Friday, June 1, 2012

Cloth diapers vs. Disposable diapers?

I've always had a pull towards cloth diapers, even before I was actually pregnant.  I wasn't really sure why I had such a pull, I just knew it was there. Once we found out we were pregnant, I started to actually do my research as to which we would choose: Cloth or Disposable.

On one hand, I completely understand why so many people use disposable diapers. It's very simple, since you literally just put them on the child, let them dirty it, and then throw it away. I also see the value in time as well.  Disposable doesn't require the extra steps that cloth diapers do, so it's a huge time saver! However, I just can't seem to get over the simple cost of diapers and wipes as well as how many diapers must be sitting in landfills right now.

Now, let me just clarify one thing... I am not a crazy environmentalist who takes every precaution to keep things out of landfills. I do, however realize that the hundreds of diapers I would use over the next few years will just pile up!

So I have made the decision to go with Cloth diapers. It took a bit of convincing for Kendall to go along with it, but eventually he just kind of gave up. :)

Here are a few of the reasons why we are going cloth with our diapers: 
1. The obvious one: financial.  Once we put the initial money into the diapers we will have very few to purchase in the future.  I know there will be a few expenses later, and some of them will wear out and such, but I think the initial couple hundred we may spend on our diapers will be much better than the $500-$1000 we would spend each year on disposable diapers. They also have a great resale value if we decide to sell them later. I've seen people pay $20 for a diaper and sell it for $15. That's over half your money back!

2. The environmental factor: Although using cloth diapers will require a bit more water usage each month, the amount will be minimal compared to the huge pile up of diapers that would end up in a landfill.

3. they are so cute!: Alright, this isn't a super valid reason, but I had to throw it in there... Cloth diapers are so cute!! You can get them in the colors of the outfits and they will match a dress or look adorable when they pop over the top of a pair of pants.

4. We can reuse the diapers on our next child as well.  Since we will be investing in these diapers, they should last long enough to even be used on our next child! That means that potentially we could end up spending next to nothing with our next child's diaper needs.

5. They can be good on sensitive skin: Although every child is different (I know people who get diaper rash with cloth diapers as well) however, many moms that i've spoken to say that they deal with very little diaper rash after they switched to cloth. I am hoping this will hold true for us as well!

There are also a few cons that go with cloth diapering as well: 
1. I hate laundry! I will definitely have to get over this one... However, I am not currently on a good laundry schedule and so I get very overwhelmed when laundry time comes.  Once I am on a better schedule, I will hopefully like it a little better.

2. It's kind of gross at times: Since we will have to dump the poop into the toilet... That will probably be a little gross at times! However, I'm sure we will get used to it rather quickly.

3. the initial finances: Even though we will save money in the long-run, we still have to dish out a couple hundred dollars for the diapers up front. Which will be a little harder than just adding it to the budget each month.

4. they aren't quite as absorbant: which means changing diapers a little bit more often. This can pose problems at night which is why some people do disposables at night (when they sleep through the night) or they double stuff the cloth diapers to make them more absorbant.

Altogether, I still feel that the pros out-weigh the cons in this situations. However, I would love your input as well! What do you think about cloth diapers or disposable diapers? 

With love,
Erica
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

For your cons...

Diaper laundry is sooooo much easier and less time consuming than regular laundry! I thought it was going to be so much "work" to cloth diaper, but it really isn't!

Get a diaper sprayer! I found it next to impossible to get my diapers clean enough with the "dunk and swish" method and it takes out a little bit of the "gross" factor. You won't regret it!

Night time diapers- if you are using pockets, get a couple hemp inserts. 1 microfiber and 1 hemp insert(we use Joeybunz) have been sufficient for us.

La Dolche Vita said...

Thanks hun!! I definitely want to get a diaper sprayer to make that easier. and I will keep the night time inserts in mind!! Thanks :)

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