Cloth Diaper Info

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Why Cloth?

When we first started talking to family and friends about using cloth diapers on our soon to arrive baby girl we received the same confused look, which was then followed with the simple question...why?

Our Decision to Use Cloth Diapers:
For us we first heard about the comeback of cloth diapers from this very site (thank you Pamela); green-bebe.com was featured in our local newspaper and prompted us to do further research. After reading about the economic savings, health benefits and environmental impact we were convinced to %u201Cat least%u201D try cloth diapers with our soon to arrive baby girl. Once our baby girl arrived we did use disposable diapers for the first few weeks. We purchased our first cloth diapers from green-bebe.com to test out against our disposables. Our daughter soon started getting diaper rash whenever she was in disposables but it would disappear when we put her in cloth diapers!

I admit at first I wasn%u2019t sure if I would get used to using cloth diapers over disposables, but it quickly became second nature. Looking back now with my daughter currently 6 months old, I can%u2019t imagine not using cloth diapers.

Once our daughter started daycare (at 8 weeks), she wore disposables while at daycare and cloth diapers at home. Very quickly her diaper rash came back and I had the discussion with the daycare on how I use cloth diapers at home and had no diaper rash problems. They were willing to give cloth diapers a try and once they saw for themselves that the diaper rash cleared up without any ointment they never again used disposable diapers on her.

For myself, my family (grandparents included) and daycare provider cloth diapers took a little while to get used to but in the end we know we made the right decision for our family. I would challenge those that are only researching cloth diapers to test it out, it may not be for everyone but it%u2019s a lot easier than I thought and I%u2019m sure I%u2019m not alone in my original hesitations.

Economic Savings:
It%u2019s possible to average $85.00 per month on store brand diapers and wipes (this is on the low end for those of you that purchase name brand products). From birth to potty training that can add up to an astounding $2,550.00. Investments into a cloth diapering system can range from $200-$750. Keep in mind that you can reuse your stash on any future children, or even resell it and get close to half your investment back!

Health Benefits:
Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate which absorbs liquid and turns it into gel. Families who use disposable diapers will recognize the polymer as the shiny gel-like crystals that often make their way onto your baby%u2019s bottom. Sodium polyacrylate works well to absorb, but is commonly linked to allergic reactions, skin irritations, and possible reproductive organ dysfunction. It was banned from use in tampons in 1985 after it was linked to toxic shock syndrome and caused hemorrhage, cardiovascular failure, and death in rats who were injected with the gel. If ingested, sodium polyacrylate is deadly to children in amounts as little as 5 grams.

The Environment:
On average from birth to potty training each baby will have 6,000 diaper changes, which translates into 2 tons of non-biodegradable waste! It becomes very easy to see how each family can make a HUGE difference.

Getting Started Check List
What do I need to begin cloth diapering?

Minimum of 18-24 diapers in each size (these can be all one type or a sampling of different types)
6-8 covers for newborn/infants, 4-6 covers for larger sizes (if using covers)
20-26 inserts, including extras for more overnight absorbency (if using pocket diapers)
5 doublers (for overnight or extended outings) May need more for heavy wetters, depending on diapering system.
1-2 Snappi diaper fasteners- necessary only for diapering systems that require fastening such as prefolds.
1 wet bag
2 dozen cloth wipes
Diaper pail
2 diaper pail liners