Diaper Dilemma – Cloth vs. Disposable Discover the Pros and Cons of Each!

Posted on 11. Mar, 2009 by The-Cute-Kid Photo Contest in Baby Center, Parenting, Toddlers

Diaper dilemma – cover with cloth or dive into disposables? Discover the pros and cons of each.Diaper Dilemma – Cloth vs. Disposable Discover the Pros and Cons of Each

By Michelle Bruns

When your baby is born, you vow to give only the best to your little one. You research the latest in organic baby care products, make sure to wash all of his things in chemical-free detergent, and even switch back to paper instead of plastic at the grocery store check-out, just to make the Earth last a little longer for your offspring. But, when it comes to your cutie’s caboose, are you choosing cloth or disposable diapers?

Disposable diapers themselves have been around since the 1940s, but the great diaper debate was born in the 1990s when eco-advocates began to raise concern about the effect of disposables on the environment. With images of landfills dancing around your head, you start to wonder what is really better for your baby’s bum?

Research shows that, environmentally speaking, each diaper option affects the ecosystem in a different way. Yet the fact remains that until your tot is toilet-trained, you need to cover those cheeks! So, to help you make a decision of your own for your household, here are the dirty-detail pros and cons of each diaper alternative:

Pro-Cloth

• Recyclable – you can wash and reuse
• Biodegradable
• Can be used as dust rags
• Allows more airflow for sensitive skin
• Organic cotton options are available as an additional eco-friendly advantage
• Washing at home is quicker than driving to the store
• Toddlers in cloth tend to potty train more quickly
• Diaper services are available for those who wish to avoid the wash cycle
• All-in-one diapers like FuzziBunz (FuzziBunz.com) offer clean and green solutions for your baby’s number-one and number-two needs.
• If you’re not keen on the idea of washing traditional cloth diapers yourself but still want to use cloth, look into diaper services in your area by visiting DiaperNet.org.

Anti-Cloth

• Uses water and energy to produce and wash product
• When using plastic or rubber pants to keep leaks at bay, they are not as breathable as cloth alone
• Users go through twice as many cloth diapers as those who use disposables over a year’s time
• The chemicals used to process cotton are not environmentally friendly, nor best for baby’s skin (see organic cotton options in Cloth Pros list)
• Inconvenient while traveling
• When compared to disposables, require additional effort after use
• Can be messy, which may be the biggest Daddy disadvantage… at least for guys with a sensitive gag reflex; number two may be a job best left for Mommy’s iron will.

Pro-Disposable

• New stay-dry technology and leak-less designs
• No laundry to do, so you are using less water
• Convenient disposal of contents, especially on trips or running errands
• No safety pins needed

Anti-Disposable

• Non-biodegradable, so used disposables fill landfills (with the exception of new biodegradable disposable diapers, which some debate are not truly biodegradable in present landfill conditions)
• Diaper rash is more common than with cloth
• Cause higher heat temperatures in the diaper area, which may affect your little boy’s reproductive system down the road
• Cost more than cloth diapers
• Chemical in diapers that allows for super absorbency is the same substance removed from tampons in the 1980s

Neither cloth diapers nor disposable diapers are more sanitary. The cleanliness of diapers has to do with hand washing habits and storage containers for each. Choosing between cloth diapers and disposable diapers, or a combination of both, should be a decision between you and your baby’s bottom. After all, only you know what works best for your family.

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Tags: baby advice, child parenting, parent advice, parent center, Parenting, parents, teach kids