Editor’s Note: Please welcome Jennifer Lance, who is participating in a Green article swap between GNMParents and Green Options. Jennifer is a regular over at Green Options, a great site which succeeds in their efforts to “provide a place where you can sort out the flash from the trash, and make informed decisions that allow you to live a responsible, healthy and abundant life.” Tiffany’s regularly scheduled “A Little Greener” post can be found at this Green Options link. Thanks for visiting, Jennifer!

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The Benefits Of Cloth Diapers
Every baby should wear cloth diapers. The benefits to you, your family, your baby, and the environment are endless. Cloth diapers are healthier, greener, and less expensive.

There are many health concerns associated with disposable diaper use, as these products are filled with chemicals and gels to absorb odor and moisture. Some chemically sensitive children have allergic reactions and diaper rashes from these substances. In fact, disposable diapers have been linked the development of asthma. The Archives of Environmental Health tested six leading cotton and disposable diaper brands for asthma effects. The emissions from one disposable diaper were high enough to produce asthma-like symptoms in mice. Tolune, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, and isopropylbenzene are all chemicals that outgas from disposable diapers. Not surprisingly, the study found that cloth diapers do not cause respiratory problems among the lab mice. Disposable diapers have also been linked to male infertility. Diapers that are lined with plastic do not allow air to circulate around the child’s bottom, which contributes to diaper rash and keeps the baby boy’s testicles too warm, thus impeding the normal development of the testicles. According to the Archives of Disease in Childhood, disposable diapers lead to a total breakdown of normal cooling mechanisms and raise the temperature of the scrotum far above normal body temperature. (Source: Nicki’s Diapers). Cloth diapers prevent this problem, as the natural fibers allow air to circulate around the child’s bottom, as long as the covers used are not made of latex or plastic.

Cloth diapers are better for the environment, as they are reusable and can be saved for the next child. Quality cotton diapers will hold up for 75 – 100 washings (at minimum), and although energy is required for washing the diapers, it is a fraction of the energy used for disposables. Cloth diapers also make wonderful, washable, household rags (once children have completed their toilet learning). According to Eartheasy, “It’s estimated that 10,000 tons of disposable diapers are tossed into landfills each day. They can take up to 500 years to decompose! The manufacture of disposables uses over 1 million metric tons of wood pulp and 75,000 metric tons of plastic each year. Disposables are the diaper of choice for over 80% of North American parents.” There’s a reason the green community calls disposable diapers “landfill diapers”!

The average parent spends $2,694.54 for 7,349 disposable, single-use diapers (source: Natural Family Online). In contrast, my family has spent under $200 during two children’s diapering years (we live off the grid, so there are no energy related costs). My second child is using the same diapers and covers his sister used as a babe. We store the dirty diapers in a plastic action packer container and wash them in warm water. We do not use bleach, but we do use vinegar in the rinse cycle to remove any laundry soap that may remain on the diapers. We also add a little Bi-O-Kleen Bac-Out Stain and Odor Eliminator in with the detergent to eliminate odors. A little squirt of this product in the diaper pail also helps eliminate odors when you open the lid. The most economical covers I have found are the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap. This product is adjustable, so the covers last as your child grows therefore reducing the need to buy many different sizes. Both of my babies were big, so we skipped the newborn size. Cotton Babies has a lot of great products, resources, and even a forum you can join regarding cloth diapering. You can read about the Joy of Cloth Diapers in Mothering magazine. Do the right thing…..USE CLOTH DIAPERS!

Have you ever wondered what families in third world countries or far back in history did for diapers? The National Resource Defense Council’s “This Green Life” answers this question and asks: should the debate be about cloth vs. disposable diapers at all? There is a third alternative that is better for the environment.

In North America, we assume diapers are a normal part of infancy and toddler hood, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Having a diaper less babe works like this, according to Sheryl Eisenburg of This Green Life, “The method goes by a variety of names: elimination communication, natural infant hygiene and infant potty training, though the last is spurned by many who say there is no training involved. Whatever it’s called, it boils down to this: the parent looks for the signals (hand-clenching, grunting, squirming, a look of inner concentration, etc.) that the baby regularly shows in advance of having to go, then takes the infant to the pot, sink or potty, and makes a special “cuing” noise — for instance, “sss” — to signal back that it’s ok to proceed. Soon the baby makes the association. The family now has a communication system that can be used to avoid messes most of the time.”

For more information read:

A Culture Without Diapers
Diaperless Babies Seen as Earth-Friendly Solution
Kid Commando

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[tags]green, parenting, benefits of cloth diapers, diaper debate, disposable diapers, benefits of cloth[/tags]
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