cloth or disposable?

orangedaisy85

Hey ladies I was thinking about the time when I was having to make the cloth vs disposables decision today. I put together a little thing about how I made the decision. Hope it helps or at least reassures you of your own decision. It's here.

jetskreemr

Actually, there are one-size-fits-all cloth diapers out there. We are buying them! BumGenius makes great One Size cloth diapers (their BG 4.0 line). You can read more about them, and cloth diapering in general, at www.allaboutclothdiapers.com. If you buy a set of them (I've been told to buy around 24), you would spend far less than disposables.

kacelle

jetskreemr:

Actually, there are one-size-fits-all cloth diapers out there. We are buying them! BumGenius makes great One Size cloth diapers (their BG 4.0 line). You can read more about them, and cloth diapering in general, at www.allaboutclothdiapers.com. If you buy a set of them (I've been told to buy around 24), you would spend far less than disposables.

Cloth diapering can be way less expensive than disposable diapers, because of one-size diapers like PP mentioned.  I also prefer to throw a messy diaper into the  laundry rather than to wipe down a baby that's just had a nasty blow-out in a disposable and then have to wash the messy clothes as well.

Having talked to moms who have used both cloth and disposable diapers with their children, I definitely see advantages to going with cloth diapers.  My decision wasn't really based on environmental issues at all, although it is a bonus.  I prefer to keep LO away from harsh chemicals when possible and to save a good deal of money in the process.  Plus, cloth diapers are so darn cute! 

Mcarrieb85

For any of you ladies considering cloth diapers, you can pretty much ignore everything you read in the OPs blog article.  Its extremely uneducated, and improperly researched.  If you choose to use disposables it's completely up to you, but definitely do your own research on both first. If any of you have questions about how cloth REALLY works, check out the cloth diapering board.

MWoodside

its a shame you seemed to have overlooked the main reason why we chose to cd- health. research the chemicals and toxins in disposable diapers and i assure you that you will be disgusted. anyway no matter how you slice it the cost is less.

pandi02a

Mcarrieb85:

For any of you ladies considering cloth diapers, you can pretty much ignore everything you read in the OPs blog article.  Its extremely uneducated, and improperly researched.  If you choose to use disposables it's completely up to you, but definitely do your own research on both first. If any of you have questions about how cloth REALLY works, check out the cloth diapering board.

Yep, this. I have no idea what the motivation of the OP was here. 

SparkFish

Just another bit of info for those who are still considering cloth. Re: the "ick" factor - this was my major hang up too, but as a cloth user for 2 years, I can honestly say it's not as gross as I thought. If you EBF, you can throw diapers, poop and all, into the wash and everything comes out clean. Once baby starts eating solids, you do have to shake the poop into the toilet (which you are technically supposed to do with disposables, too, although I know no one does), but the fabric releases most poop really easily. It's no big deal at all. For the really messy diapers, we have a sprayer attached to the toilet (similar to the sprayer on the kitchen sink) and we use that to spay off anything that sticks. The huge up side to cloth is that your diaper pail is not full of stinky, poopy diapers. We wash diapers every 3 days, and there is very little smell from the pail. The smell of a pail of poopy disposables is far more "icky" than anything I've had to deal with with the cloth diapers. 

JaysonandKristin

pandi02a:

Mcarrieb85:

For any of you ladies considering cloth diapers, you can pretty much ignore everything you read in the OPs blog article.  Its extremely uneducated, and improperly researched.  If you choose to use disposables it's completely up to you, but definitely do your own research on both first. If any of you have questions about how cloth REALLY works, check out the cloth diapering board.

Yep, this. I have no idea what the motivation of the OP was here. 

YUP!

There's no ick factor.  We pulled ahead financially at 4 months old, and I bought 48 BumGenius diapers brand new.  

If you have any questions regarding CD'ing, or if you have hesitations - get over to the CD board.   

llcoolay

Ive always wondered if people factor in the cost of all the water used to wash them and the impact that would have on the envioroment. However, I know very little about the subject since i havent done the research. I  never hear anyone talk about the water and electric used to power the machines ? Is it less on the enviorment than all that trash?

In the end as with alot of things in raising a child it is a personal choice to use cloth or not.

AnneShirleyBlythe

llcoolay:

Ive always wondered if people factor in the cost of all the water used to wash them and the impact that would have on the envioroment. However, I know very little about the subject since i havent done the research. I  never hear anyone talk about the water and electric used to power the machines ? Is it less on the enviorment than all that trash?

In the end as with alot of things in raising a child it is a personal choice to use cloth or not.

