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New CB Member
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| I am in the "waiting to TTC" phase and am in the process of gathering information from all of you experienced and intelligent ladies and wanted to know what reasons you have for cloth vs. disposable diapers, other than environmental concerns (as I believe the research is all over the map on this issue). Have some of you done both and prefer one over the other? Do your LOs react differently to each type? Thanks!
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Supreme Being Planner
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Well I have to be honest with you; the environmental aspect of CDing is important to me, but it's not the reason I decided to do it... my own personal reasons for deciding to CD are the following:
* I have super-sensitive skin and I get a lot of rashes due to metal and chemical allergies so I wanted to make sure my baby wasn't exposed to any chemicals 24/7 for 2 years on his sensitive skin.
* The chemicals found in CD are disgusting and some are known carcinogens... gross
*It scares me to think about my son tearing apart and possibly INGESTING the contents of a disposeable dipe!
*There have been some studies that suggest the chemicals in the disposeable diapers increase your child's chance of having athsma and other respiratory diseases, as well as low sperm count for male babies.
www.amandaandvince.com
support bacteria - it's the only culture some people have!
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New CB Member
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| Awesome, thanks Fascha. This is exactly the type of info. i was hoping to get!!!
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Planning Guru
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I want to use cloth for environmental reasons and for some of those given by fasha. But I'm still on the fence. I had very sesative skin as a child and my mom could not use cloth on me, I worry that will happen with my LO. I also worry about leaky diapers using cloth. What I plan right now is disposable while baby is a newborn and then I'm going to try cloth after his body is big enough to fit them (probably 1 month) I'll try them for a montha nd then make up my mind.
We did it! We are now husband & wife! Our Peanut will be joining us around Aug. 2! A.K.A. Princess Barbie-Jo
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Supreme Being Planner
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| We use cloth... 1. for environmental reasons. I started at 3 months and we've cut our waste by over half (back to what we had before ds was born). We hang the covers and now we hand the inserts in the sun now that the weather is nice. 2. better for his skin. Cloth diapers have come a long way since we were kids. We were using disposables and Ds constantly had red bums. We had to use hydrocortisone cream, or penaten or vasoline. As far as I'm concerned the less product used on a baby the better and SINCE using CD we've used NOTHING on his bum for over 6 weeks. NO red bum. In fact, I had to use a disposable one day (just one and I can't remember why) and when I took it off, he was getting red again... the proof as far as I'm concerned that cd are better for my lo. BTW with the bumgenius, you can't even FEEL they are wet when he just pees in them! Great wick away material... 3. financial reasons. It is more cost effective for us to use Bumgenius diapers. Pricy at $22 each we bought 15. They are one size diapers and can be used from newborn to 35 pounds. We didn't start until just before 3 months but we will be able to continue to use them until he is trained. Also, I will use them from the beginning with my next child = BIG savings. 4. NO LEAKS. Well, that's not entirely true. We have had the occasional leak (pee) at night but that's after 13 hours in the same diaper (crazy but my lo is an excellent sleeper) but NOT poop. He used to poop through disposable diapers ALL THE TIME. He hasn't done that ONCE since going to cloth. He must have pretty explosive poops too  5. happier baby. Obviously this is just my funny little story but he actually started a HUGE smile the first time I put on the CD.... it was so cute! I think they feel better on his little booty! 6. looks... they are soooo cute onthe little baby bottom. They come in adorable colours and prints now. In the summer, it will be so cute to see him roaming around in just his little CD. 7. detergents for CD are phosphate and chemical free... another + for the environment and baby's bottom... 8. easy to use. Dh and MIL use them no problems at all! 9. cloth diapers = earlier potty training... reason enough! Can you tell I like my cloth diapers... give me some time and I'll probably think of some more reasons.
~ Married On July 22, 2006. ~ ~A MOMMY since Dec.21st and LOVING it!~
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Master Planner
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| I'm probably going to be using a diaper service (washing my own isn't feasible, so it's either that or disposables), and I've actually just been doing some research this morning. I believe in cloth diapers, but it's interesting that you mention the environmental aspect is all over the map - this is from a site I found this morning: "A 1990 study concluded that cloth diapers used twice as much energy and four times as much water as disposables, and created greater air and water pollution than disposables (8). Commercial diaper services pose similar concerns, plus additional fuel use and air pollution created by delivery trucks. Emissions from home and diaper service drying equipment contribute to air pollution. ... In areas where land is plentiful but water is in short supply disposable diapers may be the more environmentally responsible choice. In areas experiencing solid waste problems and decreasing landfills, but have adequate water supplies, cloth diapers or a combination of cloth and disposables may be the most environmentally responsible choice."
http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Diaper-Not-Clear.htm (I'm not debating that CDs are an environmentally-friendly choice in most places, just though this was an interesting point to share.) ETA:
The chemicals used in disposable diapers, particularly the stuff that absorbs moisture, had never been a concern for me until I really started researching it. Now though, there seems to be a lot of information out there that makes me wary of the stuff they use in most disposables. Diaper rash, like someone mentioned, is another consideration. Apparently in the '50s, approximately 7% of babies had diaper rash. By 1991, that number was at 78%. (One site I was looking at mentioned that most of the diaper rash creams are sold by the companies that make the disposable diapers, which is an interesting point.) I'd also heard that cloth diapers are cheaper than disposables. This certainly seems to be the case for ones you wash yourself, although I'm still trying to verify that in terms of using a diaper service.
Married my love on October 20, 2007... and baby makes 3 on October 15ish, 2008!
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Supreme Being Planner
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Amanda I've read similar studies re; CDing and the environment but a lot has changed as far as energy efficiency since 1990 (I'm sure of it) as well it doesn't examine the cradle to grave life of both CD's and sposies. The energy and pollution and waste used to manufacture disposable diapers is gargantuan compared to CDs... and the CD's I buy are manufactured in the US or Canada by SAHM so that they can continue to be with their lo's while having an income... I lurve that about my dipes! 
www.amandaandvince.com
support bacteria - it's the only culture some people have!
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