Cloth diapers are an economical, environmental, and healthy alternative to disposable diapers. Today’s cotton or polyester diapers come with features like super-absorbent linings, Velcro or snaps for easy fastening, and more waterproof covers. They are as convenient to use as disposables, but can save parents money while also saving their baby’s bottom and the environment.
Cloth Diapers are Cheaper
Most babies wear diapers until they are two and a half years old. At an average of seven diapers a day, that means that one baby will wear about 6500 diapers by the time he is toilet trained. Cheap or sale-priced disposable diapers cost around 25 cents a diaper – which adds up to nearly $1600 by the time the baby is two and a half.
Cloth diapers vary in price, from $20 up to $100, depending on the brand. Two to three dozen diapers should keep a baby in clean diapers for about three days. On the slightly cheap side, two dozen cloth diapers at $25 a diaper cost $600 – which, compared to disposable diapers, pay themselves off in just under a year. Cloth diapers can also be used for several children, and have a big resale value.
Cloth Diapers are Environmentally Friendly
The diapers for one baby may not seem like a big deal in the garbage, but all the diapers used by babies in just the States alone create a big pile. “18 billion disposable diapers are thrown in landfills each year, taking as many as 500 years to decompose. Disposable diapers make up the third largest source of solid waste in landfills,” says Jane McConnell in an article in the May/June 1998 issue of Mothering Magazine. One mom who switched to cloth diapers instantly noticed that her household garbage was much smaller without the disposable diapers.
Cloth Diapers are Better for Baby
Because disposable diapers are made from non-breathable plastic, they can contribute to diaper rash. In another Mothering Magazine article, Peggy O’Mara says, “The September 1979 edition of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics called for limiting the use of disposables, because a study had found that disposables caused more frequent and more severe diaper rash.” Parents may also be tempted to change baby less frequently, because disposable diapers stay dry for longer, but this means that baby is sitting in his or her own urine for longer.
Disposable diapers also contain chemicals that should cause parents concern. One chemical used in manufacturing disposables is dioxin, “which in various forms has been shown to cause cancer, birth defects, liver damage, and skin diseases” (McConnell). The absorbent material in the diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, which can cause severe skin infections (O’Mara) and is the “same substance that was removed from tampons in 1985 because of its link to toxic shock syndrome” (McConnell).
Today, many parents are enjoying the convenience of modern cloth diapers for any of these three reasons. With increased economical challenges, cloth diapers help save money. As environmental concern grows, cloth diapers contribute less to landfill waste. And as more studies show the harm of certain chemicals, cloth diapers offer a relatively chemical-free solution.
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