::i saw sumthin' nasty in the woodshed::

That was a line from the 1995 English film "Cold Comfort Farm." It was originally a 1932 comic novel by Stella Gibbons. The book "parodies the romanticised, doom-laden accounts of rural life in some novels" of its time. Uncle M and I have been saying that line to each other for over 10 years now...and it's still funny ;-)

Now onto the "nasty" business. There was never a debate for me, choosing between disposable and cloth diapers. I knew disposable diapers are essentially non-biodegradable, but I thought it was the most convenient and efficient solution. Not so. I have been converted. No, I'm still not sold on the whole cloth diaper business--not ready to let O's tushie marinate in urine-soaked fabric.

I am a new convert of gDiapers. It is a disposable diaper that is flushable, compostable and biodegradable. It is even safe for septic tanks. The system consists of three components: the flushable core, the waterproof liner and the cloth pants. The core is essentially the same absorbent component found in the premium disposable diapers. Believe me, I dissected both diapers and they are exactly the same. The waterproof nylon liner prevents accidental leaks, but is permeable to water vapor so diaper rash is not an issue. The fashionable cloth pants feature velcro tabs that close in the back, away from little hands. The whole thing sounds bulky, but it really isn't. In fact, I would say it is approx the same bulk as Huggies Supreme diapers. If you are a hardcore cloth diaper kind of parent, you can also use the liner and pants with them.

I just started using gDiapers yesterday. After a few days of research, I went to the local organic food store and bought the starter pack. The starter pack consists of two cloth pants, four liners, 10 flushable refills and a swish stick for stirring the contents in the toilet bowl. The gDiapers handled wet ones beautifully. However I waited to post my opinion, because I wanted to see how it handles the dirty ones. Well, it didn't do too badly. The manufacturer's website warns you that the nylon liner will most likely become soiled with a dirty one. But everything was contained and after flushing the yucky stuff down the toilet, I just rinsed off the liner with some mild soap and water and it was ready to be reused within minutes.

Of course, you'd never see me digging a hole in the backyard and burying the diapers for composting. Besides, the beagles will most likely find them a tasty treat and dig them back out. I know, it's disgusting, but I can totally see it happen. But flushing the refills down the toilet is probably not saving you money. In fact, I'd venture to guess that it'll probably add a small sum to your water bill. But when compared to washing cloth diapers or subscribing to a diaper service, it is probably still pretty economical. The unit price for the refills are on par with the Huggies Supreme disposables. A small price to pay for a more environmentally friendly solution. Did you know that if Christopher Columbus wore disposable diapers, they'd still be around today??? It takes them 500+ years to decompose. Wow. The other disposing solution is to throw the refills out with your trash. Just remember to use biodegradable bags, though. This is a much more realistic solution for most parents, I think.

Aesthetically, the cloth pants are simple and modern. The starter kit comes in two color combinations: red and orange, or green and blue. You can also purchase individual pants on the website in other colors. My suggestion is to buy the specially-priced starter kit first to see if gDiapers is the solution for you--be aware that the pants come in three sizes (S, M, L according to weight) and the refills come in two sizes (S and M/L). Then, if you are sold on the idea, go back on the website and order additional pants. They suggest keeping at least 4 pants on hand. You can also purchase extra liners on the website. If you have a Wholefoods food market near you, you should be able to buy the refills during your weekly trips to the grocery store. Otherwise, you can set up an "auto shipment" on the gDiapers website to have the refills delivered to your home directly in 2,4 or 6 week intervals.

Give it a try. Let me know what you think.