This is our first official blog post! It is also Earth Day. Before we had seriously thought about having a child, my husband brought up the idea of using cloth diapers. He had seen an add online. I thought they were cute. I agreed to consider them. This was about 3 years ago. Last year, we finally had our first little bundle of joy. We have been using cloth diapers successfully since he was a few days old.
In light of Earth Day, here are our top 10 reasons why you should consider them too:
1. Cloth diapers are better for the environment. The amount of disposable diapers sitting in our landfills is pretty disgusting when you really think about it. What gets even more disgusting is when you think about what is in those diapers and the proper way to dispose of human waste. Not to mention how long it takes for most disposable diapers to break down, they haven’t been around long enough for anyone to actually witness it.
2. When you use cloth diapers you are exposing your baby’s most sensitive parts to fewer chemicals. What exactly are disposable diapers made out of? Diaper companies are not required to list what is in their diapers. Isn’t that kind of crazy to think that we don’t even really know what we are putting on our babies when we use disposables? Some common things found in disposables include polythene film (similar to plastic wrap), polypropolene, wood pulp that is usually bleached with chlorine, sodium polyacrylate, dyes to get the pictures/size on the diaper and sometimes perfumes. Some little bums are too sensitive for these materials.
With cloth diapers, you can choose what type of fabric you want against your baby’s skin. Many brands of diapers use natural, organic fibers. Some cloth diapers leave a soft stay-dry fleece against your babies skin. Would you rather have the feeling of a disposable or soft fleece against your bum?
Not to mention, our little guy is 14 months old. He has very light, sensitive skin. Guess how many diaper rashes he has had that have lasted longer than one diaper change? None.
3. Using cloth diapers is a fabulous way to support small businesses. Many places that sell cloth diapers, such as Kelly’s Closet, are run by families, or small groups of moms. I love that every time I place an order I am supporting their business, their family, their well-being. When you shop small the customer services is second to none. I love getting my “fluff mail” and having handwritten notes in it from the owners of these small businesses. Many retailers including Kelly’s Closet, offer reward points and freebies for purchasing too.
4. Cloth diapers help save money in the long run. There is an upfront cost with cloth diapers. However, there is not a weekly need to buy diapers when you go grocery shopping. There is no need to clip coupons and try to find the best deals.
Many have argued that we are not saving money due to the upfront cost and the increase of water use. While we dealt with the upfront cost, by the time our baby is potty trained we will have spent significantly less. Our water bill has increased by about 2 dollars a month, but we also added a new person who also wears clothes, and needs clean towels and bedding.
We will also be able to use these same diapers on our next children. This is where it will really save money.
You can also re-sell cloth diapers after they are used. Some even increase in value. I swear, it’s like Beanie Babies all over again! There are numerous groups on Facebook for the B/S/T of cloth diapers, they are also popping up on eBay. I joke that when we sell our diapers we will get to go to Disney.
5. Cloth diapers create less “blow-outs”. We have been using cloth for over a year and have had one big “blow out” due to user error. ONE. ONE!!!! And let me tell you, dealing with poop in a diaper meant to contain poop is a heck of a lot easier than dealing with poop that is all up the back and out the legs of your newborn. This, to me, is where cloth diapers really set themselves apart. Back elastics are amazing.
6. You will never run out of diapers if you use cloth. If you do, you just wash them. Then you have nice clean diapers all over again. This is also huge if you are on a tight budget.
7. Cloth is just cuter. Ok. I lied. This is really where cloth sets itself apart. It is so stinking cute! You can have dragons on your diaper! You can have ducks, dogs, cats, trucks, flowers, anything! And you can reuse them! They are so stinkin’ cute. Want to make your professional baby photos look even cuter? Put the baby in a cloth diaper! You can match them to outfits, dresses, the options are endless.
8. Modern cloth diapers are much different than what most people think. When people hear you are doing cloth they assume pins and plastic pants. That is not what the diapers are like anymore. They are convenient and sometimes all in one piece that you just put on your baby like a disposable diaper.
9. Cloth diapering can almost become a hobby. Once you discover what works best for your family, your routine, what style or brands you like, you might become addicted. You will want to collect them all.
10. The cloth diapering community is pretty darn amazing. Words actually don’t even describe how amazing this community is. I have met some of the most awesome moms and we have become friends through Facebook groups. Some of them I have never met in person, some I have. We all support one another, it is like a family. I probably talk to them more frequently than I do my “real” friends.
The Crazy Clarks 