A Chicago Playgroup Goes “Green” By Switching to Reusable Diapers. Can this Group of Busy Moms Successfully Make the Change?

Jeanette used to dread running out of diapers for her 16-month-old son, Sean.  “For some reason, we always seemed to run out of diapers in the middle of the night.  I can’t believe how many midnight diaper runs my husband and I used to have to make for Sean.  It was crazy!”

It came as no surprise to Jeanette that the late-night diaper runs stopped once she started using Fuzzi Bunz diapers.  “We’ve always got a supply of Fuzzi Bunz on hand these days.  The next diaper is always ready and waiting in Sean’s dresser drawer.”

Jeanette is a member of a Chicago playgroup that decided to go “green” for two weeks to see if reusable diapers – like Fuzzi Bunz – could fit into their busy lifestyles.

In early July, each mom signed on to take the reusable diaper challenge.  Some took on this journey to save money, others wanted to do it for environmental reasons and nearly all wanted to do it out of curiosity.  Equipped with a supply of Fuzzi Bunz and a washable diaper pail, six moms experienced reusable diapers – and everything that comes with it - first-hand. 

Seeing is Believing
“What surprised me the most about this challenge is that I actually like the reusable diapers at all.  I’m not what one would call an earth momma.  I thought cloth diapers were only for hippies,” says Jeanette, mom to 16-month-old Sean. 

Jeanette wasn’t alone in her misconceptions about reusable diapers.  “I had never tried a reusable diaper or really even seen one in all my years of being a babysitter and nanny,” says Katie.  “I’m into convenience and didn’t think anything besides a disposable diaper would provide that.” 

In no time, Katie started to see just how convenient it could be to use Fuzzi Bunz. “I was shocked to see such a big decrease in the amount of garbage we throw out each week.  It really made a big difference to not have to unload the diaper pail every day or so.  Of course, it was also nice to be able go a whole month without buying any diapers!”

Fuzzi Bunz Inventor, Tereson Thomas, understands the initial apprehension some moms face in trying reusable diapers for the first time.  “Once moms get over the initial feeling of ‘oh my goodness I’m using a cloth diaper,’ they will be pleasantly surprised about how they feel about reusable diapers. They’ll get very used to looking at that cushie little tushie and, when they go to use a disposable diaper again, their babies will certainly feel and know the difference.”

All in a Day’s Work
The moms in this Chicago playgroup were surprised at how easy it was to fit Fuzzi Bunz into their everyday routines. 

Jodie, mom to 16-month-old Molly, surprised herself when she realized that she actually enjoyed using Fuzzi Bunz.  After developing a system of where to put them when clean, wet and soiled, Jodie was pleased to find the whole process to be a lot less daunting.  “I was very skeptical about them fitting into the convenience of my life, but as I quickly found out, they didn’t really affect it that much.  There was just more laundry - that’s all.”

The need to do additional laundry was an initial turnoff to Julie, mom to 19-month-old Grant.  But after establishing a routine, Julie was pleasantly surprised to find out how easily Fuzzi Bunz fit into her busy lifestyle.  “I was under the impression that reusables would be very tedious to launder, but really I had a complete opposite experience [with Fuzzi Bunz].  It was quite easy to find a good system that worked for our household and schedules.”

Katie found using Fuzzi Bunz to be like brushing your teeth – once you get used to using the diapers, it becomes a natural part of your daily life.  The only challenge for Katie was trying to get her husband used to using Fuzzi Bunz.  “My husband keeps putting them on backwards and won’t have anything to do with the poopy ones.  I’m still hoping he’ll get the hang of it some day!”

Extra Money in the Piggy Bank
The eventual cost-savings of using reusable diapers was what won over Laura, mom to two-year-old Grace and one-year-old Jack.  “What surprised me is that I had a total change in attitude once I started using them and saw that my pile of disposable diapers went untouched for days.  I could actually see the money being saved.  I have two in diapers now so it’s a lot of extra savings for us.”

Jeanette was equally amazed at the cost-savings she achieved by using Fuzz Bunz.  “By the end of the two weeks I had only used 10 disposable diapers.  That is about how many I normally would have used in a day and a half.”

“The costs savings for a family can be tremendous, especially when you think of all the costs of having a child. The costs associated with disposables can add up to $3,000 or $4,000 over three or four years, while the cost of a 24-supply of Fuzzi Bunz is less than $500,” says Thomas.  “And the great thing about making the initial investment is that a mom never has to worry about buying diapers again.  No more hassles of strapping the baby in a car seat and heading to the local store.  A quick load of laundry and in 45 minutes clean diapers are ready.” 

The Cuteness Factor
And while ease-of-use and cost-savings were some of the many reasons that these moms enjoyed using reusable diapers, the reason most were won over is the inherent Fuzzi Bunz cuteness factor.

Katie was amazed at the amount of attention she got when she changed her son into his Fuzzi Bunz at the pool.  “We used to get tons of comments on Payton’s Fuzzi Bunz whenever I changed him out of his swim diaper.  Everyone always told me how cute they were – and how well they went with his shirt since I always picked out a matching pair.”

