One of my favorite work at home mom business’ wrote up a post regarding the benefits of cloth diapers and I offered to share it on Life as Leels because I believe that there are many benefits to cloth diapering.
I know I have said it before, but I will say it again. Lil Miss is #3 for me and she is our first to cloth diaper. Buggy and Buddy both used disposable diapers. Yes, the benefits of cloth diapering are great, but I am not here to judge your decision as a parent. Your child, your choices. No judgement from me!
Every one wants the best for their baby… Top of the line car seats, strollers, cribs, swings, and even clothes. So why not choose Cloth Diapers over Disposables?
Environmental-
Diapers that are made to be thrown away, use thousands of tons of plastic and more trees than you could ever imagine. The use and manufacture of them use two to three times as much water than cloth. For one baby, for one year in disposables it takes over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feed stocks, and 20 pounds of chlorine. Disposables are only about 40 percent biodegradable. They fill our landfills with feces and urine, and who really knows what that alone is doing to our earth and to us? Polluting our air, soil, and natural ground water, creating potential health risks not only to us now, but our children, grandchildren, and many more generations to come. They make up more than 50% of household waste in a family that uses disposables. On average, one baby uses 6,000 disposable diapers in the first two years. A Cloth Diapered baby could reuse the same 24 or 36 diapers for those two years.
Health-
Newborns should be changed every 1-2 hours, and older babies every 3-4 hours no matter what kind of diaper they are wearing. BUT families that use disposables often let their child sit in diapers for extended amounts of time because they are so super absorbent. The linings of disposables are designed to wick moisture away, but when they are not changed often enough, the bacteria and acids from urine are still on the baby’s skin and the longer they sit, the more the bacteria multiplies, increasing the risks for infection and disease.
Although, Cloth Diapers are not “super absorbent” and they WILL leak if they are not changed every couple of hours, they are still my first choice! You know that messy, poopy blow out you keep having? With a well fitting Cloth Diaper, that is unlikely to happen!
A huge concern for parents is diaper rash, but what many don’t know is that the main cause for diaper rash is too much moisture on the baby’s sensitive skin for too long. Along with changes in diet, infections, skin sensitivity, chafing, and other chemical irritations, diaper rash is not always caused by the diaper. There is no significant difference to diaper rash when it comes to using disposables or cloth, because it mainly depends on other factors.
Disposable diapers contain carcinogenic chemicals that are banned in most countries, except the US. Dioxin is an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process that manufactures use in making disposable diapers. It is the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. Dioxin has been linked to birth defects, liver damage, skin diseases, and permanent genetic damages.
Tributyl-tin (TBT) is also found in disposables and is a toxic pollutant that may cause hormonal problems in animals and humans. The “beads” that absorb the fluids in disposables and turn into a “gel-like substance” are made of Sodium Polyacrylate, a super absorbent polymer, that increase the risk of toxic shock and the growth of toxin-producing bacterias. I’m sure many of us have seen this first hand in a disposable diaper explosion from too much liquids, and those squishy beads are everywhere. Why would you want to put that on your baby’s skin?
There has also been studies that show disposable diapers interfere with the scrotal temperature in baby boys and that they may stunt or destroy the natural physiological cooling mechanism that are important in biologic events such as spermatogenesis. Cloth diapers allow for breathing and air circulation to babies very important developing reproductive organs, even for girls.
Financial-
The average cost for a baby to be in disposable diapers for two years is $1,800 to $2,800 and at that, many disposable diapered babies are not potty trained by 2. So add on another $1,000 or so for Pull-Ups. While disposables are roughly 25 cents a diaper, and quality Cloth Diapers are more around 20 dollars a diaper, the investment is well worth it. With 3 dozen diapers, you can get by with doing a load of laundry about three times a week. Up front, it sounds like a lot of money, but in the end, you really do save a lot! Cost per year with the cheapest type, (Prefolds, and Covers) at $300 for 36 sets, the cost of at home-laundering, about another $300 for 200 loads of washing and drying (approximately three times a week) with Cloth Diaper Safe Detergent, $100 for the year. You’re saving more than half the amount. And you could have even more savings if you line-dry! So in the two years, you could save up to $3,000! The best part, is that they are reusable! Which means more the same Cloth Diapers can be used on the next baby!
