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Cloth Diapering and the Environment

“Going green” seems to be the mantra of today’s society. We are being more frugal with energy, cutting down on waste, and reusing whatever we can. When you add a new baby to your life, you suddenly realize that being “green” is not going to be as easy as you might wish. Babies come with lots of “stuff,” and that stuff creates lots of waste. If you want to be a green parent, one thing you might be considering is cloth diapering. Before you make the investment into cloth diapers, read the pros and cons of this diapering option.

Pros of Cloth Diapering

Cloth diapers are less harmful to the environment, because they create less waste. Disposable diapers never break down completely, so every time you throw away a disposable diaper, you are adding something to the landfills that will always be there. There is no waste materials to add to landfills with a cloth diaper.

Using cloth diapers can actually save you money. You can limit your monetary investment into cloth diapers by purchasing a brand which has a one size fits all sizing scheme. Parents who use disposable diapers tend to run out at the worst times and need to run to the store to get additional supplies. You do not have to run to the store to get clean diapers, just your laundry room.

Some parents notice their children show an interest in potty training earlier when using cloth diapers. Disposable diapers do a great job of keeping wetness away from the skin, but this can make potty training difficult. The child does not feel “wet” when the diaper is wet, so learning when it is time to go is hard. With cloth diapers, the child feels wetness on his skin when the diaper is wet, which can push him towards potty training early.

Cons of Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers can cost a bundle to purchase initially. There are many different vendors, and you can even buy the diapers and covers used, but some of the best diapers cost as much as 0 to 0 to get a beginning set. This can cause many parents to turn away, even though they will spend much more than that over their child’s lifetime if they are buying disposables time and time again.

While cloth diapers do keep the landfills more clear, they are not completely environmentally friendly as might be thought. It does take a bit more energy to wash and dry these diapers. They have to be washed in hot water, which takes a lot of energy. This also adds to the cost factor, as it increases your utility bills.

Some parents find cloth diapers difficult to manage while out in public. Transporting soiled cloth diapers can be daunting, but there are products which can be used to help parents with this task. It is particularly difficult to manage while traveling when you may not have access to a washing machine. Don’t forget the good news! You can use disposables during those infrequent times you do not have access to a washing machine or dryer and still use cloth the majority of the time if you want.

So are cloth diapers for you? It is up to you to decide. Before you decide, do some research into the cleaning and care of cloth diapers to help you determine whether or not you might enjoy clothe diapering. If you feel like you can manage it, then you can do your part to help protect the environment by diapering your baby with cloth.

Why You Should Use Cloth Diapers

In your arms you hold this little person. You feel that you might bust from the feelings of love and protectiveness running through you. You would do anything for this person, your baby. Naturally you want to give your baby the best of everything and keep all harm away from your baby. Cloth diapering is one of the ways you can do just that.

Comfort

You have bought the softest blankets, clothes, and toys. You have made sure that none of the tags are scratchy and nothing will make your baby uncomfortable. Naturally you would want the diaper you put on your baby to be as comfortable as possible too. Cloth diapers are made of just that, cloth. Soft, stretchy cloth will be against your baby’s skin. Disposable diapers are made from paper. Scratchy, rough paper will be against your baby’s skin if you use disposables.

Health

You are trying to do everything to keep your baby safe. You have baby proofed your house, not small parts are anywhere to be found, and you are feeding your baby just what the doctor ordered. But by using disposable diapers you are exposing your baby to some of the harshest chemicals around. Disposables contain many chemicals not limited to Dioxin. Dioxin is used to bleach the paper and is considered by the EPA as one of the most toxic of cancer related chemicals. By using cloth diapers you have taken away all exposure to the dangerous chemicals found in disposables.

Environment

There is much talk today about doing our part to protect the planet. If you are like me there may not be many options open to you in recycling. I live 120 miles away from the closest center. But there is something that everyone can do, use cloth diapers. It is estimated that a disposable diaper will take between 250 and 500 years to decompose. Your children’s grandchildren will be around to see if Great Great Grandpa’s diaper did in fact decompose. It actually takes 2.3 times more water to manufacture a disposable diaper than it takes to wash a cloth diapers for the life of the child. Disposable diapers are the 3rd largest single consumer item in landfills.

Cost

In our current economic times we are all trying to find ways to save money and cut costs. Did you realize that it is estimated that by the time a child reaches two years old the average consumer will have spent ,600 in diapers. That is per month. While if you use cloth diapers you will spend between 0 (using prefolds and covers) to 00 (using organic materials and other expensive brands). What a difference! Not only is there that savings but those used diapers can be sold to recoup some of your costs or they can be used for future children. It is hard to correctly estimate the total savings because the possibilities to save are so many.

Cloth diapers are reusable, comfortable, cost efficient, and one of the best choices that you can make for your baby. You will be keeping your baby in comfort, creating less waste for the planet, and saving money all at the same time.

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