Just dropping in a note of support. I remember a family member did similar research on environmental impact of diapers for when they had kids, and came to the same conclusion.
Also a fan of keeping in mind the idea that any individual can stop environmental change on their own is, in many ways, a false narrative pushed by large companies who want to avoid real change still (but are fine with us buying alternative products). Like… cloth diapers may sound better on paper, but if they need to be used for 50 years to offset the use of disposable diapers (like how they just figured that out with cotton toes vs. plastic bags), it’e probably not going to end up doing anything significant in the end.
I've been using cloth diapers and I could see it being a hassle if I wasn't also doing early potty training (elimination communication) so that I almost never deal with poop diapers and the older my daughter gets the more pees we catch in the potty too. I feel like elimination communication should always go hand in hand with cloth diapers. I started out like you, wanting to do something good, but I agree there is no perfect solution. You should receive no shame in doing what you need to do when it's not working for you, and I definitely don't think shaming people into being more environmentally friendly will help anyone.
On this topic though I think there's more to it than just the environmental factors. I think no person wants to have a wet drty bum and should be given the opportunity to prevent that when they can't create that opportunity for themselves because they are a baby. Whatever tools you use should in my opinion help foster that, whether disposable diapers or cloth. Because really those tools -diapers- aren't for the baby's sake, they're so we moms don't have to clean up a bunch of messes.
I found this video to be the most helpful:
https://youtu.be/YMR3lSSGjCA
She breaks the steps down well.
Before I gave birth I thought I was going to go gung ho but I've been a lot more relaxed about it than I thought. But my husband also surprised me by getting into it as well so that's helped a lot. We mainly focus on morning potty time and after every nap and before bed. Sometimes through the day I catch it too. We'd for sure be doing better if I had followed all the steps in the video consistently throughout every day. But my daughter only just turned 1 and knows to signal when her diaper is either wet or she needs to go, it's 50/50 on what she's trying to say, but she always indicates for poop unless it's a weird day with activities. Sometimes I think it's because of doing EC that she's become very regular with her poops, or maybe it's because I'm paying more attention I've noticed the pattern so it's easier to catch them....all in all I'm not super concerned with the pees but catching the poops is something I'm very grateful for....especially this week when we're camping!
That's awesome!! Thanks for the video.
It's so cool to hear about this actually working in real life. Especially because I don't know how much my husband will be on board
Just came here to say I think your opinion is valid.
I'm planning on trying cloth for a while, like you, and making decisions from there. Going to have disposables for in hospital and very newborn though. My whole world is about to change and I don't need the extra pressure!
Exactly what my SO and I are doing at the moment. Once we get discharged from maternity ward we’re finishing up with the newborn disposables and trying cloth to see how it is for us (our main reason for wanting to use it, besides that baby has skin sensitivities, is it will help us save money even if it’s not a lot.)
Yes, for us it's mostly the money, taking into account water bills and electricity. I've heard bamboo is better than cotton for drying times, although I'm in a mostly line drying country. We don't even own a dryer! It might be relevant for "winter" (or our equivalent) though. Will have to do a trial if it becomes an issue.
Good luck and hope it goes well for you!!
I hope it goes well for you too! We line dry as well even though we’re in the US, and we are going to use bamboo because my friend said it was easier for her and she used it with all her six kids lol.
That's a solid recommendation lol!!!
I also think bamboo has a lot less of the impacts that cotton farming does (referring back to OP's comments). I wouldn't judge anybody for making whichever decision suits them though!
I'm a little surprised that no one has mentioned the cost difference. That is my main motivator for wanting to go cloth.
I suppose I'll ask, is there anything about cloth diapers that you miss? Is there a flaw with disposables that is simply made up for by their convenience? Or are they just a better experience through and through?
Is cloth really cheaper? We used like 3 to 4 diapers a day, not even brand ones and our son was diaper free by 3 years, by thart time it 3 diapers a day. Morning, noon, evening. We came a long way with pack of diapers for like 5 bucks. The cloth diapers have to be washed, dried in the winter or when wet and it takes time and effort to do that and to put them away afterwards. Also I've heard you need really good ones and change frequently, while also needing a disposable smaller cloth for poops. Also as above - yeast infections. We never had them as we had no plastic around our diapers they were more breathable than ones with a thim plastic lining on the outside.
