Let's all raise our diaper pins in salute to all the mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers out there who used cloth diapers when choices were few and labor was intensive.

You have to admit, it's a lot easier today for moms to be eco-minded and keep our landfills from piling up even faster with disposable diapers.

Back in the 1950s, mothers couldn't even buy their diapers in the grocery store, let alone online! A special trip to the department store was required. Diapers came in one boring color and one basic size. If your baby was smaller, you had to make do with the diaper by folding it four times instead of three. Prefolds didn't exist.There were no fancy diapers with snaps like GroVia, which will fit babies of all different shapes and sizes. No pretty floral patterns or modern motifs. No FuzziBunz pocket diaper with its special three layer design.You could say, we're rather spoiled today.Imagine rinsing out your cloth diapers in the toilet without a diaper sprayer. The diaper sprayer is a pretty helpful tool, no?And how about the gorgeous diaper pails and wet bags you can buy like these from Planet Wise? Would you like to trade that for a 15-gallon enamel pot?

One of the coolest inventions, I think, is a product called Diaper Buddies. These white balls with essential oils like lavender keep things smelling fresh in your diaper pail. They act as a laundry booster, too.Yes, I am proud of my mother and mother-in-law who used old-fashioned cloth diapers. I wonder how many women would use cloth diapers today if it weren't as easy as it is.

Alice Warchol is a freelance writer and stay-at-home mother of two.