Why Go Cloth?

People go cloth for lots of reasons. Some people think it's environmentally responsible and others turn to it because their child has a sensitivity to disposable diapers. Cloth diapering also enters households for financial reasons. Like any growing fad some people decide to do it because it just seems cool. While I believe anyone can cloth diaper it doesn't mean that cloth diapering is for everyone. You can read some of the common questions about cloth diapering and decide if it's right for you.

Is It Really Better For Baby?

Absolutely! Cloth diapers are softer and more natural against that new baby skin. Babies who wear cloth diapers are less likely to develop diaper rash. Many people are lead to believe that diaper rash is just part of being a baby. This is not true, while it is very common it's not normal or healthy. The large occurance of diaper rash is probably due to the wide spread use of disposable diapers. There are chemicals in disposable diapers. One of which is dioxin. This chemical has been banned in several other countries, yet we continue to use it in a product for our babies. Disposable diapers have also been linked to male infertility and asthma. I know most of us don't enjoy the feeling of disposable pads while on our periods and I'm sure the feeling is similar for a baby in disposable diapers only yhtey don't get much of a break. I also think it just makes baby happier. I have no proof to back this up, but our baby used to have boughts of fussiness. We would change him, feed him, burp him, walk and bounce and whatever else we could think of and he would still fuss, or scream bloody murder. I had almost convinced myself my luck had finally run out and I had been given a baby with colic. When we switched to cloth diapers these episodes pretty much disappeared. Bumbard me with whatever explaination you'd like, but this is my theory and I'm sticking to it.

After It All Comes Out In The Wash Will It really Save Me Money?

Thumbs up to that! While it does require a bit more upfront, $300 being just enough to get you through your diaper years. I don't know anyone who purchases that many disposables at one time. However, in the long run by chosing to go cloth the average family could save around over $2000. The savings go further if you cloth diaper for more than one child. If you change your child 8 times a day and use 2 wipies at each change and your child is in diapers for 3 years you could spend about $3800. An estimated $.38 a change. This does not include costs for gas or the impulse items you buy while at the store getting your diapers. You could spend $600 on an All in One diaper system including accesories to make cloth diapering easier and even your laundry costs for the three years of diapering would only amount to about $300. You do the math, but I could do a lot with $2000.

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Doesn't It Take The Same Toll On The Environment Either Way?

While there are manufacturing impacts from both methods, the overall effects are very different. It can take nearly 500 years for a disposable diaper to breakdown. Being of natural cotton, cloth diapers break down sooner, plus much of that break down is from repeated use. Plus the flat and prefold diapers make great cleaning rags in your house further extending their life before going to a landfill. In their diapering years your oh so sweet baby in disposables will contribute over a ton of waste to landfills, most of which is matter that would normally be flushed and treated. Human waste in that amount should not be allowed to enter our water sources and soils. Companies who make disposable diapers want you to believe that the environmental toll is the same. They stand to make thousands of dollars off of their product replenishing your stock every week. Those who make cloth diapers stand to make a lot less they may only get your business once.

Don't You Spend All Your Time Doing Laundry?

Nope. In our house we do laundry everyday, though not because of cloth diapers. Before baby we were doing 1-3 loads of laundry a day. Now every few days one of those loads happens to be diapers. The size of your diaper stash will determine how often you have to wash, though every 2-3 days is the norm. It doesn't even require lots of special treatment. I use seperate detergent for baby's clothes anyway and the additive free ones recommended for diapers is great for washing all the fabrics that thouch his soft skin. I do run a cold pre-wash before the hot wash and dry, but I know cloth diaperers who just wash and go. Even if you don't have a washing machine there are small portable machines that connect to your sink and are great for small loads of diapers. And I enjoy doing diaper laundry. It's not like sorting socks. It has a purpose. I take my load of clean warm diapers and sit with baby in the living room. Sometimes I plop him in the basket and he's quite cozy in his diaper nest. Diaper laundry folds and stacks in a way that no other laundry does. And I love the bright colors and cute prints in their little piles by the changing table, though you could just as easily leave them in a basket and grab as needed. This is what I call the sock bucket method, which is how the socks in our house are handled.

Isn't It Smelly And Dirty?

Aren't disposables smelly and dirty? With the use of a sprayer the solid and most stinky part of a diaper goes into the toilet. And you should be washing your hands after every change no matter what kind of diaper you use, so there is no higher germ potential. And the diapers don't sit for more than a couple days. We have a tightly sealing trashcan with a wetliner and things smell just fine. In my disposable days I used one of those pails that twisted my little diaper bombs into smelly little sausages. My nursery smelled just fine then too. But eventually you have to empty it and I don't think the DoD could get their hands on a gas mask good enough to handle that task. Cloth diapering encourages you to change your child when they are wet rather than waiting till a chemical and urinie laden diaper is sagging down to baby's knees to change them. We've all seen it and usually the kid with that diaper smells rank enough he could be a weapon of mass destruction. Diaper changing time is fun because we get to talk about colors, shapes, and animal sounds; all inspired by our diaper collection and we don't even notice the task at hand. I'm okay with cloth diaper smelly and dirty, if that's what you call it.