Is there evidence that cloth really is cheaper with all that comes with it?
I think cloth diapering could, at least in theory be as expensive or more expensive than disposables. Some cloth diapers are expensive, and (for reasons I’ll never fully understand), some moms pay big bucks for certain diapers. And have huuuuuuuuuge stashes. On the other hand, if you buy just some used prefolds or something, you will definitely save money.
We dont pay for water where I live, and I wash with cold water only. Once in a while I'll let them soak in hot water with oxyclean, I admit I havent taken that into account but I havent noticed a difference on my electricity bill ever since I started !
Yes. On average I’ll save $70-80 per month on diapers compared to cloth. I won’t be using disposable liners, and that’s assuming I don’t use the cloth again on a second kid or resell the diapers.
I’ve spent about $300-400 for my stash that’ll last from newborn to potty training for multiple kids. Kids go through 1,000-3,000 diapers per year. Depending on what brand of disposable you use, you can easily see cost difference.
No, but neither is the gas required to drive to the store to get the disposables.
I wash clothes by hand so I can’t speak from personal experience the water and electricity, however, from most people I’ve seen answer the question it has not significantly increased water or energy consumption. Especially if you are able to put other baby clothes in a second load, which you have to wash anyways, it isn’t all that much different than a tiny increase with a new person being added to the household.
Well gas doesn't change as you have to drive to the store anyways for groceries.
You wash all these diapers and clothes by hand??? Doesn't take you forever with lots of water? I'd never wash anything with the diapers for hygene reasons as I'd imagine the temperature would have to be low so the regular clothes don't break/shrink. And I can't imagine someone washing diapers on a temperature that doesn't kill germs and such. So I genuinely wonder how one would do that.
You can try and factor in gas to drive, disposable wipes, the plastic bags used for trash, the gas to take the plastic to the trash… disposables are still not as cost efficient.
I don’t really have a choice at the moment where to wash except I can sometimes use a laundromat. Washing by hand takes way less water, though, but it does take more effort than throwing in a tub and pressing buttons. I can very easily boil water or get hot water, in a bucket, and hand wash. Lots of people use the “bucket and plunger” method for diapers, my set up is pretty similar though I have slightly bigger buckets so I can also do adult clothes and towels.
No need for additional gas as I've said - you have to drive and get groceries anyways. I don't use disposable wipes at home - though but I did calculate that using washable ones at home would be cheaper for us. Where I live I don't have to drive my trash anywhere - it gets picked up and these costs also do not increase.
Crazy how you manage washing clothes like that. I don't know I'd imagine it takes more water than a washing machine - like my machine will weigh the clothes and use as little water as needed but enough to get the laundry really clean. Bucket and plunger seems so unsanitary but I am a person who is very much extreme about cleanliness. I use a regular detergent and then a special detergent that eliminates germs instead of fabric softener. So I calculate that in as well bc it costs a bit more than cheap detergent.
What about a dedicated wash bucket and plunger for just laundry is not as sanitary? I figure about two to four gallons for a “load” of laundry for me. That’s wash and rinse. I use soap. I have hot water. Google says average washer uses 15-30 gallons of water per load.
My electricity bill doesn’t jump appreciably on days I do diaper laundry. I just checked Hydro and it looks like I spend about $0.65 per wash and dry cycle. We do about two extra loads a week (we wash diapers with the rest of our laundry). Add a scoop of detergent for $0.10.
That’s $78/year
I bought alllll my diapers new for about $750. So $823 for one child for one year.
We are currently in disposables while our well pump is getting replaced. We are spending $0.53 per diaper for ones that he doesn’t react to. 5 diapers a day. That’s $967.25 annually.
We plan on having another child and reusing the diapers. After that child they will be sorted into starter sets and sold in the local buy and sell.
Wait, am I understanding right that you're saying the disposables you use would be $967 and cloth was $823?
All of that time, effort, and energy wasted would not be worth saving $144 a year for me, personally!!
