Benefits of Cloth Diapers

Home & Family, Living Green
on May 22, 2014
Female (6-9 months) baby crawling on white background
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For many modern moms and dads, the idea of a reusable diaper may seem almost alien. Disposable diapers have become the most popular solution for children and toddlers of many ages, partly due to the convenience and the range of different products available. Some parents still believe in using cloth diapers, however, as this old-fashioned solution has a number of benefits. Here are five reasons to consider using cloth diapers.

Saves money. While new cloth diapers are initially more expensive, moms and dads can save a lot of money over the longer term by avoiding disposable diapers. According to Mothering.com, the average child goes through 8,000 diaper changes before being fully potty trained. A cloth diaper can be reused many times, which offers particularly good cost savings if you have more than one child.

Kinder to baby’s skin. According to the Mayo Clinic, diaper rash can be caused by a number of sources. This includes ill-fitting diapers that may be too tight and irritation from disposable diapers. Cloth diapers can alleviate this problem, as they allow for better circulation of air around the baby. Moms and dads of babies with cloth diapers also tend to change them more frequently, leaving less time for any urine or feces to irritate baby’s skin.

Creates less waste. According to the Real Diaper Association, more than 18 billion disposable diapers were sold and consumed in the United States in 1998. Of those, 92 percent end up in landfills, and it is estimated that it takes between 250 and 500 years for a disposable diaper to fully decompose. By using cloth diapers, you are able to dramatically reduce the amount of waste produced in your household.

Helps with potty training. Cloth diapers can speed up the process of potty training for some children. While this hasn’t been clinically proven, many parents believe that the use of cloth speeds this up because the child can immediately feel when he or she is wet. This is not the case with disposable diapers, which are far more absorbent and can therefore mask the feeling of soiling.

Saves trees. Disposable diapers are normally made from wood pulp, which, according to BabyFit, consumes more than one billion trees per year. Cloth diapers are made from natural materials, such as cotton, hemp or wool, which can be sourced and sustained organically.

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