Why did we go for Modern Cloth Diapers in the first place? 1. It’s better for the environment Like most things disposable, diapers add to the trash problem. A newborn goes through 8-12 pairs a day; imagine all that going to our already overfilled landfills. Plus, some sources say that disposable diapers take at least 500 years to decompose. Likewise, untreated fecal matter (Because really, despite package instructions, do you really bother flushing the poop down the toilet instead of just leaving them in the diapers?) can seep into the ground, contaminating ground water. And let’s not get started about all the trees and oil used to create new disposables every year. Cloth Diapers, whether modern or old school, are reusable. While the water and soap used to wash them also consume natural resources, it’s still a whole lot less when it comes to environmental impact. Less consumption of goods = happier earth. 2. It’s more economical When shopping for modern cloth diapers, the price tags may seem daunting. They range from 200 pesos (Chinese brands) to 1000 pesos (US brands) each. But if you look a the bigger picture, these cloth diapers are reusable until your child begins potty training. An investment of 4,800 pesos for 24 sets will last you for 2-3 years, because these One Size Fits Most (OSFM) diapers are adjustable and will grow with them until they’re toddlers. Considering that a 24-piece pack of disposables that last for less than a week costs around 200-300 pesos, you’d have recovered your initial investment in just a few months. Even cloth diapering on a part-time basis will save you money. Plus, if you have more kids, these cloth diapers can be passed down, giving you more mileage and savings. There’s even a thriving market for pre-owned cloth diapers so when baby’s all potty trained, you can recover some of your investment. 3. They’re as comfortable, if not more, as disposable diapers Worried that your baby will feel wet? Some of the cloth diapers come with stay-dry fleece, suede, microfleece and microsuede covers that draw the wetness away from baby, redirecting to an absorbent bamboo / microfiber / hemp core. Doesn’t that sound exactly like how disposable diaper commercials go? But really, we touched it ourselves, it does feel dry even though the microfiber insert was already soaking wet. Definitely impressive. 4. You can use up as many as baby needs Because it’s reusable, you don’t think twice about changing baby’s nappy. There were times when I’d hesitate about changing a disposable because it’s only been on for two hours. With a cloth diaper, I just shrug and switch. And since you can reuse them, we don’t feel guilty about being wasteful — quite different from when you’re using disposables. 5. Less instances of diaper rash As long as you wash, rinse and dry them properly, your baby’s precious bum is safe from diaper rash. Sure, it still happens, but it’s less common because she doesn’t come in contact with chemicals that are used to treat and bleach disposables. Plus, because cloth diapers, ideally, are changed more often than disposables, she doesn’t have to stay in a semi-soaked diaper for long. 6. They get potty-trained faster As observed by mommies and daddies, common consensus is that cloth diapered kids get potty-trained sooner. It seems that they learn to differentiate the feeling of wetness and the need to go potty, so they learn to verbalize it sooner 7. They’re super cute! Sure, sure. Laugh at the vanity of it all. But really! Cloth diapers come in a wide variety of colors and prints, you’ll go nuts choosing. It’s really fun color coordinating them with your baby’s outfits. Of course, this reason is a bit counterproductive.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 06:54:04 +0000