Baby Eco Trends

 

In recent years, cloth diapers have been gaining popularity, and for good reason. Parents that have opted for cloth diapering systems have found that it is far easier than they had imagined. As for the cost, even a high-end cloth diapering system is invariably more economical than disposable diapers. In addition to ease of use and economical advantages of cloth diapers, there is plenty of reason to choose cloth for health and environmental reasons.

 

Babies spend their first few years in diapers and assuming baby's diaper is changed eight times per day, that equals 7,280 diapers in the first 30 months. The average cost of a disposable diaper is 36 cents, for a total of $2,620 for a baby potty trained at 30 months. For the sake of simplicity, we won't take into account the money spent on disposable wipes and trips to the store to replenish your diaper supply. In contrast, a quality cloth diapering system is a fraction of that price and can often be used with new siblings or even sold on the very brisk used cloth diaper market. Yes, cloth diapers have a high resale value!

 

The Union of Concerned Scientists has estimated that 18 billion diapers are thrown into landfills every year. And a 1998 study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that diapers made up 3.4 million tons of waste. Unfortunately, even "green" disposable diapers sit in landfills for years. A German study (October 2000 issue of Disease in Childhood) revealed that disposable diapers may pose fertility problems later in life for boys by maintaining a higher scrotal temperature. Disposable diapers have also been linked to eye, nose and throat irritations, as well as asthma-like symptoms.

 

Other than a significant cost savings, cloth diapers also offer invaluable health benefits. What makes disposable diapers so absorbent? Hydrogels or hydorcolloids, such as sodium acrylate, potassium acrylate or alkyl acrylate. Hydrogels added to the inner pads of disposable diapers in powder form turn into a gel when they become wet, and are often found stuck to baby's bottom. This substance was used in tampons until 1985, when its use was banned because of its link to Toxic Shock Syndrome.

 

Other chemicals used in disposable diapers include ethylbezene, styrene (may induce adverse nervous system affects),toluene (linked to respiratory toxicity) and tributyltin, shown to be extremely toxic in aquatic life. It's helpful to remember that after these substances have wreaked havoc on us and our babies, they then enter our soil and water and cause further damage to wildlife for many years to come.

 

 

What makes disposables so bright white?

 

Dioxins, chemicals that have been characterized by the EPA as "likely to be human carcinogens and are anticipated to increase the risk of cancer", are the bleaching agent used in disposable diapers to make them snow white. Dioxins are created by chlorine bleaching of pulp and paper and have a number of adverse health effects. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), "one of the main concerns over health effects for dioxins is risk of cancer". The FDA also notes that even low levels of dioxin exposure may result in "reproductive or developmental effects". Since dioxins metabolize slowly (over years), the FDA advises that the best way to reduce your personal dioxin levels is to reduce exposure and intake of dioxins.

 

 

Which uses more water, disposables or cloth diapers?

 

It is important to address the concern that many people have about the amount of water use in washing cloth diapers. Here, it is helpful to point out that the amount of water used in home washing machines does not come close to the amount of water required for the production of disposable diapers. Additionally, waste water from the manufacturing of disposable diapers is laced with dioxins, solvents and heavy metals. Disposable diapers also require immense amounts of tree pulp, energy and fuel to manufacture.

 

To assert that disposables are better for the environment is to say that all of us should put disposable sheets on our beds, dress in disposable clothes, bathe with disposable towels, use disposable plates and utensils.... The absurdity of this assertion quickly becomes evident.

 

 

The convenience factor

 

Even dyed in the wool cloth diapering enthusiasts like us concede that disposable diapers are easier to use, but only slightly. Cloth diapering is very easy; disposable diapering is only a little easier. For many, the slight difference does not justify ignoring the health and environmental effects, which are not at all slight!  In the end, the choice to use cloth diapers is a personal one and each family must weigh all the options and make decisions based on individual needs and lifestyles. For us, the choice was an easy one!

 

It has been our experience and that of many other families that cloth diapered babies do not suffer from diaper rashes as often and/or as badly as babies in disposable diapers. Furthermore, cloth diapered babies potty train much sooner than babies in disposables, sometimes by up to as much as a year earlier.

 

Thank you for your interest in cloth diapers. We hope you enjoy visiting our site and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.