Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Adventures in Cloth Diapering

So why, with my third baby, did I start using cloth?

I started looking into cloth diapers for the economical benefits.

Let's assume over 3 years you average 60 diapers a week.  We'll also assume that with sales, coupons, and different brands, that diapers average $.20 per diaper.  (I think these are low estimates btw)  You would be spending about $1900 on diapers.  I spent under $300 for my stash that will last till potty training.  I was quite frugal in my spending and did not buy diapers that cost more than $20.  This also doesn't take into account the cost of wipes.  We use cloth wipes also...I find its actually easier than trying to make sure a disposable wipe doesn't make it into the wash!

Once I started reading, the green reasons for cloth diapering became more important too.   No one knows how long it takes for a diaper to decompose.  Estimates are anywhere from 250 to 500 years.  Using the above estimates, that means each baby is contributing over 9000 diapers to the landfill in their diaper-wearing years!!!

And let's not forget what we are exposing or babies to when using disposable diapers.

~Dioxins~ Most disposable diapers are bleached with chlorine, resulting in a byproduct called dioxins.  Dioxins are amoung the most toxic chemicals and are listed by the EPA as highly carcinogenic.
~Sodium Polyacrylate~This is a super absorbant chemical compound used as a filler in many diapers.  Ever have those little gel balls on your baby's bottom?  That's what it is.  Sodium Polyacrylate was removed from tampons because of concerns with toxic shock syndrome.  No studies have been done on the long term effects on infants.
~Tributyl-Tin (TBT)~According to the EPA, this toxic pollutant is extremely harmful to aquatic life and causes endocrine (hormonal) disruptions in aquatic organisms. 

I'm just not comfortable with all that being pressed up against my baby's delicate skin 24/7 for the first 2-3 years of her life!

Besides...isn't this butt a whole lot cuter than one in a disposable?!?

For more information on the chemicals in disposable diapers, read here.

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