The Scoop on Dealing with Your Baby's Poop: What Diaper Should You Use?

If you’re a mom, you know how many diapers a baby can go through in a day. (And if you’re expecting, you’ll soon find out – it’s a lot!) You may be wondering if it’s worth it to trade the convenience of disposable diapers for a cheaper, and maybe more environmentally friendly, option of cloth diapers. If that’s you, then keep reading because we have the down and dirty comparisons to help you decide the best option for your family based on your lifestyle and budget.

When it comes to keeping your baby clean and dry, you have more options than you may think. Disposable diapers are convenient, but they can be expensive and harmful to the environment. Cloth diapers are less expensive, but the thought of having to clean them may put you in a firm NO category. But there are other options: hybrid cloth options, biodegradable disposable diapers, and even diaper services. Read on for the pros and cons of each.

photo by Ignacio Campo

Cloth Diapers

Cloth Diaper Pros

·         Cost: Cloth diapers are less expensive over time; the average cost, depending on brand and quality, for two years if $300 - $1000. Also, you can pass diapers down to siblings.

·         Convenience: You won’t have to worry about running out of diapers in the middle of the night.

·         Comfort: Cloth diapers are often gentler on babies’ skin (but you will need to change them quickly when they become wet to avoid skin irritation). Also, toddlers in cloth diapers tend to potty-train faster since the diapers are less absorbent and more uncomfortable when wet.

·         Environment: You don’t have to worry about landfill waste with cloth diapers.

·         Other: You can find cloth diapers with Velcro or snap closures so you don’t have to worry about old-fashioned diaper pins. Many cloth diapers also have waterproof waist and leg bands to prevent leaks.

Cloth Diaper Cons

·         Cost: You will have a larger initial outlay when you buy the diapers. You’ll also have to replace diapers with larger sizes as your baby grows.

·         Convenience: Cloth diapers are not always babysitter or daycare friendly. If you are using them while you’re on the go, you’ll need to plan for how you’ll carry dirty ones with you. Also: laundry. There’ll be a lot. If you have 25 diapers, you can probably get away with washing them every other day. (But let’s be honest – you’re going to be doing a lot of laundry with a newborn anyway!)

·         Comfort: Cloth diapers aren’t as absorbent, so you’ll need to change them as soon as they’re dirty to prevent skin irritation. This also means you’ll be changing diapers more often than you would with disposable diapers.

·         Environment: Cloth diapers need to be washed in hot water, so you’ll have increased water and energy costs. (You can help mitigate energy costs by hanging diapers to dry.) Also, cloth diapers are generally made of cotton, and cotton requires a lot of water, fertilizer, and insecticide to grow. (Some manufacturers are using organic, pesticide-free cotton to make diapers, but these will be more expensive.) Interestingly, the American Pediatric Association and the EPA are both neutral on the debate on whether cloth diapers are more environmentally friendly than disposable diapers.

Hybrid Cloth Diapers:

Some manufacturers are offering hybrid diapers: cloth diapers with biodegradable, disposable liners that are safe for sewer systems and can be flushed. Of course, these are more expensive, but they’re environmentally friendly and are convenient. There are also cloth wipe options and reusable swim diapers.

photo by Harry Grout

Disposable Diapers

Disposable Diaper Pros

·         Convenience: Disposable diapers are certainly convenient and are daycare and babysitter friendly. They’re great for families on the go.

·         Comfort: These diapers are more absorbent and breathable, keeping baby’s bottom drier and resulting in fewer diaper changes per day.

Disposable Diaper Cons

·         Cost: Disposable diapers are more expensive than cloth diapers and can cost $2000-$3000 per child over two years.

·         Convenience: Tabs on disposable diapers can rip when you put them on.

·         Comfort: Chemicals, gels, and materials diapers are made of can irritate a baby’s bottom and potentially cause an allergic reaction. Also, toddlers in disposable diapers may potty-train later: because the diapers are more absorbent, toddlers may not be as interested in getting out of them quickly.

·         Environment: Disposable diapers are not eco-friendly. Millions of tons of diapers end up in landfills each year, and diapers can take 100 years or more to break down in landfill conditions. The polypropylene in diapers is made from nonrenewable petroleum sources. Packaging and delivery also increase the environmental footprint. Additionally, unless you rinse a diaper before disposing of it, the fecal content can end up in ground water and contribute to greenhouse gases. Even with all of these environmental cons, as we mentioned above, the American Pediatric Association and the EPA are both neutral on the debate on whether cloth diapers are more environmentally friendly than disposable diapers.

·         Other: Some manufacturers are offering chlorine-free diapers with lower levels of other chemicals to reduce irritation and allergic reactions on babies’ skin. Manufacturers are also beginning to make compostable diapers, but these have to be disposed of correctly.

photo by Laura Ohlman

Diaper Services

If you think a diaper service is inconvenient and possibly out of your price range, think again. A service can be really convenient and a lot more affordable than you think. With a service, you essentially rent diapers. Each week, the service drops diapers at your doorstep and collects any dirty diapers to clean. Read on for more pros and cons.

Diaper Service Pros:

·         Cost: Services cost more than providing and cleaning your own cloth diapers but less than the cost of using disposable diapers. You won’t have the large initial outlay of buying your own cloth diapers either. Expect to pay $15 - $25 per week ($1600-$2600 over two years). Also, if you have more than one child, your cost will decrease because you only have to pay one delivery fee. And check with your service provider: many offer new customer, referral, or loyalty discounts.

·         Convenience: A diaper service delivers to your doorstep weekly, so you don’t have to worry about being home. You also won’t have to worry about running out of diapers and making a late-night run to the store. Because you’re essentially renting diapers, when your baby grows, you just let the service know you need a bigger size. Also, less laundry for you. And isn’t that always a win?

·         Comfort: Because services use cloth diapers, they will be gentler on babies’ skin than disposable diapers. Just remember they’re not as absorbent, so you’ll need to change them immediately when wet to avoid potential skin irritation. As we stated above, cloth diapers tend to help when potty-training toddlers. Side note: Some diaper services offer a potty-training guarantee. If your child isn’t potty-trained by the age the service promises, you may get free diaper service from that point until your child is potty-trained.

·         Environment: Obviously, there’s the benefit of decreasing landfill waste. But diaper services also use less water and energy than you would use at home to clean diapers due to their economies of scale. Some services also offer compostable disposable diapers which are eco-friendly, and the service will pick them up and dispose of them properly.

·         Other: Diaper services have strict guidelines on cleaning diapers, so diapers are sterilized when they’re cleaned. Most diaper services are small, local businesses, so, when you patronize a service, so contribute to your local economy.

Diaper Service Cons:

·         Cost: As we mentioned, the cost can be more than using your own cloth diapers, but less than using disposable diapers (and the cost drops if you have more than one child in diapers). You should also make sure you know what’s included in your weekly price. Most services include the diapers, delivery, and deodorizing disks for your pail. But you may have to provide your own pail as well as diaper covers and wipes.

·         Convenience: Diaper services can be hard to find unless you’re in a big city.

·         Other: If you’re curious about a service but not sold on the idea, consider trying it out when your baby is first born. Doing so will save you from extra laundry with a newborn (if you’re using cloth diapers) and will keep you from worrying about having the right diaper size around.

The bottom line is that while there’s a lot to consider when deciding what type of diaper to use, there’s no right or wrong choice. Use cloth. Use disposable. Alternate. The best decision is the one that works best for your family, your lifestyle, and your budget.

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Drop us a note and let us know how you prefer to diaper your baby! Do you have one method you always stick with, or do you mix and match depending on if you’re home or away?

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