How and Why I Started Cloth Diapering

How and Why I Started Cloth Diapering??

I first was introduced to cloth diapering when my mom started doing so with her baby, about 6 ½ years ago now. Mom wanted to get away from the chemicals and how not-earth friendly disposable diapers are and the baby was having allergic reactions to them.

We researched a ton and made up patterns to make our own fitted pocket cloth diapers. Now, today I’m still using those original patterns on my own babies.

That’s how I started using cloth diapers, now to the MANY reasons why I started and still cloth diaper.

Cloth Diapering is Healthier
I can’t even begin to tell you all the chemicals and things that are bad for your baby that are in disposable diapers. "Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, a type of super absorbent polymer (SAP), which becomes a gel-like substance when wet. A similar substance was used until the early 1980s when it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome by increasing absorbency and improving the environment for the growth of toxin-producing bacteria."

Cloth Diapering Saves Money
The initial investment to get into cloth diapers is of course more expensive than just 1 package of disposable diapers but, the long run is much less expensive. Cloth diapers are a 1 time investment, not $20+ a package every time you run to the store. It is estimated that a baby will go through 6,000 diapers in the first 2 years and that parents will spend $1,600 for two years of disposable diapers. If you buy cloth diapers that are $20.00 each you can buy 80 diapers (many more than you need) with that amount. Cloth diapers last more than just one child too so you are saving $1600 each child you have after your first child. With the money we save each year cloth diapering we are able to slowly replace old and worn out cloth diapers.

Cloth Diapering is Easy
Most people think of cloth diapers and they think of tons of stinky work and disgusting messes to clean up. With the modern cloth diapers this day it is so much easier than that! I use a dry pail method, so basically I just change diapers (dump if needed) and place them in a pail then; when I’m ready to wash them I just dump them all in the washer. I do a rinse cold wash first with NO detergents and then do a second HOT wash with Tropical Traditions Detergent and Oxygen Bleach. I wash daily to every other day to keep bacterial from growing.  In the summer time I hang the diapers on the line outside and during the cold months I hang them on a rack similar to this one. Now there's no more rush trips to the store because you ran out of diapers. : )

Cloth Diapering is better on the Environment
Do you know that all the diapers that have EVER been made and used are still sitting in a landfill somewhere? It is estimated but NOT known how long to breakdown a disposable diaper, but the estimate is 250-500 years!! “Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste and use twenty times more raw materials, like crude oil and wood pulp”

Cloth Diapering makes for less Rashes
Did you know that “Diaper rash was almost unheard of before the use of rubber or plastic pants in the 1940s”. I know my babies hardly get rashes and most of them are caused by food allergies. Cloth diapers really do help cut down rashes.

Cloth Diapering makes it easier to Potty Train
Now this is still one point I’m waiting to find out but it is said that babies who have worn cloth diapers potty train much faster. Since disposable diapers have chemicals in them to keep the baby dry they never learn the feeling of getting wet when they go potty. So, when you try to teach them to go potty on the toilet they have a much harder time figuring it out. My son is 2 and I’m going to start potty training really soon. So, now I’ll see. : )

Do you cloth diaper? What are some of your reasons for choosing cloth diapers? 

*This post is linked with My Cloth Diaper Stash, 

*Information Source

*This post just contains my own opinions on this topic. I do not think you are a BAD momma because you don’t/can’t cloth diaper. I love cloth diapering but I know many aren’t very fond of it. : )

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