Why I Choose Cloth Diapers.

I am currently pregnant with my first baby. He is due March 19, 2010. I have chosen to use cloth diapers... Many ask, "Why??? Cloth diapers are so much work..." or something about how I am being brave by using them.

Well, here are my reasons...

As many have heard cloth diapers are cost efficient. If we really look at what we are spending on disposable diapers we will realize that we Americans are throwing money in the landfills by the millions... I guess to some it looks like a large investment for the get go, but let's do the math. A newborn baby goes through about 8-12 diapers a day and when older will go through about 6-10. Supplying a newborn with disposable daipers costs about $0.36 per diaper; but supplying an older baby with disposable diapers costs between $0.40 - $0.60+ per diaper. Add the cost for diapers for a year or two till we think about potty training.... When we buy cloth diapers the amount of money is a set amount and we won't have to keep buying them once we have enough to only have to do 2 loads of diapers in the washer and dryer each week. Each diaper can handle 100+ washes. They are great!

I have used them on many babies that I have had the privilage of babysitting and have found that when using cloth diapers babies will have less diaper rashes (which are very uncomfortable and can be pretty painful) or irritated skin because they have little or no irritating chemicals that will be rubbing on their sensitive skin. Depending on our babies' level of sensitivity we can choose the materials that are used for our babies diapers which is not the case with disposables.

Now a days most people are really big about saving the environment and going green. Although it is most likely debated whether or not they are really good for our environment we all at least have to agree the cloth diapers do not take up room in our landfills, dumpsters, and trash cans or take hundreds of years to decompose... This whole cycle of recyling really means less trash for our planet...

Now about the last two points I made about less chemicals and less garbage my hasband brought up the point that some will even argue the point of the detergent used for the diapers had chemicals in it and that the container is usually thrown away. My answer for those who think that way is that we have to buy (or make) detergent anyway to wash the baby's clothes in. We have the choice to buy a healthier environmently friendly detergent and recyle the container or not.

Not only are cloth diapers cute and come in all colors, patterns, and sizes they reduce the chances of leaks because they are so absorbant. Diposables are stiff and paperlike but the cloth diapers get softer and softer everytime they are used -esp the hemp ones. Come on, if you were a baby a could choose between the diapers, which ones would you want to wear?