A growing number of parents are turning to cloth diapers as a way to save money and lower their impact on the environment, but these benefits aren't the only reason cloth diapers are increasing in popularity. In fact, there are several reasons more and more parents are choosing cloth diapers over their disposable counterparts.
Cloth Diapers are More Eco-Friendly Than Disposables
Environment Canada estimates that more than four million disposable diapers end up in Canadian landfills each year. The amount of disposable diaper waste is considerably more substantial in the United States where, according to the Real Diaper Association (RDA), an estimated $27 billion diapers are consumed annually.
In an interview with Suite101, Megan Leblanc says this reduced environmental impact is one of the main reasons she plans to use cloth diapers on her son Caius, now two months old. “If I can save just one plastic diaper from going into a landfill, that’s a good thing to me! I don’t want my legacy for the next generation to be a mountain of dirty plastic diapers,” said Leblanc.
Although many brands of disposable diapers have made progress in reducing their environmental impact by decreasing the amount of material used and using more degradable materials, it is estimated that disposable diapers will still take between 250 and 500 years to decompose.
Although cloth diapers require the use of more water for laundering, the overall environmental impact is much less because of the fact that they can be reused repeatedly and, for the most part, are constructed of natural materials such as cotton and hemp.
Using Cloth Diapers Saves Money Over the Long-term
Most children wear diapers for at least the first two years of their lives, during which time they will have an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 diaper changes, according to Environment Canada. At an average cost of around $.25 per disposable diaper, this can add up to as much as $1750 over the two years.
Although cloth diapers are significantly more expensive on a per diaper basis (ranging from $3 to $30 depending on the type of diaper used), they are much less expensive over the long term. In fact, parents can generally purchase the cloth diapers they need to get a child through the diaper stage for as little as $300 to $400.
To help with the initial expense, new mothers can start saving as soon as they learn they are pregnant. They can also ask friends to throw them a diaper shower where guests give gifts of cash toward the cloth diaper purchase, instead of a traditional baby shower.
Cloth diapers that are still in good condition can be resold, enabling a parent to regain some of their initial investment, or parents can consider purchasing used cloth diapers to begin with as another money saving tip.
Cloth Diapers are Healthy
Cloth diapers are often recommended for children who are prone to diaper rash because the natural material used to make most cloth diapers is more breathable than that used in disposables. This also makes them more comfortable.
Other parents choose to use cloth diapers because they are concerned that there may be health risks associated with the materials used in disposable diapers, such as bleaches and perfumes. Parents who wash their own diapers instead of using a diaper service can further reduce the amount of chemicals their children are exposed to, which can be particularly beneficial for children and parents who have allergies.
Using Cloth Diapers is Easy and Fun
The cloth diapers available today are a far cry from the ones used in the past. Many parents who use cloth diapers claim they are just as easy to change as disposables, and that the extra laundry required is no more difficult than taking out the extra amount of trash disposable diapers create.
While some parents may be turned off by the thought of scraping poop off a cloth diaper, it should be noted that poop is also supposed to be removed from disposable diapers before they are discarded so that it can be properly treated. Plus, using reusable diapers means fewer trips to the store and can even result in faster potty training.
Cloth diapers now come in a variety of styles, fabrics, prints and colors – adding a fun element to diapering. “I like that there are so many options to suit your needs with cloth and if you want you can even make your own diapers," said Lori Vogel, mother to two-and-a-half-year-old son, Jace, and five-and-a-half-month-old daughter, Presley. "The diapers are also crazy cute and I get more excited about them than I do about their clothes!”
“I also like to think that if past generations survived using cloth...why can't we? Easier isn't always better,” Vogel said.
Trilby Henderson - After completing a BA in Journalism at the University of Regina, one of Canada's leading journalism schools, I spent several years working ...
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