Ok, so hopefully I've got you thinking. Cloth diapering really is worth it! Here are my top "four" reasons why!
1. It's cheap.
I love cloth diapering for this reason alone. I cringe when I think of how much money we spent on disposable diapers and wipes in the first 20 months of Nathaniel's life. I added it up one day, and it was over $1500. And that was before I had two in diapers. I'd be well over $2300 total by now. In contrast, my cloth diapering "stash" cost about $500, and I'm set for all our future kids! I love feeling like I'm cheating the system. It makes me so happy when I think of how I'm keeping money in our pocket instead of making Seventh Generation and Amazon wealthier month after month.
2. It's healthier for baby.
As I said before, the chemicals in conventional disposable diapers are deplorable. According to Weston A Price Foundation, numerous chemicals are out gassed from commercial disposables, such as those from the polypropylene liner and polyethylene backing. In fact, scientists have discovered that the chemicals in disposables, when inhaled, are toxic to the respiratory system. Disposables also contain cross-linked sodium polyacrylate, a powder that turns to a gel in contact with liquid. This is the same chemical that was linked with toxic shock syndrome in super-absorbent tampons. Let's do better than this for our kids. All of the organs and systems in their bodies are still developing, and the chemicals we allow into their bodies increase their body burden and therefore increase the likelihood of sickness and future disease.
3. It's better for the environment.
Did you know that if Christopher Colombus had been diapered in disposable diapers, they would still be around? That fact alone is enough to switch to cloth diapers! How gross is that? Disposables spend an average of 500 years in landfills. And consider this fact: did you know that even the side of the box on disposables says you should never throw away human waste? According to the WHO, it is illegal. I read this when Nathaniel was about 9 months old, and even when I was using Seventh Generation disposables, I would dump Nathaniel's *ahem* waste in the toilet, because my conscience bugged me every time I wanted to just throw it away! You might as well just cloth diaper! And it is nice to have so much less trash, and no bags full of disgusting disposables laying around the house/garage for a week waiting for the next garbage pickup.
4. It's fun!
This is my second favorite aspect of cloth diapering, next to the incredible cost savings. I mean, come on, if you're going to be doing something 6,000 times per child, you might as well have some fun with it! There are so many styles to choose from these days. Your diapers can suit your personality, your taste, and your budget. And I'm sorry, but babies bottoms just look cuter in bright colors, patterns, and natural fabrics. (I know, Big Bird and Winnie the Pooh, you think you compare, but you don't!) Diapering becomes way more fun. Instead of something you're just throwing in the trash and not thinking twice about, it's something that you own. Doesn't it make you happy when you use things that you really like and that work well? Something that you carefully selected because you wanted it? That's what you get to do with cloth diapering! Everytime I change Micah's diaper and see his little organic merino wool fluffy bum, I can't help but smile. Why? Because I picked the wool, I picked that it was organic, and I picked the color. As a Mom, you've got to add some fun to these mundane activities that we do 24/7!
There are plenty more reasons why I love cloth diapering, but those are my personal top four. In my next post I'll cover the different types of diapers that are out there, and what ones I personally use and love!
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