There was a time when the only option mothers had was to use cloth diapers. Today, parents can pickup packages of plastic, disposable, diapers from any grocery store. Not all parents are doing that, however. It appears that cloth diapers are making a comeback. There are plenty of good reasons to use cloth diapers.
According to Vogue, cloth diapers are becoming trendy, especially for parents who are part of the Millennial generation. Scientific American says that climate change is the issue of the Millennial generation.
Cloth diapers are much better for the planet than disposable diapers are. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, American parents throw away 18 billion disposable diapers in a year. Those diapers, and their super absorbent polymers and deodorizing chemicals, sit in a landfill. LIVESTRONG reports that disposable diapers take about 500 years to decompose.
One good reason to use cloth diapers is that they are better for the planet. They can be washed and reused many times. Some parents who choose cloth diapers for their baby are also using paper, or biodegradable, liners. The paper can be flushed down the toilet. This makes it a lot easier to wash the cloth diaper.
Some babies have extremely sensitive skin. It turns out that some babies are allergic to the chemicals found in disposable diapers. The babies end up with severe diaper rash, or other very uncomfortable allergic reactions. All of that can be avoided simply by using cloth diapers instead of disposable ones.
Parents who lack access to a washing machine and dryer, or who do not want to wash cloth diapers at home, can choose to use a diaper service. (The concept is sometimes referred to as a diaper rental service). For a fee, parents can have a batch of clean cloth diapers delivered to their home and have the service take away the used diapers. This option is a way to cut down on your water bill. The overall cost might be close to the same amount parents typically spend on disposable diapers.
Of course, one of the attractive things about cloth diapers is that they are colorful. They come in different styles and patterns. Fashion conscious Millennial parents can match their baby’s diaper to her outfit. On a warm day, a baby who is wearing a colorful cloth diaper might appear to be wearing shorts.
The cloth diapers of today are not fastened by safety pins. Instead, many use velcro, which can allow parents to customize the fit of the diaper. Parents whose babies are too big for one size of disposable diapers, but too small for the next size, might consider using cloth diapers in the meantime.
Image by Krystyn Wukitsch Foran on Flickr.
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* Types of Cloth Diapers: The All In One Diaper
* Cloth Diapers: Snaps, Clasps, and Pins