With todays front loaders, it takes just a small amount of water and electric to wash my diapers. That is generally factored into the cost of disposable vs. cloth. Also, the few times I have had to use disposables I have had WAY more poop go into the wash. Blowouts like crazy in the 3 brands we have tried (we have only used them on vacation). It is personal and I don't care either way what others do, but I am not quite sure what the point of the OPs blog post is. It was obviously poorly researched, as BumGenius diapers are the #1 cloth diaper on the market and are one size fits all. 

EJChapman123

There is absolutely no valuable information in this blog - simply a statement that cloth diapers can be expensive and that they are "icky"

While I plan on cloth diapering (not in the first few weeks, I want to get used to just being a mom first), I do not pass judgement on those who use disposables, so I don't mind your decision, I just think your logic to get there is...well...questionable.

Jenn0810

Just posing a question here, but would using electricity and water be worse than filling up a landfill with poopy diapers, considering how many disposable diapers are put there each day? 

llcoolay

Jen0810 see my post a few above. I think I proposed the same question as this is something Ive always wondered about.

11kacey

I just checked out the OP's previous posts and almost ALL of them direct you to her blog.

I am not sure when she did her research for cloth diapers, but One size cloth diapers have been around for awhile, right? 

I was really hoping for something more substantial, like a breakdown of the costs of using disposables through one kid and for two and the same for cloth diapers. 

Maybe some of you fellow moms and moms to be can help me.. I am really considering just using prefolds initially and then when my baby is bigger, moving to the pockets or all in ones (any suggestions?). I am under the impression that prefolds are cheaper and easier to fit around tiny newborns. Is this true?

 

 

pandi02a

Jenn0810:

Just posing a question here, but would using electricity and water be worse than filling up a landfill with poopy diapers, considering how many disposable diapers are put there each day? 

Poopy diapers in landfills spread disease because the rain water runs back into our water systems. Which is why you are supposed to flush the poo even out of disposables.

CutieBean79

pandi02a:

Mcarrieb85:

For any of you ladies considering cloth diapers, you can pretty much ignore everything you read in the OPs blog article.  Its extremely uneducated, and improperly researched.  If you choose to use disposables it's completely up to you, but definitely do your own research on both first. If any of you have questions about how cloth REALLY works, check out the cloth diapering board.

Yep, this. I have no idea what the motivation of the OP was here. 

To get traffic to her blog - which apparently has worked.

Molluskwrangler

pandi02a:

Jenn0810:

Just posing a question here, but would using electricity and water be worse than filling up a landfill with poopy diapers, considering how many disposable diapers are put there each day? 

Poopy diapers in landfills spread disease because the rain water runs back into our water systems. Which is why you are supposed to flush the poo even out of disposables.

Thank you! I am so damn sick of seeing people talk about the ick factor with cloth when you are legally supposed to dump the poop from a disposable in the toilet since tossing human waste in a landfill is against the law...not to mention disgusting.

EJChapman123

llcoolay:

Ive always wondered if people factor in the cost of all the water used to wash them and the impact that would have on the envioroment. However, I know very little about the subject since i havent done the research. I  never hear anyone talk about the water and electric used to power the machines ? Is it less on the enviorment than all that trash?

In the end as with alot of things in raising a child it is a personal choice to use cloth or not.

Disclaimer: Im not an expert, or an environmental engineer.

I do know there is a famous study that is beloved by the big disposable companies that states that there is no difference in environmental impact.  I also know that (supposedly) that study was funded by said disposable companies.

I think common sense says that there is no way, even with an extra load of laundry a day (many do it every other or every third day) that the environmental damage could be the same.  Washing machines these days are very energy efficient.  Its like saying running the dishwasher is just as bad as using styrofome plates and plastic spoons for all your meals and throwing them away. Disposables do not biodegrade, even the ones that do, it takes literally hundreds of years.  The average child goes through something like 1800 diapers in their life.  Most people do NOT flush waste before throwing away, which is one of the leading causes of ground water contamination.  Land fills are not designed for human waste.  Period.  There is also the cost of the trucks delivering all those diapers to the stores and the chemicals used in them and to create them (they banned the substance used in disposable diapers in tampons due to toxic shock - lovely thought right?)

While I do not judge people who use disposible diapers due to convenience, or because of fear of the unknown - I don't think the environmental cost is even close. 

carrieatkeson

Americans use 8.5 million gallons of crude oil each year to keep their children in disposable diapers. That is one cup of crude oil per one diaper that a child will wear maybe 2 hours. 

The water issue: Laundering cloth diapers uses 5-10 gallons of water every three days. This is the equivalent of a potty trained toddler or adult using the toilet 6 times a day.  

Nuff said! 

 

11kacey

carrieatkeson:

Americans use 8.5 million gallons of crude oil each year to keep their children in disposable diapers. That is one cup of crude oil per one diaper that a child will wear maybe 2 hours. 

The water issue: Laundering cloth diapers uses 5-10 gallons of water every three days. This is the equivalent of a potty trained toddler or adult using the toilet 6 times a day.  

