So I realised this morning that I have been cloth
diapering a year now which considering most people didn’t think I would stick
to and it feels incredibly awesome.
For anyone who hasn’t read my previous cloth diaper
pieces….
When Jesse was 8 months old we made the decision to
change over to cloth and we did so because Jesse was breaking out in terrible
nappy rashes that we just couldn’t get rid of, we went to the paed she
prescribed anti-fungal ointments etc but nothing worked and since my previous 2
monkeys were virtually rash free their whole nappy journey we were left rather
perplexed.
Until one day someone suggested to me that it may
be a chemical burn from the disposables or a reaction to something in the
disposables that was causing the rashes, I approached his regular doctor who
told me that it was possible since nothing else seemed to be helping but that
it was in his opinion rare and unlikely unless he was incredibly sensitive.
So I dove into research I spent a few weeks
browsing sites- everything seemed so confusing there was just so much to take
in but in the end we decided to order in a few cloth nappies and take it from
there, we had nothing to lose and nothing left to try…. We haven’t looked back
since and I think Jesse has had maybe 2 rashes in his year of cloth and not a
10th as bad as the rash he had been getting.
So I decided to compile a list of what I believe
have been the Pros and cons of cloth vs disposables, bearing in mind I don’t
have an issue with disposables my oldest 2 were in them, having said that I may
have made a different choice had I known then what I know now but if
disposables work for you then they work for you, our decision was not
environmentally based although this is a bonus it was solely based on trying
what we could to help Jesse.
Before I begin I would like to factor in that we
are sadly approaching the end of our cloth journey not by choice but because
Jesse has started potty training out of his own at 20 months- my other 2 only
potty trained at 3 and 2 ½, his teacher believes him being in cloth has played
a part in this.
This is going to be a long one....
Cost
Cloth Diapers
Pros
Cloth diapers are real value for money and can be
bought for as little as R60 a nappy, cloth diapers can also be reused for
future children so you can in essence make one stash last through all your
children, also if you do buy the more expensive nappies you can resell them at
the end of your cloth journey for a good amount of money unlike disposables.
Cons
The initial outlay cost of a cloth stash can be a
tidy sum we spent around 2000 on our complete stash of over 30 nappies which is
a fair price and my nappies range from cheap to all natural organic and costly,
some ladies are constantly adding to that stash or spend 1000’s on a stash but
that is completely up to you as an individual- I won’t lie it can become a tad
addictive.
Disposables
Pros
None- you are throwing your money away.
Cons
With disposables you are in essence paying up to R3
per nappy you throw away and if you calculate that at 8- 10 nappies a day for 2
years that is a pretty penny you are throwing in the bin.
Materials
Cloth Diapers
Are available in a range of materials from cotton
to hemp, these materials are far softer and non-chemical based on your babies
bum.
Disposables
Are made from paper and chemicals there is nothing
natural about them and they can seriously burn your babies skin if the chemical
inside comes into contact with them- you do however get eco-friendly
disposables made of better materials that are chemical free these are far more
expensive though.
Environmental
Cloth Diapers
Pros
They don’t end up on a landfill somewhere; they are
more ecologically friendly and can be reused.
Cons
You do use more electricity and water with washing
however I have found that this amounts to an extra load or 2 a week in my
opinion that far outweighs the landfill option, again it depends on you how
often you wash which cycles you use some ladies do up to 2 or 3 pre rinse
cycles before a wash I have found that a pre hand wash and then using the
longest cycle on my top loader is fine.
Disposables
Pros
None
Cons
These are in no way good for the environment, do
not break down naturally and spend years atop our landfills polluting the
earth.
Mess Factor
Cloth
Pros
There are diaper sprayers etc available to help
make this easier and when your baby is ebf the poop is water soluble and you
don’t have to rinse before washing also using wipes means that if your child
does poop you can just toss the liner leaving the nappy clean or almost clean
and wash ready.
Cons
There is nothing worse than a cloth diaper teething
poop ick it is messy and it does have to be cleaned properly… not great… not
great at all.
Disposables
Pros
Can be thrown away instantly you don’t have to wash
them or come into direct contact with the poop at all.
Cons
Blowouts… that is all.
Convenience
Cloth Diapers
Pros
Cloth today can be just as easy and convenient as
disposables they are pre folded or cut and are available in either snaps or
even Velcro options.
Cons
If you use pre-folds and covers ie the old style of
cloth diapers it may take time to learn how to get the folds etc right.
Disposables
Pros
Quick and easy to put on and easy to just throw
into any bin
Cons
None
Potty Training
Cloth Diapers
Pros:
Some moms say their babies trained earlier because
in cloth, they could actually FEEL the wetness.
Cons:
Some moms say their kiddos didn't care whether they
were in cloth or disposable; they were happy to stay in diapers forever!
Disposables
Pros
Some kids don’t like the feeling of a wet
disposable again it depends on your child.
Cons
Because the chemicals in the nappy allow moisture
to lock away from babies skin they cannot feel the wetness and are often quite
happy not to potty train or delay it as they are comfortable as is.
Aesthetic Appeal
Cloth diapers
They are available in all different colour patterns
and themes and are stinking adorable and there are many moms who make them
custom or you could even make your own if you have a sewing machine available.
Disposables
are pretty bleh and they feel like paper… because
that’s what they are.
If you would like to find out more info on
cloth diapering my advice is to go on over to The South African Cloth Nappy Users Facebook Page
and also onto YOUtube where there are so many reviews and great videos to
watch.
I hope this post was of some help to anyone who is
in two minds or is overwhelmed by all the options available today.
No comments:
Post a Comment