Environment-friendly diapers? What are my alternatives???

Question

I'm about to have a baby in a few months and I'm very concerned about the diaper situation. I find disposable diaper usage almost ludicrous, and I cringe at the idea of how many diapers contribute to polluting our environment on a DAILY basis. However, I know people who tried the reusable cloth diaper approach, and they told me it was just too hard and time-consuming to keep up (not to mention messy), so they ended up buying regular diapers instead. What can I do to avoid falling into this trap? Any biodegradable diapers out there that won't put a huge dent on my budget? What other environment-friendly, cost-effective, REALISTIC alternatives do I have???

Answer 1

In my humble opinion, there is only one choice in this matter. That is cloth, cloth, cloth, cloth. The only real diaper is a cloth diaper.

Cloth diapers are cheaper in the long run than disposables, true, there is a larger cost up front but each time you use those cloth diapers they become cheaper and cheaper until the are less than the disposables.

Cloth diapers breathe where disposables won't. Even with wearing diaper covers over the cloth diapers, they breathe better. This means next to no diaper rashes. You just need to make sure that you change them right away. They are better for your baby's skin.

Cloth diapers aren't that difficult to maintain. Under normal circumstances, for one child, you shouldn't have to do more than one or two loads of diapers a week. That really isn't that much when you think about how much better off your baby will be in the long run not to mention your wallet.

Cloth diapers, when taken off your baby, should have any waste dumped into the toilet and flushed away, then they should be put in a diaper pail with water and white vinegar to cut down on the odor causing bacteria.

Cloth diapers should be washed with a detergent just like your other laundry, don't use the kind that says "chemical free" because they leave a residue in the diapers. Make sure you use a 2nd rinse cycle. During the first rinse cycle put in a cup of white vinegar and let the 2nd cycle rinse it out.

Cloth diapers should not be washed in bleach because bleach will break down the fibers in the diapers causing them to prematurely wear out and become nothing more than rags.

Cloth diapers should not be washed or dryed with any kind of fabric softener because it leaves a coating on the fibers and makes them less absorbent.

Cloth diapers can be dryed in the dryer but if you can, hang them in the sun, it is a natural bleach and helps get rid of stains and gives the diapers a very fresh clean fragrance. I use a drying rack instead of a clothes line to dry mine. That way I don't break my back reaching up to hang them up, I don't drop clothes pins and I don't hang myself on the clothes line.

Yes, I say mine, I'm incontinent and have to wear diapers 24 / 7 due to a medical condition. I wear cloth diapers all the time. The only time I will wear disposables is on a long trip where it isn't easy to wash or store used cloth diapers.

Give them a try, I think you will like them, today's cloth diapers are not your grandmother's diapers any more. There are so many different styles of diapers and diaper covers that are just as easy to use as disposables.

Congratulation on the baby.

Good luck.

Answer 2

I've had that exact same thought (though I don't have any kids yet). Disposable diapers are extremely wasteful, and like some of the answerers above me, I don't see what would be so hard about using cloth diapers.

Maybe it would be a little messier if the cloth weren't sufficiently absorbant, and maybe it would take a little extra time to put the diaper on the baby until you get the hang of it, but I don't really see any other drawbacks. Just take the soiled diaper to the toilet and clean it off, then toss it in the washing machine. Have a bunch of them so you don't have to do laundry all the time, and it seems like you'd be all set.

I'm not aware of any environmentally friendly alternatives, but I think the little bit of extra effort that comes with cloth diapers would be well worth the environmental benefit of not using thousands of disposable diapers. Not to mention the savings of not having to buy all the disposables!

Answer 3

I seriously wonder how many of the people advocating using cloth diapers have actually used them. Not once or twice but for the 3-4 years until a child is potty trained.

There are pros and cons to using cloth diapers vs disposable diapers.

Cloth diapers are going to be more environmentally friendly but you will be washing a load of diapers every day.

Cloth diapers cause more diaper rash for the baby because they do not keep the moisture away from the baby's skin.

Cloth diapers (with plastic pants) will leak more than disposable diapers.

Cloth diapers can be smelly. (Imagine being at a picnic in July, changing the diaper and leaving it in the car because there isn't anywhere to rinse it out. Your car will smell like an outhouse in no time.)

Cloth diapers will cost less than using disposable diapers.

It will really depend on your level of commitment.

Answer 4

I totally understand your feelings.
I have two children and when I was pregnant, disposable diapers were a huge concern for me.
Luckily, our town BURNS all trash...including diapers.
When I heard that, I was very relieved.

I did try the old fashioned cloth diapers with my daughter.
Her skin was very sensitive and she got a very bad diaper rash. I was changing her diaper more than twice an hour and her skin was just too sensitive to tolerate the wetness.
Unlike disposable diapers, the wetness stays on the child's skin as soon as they go.

There are different types of disposable diapers.
Washing them wasn't a concern for me at all.
I received 80 cloth diapers at my baby shower, so I had plenty to start with. And I have a washer/dryer in my home and that was not why I switched to Pampers.

As a parent, I want what is best for my child....
you may find that disposable diapers are what is best for you, and you shouldn't feel guilty about your decision.

Disposable diapers and cloth diapers both have an impact on the environment. Washing diapers uses electricity and water.

You can find more information at pumpkinbutt.com.

Answer 5

You can use cloth diapers and use a diaper genie service of some kind. This way, they'll wash the diapers and provide you with clean ones. Not the most economic solution, but much better than disposible diapers for the environment and much less work then washing them yourself.
Also, if this is still too much work, you can buy organic recycled disposible diapers. Yes they're still not great for the environment, but they're made from recycled and are organic & chlorine free - so better for your baby's health AND for the environment

Answer 6

I don't know how you feel about this, but cloth diapers are still there, and it may take alittle more work but it will help out alot and it isn't such a hard job, some people just make it that way and take the easy way out, just put the diaper on and throw it away. You'll be better for the environment.

Answer 7

Oh, without a doubt, it's definitely cloth....for all the reasons that everyone else has stated.

However, if you really can not stand the idea of washing your own, there's diaper services out there that will pickup your dirties and deliver clean diapers. I understand from relatives that the cost is comparable to buying disposable.

Answer 8

To add to what tincoatr and wetsaway were saying if odor is a concern, and you can't carry a diaper pail with you at all times, you can always designate a diaper bags for only the used stinky diaper stowage until you CAN get home and soak them. Just make sure you air that bad boy out when you get home.

Answer 9

There is no alternative. Without sounding too self-righteous I fail to see what is so hard about washing and drying a few cloth nappies. The majority of us have automatic washing machines and centrally heated houses. How hard can it be to put a bit of poo down the toilet, leave the nappy in a bucket of cold water and wash a load in the machine. Dry them on an airier in front of a radiator on a wet day, hang them on the line in the summer (if we ever get one) and in an emergency use the tumble dryer to dry them. I know I am being holier than thou but I had five babies - two in nappies at the same time - and used good old terry toweling and big pins for them all. The last one came out of nappies only five years ago so this not ancient history. Go on have a go, if you don't like them they make fantastic floor-cloths later!

Answer 10

Most environmentally friendly - let the baby go naked.
next is probably cloth.
If your trash goes to a landfill, it would not make a lot of sense to buy biodegradable diapers - they can't biodegrade in a landfill.