As mamas, we have so many decisions we get to make for our kids. It starts with what we will name them and the decisions just don't stop there. When Austin and I were filling out our registry we decided we were just going to go with disposable diapers. They seemed easy and besides having a few brands that I loved more than others, that's about all we had decided on. I have known many people who have used cloth, but I never really asked a ton about it. I assumed that cloth was super hard and involved doing lots of laundries. We got really lucky at our baby shower and received a TON of disposable diapers. River is now 6 months old and we still have 4-6 large boxes left and haven't had to buy any diapers or wipes and for that, we are so grateful.
I decided since our stash is starting to get low that I wanted to do some research and reach out to our friends who have used cloth diapers to decide if it would be the right fit for our family. Since I started research we have decided to slowly make the switch! I am still so new to this world of cloth, but I am learning as I go.
I figured why not learn together. So here are some of the pros and cons that I have come up with! Let's start with the Pros:
Adorable prints: There are so many brands with so many amazing prints like this cute tie-dye print to the right.
Good for the environment: A quick google search will tell you that an estimated 18 to 20 BILLION diapers will be thrown away each year! That is insane!! The average baby is changed 7 times a day and wears diapers for 730-1095 days. That's approximately 5110-7665 diapers throughout each little babes life! That brings us to the next point.
Saves on money: You can purchase and use the approx number of diapers listed above or you can buy about 30 cloth diapers that are reusable and can even be used on multiple kids saving you even more! Another plus is once you are done with them you can actually resell them! You don't just have to toss them in the trash!
Fewer chemicals: Disposable diapers are made up of different things. Some of which you don't want on your babe's buns. Eliminating some of those chemicals will allow for fewer rashes on sensitive buns! Ans the types of fabrics used in cloth will allow for better airflow which will also help with rashes!
Adjustable absorbency: Cloth diapers allow you to move around absorbency to help eliminate leaks and blowouts. If you have a tummy sleeper like me you can add more absorbency to the front of the diaper where most of the pee goes! So this makes them totally customizable.
Now let's talk the Cons:
Convenience: Cloth diapers are not as convenient as disposable. If you have soiled diaper in public you have to carry it around and can't just toss it in the nearest trashcan. Cloth diapers also need to be changed more frequently than disposable because they just don't hold as much.
Washing: The hardest most known fact about cloth diapers is that you have to take the time to wash them. There is a bit of a learning curve when learning wash routines. Not to mention it is an extra load of laundry you have to do every few days.
Diaper creams: With cloth diapers, you can't just use any old diaper cream. Creams that are oily or tacky will collect in your diapers and cause them to stink and become less absorbent! You can use small amounts of creams sparingly or even use a liner in the diaper to help the cream from hitting the diaper. In all actuality though, when using cloth you are less likely to need creams.
As you can see there are benefits and downfalls to both cloth diapers and disposables, but you ultimately need to decide what is the best choice for you and your family! I'm sure ill talk about this more and share more info on how it is going for me and my family! If you cloth already or have any questions I would love to hear them!