Changing a baby’s diaper can be a dirty job, but someone has to do it.
This weekend parents will eagerly step up to the task with the goal of setting a Guinness world record for the most cloth diapers changed simultaneously.
The Great Cloth Diaper Change is Saturday (April 23) at the Beban Park Social Centre, starting at 9 a.m. Nanaimo participants will be part of an international movement that is occurring in more than 400 locations worldwide.
Cristi Lundman, owner of Huckleberry Baby Shop, is organizing the Nanaimo event. She heard about it on Facebook and being an advocate of cloth diapering, thought it was a great idea.
“It sounded like an interesting idea. I always look for a different way to promote cloth diapering,” she said.
Lundman said cloth diapers have changed a lot over the years. They are easier to use than before and come in all sorts of prints and colours.
They are also an environmentally friendly option.
In the first two years, a baby will have an average of between 5,000 to 7,000 diaper changes, according to Environment Canada. And 2004 statistics indicate about 1.7 billion disposable diapers were used each year in Canada.
Vanessa Betcher, a participant in the event, said she uses cloth diapers to lessen her family’s impact on the environment. She also thought it would be fun.
“It’s pretty cool,” she said. “It’s amazing that it is spread mostly though Facebook and it’s pretty neat to be a world attempt at record setting.”
Betcher added she’s not sure what toxins are in disposable diapers and doesn’t like the idea of them touching her baby’s skin.
The event was created by Judy Aagard, owner of Tiny Tots, a company in California. She wanted to celebrate Earth Day and show that cloth diapers are a viable option for families.
The idea quickly spread to cloth diaper enthusiasts, many of whom were members of The Real Diaper Association. The event is a benefit for the association, a non-profit organization that provides education to parents in North America about cloth diapering.
Heather McNamara, executive director of the association, said Guinness opened the record category this year.
At first the association didn’t know if it would get the minimum 10 locations needed for the attempt, but enthusiasm quickly spread.
“We do have that grassroots strength,” said McNamara.
For a list of regulations and to participate in the free Great Cloth Diaper Change, people can register online at http://greatclothdiaperchangenanaimo.weebly.com, Huckleberry Baby Shop, 12A-4376 Boban Dr., or at the door.