My friend Jennifer and I came up with a great idea that I absolutely love. As you know, I am expecting my first child. This can be so overwhelming and I know that other first time moms probably feel the same. I have so many questions and would love to hear the opinions of moms who have already been through this a time or two before.Because of this, we are hosting a weekly series to try and get some answers to some of the most common questions.
Here are the topics we still have for future weeks:
Friday, May 31:Cloth Diapers vs. Disposables
So without further ado, let's get on with Week 9: Cloth Diapers vs. Disposables! Since I do not have any children of my own yet, I will be featuring a blogger each week and their expert advice on the topic at hand (:
Cloth Diapers vs Disposables:
Cloth Diapers
Hi there! My name is Kelly and I blog over at Hoppy Bottoms/Vegan Mama Eco Baby. I am super excited to be posting about Cloth Diapering here on Wifessionals. I actually started my blog and a cloth diaper consulting business because I loved cloth diapering so much and I wanted to get the word out about how fun...yes fun...it can be.First things first, cloth diapering is not for everyone and my intent is not to make anyone feel badly if they do not cloth diaper. For my husband and I, it was a decision we made after much research and many, many discussions. I am very passionate about the environment so some might assume that it would be a no-brainer for me, but it wasn't. Cloth diapering is a time commitment and a learning experience. For us it really came down to cost; cloth diapering can save you a ton of money. While I am committed to being as environmentally conscious as possible, my husband is not, so there had to be other factors that contributed to the final decision.
Cloth Diapering Positives1. It is cheaper. If you start doing research about the cost of cloth diapering you will discover a lot of sites breaking down the cost of cloth vs disposable diapers. The up front cost for cloth is generally more, which throws some people off. Depending on what kind of cloth diaper you choose to use, and there are A LOT of choices, you could be spending upwards of $300. But after 6 months or so of buying disposable diapers, you will likely have spent that much anyway. A great way around this is to register for your diapers so you can receive them as a gift at your shower (that is what I did)! If you have more than one kid, you can use the same cloth diapers and then you will really have gotten your money's worth.
2. The Environment will thank you. This is not an issue for everyone but it is for me. The information available says that it takes diapers anywhere from 200-500 years to decompose (check out the Real Diaper Association for info). The reason that there isn't an official conclusion on this is because they haven't decomposed yet! But imagine all of those chemicals (yes they are made with potentially dangerous chemicals) and all of the poop sitting in landfills for HUNDREDS of years...gross! One of the first things that people say when you talk to them about cloth diapering is "But what do you do with the poop?" What they don't realize is that the instructions on disposable diapers actually say to knock the poop into the toilet bowl before throwing the diaper in the trash. So really, everyone should be having a more hands on (ew!) experience with poop, not just those who cloth diaper.
3. Safer for babies. Unfortunately, disposable diapers contain the following chemicals:
- Traces of Dioxin which is carcinogenic, linked to cancer and banned in other countries.
- Sodium Polyacrylate makes diapers really absorbent. This substance was banned from use in tampons because of its link to Toxic Shock Syndrome but somehow is still allowed in disposable diapers that sit on the sensitive skin of babies.
Cloth Diapering Negatives1. Can't use conventional products. Cloth diapers are made with special absorbent materials, such as zorb, microfiber, microfleece, etc. In order to ensure the absorbency of the material, special cloth diaper safe detergent has to be used. These detergents are free of certain chemicals, preservatives and scents. There are a TON of choices and every cloth diapering mother will have a different opinion about which detergents work best. Some are available in stores and some can be bought on line. We use Eco Sprout powder detergent. The same goes for diaper rash cream. The chemicals contained in the traditional/conventional rash creams can stain and interfere with the effectiveness of a cloth diaper (they aren't great for baby anyway). So special cream has to be purchased OR diaper liners have to be purchased.
2. Laundry. Obviously, you do more laundry. If you don't have your own washer and dryer, you are making a commitment to hand washing. You can use laundromats, but you run the risk of the conventional detergents that other people use coming in contact with your diapers. I don't have a washer and dryer; 95% of the time we wash our diapers in a "camp style" washer in the bathroom. It is a bucket with a plunger. But occasionally when we don't have the time, we throw them in the public machines. If you are someone who is considering cloth diapering to save money, then hand washing is a way to save even more. You will use more water this way, so if you pay for your own water then that bill might increase slightly.
3. Storing diapers. You will have to store dirty diapers in your house. There are a lot of specially made bags out there to store your soiled diapers at home and on the go. Some people have the opportunity to do diaper laundry every day or two, so this isn't an issue. I know a lot of Mom's use the Diaper Genie to store the dirty disposable diapers, so this is something that all parent's have to deal with not just cloth diapering parents!
