For the Love of Cloth Diapers!

Hey!  Did you know that:

Over 27 billion disposable diapers are sold and then put into landfills in the US?

or that

Disposable diapers contain traces of dioxin, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals?!  In small quantities, dioxin causes birth defects, immune system suppression, skin and liver diseases, and genetic damage in lab animals.  It is banned in most countries...but not the US.

or

Americans spend about 7 billion dollars on disposable diapers every year.  If every one of those families switched to simple home-laundered cloth diapers, they would save more than $6 billion, enough to feed about 2.5 million American children for an entire year.

or that

In 1955, before modern disposable diapers were sold and consumed, it was estimated that 7% of babies and toddlers had diaper rash.  In 1991, long after plastic disposable diapers dominated the market, the number jumped to 78%.

or

Disposable diapers contain Tributyl-tin (TBT) a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals.

or that

Disposable diapers also contain Sodium Polyacrylate, a type of super absorbent polymer (SAP), which becomes a gel-like substance when wet.  This chemical can cause kin irritations and severe allergic reactions including vomiting, staph infections, and fever.

or

Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste than cloth.

or that

Disposable diapers use 20 times more raw materials, like crude oil and wood pulp.

or 

Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent about 4% of solid waste.  In a house with a child in diapers, disposables make up 50% of household waste.

or that

If you purchase disposable diapers, you can easily spend over $65 a month.  You will have spent more than $1,600 by the time you baby turns two (this doesn't include the cost of disposable wipes).  

But

If you use simple pre-fold cloth diapers and covers, you will only need a few dozen diapers (in various sizes), which you can use over and over throughout your baby's diapering years.  The cost of cloth diapering can vary considerably from as low as $300 for a basic set-up to $1000 or more for organic cotton fitted diapers.

-Info collected from a pamphlet for

www.DiaperShops.com

 

Gives you a nice guilt trip, huh?  Wellll....that, of course, is NOT my intention at all!  But, I just purchased a few more Fuzzi Bunz cloth dipes for my daughter and received this pamphlet with them, in the mail.  I had to share the info....it was so astounding to me.  I mean, of course I knew a lot of this beforehand, which lead us to make the decision for cloth...but the stats are still shocking!

And, let me tell you - we are so very happy with our decision for cloth!  Yes, when I first thought about using them I was initially grossed out - thinking what you probably think: "eewwww, I don't want cloth diapers soaking in my toilet and then have to wash them...nor do I want all that work!"  Those were the old days...back when we were diapered.  But, now they have everything for our modern day needs...we are so spoiled!  Vienne has a collection of the cutest cloth diapers in all colors.  They are soft against her skin and oh so easy to use! With velcro or snap tabs, they are all one piece.  You put them on like a disposable diaper and then just toss them into the diaper pail after use.  I have about 23, now, and I think we do laundry every 2-3 days.  We are not running to the store every week to replenish her diaper stash....not only saving diaper money, but also saving gas!  We also use cloth wipes which are so handy.  I keep them w/water in a wipes warmer...nice, soft, and warm against her tush.  Everything is tossed together into the pail and ready to be washed.  I just dump it all into the washing machine (don't have to touch anything!), soak it in cold water for 30 minutes or so and then wash in hot water.  Dry as usual or out in the sun to get out any lingering stains.  

For our diapers, we chose to use bumgenius (primarily) and fuzzi bunz.  The bumgenius dipes are one-size-fits-all...which means that they snap down to fit her while she is tiny and unsnap to stretch out for a potty training babe!  So this means that I have saved from having to buy many different sizes....meaning more money saved.  And, if we take good care of them (which we are), then I intend to use them for the next babe (or, you can resell them if they are in good shape)....saving even more!  I mean, it all just makes sooo much sense.

Anyway, if you have questions please feel free to ask....or just hit the links that I have included in this post and learn more!