Green Parenting Options

At a little yellow house on Government Way in Coeur d’ Alene, new parents are learning about going green Margaret Hildahl, owner of Mother’s Haven, believes an upsurge in environmental awareness has led many parents to choose more sustainable products for their children, such as cloth diapers over single-use disposables. If the words “cloth diapers” bring to mind big diaper pins and plastic pants of the past, then it’s probably been awhile since you’ve had an infant in your home. Nowadays, cloth diapers come in a large variety of single-fold styles, none of which require pins. Nine years ago, when she first opened Mother’s Haven, Hildahl said she had only one shelf of cloth diapers and they just sat there. “Now, my cloth diaper business is just huge,” she says. Hildahl now offers a diapering class at her store and tells people, “Don’t be intimidated by cloth diapers.” Michele Sheets, mother of five, teaches the monthly class, which she said is sometimes standing-room only. The class includes basic cloth diapering how-tos, as well as laundering and an introduction to a variety of brands. Sheets not only uses cloth diapers for her kids, she even makes her own diaper wipes by soaking squares of soft fleece in a solution of organic baby wash and water. For parents who embrace the sustainability mantra of “reduce, re-use and recycle,” cloth seems to be a natural choice. It was for Lindsey Swingover. When she was expecting her first child she learned that not only do cloth diapers reduce the impact on the environment but that babies wearing cloth diapers have fewer diaper rashes. Cost was also a concern. Her son is now 10 months old. “We’ve been diapering for free for four months,” she says. In other words, within six months, she recouped her initial investment. That’s no surprise to Melissa Morgan, co-owner of Go Green Sustainable Industries and designer of LolliDoo diapers. She says cloth diapers are far more economical than disposables, but more importantly, purchasing locally-made products like LolliDoo diapers, supports local, sustainable industries. The company, based in Newman Lake, uses entirely recycled or organic materials in its products. In addition, Morgan says, “Most of the women who sew for us, sew from their homes while their babies are napping. We want to help support their lifestyle, while they help support our business.” LolliDoo’s biggest seller is the Overnight Eco-Pocket Diaper. Crafted with certified organic cotton, the 300-weight recycled eco-fleece is made from recycled beverage bottles. Morgan says another benefit of cloth diaper usage is, “Potty-training is much easier.” In fact, LolliDoo plans to introduce a line of training pants this fall. She believes new parents are especially open to learning and exploring new ways of being environmentally-conscious. “The choices we make have an impact not just on our families but on the world.”