Cloth diapering is so much fun! There is an entire community of parents out there OBSESSED with cloth diapers. I know some who do it just because they are so darn cute! There are facebook groups to talk about cloth diapering tips and issues; pages to buy/sell/trade diapers (oh yea, cloth diapers have a really high resale value!) and tons of companies that make super duper cute diapers. For me the cuteness has been an added perk. I was so excited when I got that SpongeBob diaper for my little one (from a cloth diaper buy/sell/trade page on facebook!)!
Most of our cloth diapers are Fuzzi Bunz. Fuzzi Bunz is an adjustable pocket diaper that grows with your baby so you don't have to buy different sizes. If you decide not to cloth diaper (which I totally respect) I do hope you will consider using toxin free diapers, such as those available through the Honest Company. They are so much better for your baby! Be cautious of diapers that say "all-natural" or "eco-friendly"- they might be less harmful for the earth, but still harmful for your baby. And if you come across someone who makes you feel bad about your choice not to cloth diaper, ignore them. We can all get along. Parenting is hard and we all make whatever decisions are right for our families.Disposables
Hello, hello! My name is Amanda and I blog over at Life Since You. I started blogging as a way to keep a journal of our lives since our daughter Jordyn was born. So I am always jumping at the chance to talk about my daughter and motherhood in general. I especially love to answer questions about the "how" of raising a toddler. One question I received a lot when I was pregnant, was "Are you cloth diapering?" I knew my answer from the very beginning. No.In a day when it is so popular to be as "green" as possible, that is not the popular answer. Some people scowled, some people lectured, but some people also agreed with me. Now, don't get me wrong, I do care about the environment. Heck, I live near Portland, Oregon. We are full of hippies here. Haha. But when it came to the effort required for cloth diapering, I just did not have enough motivation. The leaking, the washing, the poop scooping. I really really don't like doing laundry. That just sounded like a nightmare to me. It takes a really dedicated person to do that in my opinion.
I never regretted not cloth diapering. Disposables definitely are not the cheapest option. I haven't really done the math, but I would guess we spend about $40-$50 a month on diapers. After doing this for two years, I've picked up a few tips along the way.
Stock Up: While I was pregnant, I would grab a pack of diapers on every grocery shopping trip. Make sure you get a variety when you do this. We tried several different brands before we settled on a favorite, and some babies can be allergic to different brands. So make sure you buy from stores that will allow returns. Walmart and Target are generally pretty good at this. Keep in mind, babies grow fast. You may only need 2 newborn packs before your little one outgrows them. Another reason to make sure you can exchange for larger sizes if needed.Shop Around: There are so many different sizes of packages. It can be pretty hard to decide what is a "good deal" and what is not. I have found that I get the best deal from Costco, but your area may be different. Calculate the price per diaper, it's the easiest way to track prices.
Use the Rewards Programs: We use Huggies brand diapers. They have a great rewards program online. Inside every package, there is a code. When you input the codes online, you accumulate points, and then you can redeem those points for tons of different rewards items. I usually redeem my points for Snapfish Photo Books. I've had 4 free ones so far!
Try Different Brands: When Jordyn was a newborn, we preferred the Pampers diapers. They held the messy newborn poo the best. But when she got older and became mobile, the Huggies diapers were the most leakproof. Huggies also makes diapers specifically for Night time that really absorb a lot. It's wonderful.
Find a Disposal System that works for you: We started out using a diaper pail that was supposed to hold in the smell. It really did a wonderful job holding in the smell, but after a year or so we realized that the plastic was absorbing the smell. It worked well at keeping the smell contained, but when we opened it, you would practically pass out from the smell. We tried every trick in the book to clean it, but it never worked. Now we just toss the wet diapers in the bathroom and kitchen garbage cans, and we take the poopy ones outside right away. She only poops once or twice a day, so it's not much of a hassle at all.
I've heard differing opinions on diaper rash. Some say cloth diapers are better, some say disposables are. I personally think it just depends on the baby. Some kids are more prone than others. There are a million remedies out there, and it takes some experimenting before you find the right combination. For us, we use Desitin diaper cream and Caldesene diaper powder. A generous coating of diaper creme to help her heal and then a coating of diaper powder to seal it all in. She heals up before her next diaper change almost every time.Before you make the decision for yourself, weigh the pros and cons. There is no wrong or right either way. It's totally up to you, and don't let anyone pressure you! Neither option is harmful to your baby, so don't stress about it. Maybe you try both for a while, or try one and switch to the other. All that matters is that you do what you feel is best for your little one, and do your best at it!
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