I’m Zealandsmom, 29, and I can’t remember how I got here. I remember my Mother always calling me her hippie chick, and it never bothered me, but I never would have thought I would have fallen into that mold. All my life, I was the untamed wild child. I never listened to rules and hated authority. I am NOW the proud mother of Zealand who is 21 months and Kingsley who is 7 months. I have semi-set schedules. I do an alternate vaccination schedule, I cloth diaper, I rarely tell my babies “no”, I puree organic baby food, and I am the 1st of 5 generations to breastfeed! Here is my new blog: www.zealandsmom.blogspot.com

How long have you been cloth diapering? I have been cloth diapering Zealand since birth, so roughly 21 months:)

What made you decide to start? I don’t remember what made me “find” the new version of clothdiapers but I really cannot imagine if I didn’t. It was an easy decision and DH, jumped on board easily. We knew we wanted to save money and that was our initial reason to use cloth, before we saw health reasons, and before we thought about the environment.

What was your first purchase and why? Our first purchase was 3 wonderworks AIO snaps in XS from ebay. I hadn’t found BumGenius yet and I had no idea about OS diapers! I was a newbie for sure:)

How much do you think you have spent on your diapers total? I registered for BG 2.0s for Zealand’s shower and received 12. I bought an additional 3. Same thing for Kingsley I only purchased 3 of her 15! I have since purchased a drybees fleece, a rumparooz and a knickernappies insert. So I have spent only a total of about: $150!! I have won the following diapers: 3 bumkins 2 smartipants 3 fuzzibunz 1 rumparooz 1 knickernappies 1 monkeybunz trainer 1 drybees 1 bamboo buns 1 happy heiny 2 bella bottoms

Have your family/ friends been supportive? Friends have been great, I have even converted a handful. Only 2 friends who has ever watched the babies didn’t use cloth and they never had an issues. My family has been more than supportive, although my Mom is constantly asking to buy sposies for them, when we come down to visit, so I don’t have to bring the cloth….which is weird, since she cloth diapered my sister and me. I always decline:)

What has been the most rewarding aspect of cding? I think the most rewarding now, is how empty our trash cans are. I know it seems mean or arrogant, but I feel better about our family. We have decided to go green in alot more aspects because of the diapers. If cloth is so easy, maybe other things are too!

What is your favorite diaper to use? I guess, I’d have to say BG, only because we have sooo many of them and they have been tried and true. I now find myself grabbing the rumparooz or the drybees fleece for nighttime with Zealand.

What has been the biggest challenge to your success at cding? The biggest challenge has been my BGs Velcro. It is horrible. Customer service returned them twice, and for that I’m thankful but it only lasts about 4 months and I hang dry:( I’ve been blessed to win so many diapers because with 2 in diapers, washing was getting a bit hectic with a newborn. I have had some problems finding that perfect overnight a for Zealand who sleeps upwards of 15 hours some nights and usually tops it off with an early morning BM. Yuck!