Why did I decide to take the Flats and Handwashing Challenge?

Today marks the beginning of the 3rd annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. I participated last year and learned so much! I loved flats so much by the end, that I got rid of most of my prefolds and started using flats on a regular basis. Last year, I had two in cloth diapers full time, which was quite a challenge. This year, I only have one in cloth full time, but I still have some challenges. I am traveling for about half of the challenge.

I am currently in Utah and I will be leaving for Oklahoma tomorrow. The next three days, I will be doing the challenge while on the road and staying each night in a hotel.Plus, I am 33 weeks pregnant, traveling with four children, a cat, and a dog. This could get interesting!

You might wonder why I am willing to participate this year as I have so much going on, only a sink to handwash in, and no real plan for drying my flats and covers. Well, I learned  so much last year about how ANYBODY, no matter their situation, can cloth diaper, that I wanted to participate this year with all of my challenges to prove even more that it can be done.

Cloth diapering is an option for everyone. I grew up poor... there were times our heat and electricity was turned off and my family slept together in the living room in front of the wood pellet stove. There were times we lived off of beans and rice for weeks at a time. My mother managed to cloth diaper my brothers and me.

I was a single mom for the first seven years of my son's life. I barely made ends meet. I cloth diapered with the cheap Gerber prefolds, pins, and plastic pants that you could, and still can buy, at Walmart.

I know what it is to struggle. Though my family does not struggle now, I still choose to cloth diaper for the health of my children and to prevent the horrible disposable diaper burns and rashes that every single disposable diaper I have ever tried on my children has caused them.

I want to raise awareness that cloth diapering is a viable option for anyone and everyone. It is better for you budget, better for your child, and better for the Earth.

I forgot to bring my flats when I left Oklahoma for Utah, I went to Walmart and I bought 15 of the flour sack towels.They came in packs of 5 for $4.98. That is pretty inexpensive!

 I decided to use the Jo fold today. This fold works best for my little man.

 I just bring the middle together in thirds.

 As you can see, we had some adjustment issues.

 Pulling up the middle and adjusting the Boingo made a huge difference.

 Here it is with a Thirsties Duo Wrap Cover in size 2.Very trim!