Giving Cloth = Giving Evergreen

One can’t really pinpoint a specific seasons for baby showers – you can expect as long as babies are born throughout the year, so the anticipatory parties are held constantly. The other day, while having coffee out, I happened to hear a conversation near me where one person wondered aloud what to get a friend for her upcoming shower. Usually at these parties you’ll find gifts like blankets and booties and the Boppy, or maybe a group of friends pools in their cash for something bigger and necessary like a stroller or fancy crib seat. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to chime in, “What about cloth diapers?”

Why not? It’s not uncommon for somebody to tote along that box of disposables with a giant bow attached. What better way to introduce a new family to the concept of green parenting than with a cloth diaper starter kit?

As you shop around for possible gift ideas, you’ll find a basic starter kit could run you anywhere from twenty to fifty dollars, depending on what you get. The Econobum One-Size Diaper Kit, for one, sits on the high end of the scale, but when you consider what comes with it you’ll see it is a good deal. The included three covers and twelve unbleached cotton prefolds are adjustable to fit babies from 8 to 35 pounds, meaning a mother could feasibly use the one box throughout the baby’s diaper stage! If you and a friend were to go in on a kit like this and add a box of special laundry detergent for the diapers, think of how much you can save this new family – that’s money they can use instead to start a 529 fund for their child.

Next time you’re invited to baby shower, give the gift of cloth diapers, or at least give it some serious thought. You’re presenting a new mom with more than guidance toward green parenting, you’re helping to make that child’s future a little better.