Disposables vs. Cloth.
That is the question.
This past weekend I attended a seminar on Cloth Diapering at a local natural baby store, Over the Moon, here in the mountains of Virginia. Prior to the seminar I had done my own research via the Internet and awesome cloth diapering friends, but I still managed to learn quite a bit at the seminar.
There are Pros and Cons to both sides, but I can't help but be a little biased toward cloth because that is what we've decided to do. So here it is!
Cloth Diaper Pros:
- Money saver
- Less waste/Environmentally friendly
- Better for baby's bottom
- Less stink!
Cloth Diaper Cons:
- More laundry
- Some daycares won't accept cloth diapers
- You have to rinse the poo out before you wash
- More labor-intensive than disposables
- All daycares accept disposable diapers
- Super easy
- Don't have to rinse out poo
- No extra laundry
- Stinkier than cloth
- Large amount of garbage
- More expensive than cloth
- Chemicals in diapers than can irritate baby's skin
When we decided to do cloth diapers a large determining factor was how much money we would be able to save. And you can save even more than just 2-3 years worth. You can hang on to those cloth diapers if you plan on having more children and double the savings, or maybe even triple them!
The typical Cloth Diaper stash will run you about $500, give or take, depending on the style of diaper you choose to buy (which I will dive into in a separate post). And there are plenty of websites to buy used Cloth Diapers to cut that $500 initial cost even lower.
Some websites where you can find used cloth diapers:
Here.... Craigslist
Here....... Diaper Swappers
And Here.... Cloth Diaper Trader
(I have not used Diaper Swappers or Cloth Diaper Trader, but I'd love to hear your experiences if you have!)
Happy Diapering!
Currently Reading: "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International
& "Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide to Money" by Dave Ramsey
Patti, when we considered this 'debate' three decades ago, one of the minus' for cloth diapers was the heavy use of chlorine required in the wash cycle. This was considered 'bad' for the water supply. Is this no longer a concern in the work flow?
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DeleteMr. Vee, I had not heard of the use of chlorine required to wash cloth diapers before you. I wonder if the main purpose was either for bacteria elimination or to remove stains? For removal of bacteria, I have learned that a hot wash cycle and a good cloth diaper detergent do the trick. We will be making our own detergent from Castile Soap, Washing Soda, and a few drops of Tea Tree Oil (for the antimicrobial properties). If the chlorine was used remove stains, it has been found that the best way to get stains out of cloth diapers is drying them in direct sunlight! I hope that answers your question! :)
DeleteOh, and I forgot to say .. Great Blog!! Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThank you!!
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