Cloth Diapers Might Be For You If...

There are so many reasons you might want to consider cloth for you baby. Cloth diapering might be a good option for you if you're thinking about any of the following...

OUR PLANET
Obviously the environment is top of mind for many families and leaving a legacy of about 7000 disposable diapers in the trash per baby might not be your version of a great idea for future generations.

YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
If you think about how far a disposable diaper travels from where it's made to where you purchase it, that's a lot of trucking (or boating too if they are made overseas). That footprint then re-occurs every time you buy more diapers.

MULTINATIONALS vs. FAMILY BUSINESSES
A handful of huge companies control most of the disposable diaper market. Whereas most cloth diapers (even some of the biggest cloth brands) are made by small (often women owned) family businesses. If you have to spend some money on diapers, where would you prefer it go? As consumers we speak with our dollars and where we spend them.

SUSTAINABILITY
Deforestation and oil dependency to make pulps and plastics means these natural resources aren't being used sustainably when used to make single use disposable diapers.

DIAPER COST
Disposables cost you a little at a time for a long time and it adds up fast. A newborn for example can go through over 200 diaper changes in just 8 weeks, while the average age of potty training is 2.5 years (and don't forget about wipes!). Cloth diapers are a larger upfront investment yes, but they save you money in the long run. Worried about inflation? Me too. Once you purchase cloth diapers, the cost of the diaper can't increase anymore, whereas disposables will increase in cost along with inflation during the 2-3 years that you are buying them repeatedly. Cloth can also save you money if you use them for more than one child and it's possible to re-sell them when your baby is done with them too. Win win.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Natural disasters, and extreme weather are increasing right along with climate change and supply chain issues can be a real problem too. As we saw at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, if trucking routes are cut off and borders and ports are closed, people panic and access to basics like cloth diapers (and toilet paper - remember that?) become a reality. Even if you choose not to cloth diaper your baby, it's a good idea to have an inexpensive kit in the back of a closet, just in case.

CUTENESS FACTOR
But really, all things aside. Is there anything cuter than a fluffy cloth diapered little bum?

COMFORT
I don't like paper/plastic underwear myself and I choose to use cloth menstrual pads too because I find them more comfortable. I imagine that my babies probably prefer soft fabric on their sensitive areas too.

HEALTH
Did you know that disposable diaper companies are not required to disclose what's in their diapers? Various chemicals and fragrances can be used in the manufacturing and there's no way to know what they are which can make it hard for paediatricians to pinpoint whether rashes or skin conditions are caused by baby's diaper or something else. Cloth diapers have all the components listed on the label and there aren't many possibilities: cotton, bamboo, hemp, soft fleece, athletic wicking jersey, TPU or PUL (the laminated polyester fabric used as the waterproof layer), fabric elastic, snaps and maybe hook/loop (velcro). Cloth diapers also help hold the hips in the 'froggy position' for proper development.

EASE FOR PARENTS
No freezing cold diaper runs when you're out of diapers in the middle of winter with a small baby, no midnight sprint to the 24 hour drug store when your baby has a blowout in the middle of the night in their last diaper, no stinky diapers festering in the trash waiting to be hauled to the curb and no having to get rid of big cardboard boxes and extra plastic packaging.

FASTER POTTY LEARNING
Not for every baby to be fair - we had one child that didn't care whether they were wet or not, but our 3 other kids could definitely tell when their diaper was soiled and they caught on to potty learning pretty quick because of it.

If you're decided to give cloth a try, here's how to decide which style might work best for your family.