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What are the benefits of switching to cloth? TOP
Safety: Disposable diapers are convenient, but that convenience comes at a price. Disposables rely on a cocktail of chemicals to make them absorbent and durable, and then add more chemicals so you won’t get a whiff of that chemical smell. Most disposable diaper manufacturers won’t even give you a list of the ingredients used to make them, but we do know that some of them include VOC’s (or Volatile Organic Compounds, also found in paint, pesticides, cleaning products, and permanent markers, among others), sodium polyacrylate (the chemical that absorbs the liquid), bleach, chlorine, and even dioxin, which has been proven to cause cancer, reproductive problems and developmental problems. Who wants any of the stuff touching the genitals and sensitive skin of their little ones? And more importantly, how can the manufacturers sleep at night?? Cloth diapers, on the other hand, and made of different types of natural materials (varying by brand) that include cotton, microfiber, fleece, hemp, bamboo, flannel, suede cloth, and so on. These materials are natural, soft, and absorbent, just the kind of things you’d want on your child’s tushy! Environmental Impact: There are various figures out there about how many disposable diapers a child uses in their lifetime, but everyone agrees about one thing – it’s A LOT! If your child has amazing self-awareness and bladder control, it could be as little as 5,000, it a more realistic figure is likely to be upwards of 7,000+. And where do all the diapers go once they have been used? In landfills of course! In fact, disposables are the 3rd largest consumer waste item found in landfills, and while none of us will be alive to confirm verify this, it’s estimated that it could take up to 500 years for these diapers to fully decompose. Another aspect that often gets overlooked is how much raw material it takes to manufacture disposables, requiring hundreds of pounds of wood pulp per child. Financial Savings: We all like to save money, especially when we know we will have to pay for college one day. The initial cost of cloth diapers can be a little shocking to some because you’re paying for all of your diaper usage upfront instead of weekly. Yet when you consider the price you will pay to diaper your children in disposables over time, the savings are astounding. Let’s say you child falls into the category of bladder control whiz and averages just 6 diapers a day for 2 ½ years. At $.25 a diaper, you’re looking at $1,368 in diapers. Now, if you child just likes to whiz, and you’re averaging 8 diapers a day for 2 ½ years at $.25, you’d be spending $1,824. Of course, if your child likes to relieve himself as much as mine, the total expense would be off the charts and too depressing to publish.
Other pluses: *Children that are cloth diapered rarely have diaper rashes. In fact, many popular cloth diaper brands were started by moms whose children had horrible rashes caused by disposables. Traditional diaper rashes are generally caused by moisture lingering on the skin, and since disposables absorb quite a bit (and they want to get their money’s worth), parents tend to keep them on longer. It’s also believed the chemicals in disposables are an irritant to their skin and may cause rashes. Cloth diapered babies may still get a yeast rash or a rash associated with teething or food allergies, but they are few and far between. *Cloth Diapered children tend to potty train faster. 2-4 months faster in fact. This is because they feel the wetness next to their skin and become more aware of what causes it. *Cloth diapers that have been well cared for can be passed down to multiple siblings (or cousins and friends for that matter). They are manufactured from high quality materials and made to last, so if you plan on having more than one child, this is a definite perk! *Cloth diapers make their bums look ridiculously cute! They are functional, fashionable and can sometimes become addicting to the purchasing party. They can be your child’s only article of clothing on a hot summer day (plus the SPF 50 of course!) and they will still be the best looking kid on the block. How many diapers do I need? TOP The best answer to this is “How often do you want to do laundry?” A typical newborn can use 10-12 diapers, infants range from 7-10, and toddlers may only use 6-8. The more you have, the less laundry you will have to do, but a two day supply is a good place to start. I started with 14 on my newborn and did laundry every day & and half. There is also another great option – make your partner do the laundry! Should I go with snaps or aplix? TOP
