There are two general categories of diaper parents can choose for their babies. Option one is cloth diaper and the other is commonly used disposable diaper. Your decision regarding which one to use will not be an easy one, especially if you concern about the environment, the health of your babies and the convenience of use. If you are a parent with your first baby then you must know that down the road you will have to handle diapers a few times a day for several years after your baby is born. You must also know that your baby will be wearing diapers 24/7 until he/she is finally mastered the toilet training. This will take a baby on average 3 to 4 years to do. What is that mean? Depending on year your choice of diaper is, your baby’s most sensitive body part will be pressed against the toxic chemicals and materials for that period of time.
For the environment and health reason cloth diaper that is made of organic cotton cloth is definitely the best choice. For convenience the disposable diaper will win the race, no doubt about it.
There is however a new choice/product that is just being introduced to the market. This is the flushable diapers. Because these diapers will dissolve in the water after you give them a few stir they can be flushed down the toilet. These diapers contain no chlorine and no fragrance and so they are very environmental friendly and is a healthier choice than ordinary disposable diapers.
It was said that conventional disposable diapers are one of the most remarkable invention human ever came about creating. This makes many parents’ life much easier. The absorbing power of the extremely thin disposal diapers is achieved through the use of an amazing assortment of bleached paper fibers, plastics, moisture-absorbing gels, and other chemical materials. Leave aside other materials just listed bleach alone is one of the most toxic substance that one can put against the fragile tender skin of a baby. The moisture absorbing gels used in the disposal diapers are also substance that might cause long-term health problem to the new born. The plastic used in the diapers are not reusable and are not readily decomposable after discarded. The number of daily disposed diapers around can cause serious environmental threats.
For a friendlier choice, the cloth diapers, especially those made of organic cotton, offer no harmful substance to both your babies and the environment. If you do go with cloth diaper, ensure you choose the diaper cover to eliminate the need for pins. Although many diaper covers are made of plastic, they can be used multiple times and are not in direct contact with babies’ skin. You might also consider the use of disposable, biodegradable non-chlorine diaper liners to go with the cloth diapers. These can be ordered online, if you need help finding them, let me know and I can show you a few good ones. This will allow you to flush the contents of your baby’s dirty diaper down the toilet. After the lining is removed and flushed, store your used diapers in a metal or non-plastic diaper container with a closable lid or cover. Line the container with a washable fabric liner or a biodegradable garbage bag so that no harmful substance is to leak into the diaper and no harm is done to the environment. If you go with cloth diapers, the best option for you and your baby is to launder them at home. This is not an easy commitment, especially for working parents. But if you have all the gear you need at home, your life will not be as bad as you might think. When it comes to time to wash the cloth diapers, keep them separate from the rest of your laundry and only wash the diapers with non-chlorine bleach and a soap-based nontoxic detergent. If washing organic cotton diapers at home is out of this world to you, you can choose the gel-free disposable diapers as an alternative.
Cloth Diapers VS Disposable Diapers
Here is a quick summary of the Pros and Cons of the cloth diapers and disposable diapers in case you are busy taking care of your baby and have no time to come back to this document in the future:
Cloth Diapers:
Pros:
– Organic cotton is the only material that touches your baby’s skin. No plastic, chlorine or other chemicals will touch your baby’s tender skin.
– On average, a single diaper can be reused for up to 100 to 150 times and then recycled.
– Waste goes into the sewer and not a landfill.
– More economical with savings of up to $1,000 per child.
– Facilitates earlier potty training because baby will learn to avoid feeling wet.
Cons:
– Takes work to create a leak-free system
– Requires more energy, water in washing and time of the parents.
– More complicated to assemble products and accessories, such as liners and covers.
– Diaper services often use chlorine bleach and detergents with strong fragranced fabric softeners, this creates environmental issue and irritation to the baby’s skin.
Disposable Diapers:
Pros:
– Convenient and easy to use.
– Requires less effort, energy of the parents and also save water.
– Some day-care centers require the supply of disposable diaper when you drop off your kid.
– Some brands are biodegradable.
Cons:
– The disposable diapers go to landfills, where even biodegradable diapers do not degrade.
– Most disposable use plastic in a non-sustainable production manner
– The dioxins, solvents, and heavy metals used in production leak into the environment. Traces are next to your baby’s kin.
More details of the above products can be found at: BabyEarth.com
