“Why in the world would you want to do that?! Disposables are much more convenient!”
This is the common reaction that we receive when people find out that we will be cloth diapering. Well, here are our reasons why we will be cloth diapering:
1. Save Money. I think this is what ultimately got Mr. Crafty Nest excited about cloth diapering. If you have a significant other who is on the fence about cloth diapering, just talk to him about the money you guys will save! Of course these costs will vary depending on what type of diapers you decide to go with and if you plan on using a diapering service. We won’t be using a diaper service and we’ll be doing mainly prefolds in the newborn stage, which are extremely economical. Diaper Decisions has some really awesome charts that break down the cost of cloth diapering depending on which diapers you use. Diaper Pin has a really handy cloth diapering calculator to help you determine costs. The awesome thing about cloth diapers is that they generally have a pretty good resale value. Once you are finished diapering your kiddos, you can sell them on websites like Diaper Swappers. You can also purchase used and sometimes brand new diapers from there, another great way to save money.
2. Health Factors. The frequency of diaper rash jumped up 70% when disposable diapers were introduced to the market. Disposables contain toxic chemicals including Dioxin (a carcinogenic listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer linked chemicals), Tributyl-tin (a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals), and Sodium Polyacrylate (a super absorbent polymer that becomes a gel when wet that can cause skin irritations and allergic reactions as bad as fever, vomiting, and even staph infection). After reading what disposables consist of, I just couldn’t fathom putting those chemicals anywhere near my baby.
3. Environmentally Friendly. It is estimated that 27.4 billion disposable diapers are consumed every year in the U.S. Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent about 4% of solid waste. In a house with a child in diapers, disposables make up 50% of household waste. It is also estimated to take 250-500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose – this means that they will still be piled up in the landfills long after our children, grandchildren and great, great, great grandchildren will be gone. These stats just blow my mind! We want to do our tiny part in helping protect the environment.
4. Just Cute. I have to admit that the cuteness factor was what got me researching cloth diapers. How could you not love those fluffy colorful little bottoms?! Anything that can make poop seem fun is a winner in my book! Sorry, the new disposable jean pampers just can’t compete.
*Many statistics taken from the Real Diaper Association.