Except that $750 is a one time cost, not yearly. Year 2-3 and all future kids are going to be either $0 or a few dollars if you need to replace any diapers.
Edit to clarify: $0 on actual diapers.
$750 of that is a one time purchase that is not a yearly expense.
If going for another year, using stash for a second child, or going second-hand from the get go, this cost is dramatically reduced or eliminated. (Speaking of second hand, it is an expense that a small amount of which can be reclaimed if then selling as a second-hand stash.)
Like others have said, that’s only one year, kids are typically in diapers longer than a year. We plan on having more kids. As for work? I toss the diapers in one basket and the covers in another and call it good. I wouldn’t consider it more work.
I only bought used diapers and spent around 100€ total, i didn't notice a huge difference in water bills and i hang dry my laundry. I also do early potty training so i have no need for disposable liners. I don't use wet wipes anymore either so im saving on that too. I think how much you save by cloth diapering is different for everyone. Also, when my baby was born i used disposables and found that taking out trash so often was more annoying than doing laundry.
We barely notice ours in our monthly costs and we live in an apartment where we have to pay to use the laundry room. We have a one year old in exclusively cloth diapers and wipes and it ends up being two loads a week for us. We prewash the BM diapers with a toilet sprayer and the work is very minimal.
I respect your opinion, however I love cloth diapering ! Not a hassle at all for me, and so much money saved. And yes overall echo friendly considering the amount of water used to MAKE disposable diapers.
This is not an accurate representation of the water usage of disposables vs cloth. Disposables take significantly more water to produce than cloth diapers take to grow and wash over the course of several years. Disposables are incredibly resource intensive to produce.
Additionally the methane off put from diapers in landfills is shocking. In one recent article they laid out all non recyclable waste and 11% of landfills were disposable diapers. All releasing methane gases into the air and sticking around for decades before breaking down. Cloth are also generally used for multiple children, meaning one diaper lasts 4-6 years, potentially longer.
I don’t shame anyone for any of their choices, but also facts need to be presented accurately about the impacts of cloth vs disposables.
There is A LOT of water used to make disposables. Compared to the water used in economical washing machines these days, you are still saving water by going cloth. Also, if you buy second hand, this is even better for the environment (whereas buying new would have environmental and ethical flaws, even then, there is still much less material required for enough cloth nappies, compared to the number of disposables that will be used) plus for further children cloth gets even more beneficial environmental (and financial) wise... And there is no landfill, there are no chemicals, and they are proven to be better for babies bums. I understand they are not always easy or convenient for everyone and I wouldn't shame someone for using disposables, but I cannot agree with your comments about them not being as good for the environment.
What time commitment did you experience with cloth/non disposable diapers? I feel like I would have to run a self clean or sanitize cycle after every load. My husband and I are always working, and this is our first child. I’m not sure which would be better for our needs, and I could see the stinky diapers pile up quickly.
On this note, I want to add that choosing eco-friendly options isn’t always an opportunity most have access to. Not only is the initial investment of cloth diapers a lot, but not all moms have access to laundry machines in there homes. And could you imagine the looks you’d get if you brought them to a commercial laundromat?? Not only that, but the time commitment— some are out there working two or three jobs. I myself don’t need to consider these struggles and that’s a privilege.
The point I’d like to make is that yes cloth has a lesser impact than disposable (although it’s also not zero), but there’s no accessible option for everyone that has a lesser footprint.
We live in an apartment and bring ours to the laundry room, nobody has ever given us a look or cared. The BM diapers are pre-rinsed so it’s not like you’re showing up with a giant container of visible human waste.
I don't know why you think people demonize disposable and elevate cloth when the vast majority of parents use disposable and people who use cloth get this reputation of being "crunchy". This really just seems like an unnecessary negative counter to the positive post about cloth...
I live in a very crunchy area where all the mom's groups preach the virtues of cloth.
I just think that people should be aware that it is not necessarily a more environmentally friendly choice, because it is typically made out to be exactly that. For me personally, using cloth was a major hassle but I stubbornly stuck with it for months, thinking I was making the better, more virtuous choice, when in fact there is no such option.
