by Heather Tripp

Created on: January 11, 2011

Cloth diapers are becoming widely popular with new, and seasoned, moms. These diapers offer many benefits to your baby. Whether you are on the search for healthy products for your new little one, or you are looking for ways to save money on your baby, cloth diapers deserve your attention.

-Better for Baby
            Babies that wear cloth diapers are less prone to have issues with irritated skin, diaper rashes, and other common diaper problems. Disposable diapers contain harsh chemicals that can irritate your baby’s bottom. Parents are also more likely to change disposable diapers less often because they can hold more urine, where cloth diapers tend to get quicker attention, meaning your baby’s bottom stays nice and dry. Your baby will be less cranky because cloth diapers will not be tight on your baby’s legs, or bunch up on them.

-Less Time in Diapers
            Parents of cloth diaper babies say that they spent less time trying to potty train their child, and less time educating them about elimination communication. This is because your baby will feel the wetness quicker with cloth diapers than with disposable diapers, making it easier for them to get the feel of when they have gone to, or need to use, the potty.

-Cost Saving
            At first glance, cloth diapers may appear to be rather costly. But, if you take a moment to do the math, you will see that cloth diapers will truly pay off in the long run. With disposable diapers, even off brands, you are often going to pay nine to eleven dollars for a pack of twenty four to thirty six. You can purchase a dozen cloth diapers for twenty dollars. You can either have twenty four one-time use diapers and end up spending nine to eleven dollars week after week, or you can have twelve diapers that can be used over and over. The math is simple.

-Better for the Environment
            This was a topic that was hotly debated for quite some time, however it has been generally established that cloth diapers do not take up the room in landfills like disposable diapers do, nor do they take hundreds of year to break down. Cloth diapers are reusable and recyclable.   

-Fashionable
            You will never hear of a disposable diaper being “so cute”. However, cloth diapers do come in “so cute” colors, patterns, and designs. Your baby can make a fashion statement with his/her diapers, all while still saving you money.

Many parents won’t try cloth diapers because of their fear of cleaning them. Contrary to popular belief, cloth diapers are not hard to wash and/or clean. Simply dispose of any solid waste, and throw a load of cloth diapers in the washer with a baby-friendly laundry detergent such as Dreft, and a small amount of vinegar.

Take a closer look at cloth diapers, and at least give it a try. Your baby will certainly benefit, and you can save yourself some late night runs to the store for those disposable ones.

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