Nuff said! 

 

Wow! Thanks for that statistic.. I have really been wondering what the water impact is.

maddiemoon43

https://www.mother-ease.com/cloth-diapers/Savings

https://www.diaperpin.com/calculator/Calculator.asp

These both calculate the costs of water and electricity, wear on machines, etc.  Doesn't look at the environmental impact, which I can't say I have given much thought to...it just makes sense to me that it would still be less impactful than disposables.

maple2

11kacey:

I just checked out the OP's previous posts and almost ALL of them direct you to her blog.

I am not sure when she did her research for cloth diapers, but One size cloth diapers have been around for awhile, right? 

I was really hoping for something more substantial, like a breakdown of the costs of using disposables through one kid and for two and the same for cloth diapers. 

Maybe some of you fellow moms and moms to be can help me.. I am really considering just using prefolds initially and then when my baby is bigger, moving to the pockets or all in ones (any suggestions?). I am under the impression that prefolds are cheaper and easier to fit around tiny newborns. Is this true?

Most all in one cloth diapers won't fit newborns, so you will likely have to have something else on hand for that stage.  Pre-folds will probably be your cheapest option though there are other types of diapers that are designed specifically for newborns (Kissaluvs are pretty popular).  We used prefolds for the newborn stage (and are still using them at 2 years) and were very happy with them.  We also have some bumgenus 3.0 diapers that we used for overnight with DD once she outgrew the newborn stage and for daycare.  I have like the bumgenius diapers pretty well, but I have been diappointed with the wear on the aplix (like velcro).  We are having a 2nd child, and there is absolutely no way our current stash of diapers will work for that child unless we replace the aplix.  Bumgenius will send you repair kits for free, but it's still a pain.

 

LaceFace14

Okay, not a very well researched or thorough article. I'm a lurker on this board but one thing about the cloth vs. Disposable debate that's been bugging me is the cost comparison thing. Let me start by saying that I used disposable with dd but will use cloth with this baby. Im totally on board with the reduced cost to the environment, better and more comfortable for my baby, easy and not at all gross arguments. The one thing I can not get behind is that cloth diapers and wipes will be less expensive for me. First, the cost of electricity has gone up dramatically in my area. Next, I currently wash everything in cold water which I will not be able to do, not go mention the extra cycles. I also find that the number of diapers used per day estimates are grossly exaggerated after the first month. There is no way I ever used that many. Also, the cost of diapers has been exaggerated for many. I always bought name brand diapers and wipes on sale and spent nowhere near the amounts suggested in all of the cost comparison charts I've seen. Plus, I almost always had a manufacturer coupon on top of sales. Add to that the fact that dd was potty trained at 2 and disposables were cheaper for me. Now, if I went with all prefolds and covers, I might break even either way but DH wants no part of prefolds so we will use pockets, some AOI and fitteds. I plan to use mostly one size. I've done considerable research and looked at various ways/places to find cheaper CD's and I've come to the conclusion that cloth is going to personally cost me more. I live in Canada and cloth seems to be a little pricier here so that may contribute.

cburitz

pandi02a:

Jenn0810:

Just posing a question here, but would using electricity and water be worse than filling up a landfill with poopy diapers, considering how many disposable diapers are put there each day? 

Poopy diapers in landfills spread disease because the rain water runs back into our water systems. Which is why you are supposed to flush the poo even out of disposables.

Thank you for saying that. I don't think most people realize they are supposed to flush the poo out of disposables before the diaper goes in the garbage.

We fully intend to go with cloth diapering. I think I can handle the "ick" but thanks anyway, OP.

desmerelda317

I concur with the other CDing mamas in this post.  But I wanted to mention something about the "ick" factor that a lot of folks seem to get hung up on.  First, a lot of moms tell me they don't want to wash the rest of their clothes in the same place that gets poopy diapers clean.  But here's the deal - I have NEVER had a blowout with DS in a cloth diaper and I am not exaggerating.  Every time we use disposables (like when he was in the hospital for a week and we did not have access to our stash or laundry facilities) he has blown out and where do you think those poopy clothes are going to get washed?  Yep.  So just keep in mind that as a parent, you're going to be coming in contact with your child's poop no matter how you diaper.  Washing your hands frequently is your friend.  Second, poop does not sit around in my house in any place.  When DS dirties a diaper, the poop goes in the toilet and is treated in the proper location - a waste water treatment facility.  The poop does not remain in the diaper in a trash can or in a pail or any place like that.  My son's cloth diaper pail has NEVER smelled of poop ever.  So I think it is just cleaner and more hygienic in general.

I am not anti-disposables, I've used them on occasion for various reasons.  But I do think that no matter your decision, the choice should be based on sound information and research.