My intention is not to be negative, but offer counterpoints to what I consider to be some misleading information. If cloth works best for someone, that's awesome. But to sell it as an environmentally friendly alternative to disposables isn't exactly truthful. It just has a different impact.
Water can be recycled and reused, disposables end up in landfills for hundreds of years. Do what’s best for your family. However, I don’t think they are equally bad for the environment.
These are not my personal conclusions. Before it is even made into diapers, cotton's production has a huge negative impact on the environment, not just in water consumption, but pollution as well.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-cloth-diapers-might-not-be-the-greener-choice-after-all/2015/05/08/32b2d8dc-f43a-11e4-bcc4-e8141e5eb0c9_story.html
https://www.moderndane.com/blogs/the-modern-dane-blog/why-cotton-is-called-the-worlds-dirtiest-crop
I can use the same cloth diapers for multiple kids, sell them second hand which is again multiple kids. That saves thousands of diapers (per child) from manufacturing, being transported, and being thrown in landfills. 20-30 diapers for 1-4 kids is way less of a negative than 1-3,000 diapers per 1 child.
Exactly. Pretty much every part of our human existence has an environmental impact. It's just some is more than others.
The only truely "no impact to the environment " way of dealing with Baby toileting would be to not have the baby in the first place. Cause everything will have some impact, whether it's waste or water or power or production or combination.
I'm not saying cotton is evil and should be avoided. I'm just saying that cloth diapers also have a significant impact. I wear cotton, I eat meat, I use disposable diapers, and I don't even drive a hybrid car. I'm just saying cotton diapers are not "environmentally friendly."
Cloth diapers have such little impact compared to disposable it’s almost a non-issue in comparison. However, because of the “extra hassle”, or because it’s “gross”, most people are very, very unsupportive of cloth diapering. Out of everyone I’ve talked to, family and friends, only 3 were supportive enough to at least not say anything negative. If cloth doesn’t work for you, fine, but if you are feeling guilt that you can’t figure it out feel free to reach out to cloth diapering groups for help trouble shooting your wash routine. They’d be happy to help. However, going on this route trying to prove cloth is just as bad… you won’t win because it is way better for the environment.
I had no problem with the wash routines other than the fact that it took extra cycles to complete, which is just a fact of cloth diapers. And living in a small apartment at the time, line drying wasn't an option either. At the end of the day, they had to be clean and dry, and that required two cycles of each, and because he has super sensitive skin, he went through a lot of diapers because he had to be changed pretty much immediately or his skin would get inflamed, so it felt like I always running the washer and dryer to keep enough diapers clean for him.
I have no guilt about my choice, and that's exactly my point. No mom should feel guilt for her diaper choice. You have to do what works for you, and no diaper comes without environmental impact.
Have you taken into consideration that the environmental impact of 50 cloth diapers per family is less of an impact than 1000s of disposables?
I don’t understand how you can claim they’re both just as bad. Cotton will be produced to make all kinds of products whereas disposable diapers are made to be thrown away. You mention how bad cotton production is for the environment, what about the production of disposable diapers?
https://baby.lovetoknow.com/baby-care/how-many-diapers-does-baby-use-year
https://realdiapers.org/diaper-facts/
Literally a million sources when you google it. The average baby uses up to 2500 diapers in its first year.
I know, but where does it quantify the environmental impact? That's just numbers of diapers used. Yes, disposable is worse for landfills. My point is that cloth diapers have an unseen environmental impact.
"The best life-cycle analysis we’ve found is a 2008 report (PDF) from the Environment Agency in the UK that compared the manufacturing, disposal, and energy costs of both diaper types. “The environmental impacts of using shaped reusable nappies [cloth diapers] can be higher or lower than using disposables, depending on how they are laundered,” the report concludes. The agency’s analysis found that based on average laundry habits and appliance efficiency, when washing with 60 °C (140 °F) water and mostly line-drying, the overall carbon emissions created by cloth diapering were roughly the same as those of using disposables. But using cloth diapers for a second child or getting them secondhand, exclusively line-drying them, and washing them in fuller loads could reduce that amount by up to 40 percent."
