Wednesday, Apr. 16, 2003
Cloth Diapering

A few people have asked me why we decided to go with cloth diapers. And I always have a little bit of trouble answering that question... because there are SO MANY reasons, that I just go on and on, and by the end I know that they probably regret asking the question!

In this entry I am going to list all my reasons for choosing cloth, in the hopes that I will change just ONE person's mind about exclusively using disposable diapers. I'll probably add to it over time as well, because every time I start to go over what's motivating me, a new one pops into my head! My biggest fear is that those of you who have already decided to go with disposables won't even bother to read this entry - but I'm hoping you will. I realize some of the arguments are old, but I do believe that I have a few new ones that many people have not considered. All I ask is that you make an educated decision. I am hoping to help by providing information - not just opinion

First and foremost, the obvious one: THE ENVIRONMENT - If your baby uses 6 disposable diapers in one day (and that's a conservative estimate), you will contribute 2190 diapers to the landfill each year - multiply that by 2 if you potty train by age 2 (also a conservative estimate) your one child is contributing a minimum of 4380 diapers to our dumps. Multiply that by the number of children you have and that's a lot of garbage! It takes over 500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose - and even then there is about 30% of it that is non-biodegradable.

Why would you take one of the biggest gifts God gave us - our Earth, and destroy it willingly? Not to mention, we are leaving this land behind for our children. People will do anything for their kids - but they never consider the fact that they are destroying the land that our children and grandchildren will be living on for the rest of thier lives, after we are gone. It's an enormous gift we can give our kids - a better, cleaner Earth than we enjoyed. They will learn from our example, and we will raise a new generation of human beings who care about our natural resources, so that they don't have to live in bubbles by the time they're having children of their own.

Plus, most people don't read the suggestions on the disposable diaper packages... you're not supposed to dump the human waste in the garbage with the diaper - you're supposed to dump it in the down the toilet first. A sewer system is designed to handle it. All that feces in our landfills is toxic, and carries 100's of potential viruses. It seeps down into the earth and causes all kinds of trouble, contaminating our water, and allowing insects to transport the viruses causing disease to spread.

COST - I shouldn't even have to go into numbers with this one - everybody knows that using disposables is a more costly way to go. But, I'll bet a lot of you didn't know that people will buy used cloth diapers on eBay, and pay a minimum of 60 cents on the dollar (more for certain kinds and/or brands). So, not only is it costing you less to begin with, you can sell them and get even more money back. It ends up being a FRACTION of the cost in the long run. People who complain about money and how tight their budget is, and then don't even LOOK INTO using cloth - it really boggles my mind. Don't forget, if you have more kids, you're already set with a diapering system! Save them until you're done having kids and then sell them.

One argument I've heard is that there is the added expense of the water bill - from washing the cloth diapers. But, when you figure that against the cost of a diaper genie and those expensive refills you have to buy to dispose of the stinky disposable diapers, it's obvious who the winner is here. (Not to mention the extra tubes of Desitin). Don't forget that water is a renewable resource, so it's not being wasted by the extra laundry.

Stay at home Mom's... you're losing one income, it's a perfect solution. The convenience of disposables is completely unnecessary for you. When disposables first came out on the market they were intended for convenience only - traveling, overnight stays, packing in the diaper bag. Never did those companies expect that people would start using them full-time! They figured people wouldn't fork out all that money for it. They underestimated the laziness of the average person. And now they're making billions off us.

YOU'LL SUPPORT OTHER STAY-AT-HOME-MOMS - 9 out of 10 of these businesses that make and/or sell cloth diapers are stay at home Moms who've started up online businesses. They've seen the benefits of cloth, and realized that they want to share this with the world, while staying at home to raise their children - so they sew their own, and sell them to support their growing families.

THEY'RE NOT THE SAME DIAPERS YOUR MOM USED - most people I've come across who question my sanity when I tell them we've chosen to use cloth have no idea how much nicer and easier-to-use the cloth diapers of today are. They make them with snaps and velcro, no pins necessary. They make some styles that are fitted just exactly like a disposable. These are slightly more expensive than the basic pre-fold style (which is also very easy to use, because you just lay it in a cover and the cover has the snaps or velcro) - but these are the ones that are in the highest demand on eBay. You're guaranteed to get 75-85% of your money back from the fitted kind if you re-sell them online. It's seriously a big business.

They also have bio-degradable liners that can make everything that much easier, if you're so inclined. You just lay it in the diaper and dump it in the toilet when you change it. So easy, and it keeps the diaper from getting stained - so you'll get even more money from it on eBay!

CLOTH IS BETTER FOR YOUR BABY'S SKIN - What would you rather have on your bottom, cotton or some synthetic itchy material resembling plastic? Also, disposables use chemicals that gel up when your baby wets, to make the diaper thinner, and to dry up the wetness. This is bad for two reasons... 1. some babies have bad reactions to the chemicals and this causes them to have more diaper rashes, and 2. You will tend to leave a dirty diaper on much longer when it seems to be dry (even though it's dirty), which causes the gel and urine to be next to baby's skin much longer, potentially causing irritation.

Some 70% of babies diapered in disposables get regular diaper rashes, compared to only 7% of cloth diapered babies - that's quite a difference! Diaper rash is just one of the minor potential hazards. There have been reports of a much more serious nature concerning the chemicals used in disposables getting into an infants intestinal tract, and even causing cancer. A baby's skin absorbs more easily than an adults, so those chemicals are getting absorbed - whether your baby can handle it is the question. Do you want to take the chance?

IF YOU'RE BREASTFEEDING, YOU CAN TELL EASIER IF THE BABY'S GETTING ENOUGH - A common question of a breastfeeding mother is whether the baby is getting enough. They tell you the best way to know is to count the number of wet diapers in a day. Well, with the way those disposables work, many people can't always tell if the baby has wet or not. With cloth, you know. And you may be changing your baby more frequently, but that just means your baby is that much more comfortable and happy.

IN CLOSING - I know I'm preaching - but I really want people to have all the facts before they make a decision. There's nothing that bothers me more than a person making such a HUGE decision without even finding out any real information about the alternatives. I think people believe that cloth-diapering is going to be this huge undertaking and they're afraid to try it. Fear of the unknown, but heck, you're having a baby aren't you? You've never done that before either! That's a pretty brave undertaking in itself. Why not give this a try too? There are some things to learn about cloth diapering, but there is a plethora of information out there on the internet, and there's me! I'd be delighted to help out ANYBODY who wants to give cloth diapering a try.

Truly, the only CON I can even think of that might make cloth diapers somewhat less desirable for a Mom is the extra laundry that will need to be done. But, in contrast with all the PROs, it's a trade-out I'm willing to make. Even if you decide doing 2-3 extra loads of laundry a week is too much time to give up (which I'll never understand, because it's not like you have to stand there and watch the washing maching while it's running), there are diaper services that bring all that convenience back. They deliver fresh, clean diapers and pick up the dirty ones, all on a schedule you decide. And it will STILL be cheaper than using disposables.

I realize by writing this I am welcoming all kinds of comments and potential arguments, but I am prepared for that. I have done my homework, and it's something I believe in more strongly everyday - and am willing to debate this to the end, so bring it on! I hope that by printing this, I am able to make at least one person think twice about choosing disposable diapers for their children. If I change your mind, let me know. I would love to think I made a difference.

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