-to-date with all of the latest Cotton Babies and bumGenius news.  I had also grown to really like Jennifer Labit's page.  I enjoyed reading her comments and stories, as well as looking at the photos she would post.  You could tell from her status updates and various posts that Jennifer was a genuine woman with a tender heart.  She was also a smart, savvy business woman who had been instrumental in turning the cloth diaper industry into what it is today.  One evening after putting my little ones down for the night, I decided to unwind and catch up on the latest Facebook news and updates.  When all of a sudden, BAM!  A status update from Jennifer Labit popped up on the computer screen.  Jennifer was going to be in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the following day and wanted to meet with local mommas in the area for coffee.  Oh. My. Gosh.  I H-A-V-E to meet her.  I immediately told my husband what my plans would be in the morning and he agreed to watch our boys, so that I could meet Jennifer as well as some other mommas in the area.  I had secretly been wanting to dip my toes in the deep end of the fluffy pool, so I brimmed with excitement and thought that this meeting could be a wonderful opportunity to not only meet Jennifer, but to pick her brain about cloth diapers.  I would also have the opportunity to meet with other mommas who cloth diapered and hopefully get some support in "selling" cloth diapers to my husband.

You see, I had to "sell" my husband on the idea of cloth diapers because he had witnessed his mother cloth diaper his little brother some 20+ years ago.  I knew what my husband would say... No way, too hard, too gross, not worth it.  I mean, when we were first expecting our little ones, cloth diapering was never an option.  Maybe it was because we didn't know anyone currently cloth diapering.  Maybe it was because I had heard my husband talk about how difficult cloth diapering was back in the day.  Who knows the reason, but after two years, loads of disposable diaper waste and loads of money later, I desired a greener and more economical diapering solution.

On August 13, 2011, I headed to Starbuck's in Tulsa.  Honestly, I was giddy about meeting Jennifer.  Several other mommas arrived and everyone chatted, enjoyed the pleasant weather and of course shared the love of the fluff.  Most of the time I was quiet and just tried to take it all in.  I then revealed that I didn't cloth diaper, but was really wanting to do so.  All of the mommas there were so quick to lend support and advice.  Jennifer even said, "I would love to help you.  What can I do?"  I was amazed.  I had only known these women for a little under an hour, but they were so willing and wanting to help me.  They were genuinely supportive.  Before our time together ended, Jennifer handed everyone a card to send in to Cotton Babies for a free bumGenius cloth diaper.  I was super excited to be able to try one of Jennifer's creations and of course sent mine in right away.  You can read more about my meeting with Jennifer and the other fab cloth diapering mommas from a previous blog posting.

Fast forward to August 30, 2011, when I received a fluffy package in the mail.  This awesome fluffy care package was from Cotton Babies.  Rather then 1 bumGenius cloth diaper, they sent me 5.  I was ecstatic.  I was thrilled to be receiving 1 diaper to try, but receiving 5 super adorable cloth diapers was incredible.  Jennifer said that she wanted to help me get started with cloth diapering and she truly meant it.  Her desire to help and generosity is something that I will always remember. 

In my blog posting about coffee with Jennifer Labit, I mentioned the Cotton Babies Change 3 Things Challenge.  If you visit the Cotton Babies web site, you can purchase a 3-pack of cloth diapers to join the challenge.  The challenge is simple: Commit to using 3 cloth diapers a day instead of disposables for 1 year.  Every cloth diaper saves about $.25 (depending on what brand of disposables you buy). If you save $.75 a day, it may not seem like much, but those three diapers can save you approximately $260 over the upcoming year. In addition to the savings per diaper, you can save yourself time, money and gas for those emergency trips to the store when you run out of diapers.  Change you, your baby & your planet.  When you change your BABY's diaper, YOU create a new habit, save money and prevent unnecessary waste on your PLANET.  

The Change 3 Things Challenge was instrumental in getting me started with cloth diapering.  I thought, I can change 3 cloth diapers a day.  That's easy.  What turned into only changing 3 cloth diapers a day, turned into cloth diapering full time.  My first week of cloth diapering was E.A.S.Y. thanks to my ever-faithful bumGenius diapers.  Five months later, cloth diapering is still easy and I have since added to my stash taking advantage of two bumGenius cloth diaper sales at www.CottonBabies.com in the summer and fall. 

I've been wanting to share my story with you, but was inspired to share it now, thanks to Jennifer Labit.  By writing this blog posting, I have the opportunity receive a gift of 12 bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diapers for my family.   But that's not the best part.  Here's where it gets really good.  If my blog posting wins, I'll be given the opportunity to bless another momma with the gift of 12 bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diapers as well.  One super lucky momma who comments on this blog posting will be selected to receive this generous gift from Cotton Babies.  

I really hope I win because I'd love to pay-it-forward.  Jennifer Labit and Cotton Babies blessed me and gave me my start in cloth diapering, so I'd love the opportunity to do the same for another momma and her family.  Rather then helping 1 momma, I'd actually be helping 2.  You see, I have been blessed and have a pretty good diaper stash now.  So, if I win, I'd like to bless a 2nd momma and give her my winning of 12 bumGenius cloth diapers.  It's better to give then to receive, and I have been blessed beyond measure.

Wishing you a blessed 2012... thanks for reading and stopping by!

Happy Blogging,

Toni The Chic Momma 

P.S. - I haven’t received any form of compensation for the content of this posting, I'm simply entering what I've written in Jennifer Labit's blog contest.  Visit the contest page here.