Diaper showers are a wonderful blessing, whether the diapers are disposable or cloth. However, if you know that you want to use cloth diapers, there's something amazing in opening package after package of colorful, cloth diaper fluff and patterns, knowing they will never run out. Throwing a cloth diaper baby shower can be laundry-loads of fun.
Here are some fun ideas and ways you can help your cloth diaper dreams come true.
Fit it in Theme
Don't simply register for cloth diapers. If you really want to ensure you don't get disposables, you'll need to make it clear to your guests. Find a way to fit cloth diapers into the baby shower's overall theme and/or include it on the invitation. Guests will be much more willing to invest in one or two cloth diapers when they know it is part of what everyone is contributing toward and what the mom desires.
Cloth vs. Disposable
Make it a game! Create a fun shower game where guests are either individually timed, or required to team up with another guest to link arms, to see who can best diaper a baby doll or watermelon. First, use a disposable diaper and then a cloth; or you can compete them side-by-side. You can opt for the old fashion way with pins or the modern cute cloths with snaps and Velcro. Make sure they adjust to the correct size during the course of the game. Fun for everyone.
Share your Inspiration
Did you always know you would cloth diaper? Or was there an encouraging article, friend, or quote that made the determining factor? Whether you just yearn for a more simple time as our grandparents had, care for the environment, or have just decided it's what's best for your baby, share your inspiration. Consider including it in a note centerpiece. It will not only encourage other women to consider cloth diapering, but it will give that peaceful explanation to a vocal relative or friend who insists you'll regret the choice later.
Don't Sweat the Skeptics
People who don't know about cloth diapers and/or aren't interested in them personally often think that buying them is either boring or they assume the cloth phase won't last. Some people are so down on the decision to cloth diaper, they'll go so far as to make "bets" on how long the parents will last. Don't stress over this; let it go and move on. You are the one willing to do the work and the one who believes in it, so never mind the naysayers.
Decorate with Clotheslines and Pins
Cloth diapers, by default, mean a lot of laundry. Celebrate your choice with cute clothespins and look for baby shower décor that includes clothesline designs. You can include games where guests attempt to hang as many diapers on the line as they can with one hand. Or if the shower is outside, guests can dunk and clean as many diapers in buckets of water as possible in a race. These types of games will require cloth diapers to be made or purchased in order to play, so mom gets to keep them afterward to bulk her supply.
Register for a Baby Wet Bag
Many people may feel intimated by the aspects of cloth diapering, especially how to clean and contain them after they are soiled. With a baby wet bag, mom can just toss the bag in the wash to clean the diapers. It doesn't just work for cloth diapers; a wet bag can also be used to hold wet swimwear or wet towels from the kitchen. They seal completely without leaking and can be found online or in stores priced anywhere between $10 to $35+, depending on size and design.
Be Prepared to Still Get Disposables
Many cloth diapering moms say that even voicing their intentions to use cloth did not stop them from getting some disposables as gifts. Sometimes, it just is what it is. Smile and thank your guests regardless. Remember that they don't have to give you anything at all. And even with cloth diapering, many times having some disposables on hand can be great for heavy wetting nights, travel, or an unexpected laundry crisis.