Are Cloth Diapers Right for Your Family?

Parents have been relying on disposable diapers for so many years now that people seldom consider the cloth alternative. Why spend hours pre-washing, soaking, and then bleaching cotton diapers when you can simply remove a disposable, toss it in the trash and move on? Surprisingly, the cloth diapers of today are almost as easy and convenient to use as disposables and there are many reasons you might wish to change.

Disposable diapers are made from non-sustainable materials and take hundreds of years to break down in landfills. They are also quite expensive. Modern cloth diapers are a far cry from the cotton diapers of old. Many cloth diapers now are made from sustainable materials including hemp and bamboo. Most fasten with Velcro or snaps and are fitted to your baby’s shape. Even those closer to traditional flat diapers, like pre-folds are now fastened with a plastic "snappi" rather than the so-called safety pins of old.

In addition, hemp or bamboo cloth diapers (or nappies) are much more absorbent than cotton. Because of this, they need to be changed less often and create smaller loads of laundry.

What Kind of Cloth Diaper is Best?

Modern cloth diapers come in many types. You can choose from pocket diapers, pre-folds, fitted, or all-in-one diapers. They are also available in a staggering range of stylish colors and patterns. Many of them are so attractive that parents want to show them off. That is why baby leg warmers were invented, to keep baby’s legs cozy while sporting gorgeous nappies.

Perhaps the best option is to have a range of styles at your disposal (no pun intended). All-in-one diapers are great for a quick change, especially when you are out, since they don't require a separate cover or separate "stuffer". On the other hand they take longer to dry (for the same reason) and are among the most expensive diapers available.

Pre-folds, by contrast, are the most fiddly of the modern cloth diaper family, needing to be either folded and placed inside a cover or pocket nappy, or wrapped around baby in the style of a flat diaper (but with extra padding sewn in where it's needed, so there's no need for elborate folding before hand), with a cover over the top. Then again, they are generally quite inexpensive and dry quickly. You do need to buy separate covers for prefolds, but you don't need one for every diaper: three to six in each size is plenty.

New cloth diapers are very easy to clean as well. Simply dump any excess soiling in the toilet, then use dry pail storage until time to launder them. When laundering, you only need to use half as much detergent as usual to prevent buildup. They can be washed in warm or cool water (hot water is not good for the PUL fabric in covers) and turn out best if you can dry them in the sun.

Do not use the bleach or other harsh chemicals your mother might have used as it is bad for the elastic in most modern cloth diapers and their covers. And, it is unnecessary, and bad for the environment. The best sanitation available is pure sunlight.

Instead of contributing to the growing trash issue on our planet, try switching to modern cloth diapers for your baby. They are easy to use, simple to clean, and very stylish. Changing to modern cloth nappies is a great thing you can do for your family and your environment.