I personally couldn’t decide when I made my first purchase, so I bought a few of each. Snaps are great because repeated usage over time does not compromise their effectiveness (an unjustified worry for some). Some companies have rows of two snaps across the waist while other have just one, but both offer a secure fit and either style is works well. One-size-fit-all diapers (on both snap and aplix styles) also have rows of snaps running top to bottom so you can adjust the height of the diaper as your child gets taller, although you really only have to adjust that setting every few months. They take a little longer to fasten, but kids have a hard time getting them off when they are going through their “let’s rip off my diaper and drive mom crazy” phase. Aplix are more like disposables in the sense that they are quick to get on and quick to get off. You can tighten them to fit your child perfectly without having to use a predetermined snap setting. Some people believe that aplix wears faster than snaps, but with proper care, they can last just as long. Others like aplix because they feel like it’s an easier transition from the disposable style they are used to. All in all, the decision is yours. You can’t go wrong with either; it’s just a personal preference. What about the POO??? TOP
One of the first comments out of peoples’ mouths when they ask me about cloth diapers is, “Ewww, what about the poo??” For some reason, this seems to be a big concern for many people, but the truth is, the poop is really not a big deal at all. If you are nursing or giving them a bottle exclusively (from birth until 6 months or so), the poop has a liquidy consistency that you don’t need to deal with – just throw the diaper in the wash and you’re good to go. When they start with solids, you simply dump the feces in the toilet before you throw the diaper in the wash. There is even a hose attachment you can buy for your toilet so you don’t have to get your hand near it. The way I see it, you’re a seasoned veteran who has already been peed/pooped/puked/spit up on by the time your child starts solids, so it really shouldn’t phase you. Besides, if you can pick up dog poop, you can dump you child’s poop. My child just turned one. Is there any point switching now? TOP It depends on your motivation, but simply put, YES! If you are looking to save money, you can spend $100-$300 on cloth now and not spend another penny for the next 2 years that your child is in diapers. If you are worried about creating less waste, switching now will mean 3,000 to 5,000 fewer diapers in our landfills. If you are looking to switch for your baby's health, starting now will mean hundreds of days less of exposure to toxic chemicals. Transitioning to cloth now will also be beneficial if you are planning on having more children, as you can pass the diapers down to your next munchkin! Are there special instructions for washing them? TOP YES!! There are some big no-no’s in washing cloth diapers. Never use bleach, fabric softener, natural soaps, or any detergent with additives like dyes, perfumes, enzymes, brighteners, or coconut oils. The best mainstream brand is good old fashioned Tide Original, but not Tide with any enhancements (Tide with bleach, Tide with Downy, etc.). Other popular brands out there include Country Save, Planet Ultra, Mountain Green, and Allen’s Naturally. Your current detergent may work fine, just be sure to carefully read the ingredients first! There is also the added benefit of using less detergent – only ¼-1/2 of the recommended amount on the box is necessary per load. Another thing to be weary of is diaper rash cream. It damages the fabric so if you need to use it on your child, place a liner in between them and the diaper. Before you use your diapers for the first time, they will need to be washed to activate the absorbency. You may even find some brands need to be washed more than once. In fact, each brand has a different set of washing instructions specific to their line. You can see all of them here and follow them, but don’t feel the need to wash each brand separately by any means. A good formula for washing success on most diapers is a cold wash and rinse without detergent, followed by a warm/hot wash with detergent and a warm dry cycle. Will cloth work at night? TOP Definitely! There are some really good diapers/inserts out there for overnight use, but it may take some experimenting to find out what works best on your child. I was even able to find a good combination for my heavy wetter/light sleeper who now sleeps through the night without any issues. Let me know if you are interested and I’ll share my secret formula for night time success. Will I need to buy inserts? TOP
One size and pocket diapers always come with at least one insert, but most come with two – a shorter version for when the diaper is on a smaller setting and a longer version for when it is larger. It’s nice to have half a dozen more in case you want added absorbency or you can buy doublers and accomplish the same thing. There are also alternative fabrics like hemp that don’t come standard with most diapers but make great overnight/road trip/long day at the zoo inserts as they are extra absorbent. Doesn’t all that laundering waste water? How is that good for the environment? TOP
Get this – the amount of water used to manufacture disposables amounts to almost 3 times more water wasted than cloth! In fact, the amount of water used is equivalent to flushing the toilet 5 or 6 times, depending on your washer. If you’re doing laundry every other day, or even every day, it really doesn’t make too much of a difference in your daily household water use. |
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