Jodie’s daughter, Molly, loves choosing the color of her Fuzzi Bunz each day.  “She loves to go through her Fuzzi Bunz.  She always picks out her favorite ones and carries them around the room with her.”

Jeanette is already planning to get a supply of Fuzzi Bunz for her new baby.  “Sean likes the soft diapers so much that he rubs the clean ones on his face while he’s waiting to get changed.  Grandma asked what she can get for the new baby.  Maybe I’ll tell her some size small Fuzzi Bunz!”

The Best of Both Worlds
After two weeks, the feeling among each member of the playgroup was unanimous – reusable diapers are good for them and their children too.  While none of the moms made an exclusive switch to reusable diapers, all of them decided to continue using a mix of disposables and Fuzzi Bunz, each finding the most optimal mix for their individual, busy lifestyles.

Jeanette, for example, says she prefers to use Fuzzi Bunz during the day at home and for short trips.  However, she prefers disposables at night and for longer trips away from home.

Katie urges other moms to try out reusable diapers – even if you still end up using disposable diapers as well.  “There’s nothing to be afraid of.  Poop is poop and pee is pee.  It’s all the same in a disposable or a reusable diaper!”

Aimee Thompson is a Chicago-based freelance writer.  She is the mother of a one-year-old son.


SIDEBAR 1

Meet the Playgroup

Jeanette:

1. Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
2. Kid: Sean (16-months) and one on the way
3. Previous Diaper Usage: Disposables
4. Plans to use Fuzzi Bunz during the day at home and for short trips away from home
   
   Jodie:

1. Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
2. Kid:  Molly (16-months)
3. Previous Diaper Usage: Disposables
4. Plans to use Fuzzi Bunz on a part-time basis
   
   Julie:

1. Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
2. Kid: Grant (19-months)
3. Previous Diaper Usage: Disposables
4. Plans to use Fuzzi Bunz on a part-time basis, especially when home or out in the neighborhood
   
   Katie:

1. Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
2. Kids: Payton (11 months), James (10-years, stepson) and one on the way
3. Previous Diaper Usage: Disposables
4. Plans to use Fuzzi Bunz during the day and when out in the neighborhood
   
   Laura:

1. Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
2. Kids: Grace (two-years) and Jack (one-year)
3. Previous Diaper Usage: Disposables
4. Plans to use Fuzzi Bunz when at home
   
   Nia:

1. Occupation: Freshwater biologist
2. Kid: Tieg (two-years)
3. Previous Diaper Usage: Unsuccessfully tried other reusables; mainly used disposables
4. Plans to use Fuzzi Bunz full-time in the fall and winter and part-time in the summer
   
   
   SIDEBAR 2

Take the Reusable Diaper Challenge
The six women from a Chicago playgroup were up for the reusable diaper challenge. Are you? 

Here are six helpful hints to get you started:

The More the Merrier – Encourage your playgroup – or just a group of friends with diaper-age children – to join you in the challenge.  It will be fun to share the ups and downs – and everything in between. 

In it for the Long Haul – Fuzzi Bunz Inventor Tereson Thomas recommends establishing a few commitment criteria – the rules of the road for your own challenge.  One important criterion is agreeing to commit to only using Fuzzi Bunz for at least 48 hours.  Another is agreeing to make exceptions as necessary, which can include allowing the babysitter to use disposable diapers when you’re not at home.   

The Means to the End – To get started, you’ll need a good supply of Fuzzi Bunz.  Many online retailers offer special Fuzzi Bunz packages designed to get you and your baby off to a great start.  Look for packages that offer diapers, inserts and a washable diaper pail.  An additional item to get you “geared” up for the challenge is a diaper rinser (called a mini-shower) that attaches to the toilet and enables you to rinse the soiled diapers that don’t simply “plop off” into the toilet.

Bulking Up – Many of the online retailers who sell Fuzzi Bunz offer special bulk discounts.  Make sure to order your Fuzzi Bunz with the whole group – and save money together!

Keep Your Eye on the Prize – It wouldn’t be called a “challenge” if it was easy.  Remember going into it that there will be good days and not-so-good days, but in the end, you may find out how easy it really can be to use Fuzzi Bunz.  And, don’t forget about all of the advantages of using reusable diapers.  Not only will using Fuzzi Bunz save you money in the long run, but it will also help you make this world a better place for our children – something we can take pride in.

Knowledge is Power – Consult the Fuzzi Bunz Web site (www.fuzzibunz.com) for detailed cleaning instructions.  You’ll want to properly care for your Fuzzi Bunz so they last for a long time

Have Fun – You can select colors that coincide with your baby’s skin tone and personality – anything from bubblegum pink and lime green to aqua blue and bright orange.  The mother load of all mom duties can actually be fun again.

Just one warning before your playgroup takes the challenge – once you try Fuzzi Bunz, you may never go back to just using disposables!