What's the deal with cloth?

Evolution

Cloth diapers have evolved since our parents used them. Gone are the days of "rubber pants" and soaking diapers in the toilet. You don't even have to use pins anymore. Todays diapers are trimmer, cuter, more absorbant, and easier to use. Several designs go on just like the disposables that we've all become accostomed to.

Why would I use a cloth diaper when I can just thow away a disposable?

  1. Money - A cheap disposable diaper costs 17 cents per diaper. That's 17 cents everytime you precious bundle of joy voids his bladder.
  2. Health - In order to cut costs a lot of parents will leave a baby in a diaper longer than they should leading to diaper rash and all sorts of other nastiness. Have you ever seen that gel stuff on your kids rear when changing their diaper? That's a chemical used to make them more absorbant. Ewww. Check out Heather Sander's article on Cut of Cloth here for more details.
  3. The Environment - just think about how much landfill space you're not using when you cloth diaper!
  4. Diaper Rash - I personally see less of this in cloth. Almost everytime I put my baby into a disposable diaper he gets a yeast infection on his rear. It doesn't happen to everyone but if you have cronic diaper rash problems then cloth diapers could be your answer. They don't eradicate rashes completely, but we personally get fewer in cloth.

The wash and the "ick" factor

Truthfully washing cloth diapers is a little more "hands on" than throwing away a disposable. But not much. You do have to use a wipe or some TP to lift anything that's not going to dissolve off of the diaper before washing. That's not much different from getting it off of your kids rear though. If you use diapers lined with fleece or put a scrap of fleece on top of a regular diaper then the solids will (for the most part) roll off (if your child has solid BM's). Breastfed BM's dissolve until solid food is added to the diet. For full washing instructions please see the "washing" page.