Lifestyle-
Cloth Diapers today are far more convenient than traditional cloth diapers with pinning and folding and covering. With many options and endless brands, there is a system that can work for virtually any one and their lifestyle. Most Cloth Diapers you can find have Velcro or Snap closures, with elastic legs, waterproofing, absorbent linings or pads. Not to mention the thousands of fabric options! Each diaper is unique, and never as boring as a paper disposable! Every time you change, it’s a new design!
Also, studies have shown that Cloth Diapered babies potty train, on average, one year sooner than a disposable diapered baby. Babies in cloth can feel the sensations of a wet diaper, and as they get older, they become more aware of their bodily functions and know as soon as they pee. And the diapers can be used as training pants if there is no absorbent insert or lining. Then the toddler really knows when they have an accident.
Upcycle Baby Beautique Story-
I started using Cloth Diapers when my daughter was about 3 months old. I started out with 8 pocket diapers and inserts from a vendor online. They lasted about half a day and I got tired of doing a load every night so I decided to make the full commitment, sold all the boxes of disposables I had, and went on my journey to find cloth. I bought 12 Swaddlebees at a consignment shop in town and then bought 24 WAHM made off Craigslist a few weeks later. I had my diaper stash, but my routine was out of whack.
It took a few weeks to get the hang of the whole Cloth Diapering thing. After that, I was a professional. What I do is very simple. When I have about half a days worth of diapers left clean, I start washing the dirties. After I change the baby, I rinse any solids into to toilet, then throw the whole diaper into my wet bag. I have found that it is easier to rinse right away, then later. That way when I am ready to do laundry, I take my two full wet bags out to the laundry room. I personally don’t unstuff the pockets right after I change, I just unstuff them as I am putting them into the washer. I start the water on hot/cold and when it is about half full, I add my 1/3 cup of detergent. I start taking apart diapers, and throwing them in the wash. Once that part is done, I turn my wet bags inside out and throw them in too. My washer has an extra cold rinse cycle option, so I make sure that is turned on and let it do its job.
When it’s time to dry, I turn all my Swaddlebees inside out because they are All-in-One pockets and they just dry faster that way, and throw everything into the dryer for 90 minutes. After they are done, I bring everything inside and stuff all my pockets, fold everything, and put them in the top drawer of Leilah’s dresser, and that’s it! Now they are ready to use without have to stuff pockets every time I change, and then the cycle repeats!
About Upcycle Baby Beautique:
Hi, my name is Faelene, owner and operator of Upcycle Baby Beautique! As a wife, mom to a beautiful baby girl, and nursing student, I understand the challenges of finding and bringing quality, affordable, eco-friendly products into our homes. Here at UBB, you will find wonderful alternatives to chemical-laden disposable diapers, and also bibs, burp cloths, wetbags, and more! Love up-cycling? Me, too!
When ordering custom diapers from me, you can choose microfleece, suedecloth or OBF linings and microfiber or organic bamboo terry for your soaker, with outer shells created from unique and limited fabric prints, or even up-cycled t-shirts, blankets, or keepsakes. Whatever suits you and your baby, I’ve got you covered!
Versatile and flexible when it comes to handmade, if you have an idea for a one-of-a-kind item, let me know, even if you simply need an alteration to something you already have.
I strive for excellent communication with my customers and work hard to ensure satisfaction. Specials, discounts, and giveaways are always on my mind, so follow me for a deal you won’t want to miss! I would love to add you to my customer list and begin, today, to design and handcraft something special for your baby.
Healthy bottoms means healthy babies, and your baby’s bum is sure to look adorable in a diaper handcrafted here at Upcycle Baby Beautique! Looking forward to hearing from you soon!
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