When it comes to child care you have to be careful with what you use, especially during a child’s formative years. In recent times there has been a shift in the products we use for babies. Mothers are leaning towards environmentally friendly products. This also includes cloth diapers because of their better benefits.
Parents are going back to the old method of caring for their babies’ duties and you can’t fault them for it. With the need to help their children grow healthy as organically as possible, cloth diapers are viable options for them. And in some way, a cloth diaper does not differ from the traditional disposable diaper.
But you have to wonder if the benefits of cloth diapers are as magnificent as manufacturers and converted mothers have touted them to be. So after delving deeply into cloth diapers, we are looking at the benefits of cloth diapers for those still in doubt over how they change your childcare lifestyle. You can learn more about cloth diapers and their types from our previous article on them.
Why are cloth diapers better?
1. Cloth diapers are reusable
A cloth diaper is a reusable product. This opens up lots of opportunities for mothers and mothers-to-be. You can use a cloth diaper for years, at least 5 years, and at most 10 years. This implies that you can use them for more than one child. So if you are nursing your first child and planning on having more, this is a great opportunity to start collecting cloth diapers.
And if you aren’t having any more children, you can simply sell them off or donate them to those in need. It takes time for a cloth diaper to become weak. And if you take care of them for as long as possible, you can use them for up to a decade.
2. They are more environmentally friendly
An important cloth diaper benefit is that they are environmentally friendly. They can be taken apart, washed, rearranged, and reused. You don’t have to worry about the waste you constitute by using a cloth diaper.
You can reduce your carbon footprints with the use of cloth diapers because there are few resources used in producing the product. Unlike disposable diapers that use raw materials like polymer, dyes, oils, and fragrances, cloth diapers are all-natural. They are made from cotton, biodegradable bamboo, and micro-fiber.
There is also the case of landfill waste. 27.4 billion disposable diapers being dumped in landfills in the U.S. every year, making methane gas production not reducing anytime soon. But with cloth diapers, you would do your bit in reducing the landfill effect and methane gas production.
And let’s not forget the possible toxin leakage of the underground waste that could corrupt the nearest water system.
3. You can save a significant amount of money
Since cloth diapers are reusable they can save you money from buying disposable diapers. If you are a concerned mother or parent, you can switch to cloth diapers. Babies go through at least 8 diapers in a day which makes it 2,920 diapers in a year at roughly $600.
Organic disposable diapers cost more if you want to use them. That is a lot of money if you add other childcare costs like feeding, nursing, and doctor’s appointments.
A good cloth diaper costs between $10 – $25 and you would be starting with at least 10 pieces of cloth diapers. That amounts to at least half the price you will be spending in a year on disposable diapers.
4. It has less harmful chemicals
When it comes to cloth diapers, it is your best option because it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals like disposable diapers. A cloth diaper has a cover made from waterproof micro-fiber, lining, and cotton which are safe for kids.
Disposable diapers have chemicals like phthalates, dioxin, tributyltin, among others. These chemicals might cause reactions in kids or can be harmful with multiple uses.
5. You can potty train your child quicker
Potty training is an activity some parents dread when it comes to child nurturing. You can start early potty training with cloth diapers. How does this work? Simple. A cloth diaper doesn’t feel as dry as disposable diapers. A disposable diaper might absorb moisture around a child’s bottom making them feel comfortable and also stalling potting training.
A cloth diaper instead won’t absorb as fast because there are no polymers. This means they will feel a bit of wetness and might want to grow out of the diapers early. Some parents use this as a prompt to get their child to the potty stage and also wash as little diapers as possible.
6. It reduces rashes
The red blotches on a baby’s bottom might be uncomfortable for both mother and baby. With a cloth diaper, a baby will feel less rash. Diaper rash is caused by moisture and heat on the skin. A late change of diaper, allergies, or sensitive skin can cause it.
A cloth diaper’s pad is made of cotton which is very soft and mild on the skin. It is also changed frequently because you know immediately when it is moist and needs changing.
There are also some rash creams or formulas you can use with cloth diapers without causing too much heat on the baby’s bottom. Even if it emits heat, the diapers are breathable, which makes them comfortable to the skin.
7. Comes in various designs and types
Most cost diapers come in cotton material but there are also bamboo and hemp materials available as absorbent pads. They also come in various types like fitted, contoured, prefolds, and all-in-one diapers. What type you want to buy is based on your needs and the convenience of your baby.
What are the cons of cloth diapers?
1. It is time consuming with laundry
You might be exhausted from having to use the laundry every few days. Cloth diapers need to be washed regularly. If you are the type of person who dreads laundry day, you might find it hard adjusting to a cloth diaper. But there are cloth diaper services that do your laundry for you. All you have to do is subscribe with them.
2. Money saving is based on mileage
Cloth diapers will save you money but based on mileage. You might have to drop a large amount of money to buy the number of cloth diapers you need at a go. This might not be comfortable for you, especially if you are on a tight budget. Also, cloth diapers won’t start paying off until the second year of child training where you don’t have to buy any diapers and just maintain the ones you have.
3. Have to be frequently changed
Cloth diapers will need to be frequently changed to keep rashes from appearing. Because they have to be changed frequently, they cannot be used overnight or for long-distance traveling. You also have to change the diapers if you don’t want leakages.
4. Cloth diapers can be messy
You might find it uncomfortable with a cloth diaper because they are messy, especially for watery baby poop. This could be uncomfortable for first-time mothers who haven’t got the hang of cloth diapers yet. The baby might also feel uncomfortable with the wetness but this helps them move on to potty training faster.
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What are the differences between cloth and disposable diapers?
This is an age-long battle. Nursing mothers have their favorites and preference. And it’s either you choose cloth diapers or disposable diapers. You can use both according to the situation but you will lean more on one than the other.
A cloth diaper and disposable diaper have the same function but they differ in some ways. For instance, they are different in prices. While you get to spend about 50 dollars on diapers in a month, you won’t have to spend as much on cloth diapers. When you have enough to rotate on, you will have to spend money on detergents to wash your laundry.
Also, a cloth diaper is environmentally friendly both in materials and reuse. A disposable diaper contributes to the landfill which is increasing methane gas in the air. The plastic wastes from disposable diapers do not decompose easily. The environmental footprint you would be leaving with disposable diapers is astounding.
Furthermore, the chemicals in disposable diapers can be harmful to your child, while a cloth diaper is made from organic and reusable materials. But when it comes to absorption, a disposable diaper absorbs better than a cloth diaper. It being a better absorbent also makes it easy for rashes to occur if mothers are not observant.
Conclusion
There has been a long debate about the benefits of cloth diapers, especially when it comes to its claim as environmentally-friendly, money-saving, and energy-saving. There are more benefits of cloth diapers asides from these three major characteristics. Benefits, like it helping potty-train your child earlier and having less harmful chemicals, are a plus for new mothers.
But when it comes to cloth diapers, you have to know that they can be expensive and you will find your laundry also increasing. But the fact that they don’t pose as a threatening waste to the environment unlike disposable diapers, makes them the perfect diaper to use.
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