Diaper Dilemma

Another adventure Alex and I have braved on our way to becoming parents is the diaper discussion. To dispose or not to dispose? That is the question. According to a 2005 survey conducted by ABC News, 95% of parents use disposable diapers and with the convenience and easy clean up, it is easy to understand why. However, a handful of my recent momma friends have chosen cloth, so I was interested in doing some research of my own. The best two arguments for cloth diapers are the economical and environmental impact.

The initial investment for cloth diapers, depending on style, brand and amount, runs around $250. Add in the cost of laundry detergent, accessories, etc. and you're looking at another $200 or so. That's $450 start up and then another $100 a year for water and electricity costs ($.15/kWh and $22/1000 gallons - mint.com). As much as that might seem spendy, it pales in comparison to the $800-$1000 spent annually (mint.com) on disposables. As the child enters his second year, that saving jumps to 60% because the initial cloth investment has already been taken care of. Depending on the condition of the diapers, parents can even reuse the cloth diapers for future children or sell them to other future parents.

The environmental impact of cloth diapers is less concrete. Some studies argue that there is little to no difference between both diaper types, however, the truth really lies in diaper care. Washing at home can cut down the fuel usage and air pollution created by professional diaper services. Using cold and/or warm water can cut energy costs and line drying as opposed to using a dryer, can eliminate that energy usage completely. Admittedly, both diaper types have some environmental impact, however, to know that our baby will be responsible for 70% less solid waste in landfills (U of M study) and that our impact on non-renewable petroleum supplies and methane gas in the environment will be significantly lower is a good feeling. 

However, there are also the health and developmental factors. That same ABC News study mentioned above concluded that boys who wear disposable diapers maintain a higher scrotal temperature which may pose some fertility issues in the future. Asthma, nasal congestion, allergies, and common colds are more prevalent in users of disposables as well. Lastly, the study concluded that children who use cloth diapers are quicker to embrace potty training than children who use disposables.

So, after tapping into some solid research and asking around, we've ordered our own set of cloth diapers! We decided to go with the pocket style diaper it is the most user-friendly and is quite customizable.

We ordered from Sunbaby Diapers; the snaps allow for the diaper to fit babies from 7-35 lbs (see above picture).

The pocket itself can be filled with 1-2 microfiber inserts to keep the moisture away from baby and to make clean up easier.

Also, the diapers come in really fun colors and prints that are just too cute! We ordered several different patterns but the two above are my personal favorites (blue argyle and cream zoo animals). As of now, we've only spent $144 on our diapers and we are eager to see how they work out for our little guy. The package just shipped yesterday and although I don't have a baby bottom to try them out on, I can't wait to get my hands on them! Stay posted for more updates.