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Why Use Cloth?
I asked myself this very question when I began researching cloth diapering. I didn't get past the health benefits before I knew it was something my family was going to at least try out. I know once you read some of the benefits of cloth diapering to you, your baby, your family, the environment and even your wallet - you'll be just as excited to switch or start using cloth!
We've separated the reasons to use cloth diapers into three main sections - Health, Economics and the Environment.
Health
Did you know that there are toxic chemicals in disposable diapers? Isn't that something surprising? It was to us. The chemical Dioxin is present in disposables. Dioxin is listed by the EPA as the most toxic of Cancer related chemicals and has been banned in most countries except in the US. Disposables also contain Tributyl-tin (TBT), which is a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals. If you have used disposables, then you no doubt have seen the gel-like pieces that wind up on your baby's bottom - this is actually sodium polyacrylate - its the same substance that was removed from tampons because of its link to Toxic Shock Syndrom (TSS).
There haven't been any studies done on the long-term effects of these chemicals in contact with our babies. Even if the possibility of side effects of the chemicals is minimal - why would we even take the risk when we have a viable and natural alternative - Cloth Diapering!
Something I hear a lot, especially from family and friends when we told them we were switching to cloth diapering was - 'doesn't cloth diapering cause diaper rash?'. Diaper rash is actually caused by numerous factors ranging from food irritations to soaps used on baby's skin and the number one factor in preventing it is frequent diaper changes. Babies in disposables may experience more diaper rash because the diaper feels dry, so parents tend to change them as infrequently as every 4-5 hours.
Economics
Plain & Simple - Cloth diapering will SAVE you money. Don't be scared away by the costs of one diaper. It may 'sound' expensive, but once you do the math, you'll see how you can save 50% or more by using cloth diapers!!
The RDA (Real Diaper Association) estimates that each baby will need about 6,000 diapers during their first two years of life.
According to an article from Consumer Reports, the average family can expect to spend $1500 - $2000 or more on disposable diapers by the time your baby is out of them.
You can expect to spend anywhere from $300-$1000 depending on the system of cloth diapering you choose. This is a substantial cost savings that could allow your family to use that budget towards other important family bills or extras (like vacations!).
We started to cloth diaper our son when he was around eight months old (he's 15 months old now) and we use a mix of pre-folds/diaper covers and pocket/all-in-ones and we spent around $250 to set up our system. We invested in a few one-size diapers too since we have another one on the way! We haven't bought a disposable (or wipes) since we switched over and we were using a jumbo box of name brand disposable diapers every 3 or so weeks. Instead of spending over $500 on disposables and wipes in 7 months, we spent $250 on cloth diapers that we'll use until he's potty trained and that our little girl will re-use. Even better? Cloth diapers and accessories have a re-sale value even after you're done with them!!
Environment
I warn you - some of these statistics are alarming! I was shocked when I first read them.
Did you know that an estimated 27.4 BILLION disposable diapers are consumed every year in the United States?
No one knows for sure how long it takes for a disposable diaper to decompose, but recent studies indicate it may take 250-500 years!
Over 92% of all single use disposable diapers end up in landfills.
The instructions on disposable diaper packages advise that all fecal matter should be deposited in the toilet before discarding, yet less than one half of one percent of all waste from single use diapers goes in the sewage system (we didn't do this when we were using disposables, we had no idea!). According to sustainer.org, it is illegal in most states to dump human waste in landfills. The law is simply unenforced when it comes to diapers. Theoretically, they could infest the water leaching out of the dump with bacteria and viruses (polio, hepatitis, dystentary), though it has never been known to happen. Perhaps we just haven't waited long enough?
Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills and represent 4% of solid waste. In a house with a child in diapers, disposables make up 50% of household waste.
The manufacturers of disposable diapers use 2.3 times more water than the manufacturer and maintentance of cloth diapers.
In 1991, Proctor & Gamble performed a study and determined recycling disposable diapers was not an economically feasible option on any scale!
I'm sure if you've made it to the end of all these statistics and information - you're just as convinced as we were that we owed it to our babies and our environment to at least try cloth diapering. Cloth diapering is just as convenient as disposables. It is one of the simplest changes we can make in our families with the largest impact to our health, environment and wallet.
Check out some pertinent articles on the subject of cloth diapering:
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