Diapering is something we all think about well before a little one arrives. From cost considerations to environmental and health concerns, we wrestle with the diaper dilemma that comes with the range of options available in the market today.
We’re all familiar with disposables, having been exposed to dozens of brands we already know by heart well before having a baby is even an idea, thanks to advertising, product placements and supermarket aisles.
Cloth diapering, on the other hand, is a little more foreign. While many of us grew up on muslin squares, which undoubtedly is still the cheapest diapering option available, cloth diapers claim to be foolproof because they don’t require complex folding and safety pins. Not available in supermarkets or your local sundry shops, they’re typically found in baby stores or on-line.
My husband, Max and I had always wanted to go down the cloth route. But then we realised that many of our assumptions may not have been as clear-cut as we had thought them to be. Here’s what we’ve found:
Getting Started
There’s a large choice of cloth diapering systems, each meant to be worn and cared for differently. Picking between Covers Over Cloths, All-In-One’s, All-In-Two’s, Pockets and Hybrids that come with accessories (liners, inserts, wipes and wetbags) is enough to make the most committed parents-to-be hesitate. We had never changed a diaper in our lives and here we were, poised to invest in a product we couldn’t even test. We decided to start with a few different sets and brands, and supplementing with disposables.
We found it inconvenient to own multiple systems that weren’t interchangeable. For example, inserts from a pocket diaper didn’t have the tabs to hold it on to an All-In-Two. We eventually committed to the GroVia hybrids because they’re adjustable and can be used until bubs is potty-trained. It uses two shells daily and inserts as needed. Bubs used to wet the diaper so frequently in the beginning that we needed to use disposable inserts. We went fully cloth during daytime when the number of wettings tapered off.
Hygiene, Health and Comfort
We learned to be vigilant with bubs’ bowel movements through regular diaper checks and reading cues. It’s tougher to tell with disposables as its absorbent compounds can contain up to 10 wettings without soaking the diaper. Unfortunately, dry doesn’t mean clean because urine in a wet diaper is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can cause irritation and infection. Evidence suggests that children wearing disposable diapers also get more diaper rash and allergic reactions from the absorbent crystals, dyes and dioxins used in its production.
Another perk of cloth diapering is the chance of early potty-training. Feeling wet and uncomfortable apparently teaches cloth-wearing tots that it’s time to change nappies. The bulkiness a cloth diaper may look awkward and uncomfortable compared to the slim disposable, but they’re more gentle on the skin and private parts.
Convenience and Care
Caring and maintaining cloth diapers requires more time compared to disposable diapers. When bubs’ cloth diapers were stained by the dark meconium, our helper used bleach to remove the stain. It was a colossal mistake which caused the organic compounds in the diapers to deteriorate. Within a few months, most of our cloth inserts had large holes in them. Natural cotton, hemp and bamboo fibers wear differently, so we painfully learned to avoid extreme wash conditions and always follow care labels, especially after putting a large amount of money into a diaper stash!
You also wouldn’t be able to include cloth diapers in the family’s usual laundering routines for obvious hygiene reasons and different care requirements for those delicate fabrics. But there isn’t usually a lot to wash. After the initial rinse, diapers and liners can be stockpiled and machine washed every couple of days to save time and water. Alternatively, hand-washing the few soiled ones daily also doesn’t take up too much time.
We had used cloth at home and during the day, and disposables at night and on-the-go. We thought we’d eventually wean off the disposables. But as time progressed, we found that this worked well for us as it meant that we needn’t get up in the middle of the night for a diaper change (more sleep!) or lug around a stinky wetbag of soiled diapers went we went out.
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Cloth Diapers vs Disposables Part 2: Your Baby’s Environmental Impact
Cloth Diapers vs Disposables Part 3: A Cost Comparison
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Khairun is mum to 18-month old Aidan and owner of Recovr Resources Sdn Bhd, a growing social enterprise in the recycling and equal employment industry. She and her husband Max are currently living in Jakarta, and are expecting a daughter in December.
Image Credit: Hip Baby
