Yes, yes it’s true! One may ask, why? Why on earth would you choose to cloth diaper and further complicate introducing a baby to the mix? I get it. Bringing home a newborn is very overwhelming and I am not here trying to add to that. There are so so many choices to make. Bottles, pacifiers, breastfeed, formula….and the list just goes on and on. I encourage you to make choices that best suit your family and lifestyle in order to make the transition as smoothly as possible. I do think however, that cloth diapers unfairly get a bad rap. I hope to simply shed some light on diapering in general so that you can feel confident you’ve made the right choice.

The negative stigma behind cloth diapers often comes from lack of knowledge and familiarity in my personal opinion. It’s really as simple as putting the diaper on, taking it off and rather than tossing in the trash, you’re tossing in a laundry bin to wash in a day or two. Does it add a little more time to your routine? Absolutely does!! But, really just a few extra minutes.

Let’s go over some facts:

• Synthetic disposable diapers contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), fragrances and dyes. VOCs are known to potentially cause respiratory and neurological problems in addition to rashes and allergic reactions. POPs, such as dioxin, are highly toxic carcinogens and are endocrine disruptors.

• The manufacturing of disposable diapers , which are made from paper and plastic, annually consumes over 3 billion gallons of oil and kills over 200,000 trees. 50 pounds of petroleum and 20 pounds of chlorine are also consumed. The amount of natural resources that are used seems inconceivable. It also takes a disposable diaper up to 500 years to decompose. For perspective, one baby goes through approximately 2,000 diapers a year and there are about 4 million babies born a year in the US alone.

• The cost comparison is also eye opening. The average cost of a disposable diaper for 2 years is about $2,300, compared to that of a cloth diaper which is less than $1,000.

Cloth diapering definitely entails some prep work as well as washing and maybe even more prep work based on which diapers you use. I like all in one and pocket diapers, but there are many options. I wash them every other day and hang them to dry. It truly doesn’t add too much time to my normal routine and I love having the peace of mind that not only is my baby safe, I am making a positive impact on the environment. I always try and choose an eco-friendly option when I can.

If you do choose to use a disposable diaper, listed below are some eco-friendly choices I recommend:

1. Bambo Diapers

2. Naty by Nature

3. Earth Baby

If you choose to cloth diaper, here are two brands I personally use and love.

1. Alva Baby (most cost friendly)

2. Bum Genius

Again, with so many choices for our little ones, it can be so overwhelming. I hope that I’ve shed some light on this topic and know whichever choice you make is 100% okay.

Below are some links you can reference if you’d like more information on diapering.

www.wholesomechildren.com and dr.momma.org.