Why I Use Cloth Diapers
A lady in my local play-group confronted me with a question I hear rather often which was “What made you decide to use cloth diapers?” I simply replied that I had decided to invest in the future health of my children. I also mentioned that I looked at the many advantages cloth diapers has to offer. She was genuinely interested, so I gave her some facts and told her if she had any questions, I would love to help! After that conversation, I thought I’d make a quick post and share with all of you why I use cloth diapers.
Use Cloth Diapers and Save $$$
The Simple Dollar did some research on the cost-efficiency of cloth diapers, and they found that “If you estimate that you have a water cost of $0.05 a load, a power cost of $0.09 a load, (…) detergent cost of $0.03 a load. (…) Cleaning three dozen diapers costs about $0.50. You’ll pay about $0.20 a diaper for disposables, which equates to a cost of about $7.20 per three dozen diapers. After startup costs, you spend only about $0.50 per three dozen diapers. You’ll repeat this about fifty times before potty training begins, so the total diaper savings is $350 or so with cloth diapers. Of course, your startup costs aren’t included here.”
Use Cloth Diapers And Reduce Diaper Rash
According to The University of Rochester Medical Center, “Allow a baby’s skin to breathe, which may help heal diaper rash.” This is a fact I can attest to, having been a cloth diaper mama for several years. I must add here that I disagree with the “cons” they have listed.
Cloth Diapers Are Fast And Easy To Use
I had my reservations when I first began using cloth diapers. I mean I had thoughts of OMG! is this going to add a lot of time to my already demanding schedule. Will the cloth diaper wash routine interfere with my much-needed rest? Who wants extra work, right? But that’s not the case! I worried myself into a frenzy over nothing! I made it out to be a lot harder than it actually was. It’s just laundry – period! Cloth diapers are just as easy to use as disposables.
Cloth Diapers Are Cool And Comfortable For Your Baby
Cloth diapers allow your babies bum to get more air; this is a good thing! More air, less diaper rash.
Cloth Diapers Are Safer For New Delicate Skin
Cloth diapers don’t contain any of the harmful chemicals that disposables are loaded with. See “How dangerous are disposbales
Final Thoughts
It seems to me that many women who I talk to who cloth diaper their children had a “cloth diaper conversion”. That is, they originally did not intend to use cloth, or were even outright opposed to cloth, but had some experience which changed their mind. Some moms realized how much waste was being put into the environment with each disposable diaper. Some moms needed a real solution to diaper rash. Some moms just got tired of losing money with each diaper changed. Some moms just never considered cloth as a realistic option. However, my story is different.
Even as a child I intended to use cloth to diaper my children. This is no doubt born from the fact that my mother happily used cloth with my brother and me. As a little girl, all of my dolls were even diapered in cloth! When it came time to make a diapering decision for my children, I honestly never even considered disposables. It is not that I look down upon anyone who decides that disposable diapers are the best choice for their family and their children, it is just that I grew up with cloth and see cloth as beneficial for my family and more specifically for Jocelyn’s needs.
Thus, when I examine my true reasons for choosing cloth for Jocelyn it breaks down to three reasons.
- First, I am saddened by the idea that diapers Jocelyn is using today may remain in the garbage dump for years to come.
- Second, looking at our family finances and the financial benefits of cloth, I saw that I stood to save over a thousand dollars (yes, you read that right) by diapering Jocelyn is cloth.
- Finally, Jocelyn has very sensitive skin and the disposable diapers we used when she was first born caused her to have bad diaper rashes. Once I got my stock of cloth, the diaper rashes almost disappeared.
I believe that every parent has to carefully weigh what is best for their family in regards to diapering. I would never fault anyone for choosing disposables. However, I would encourage all families to consider cloth and the benefits it may provide for all.
