Cloth Diaper vs Disposable

I was terrified of using a cloth diaper in the beginning. My mom assured me the world wouldn't end, as this was the only option mothers had years ago. After calculating how much money was spent on diapers a month, and then adding another baby to the mix, I was beginning to rethink the whole disposable diaper situation. Then, after Audrey broke out into a severe rash I knew I should introduce her to something new. Now I don't use them all the time (traveling, Mother's Day Out, running errands), but if we're at the house hanging out for the day, I will put her in one. I can honestly say it has helped with her rashes, and she has experienced some bad ones. You want to do something as a parent when your baby is screaming and in pain. With the looks of it, it hasn't fazed her one little bit. She hasn't had a rash since I've started using them.

Telling Marley all about her fancy, pink diapers

Audrey's cloth diaper came from the cutest 'green' baby boutique called Green Bambino. Here she is modeling the Flip Cotton Diaper, which is a one-size fits all available in all different colors.

*Disposable Diapers*

::The Pros::

~Ease of use; disposables seem like the easier choice. They are an all-in-one product, with less fuss than cloth.

~Throw-away; disposables can be thrown away once used, unlike cloth which will need to be washed

~Easy to travel with; disposables are the easy choice to use when traveling.

~Leak less; disposables tend to leak less than cloth. They have a tight, snug fit and are very absorbant.

::The Cons::

~More expensive; over the years you will probably spend around $1500 diapering your baby in disposables.

~Bad for the environment; it is estimated that around 5 million tons of untreated waste is deposited into landfills via disposables every year.

~Harder to potty-train; toddlers can’t feel wetness as much with disposables, so it’s harder for them to potty-train.

~More diaper-rash; according to one study, 78% of babies in disposable diapers get diaper- rash, compared to only 7% of cloth diapered babies.

~Babies health; the chemical used to make the super-absorbency of disposable diapers is Sodium polyacrylate, which has been linked to TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome) and can cause allergic reactions (severe diaper rash, blisters, staff infection, etc).