Should you use disposable diapers or go with cloth instead? The choice as to which to use really depends on your priorities, personal preferences, and a couple of baby factors.
For some moms, the thought of using and cleaning cloth diapers simply makes them cringe. For some environmentally-conscious moms, the thought of using disposables is a “no-no”.
Decades ago, cloth diapers were the norm. Well times have really changed. These days, WebMD estimates that around 95% of U.S. households use disposable diapers.
Disposable diapers come in a variety of options. As a matter of fact, you can choose to use disposable diapers and still go green. Yes, there are now disposable diapers that are actually environmentally friendly. According to parents.com:
… today’s options are not only chlorine-, latex- and dye-free, but they also keep baby dry.
So if you’re leaning towards choosing disposable diapers, you don’t have to worry about the environment because there are some that are pretty eco-friendly. You just need to search for the most eco-friendly disposable diaper out there.
Cloth diapers have also evolved as well as there are various kinds of cloth diapers for you to choose from nowadays. The good thing about cloth diapers is that they aren’t as boring as before. They actually now come in exciting colors and designs. According to babycenter.com:
Cloth diapers have come a long way in the past few generations. Modern diapers make it easier than ever to use cloth, whether you pay a service to clean the dirty diapers or wash them yourself.
So the long and short of it is this simple question. Should you go for cloth or disposable diapers?
To help you decide this matter, there are nine things you need to consider before choosing between cloth and disposable diapers.
Here are the nine things to consider when choosing between cloth and disposable diapers.
9. Who Is Caring For Your Baby. Before making a decision about whether to use cloth or disposable diapers, you have to consider who is caring for your baby. There are few daycares who will work with cloth diapers and it isn’t exactly fair to send your baby off to a sitter and expect them to willingly accept cloth diapers without an option. Source: everydayfamily.com
8. Baby’s Comfort. Disposable diapers are generally more absorbent than cloth diapers, so they can keep your baby’s skin dry. On the downside, it can be harder to tell when a disposable diaper needs to be changed. If you decide to use cloth diapers, choose a kind that has several layers of different types of fabric. These will absorb moisture better than a diaper with just a single layer of fabric. No matter what type of diaper you use, check them often and change them when they’re wet or messy. Source: embracefamilyhealth.com
7. Diaper Rash Prevention. There’s no huge difference here, as long as you change baby’s diaper when it’s full. Leaving on a soiled diaper (cloth or disposable) increases risk of diaper rash and doesn’t feel so great for baby. Disposable diapers are more breathable, but their moisturizing, absorbent chemicals irritate some babies. Some babies might prefer the softer feel of cloth diapers. Source: thebump.com
6. Convenience. Disposable diapers are the clear winner when it comes to convenience. No pins, no pails, no folding, no washing. Disposable diapers are especially handy if you don’t have a washer and dryer or if you’re traveling. Source: embracefamilyhealth.com
Many cloth diapers are now available with velcros, snaps, waterproof elastic waist and leg closures and removable liners making it easier than ever to go green. With the only caveat being that you have to launder them. Source: newportchildren.com
5. Leak Prevention. Disposable diapers can soak up more urine than cloth diapers, so they are less prone to leak. They’re a little bit better at holding in feces, too. Either way you go, at some point there’s probably a disposable diaper in your future. Source: embracefamilyhealth.com
Here is the continuation of the nine things to consider when choosing between cloth and disposable diapers.
4. Environmental Impact. If you don’t like the thought of throwing 7,000 diapers in a landfill, you might want to choose cloth diapers instead. A single cloth diaper can be reused up to 75 times, making it an attractive choice for people who want to cut down on trash. But there’s a tradeoff: It takes about 50 gallons of water and a fair amount of energy to wash a load of cloth diapers. Source: healthday.com
Keep in mind that while you won’t find cloth diapers cluttering up landfills, they do consume a great deal of energy in order to wash, dry, and sanitize. Even if you hire a diapering service, they too are using immense amounts of energy and charging you a monthly fee. Environmentally speaking, the effects on the environment can be just as harsh. Source: everydayfamily.com
3. Total Cost. A typical family can spend between $2000 and $3000 per baby for two years on disposable diapers while cloth diapers and accessories run about $800 to $1000 if you wash them yourself. If you go with a cloth diaper laundering service it will run you closer to the cost of disposables around $2500 to $2800. But also keep in mind that you can reuse cloth diapers on any new siblings that come along. Source: thebump.com
2. Health and Hygiene Reasons. A majority of hospitals and daycare centers use disposables for health reasons, namely to eliminate the spread of germs and disease. Source: newportchildren.com
Many day care centers require disposables and will not accommodate cloth diapers … You’re really talking about hygiene and minimizing potential for spread of infection, for example with diarrhea. Source: webmd.com
1. Your “Gross Threshold”. If your gross threshold is low, it’s a no brainer. Go with disposables. Consider this mom’s “unbearable” experience: “Getting semisolid (think sweet potato casserole) poop off a cloth diaper is NOT COOL. Having a toddler who does not have regular bowel habits, and who tends to have soft poopies, does not seem compatible with cloth diapers. Also, breastfed baby poo, same issue. Even if I had one of those nifty toilet sprayers… unless it sprays so hard that I imagine the water jet bouncing back off the diaper onto the toilet tank, I can’t figure out how the squished-into-the-fabric poop is going to come off the diaper without me physically scrubbing it out. EW? And/or, then the possibility of leftover poop in the washer. Also… EW?!” Source: alphamom.com
You will be doing diapers for the first two to three years of your child’s life (hopefully, not longer than that). It’s not enough that you settle for something that does not meet your expectations or something that does not go with your lifestyle so do your research and decide which is best for your baby, you, and your family.
One thing is for sure about diapers, this is not a lifetime thing. No one goes to college in their diapers. 🙂
Hope you found this little guide helpful. We also want to thank the awesome folks who have contributed their awesome words of wisdom and ideas to this article.
