Reasons to go for Cloth and Avoid Disposables
There are several reasons to avoid or limit using disposable diapers for bub, and even more reasons to embrace the cloth variety for your little ones. Are you hoping to use cloth but not so sure about where to start with the diapering and washing questions you have? Here are a few tips from one mum who has experience with cloth to help you with choosing cloth vs disposables.
I started using cloth with baby number one. All my babies used cloth, but I have to say I also used disposables at night and when I found it more convenient. If you want to start cloth diapering, you need to make it work for you. Make sure you don’t make it a burden on yourself. Be kind to yourself and seriously make your choice and feel good about it!
When it comes to diaper bags, diaper pails, types of cloth and all those loads of laundry, just thinking about choosing cloth diapers can be overwhelming. Browse through our site to get a bit of a guide to cloth diapering to help you on your way.
See our favorite kind of cloth diaper HERE
- Save money. It’s good for your bank account! It’s often cheaper to reuse something rather than dispose and repurchase. The same is true for cloth diapers. That is unless you get so addicted you buy way more than you need to. If you also use cloth wipes and throw them in when you wash cloth diapers then you increase your environmental impacts.
- They’re good for your baby. If there is anything about your babies life where you want to control which chemicals they are exposed to it is their bodies, especially the skin around their delicate private parts! Our skin is the largest organ of our bodies and it is super absorbent. Many of the chemicals that are in disposables have been banned in women’s hygiene products and are extremely toxic when absorbed through the skin. You can significantly reduce the toxic chemicals bub is exposed to by simply choosing cloth.
- Help the environment by significantly reducing landfill. It’s so good for the environment, and you can feel good about that. Did you know that it takes a much energy to produce one disposable as it does to wash a cloth diaper 200 times? The cloth variety are often made of environmentally sustainable products such as hemp, bamboo, cotton, and wool. Although we’re unsure how long a disposable takes to break down in landfill, it is estimated somewhere between 300 and 500 years! Since disposables haven’t been around that long it is safe to suggest that every disposable that has been disposed of in landfill is still there! YUK!
- They look amazing. Cloth Diapered bubs are so stylish! As cloth becomes more and more in vogue, they are also becoming cuter and more adorable with such a large variety of designs to choose from.
Concerns When Considering Cloth
- More Work. It’s easy to think that going the cloth way will create extra work. The truth is that they’re easy and convenient. While the task of washing and drying them can be a rather daunting thought, it doesn’t have to be! The trick is to get to know the facts and what it takes to have a simple laundry routine. If you have enough good reasons to start with cloth in the first place, you’ll be more than happy to get organized and make cloth diapering work for you.
- Diaper Rash. If changed frequently the kind of diaper worn is not a significant factor in causing a rash. Although you do need to properly wash and care for your diapers so there is no soapy residue which can in turn cause rashes. In addition bacterial infection or high acid levels in your babies’ urine can also cause rashes. Your diaper cream choice will also determine the amount of unwanted chemicals your baby is exposed to.
- There’s too much Poo! No matter what kind of diaper you choose, you’ll have to deal with the poo. If you’re the squirmy type, using a biodegradable flushable liner with your cloth diapers simplifies this process. You can simply knock the liner into the toilet, flush, then add the cover to your wash pail.
- Convenience. Again, this is about making the decision and running with it. Modern cloth diapers do make changing convenient. Having wet bags on hand to handle the soiled/wet ones till you get home is handy, then simply unzip and throw the whole lot in the wash pail. Yes, they’re a little bulkier to take out and about but if you’re committed to cloth then you can totally live with that! Washing diapers doesn’t have to be the big deal that some make it seem.
Too much choice! Where do you start? With choices like snaps or velcro, and baby products like diapering pins, plastic pants, disposable liners, diaper sprayers, and diaper covers it can be hard to get your head around the switch to cloth diapers. Then you need to choose which brand you prefer. Would you go with a bumgenius diaper or fuzzi bunz? Bum genius were among the first we had in our stash!
So much mess and smell. When you’re dealing with babys poop, dirty diapers, solid waste, and diaper laundry it can get messy. When you first think about getting pregnant all this doesn’t sound like the family fun you’re anticipating.
Bring out the essential oils! All you’re thinking about is the gift subscriptions, baby wearing, car seats, meal plans, you’ve totally got it sorted! Once you’ve been a mom for a while all these messy topics are what most of your conversations with other parents revolve around. oh, and potty training, that’s a big one for another day!
Using cloth can be considered a sound financial investment, an investment in our environment, and an investment in the health of our children. It’s time to make a commitment to help our bank accounts, our baby boys & little girls, and our planet!
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Reusable Diapers – a brief summary
Reusable cloth diapers have been around for centuries although they didn’t always come in convenient styles or fun designs. Today we have so much variety to choose from it can often be overwhelming.
Some of the types of cloth diapers available are cotton prefolds, allinone diapers (AIO), all in twos (AI2), hybrids, flats, pocket diapers, contours and fitteds. Each have their own unique features. Some, like AIO’s have the cover and insert all sewn together, but others like prefolds or fitteds require a waterproof or wool cover.
We like to keep it simple. Our fave are the pocket variety to which the absorbency is inserted into the pocket, and they can simply be snapped up according to the size of your baby.