http://mamanatural.com/ Cloth diapers are great. And they’re way better than disposables. Here’s why.

1. Cloth Diapers are cheaper

Disposable diapers will set you back at least $2,000 before your child is potty trained. And if you buy premium or biodegradable options, that number will look more like $3,000.

Whereas twenty of the most expensive cloth diapers will set you back less than $400. Factor in detergent and water bills, and you’re still looking at half the cost of disposables.

Sources: Consumer Reports (July 8, 2009). “Cloth vs. disposable diapers: Getting started”.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1702357,00.html#ixzz1MLGLaVco

2. Cloth diapers are way better for the environment

An average child will go through anywhere from four to eight thousand diapers in his or her life.

Nationwide, parents in the USA use an estimated 27.4 billion disposable diapers each year. That’s around 3.4 million tons of diapers that end up in landfills each year.

The environmental footprint of disposable diapers is staggering.

And when you compare all that to using the same twenty cloth diapers over and over, washing them with minimal and safe detergent (method) in a high efficiency washer, there’s just no contest.

Sources: The number of diapers a child uses comes from the conservative estimate of six per day x 365 x 2 years = 5475 diapers used.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1702357,00.html

3. Cloth diapers are more absorbent

I speak here from experience. With a cloth diaper, I don’t have to change my baby in the middle of the night. With disposables, I do.

Then there’s the blowout factor. Cloth diapers are generous, and they contain. Disposables, not so much.

4. Disposable diapers are loaded with nasty chemicals

Many parents don’t realize that disposable diapers contain some nasty chemicals.

Most disposables are bleached with Dioxin, which, in animal studies, caused nerve damage, birth defects, increased rates of miscarriages and changes to the immune system. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has classified dioxins as a probable human carcinogen.

Then there are AGMs – linked to an increase in childhood asthma and a decrease in sperm count among boys.
Now, big diaper manufacturers point out that these chemicals exist in very small doses in the diapers, and so don’t post a risk. And, sure, more studies need to be done. But Mama Natural says, why risk it?

http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/are-disposable-diapers-really-that-bad/ Source: Illinois Dept of Public health http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/dioxin.htm http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2004/04/63182

5. Cloth diapers may help protect your baby boy’s jewels

German scientists found that the skin temperature around baby boy’s genitals was significantly higher when they wore disposable diapers as opposed to cloth. While the scientists called for more research, they suggested that prolonged use of disposable diapers in infants could be an important factor contributing to the decline of sperm production in adult males.

6. Cloth diapers are cuter than disposables :)

Colors, patterns, textures. Especially when yr kid’s dressed in a diaper only. Cloth are way cuter.

1 Reason Why Cloth Diapers Ain’t Better

1. Tyranno-poops

Occasionally, all babies will produce humungous and, frankly, baffling poops. The last thing you want to do is get all hands-on with that diaper, rinse it, store it, etc. Throwing the stinking thing out would be so much easier….

BUT, that’s an infrequent and short-term bummer. In the long term, and by just about every single measure, cloth diapers are better for you, your baby, and the world.

What do you think? Why do you use cloth diapers?