From as soon as we found out we were expecting, I knew that I wanted to use cloth diapers for our little one. The environmental impact of disposable diapers combined with their harshness on newborn skin has always put me off the idea of using them as a primary method of diapering.

Which led me to Diaper-eez, a fully stocked and loaded cloth diaper boutique that just happened to be located in our very own Bloor West Village!

While we had decided that a service would be the better way to go for us – we didn’t want the wear and tear on our laundry machines, and the extra costs associated with the increased water usage (since cloth diapers need to be rinsed really well) – I still wanted to have an idea of how cloth diapers worked and what would be involved with them.

The service we decided on offers cotton cloth diapers that are pre-folds, which makes a barrier cover a necessity if you don’t want mess on you or your furniture. So I popped in to Diaper-eez to see what cloth diapering was all about.

Dear sweet hub-a-dubs didn’t want me picking up any covers until closer to little one’s arrival (I was about 5 months along the first time I popped into the store) so I only looked, got a feel for the different makes and models and priced out various options.

Armed with the knowledge imparted to me by the extremely wise and helpful staff, I felt even more sound in our choice to cloth diaper, and less anxious about the whole experience.

The second time I visited Diaper-eez was at about 8 months with darling husband, to inquire about slings and carriers. What we discovered (much to my husband’s pleasure, as he was right) was that you should wait until after little one arrives to purchase a sling or carrier, since your body (very obviously, though not to a mommy-brain that needs to get everything ready before her new bundle arrives) changes size and shape after giving birth.

Most recently, I stopped in to see the lovely ladies about a nursing bra. Since we’re only a few weeks from babe’s arrival, it’s a good idea to have one on had for those early days. You should hold off on buying more than one until after your milk comes in, since it can be a significant size increase that happens once your milk comes in.

I was helped right away, shown three options that would work for my transition from almost-due to early breastfeeding and found a bra to suit my needs while still being comfortable.

Pros

• Friendly, extremely knowledgeable staff
• Close to our home
• HUGE selection of cloth diapers and cloth diaper accessories
• HUGE selection of other mommy and baby items
• Relaxed environment, without high-pressure sales

Cons

• Paid parking can be a bit of a pain
• Prices are slightly steeper than purchasing through the diaper service you may use
• Often sold out of popular items
• No online store (yet – I’m told one’s in the works)

Mamas: Have you had experience with the folks at Diaper-eez? What are your thoughts on the store/staff?

Photo via: simplyla, Flickr.com