Diapers: Cloth or Disposable?

[HopefulEm]

So from what I've read disposable diapers seem to win hands down convenience wise, but for me my biggest concerns are rather:

1. Which is better for the environment?

2. Which is healthier for baby?

Anyone have any expert knowledge or have some good articles they recommend on the subject?

Thanks!

 

[Amygdala]

Cloth nappies/diapers win on environmental factors, even if you factor in production and having to wash them. They are also a lot cheaper, especially if used for more than one child. We use all-in-ones and I find them just as convenient as disposable really, the washing isn't a big deal to me. The one thing that convinced me was the thought of disposables full of chemicals on my baby's delicate skin. I hate mentrual pads personally and struggle to find ones that don't irritate my skin. So the thought of my baby wearing something similar for probably 2 years or more just totally put me off. Cloth nappies are so much softer and you know exactly what goes on baby's skin. We did get two nappy rashes with a previous brand we used (little lambs) but never had a problem with our current stash (totsbots). Sorry, I have no references. In the end, I think it's a personal decision anyway. Whether you "like" them or not will be more important than objective factors, as you'll have to change 6-8 of the things a day! You could always get one/a few and see how you get on?

 

[celine]

100% agree with aove, its really all a personal choice and i wouldnt judge either. I switched to cloth when my son turned 1 so used them a whole year then had my daughter and had two in cloth for that frst year, son potty trained and now daughter still in them...hoping to use the same stash a third time round

 

[Wishing_well]

Cloth without a doubt. Quinn was cloth bummed from about 6 weeks and this one will be from birth.

 

[ashybug]

Cloth wins as far as the environment is concerned. But honestly, I'm going with disposable. It's kind of the standard around here and I really don't want to deal with cloth diapering as a new mom and dh is really against cloth. Maybe when the baby is older I'll try cloth, we'll see.

 

[HopefulEm]

Thanks Ladies! I'd always thought cloth diapers would be the clear winner for the environment but I read recently that that was up to debate because of the resources needed to clean them. (So part of the reason I asked.) It does seem like they'd still be better though that way.

 

[Yipee]

I'm doing cloth mainly because I don't like the chemicals in disposables. From what I've read, even the expensive "natural" ones are not actually chemical-free; they're just free of certain chemicals that are most suspected of being harmful. But I couldn't afford to diaper a baby for 2 years in those expensive health food store disposables anyway, so I didn't look too deeply into it. I will use them from time to time though, for convenience, travel, etc.

Environmentally, I think cloth is a clear winner, especially if you air dry instead of using an electric dryer. But even with an electric dryer, I think they still win, when you think of the resources and electric that go to producing a single-use diaper that is then thrown away to sit in a landfill for years... it has to be more environmentally friendly to just wash and dry a cloth diaper over and over again.

Maybe if you lived in a desert or something where water use really was a big issue, and on top of that were drying in a tumble-dryer, it would make less sense environmentally... I'm not sure. Water isn't a big issue where I live, and we also divert our washing machine water into our patch of banana trees, so it gets used twice.

I also really appreciate the money-saving aspect! You can use the same diapers on multiple kids, and the resale value is very good too.

 

[Dream.dream]

Well be doing cloth this time better for environment and baby,

Disposables take 250-500 years to decompose and I've seen babies with chemical burns from disposables , also I read an article which I can't did now which said some of the chemicals and additives in diapers and even feminine pad have been linked to reproductive problems later in life .

 

[WantingABubba]

Cloth for me

 

[Toms Mummy]

My 1st was in cloth when i changed him and sposies when dh changed him, then sposies at night. So we mixed and matched. X

 

[AnneD]

Cloth for me. Cheaper for me in the long run, and I want to have more children, not just one. Easy to put on. No scraping of the poo in the toilet (breastfed poo is water soluble, and after you start weaning you just lift the poo out on a liner and flush that). No chemicals on the baby. And (this is my speculation only, no idea if there's any proof), no risk of long-term damage from gels in disposables. I don't put stuff like that near my foo foo, and I'm not willing to risk it with my baby. Control over absorbency (esp. with pockets, or adding boosters). Fewer leaks. Cloth nappies are also pretty, and it's fun to choose what you want to put on the little bum. I don't mind washing, I line dry, and I enjoy folding and stuffing nappies (need a life, I know). I don't like the long decomposition time disposables have, and the chemical smell of a wet disposable.

That said, it's your decision and whichever you choose, no one should judge you.

For info, google The Nappy Lady, she's got a lot of information. Go to Natural Parenting section and have a look around; Rachel_C has a blog and she knows heaps about nappies, environment, costs, etc.; Little Pants has a nappy library.

Don't close your mind to anything, and don't let anyone mock or manipulate you into something you're not comfortable with (this goes for both sides).

 

[AC1987]

I use cloth and disposable, I don't have easy cloth ones, I'm sure if I had spent the money and got some good ones I'd like it better, as it is, I have the diaper covers, and then my mom made the diapers, and I have reusable liners, I DO hafta rinse the liners out and the diaper in the toilet and some days I dread it, I use disposables at night or when we're going out.