10 Great Reasons to Use Cloth Diapers

I found out today that the very last diaper service in the Minneapolis area, having been in business for the past 20 years, is shutting its doors and parking their delivery vans for good. I thought to myself that it's a rather sad passing when the current trend is to "Go Green". The phrase itself heralds a lot of promise for healthier living and a healthier planet. But, if Green Living is such a rising star, why has this business closed their doors when cloth diapers have so much to offer on so many levels?

I suppose we should just start off by taking a good look at disposable diapers. Sure - disposable diapers are convenient. Sure - disposable diapers are easy. Sure - disposable diapers keep your baby feeling dry. And sure - you don't have to directly deal with a lot of poop. One simply puts them on, takes them off, rolls them up and puts them into the garbage when they're soiled. However, if you take those ultra-convenient disposable diapers and break them down, you'll see why cloth diapers are really a better bargain - for both your baby AND the environment.

Listed here are the ten best reasons to use cloth diapers:

1. Cloth is Healthier and Safer for Your Baby - It's very disturbing that there are three main chemicals found in disposable diapers that can potentially be harmful to your baby – sodium polyacrylate, dioxin, and tributyl-tin. Have you ever changed your baby only to find her sensitive bottom covered in a crystal and gel substance? What you saw on your baby's rear end was sodium polyacrylate. It makes up the absorbent layer in most disposable diapers. The crystals turn to a gel when your baby wets and that gel is what absorbs and wicks the wetness into the diaper. While it is effective at its job of keeping your baby feeling dry by absorbing many times its own weight in fluids, it causes allergic reactions in many babies in the form of skin irritations (diaper rash) and was banned from being used in tampons back in 1985 because of its association with toxic shock syndrome.
   
   Then there's the use of chlorine to bleach the paper that's used in making disposable diapers. This process creates dioxin, a cancer-causing chemical considered by the EPA to be the most toxic of all carcinogens. Traces of this toxic substance carry over to the finished diaper product. The World Health Organization claims that newborns and their developing internal organs are particularly susceptible to the effects of this chemical. Most countries, except for the United States, have banned dioxin. Long-term exposure can cause harmful effects on the immune, nervous, and reproductive systems.
   
   Tributyl-tin (TBT) is a toxic chemical that can be absorbed through the skin and has been found to cause hormonal problems and harm the immune system.


2. Cloth Diapers Are Better for the Environment - According to the Real Diaper Association (RDA), there are approximately 27.4 billion disposable diapers being used in the United States each year with 92% of those diapers ending up in landfills. Estimates say that disposables take between 250-500 years for each of thos e diapers to decompose - that’s a very long time.
   
   There are some that say the water used in washing cloth diapers negates some of the positive effect gained by saving landfill space, but the RDA refutes that claim saying that the water used in manufacturing and consumption of disposables is 2.3 times greater than that used on cloth.



3. Haute Diaper Couture For Your Baby - Why settle for a plain white paper and plastic diaper when your baby's behind could be dressed in fashionable prints and colors? With the variety of cloth styles and fabric available, your baby will be stylin’ with a diaper for every possible occasion.


4. Cloth Feels Better on Baby - What baby wouldn’t want to feel soft fleece or cotton on their bottom over a harsh paper-like lining? With their stretchy designs and soft linings, cloth diapers are comfortable for baby and keep baby dry naturally.



5. You WILL Save A Lot Of Money - You can find countless calculators and estimates that will compare the cost of cloth diapering with the use of disposables. While they all vary depending on the prices and the products you choose to use, no matter which method you choose, cloth diapering is always less expensive in the end. The fact that you do buy your products up front may make it appear more expensive but ,in the long run, they are a lot less expensive than the hundreds and hundreds of packages of disposable diapers you have to buy again and again and again. According to the RDA, using the most basic cloth diaper setup consisting of prefold diapers and diaper covers, it would cost you a mere one-tenth of the total cost it will cost to use disposables.



6. Next Baby, Please! - Cloth diapers can be saved and reused on your next baby. Usually a cloth diaper will last through at least two children, sometimes more. That adds up to a huge savings and makes for a great investment! That extra money can be invested for future college funds!



7. Let's Talk About Your ROI - Your Return on Investment - If you don’t plan on having any more children, you can resell or donate the bulk of your cloth diapers. There are baby consignment stores, eBay, as well as diaper swapping websites to get rid of your used dipes. Regardless, cloth diapers hold their value and can resell at a great price. If you would rather donate them, there are a few organizations out there like Miracle Diapers that will take your used diapers and get them into the hands of low-income families who need them.



8. So Many Choices, So Much Control! - You choose how much or how little you want to spend on a diaper system. You choose what kind of material graces your baby’s bottom. You choose the style and colors that fit your child's personality. You choose how and where the diapers you buy are made. With cloth diapers, you have the opportunity to decide what YOU want and what’s best for your baby. For more information on how to get started with Cloth Diapering, take a few minutes to read through our articles Diapering Made Easy, at Little Pea Pods website.



9. Cloth Diapers Are VERY Easy to Use - Contrary to some opinions, cloth diapering is VERY easy. Many of the styles available are similar to disposables except that you wash and re-use them. Even getting rid of the poo is an easy - before your baby is on solid foods, you don’t have to do anything except put the diaper into the washing machine and out it all goes out with the water. When your baby starts eating solids, you can use a diaper liner that makes it easy to lift the poo out of the diaper and into the toilet OR you can use a sprayer to spray it off into the toilet. With today's diaper pail methods, there is absolutely zero need to swish anything around in a toilet anymore. By getting rid of the poos before putting the diaper into the diaper pail, cloth diapers a lot less smelly and healthier for everyone involved.



10. You'll Have Cleaning Rags for Years to Come - If you keep your prefold diapers after your baby grows out of the need for them, you'll never have to buy cleaning or dusting rags again. They are absorbent for spills, grab tons of dust, and are great for waxing your automobiles! After you use them, just wash them and they're ready for the next time you need a handy rag to use.

So there you have it...10 absolutely great reasons for using cloth diapers on your baby. If you would like more details, or have any questions, please visit Little Pea Pods or send us an email.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Camille Knutson