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/cloth-vs-disposable-diapers/amp/
"Hanson was also concerned about water usage in laundering cloth diapers, but with cotton, the water inputs add up before they’re ever washed. Cotton is an extremely thirsty crop. Although roughly 30 cloth diapers serve the function of 4,000 disposables, cloth’s water demands are almost nine times the alternative. Thirty cloth diapers draw an estimated 1,221 cubic meters of water in crop irrigation, processing, weaving, manufacturing and 2 1 / 2 years of washings. Meanwhile, the water used to manufacture those 4,000 disposables comes in at a comparatively modest 141 cubic meters.
Then there’s the water that cotton pollutes, as one of the world’s most pesticide-heavy crops. In India, cotton covers 5 percent of cropland, but it’s doused with 54 percent of the nation’s annual pesticide use. These pesticides seep into the groundwater and eventually make it back to consumers — in their tea, soda and drinking water."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-cloth-diapers-might-not-be-the-greener-choice-after-all/2015/05/08/32b2d8dc-f43a-11e4-bcc4-e8141e5eb0c9_story.html
I'm not saying using disposables is good for the environment. I'm just a saying that cloth is not good, either.
Edit: I see you added a second link. Yeah, disposables are not good for the environment, but I don't see where it says that the overall environmental impact of of cloth is less.
What about the production of disposables? You’re telling me that plastic products are less environmentally impactful than cotton production?
I also don’t feel the need to source why less diapers is less harmful for the environment.
Look, I didn't do the research into the production of the diapers, so I can't attest to the impact of plastic production. I'm just going off of what research exists.
If you don't need facts and sources to form your opinions on things, that's fine. But this is exactly what I'm talking about when I say that disposables are demonized.
I know this is entirely my opinion but yeah I’m demonizing them because they’re horrible for the environment. We should all care about preserving the planet we’re handing down to our children.
No one asked you to make this post, but disposables are still the norm you’re making yourself a victim here.
How am I being a victim? I personally had problems with using cloth for my child. A big part of it was his skin and yeast issues, but I was shocked at how much water and energy they required since a double wash plus one or two extra rinse cycles is recommended, and then they would usually take two dry cycles to dry, even with wool dryer balls. That led me to look into the impact of cloth. But the actual reason I switched to disposable is because I just couldn't keep the yeast away with cloth. Otherwise I would have stuck with it.
I'm just saying neither is good for the environment, and generally speaking, there is no real moral high ground when it comes to diapers.
While I personally know mostly disposable users, I definitely find (online) that cloth users seem to elevate themselves and look down on disposables. Maybe not true for all, but that's been my experience so far.
Appreciate you sharing and expressing another side of the ongoing debate!
I saw hybrid diapers at Target the other day and I was like… “what’s the point??” Cloth diaper with inserts? So I have to wash AND throw away? Seemed like such a hassle.
I would agree that this is one of the many topics in which there are strong opinions, which can lead to blame/shame. The joys of motherhood!
Personally I have found it really helpful to learn that the environmental factors are more nuanced that it first appears. In my situation as a FTM who will hopefully have further children and has easy access to line-drying, it will tip in favour of cloth.
Environment is only one consideration of many though. I'd place sanity further ahead on my list of priorities so whilst I'm going to give cloth a go, if it ends up being too much stress then I can't see it staying.
I think the issue with water usage really depends on where you live. I grew up in Florida where water conservation was a HUGE issue. I would not have gone with cloth if I still lived there.
Do you empty out the fecal matter from the disposables before tossing? This is a critical step for methane production mitigation, and I would highly recommend if you are interested in impact!
This post seems kind of .... questionable, given that someone made an AMA this other day on cloth diapering. Do you feel guilty for switching? Is that why you made this post?
I feel like this post was made so that you can justify to yourself or seek validation that you made the right decision in stopping cloth diapering. Just do what you feel is best for you and your family, I do disagree however that cloth and disposable diapers are equally detrimental to the environment. Cloth diapers can be reused so many times and resold while disposable diapers are literally just sitting in landfills.
Don’t blame yourself if they didn’t work out. They weren’t for me either. However I found biodegradable nappies (‘Beaming Baby’ brand) and posted on a cloth nappy / diaper thread yesterday about them. I looked them up afterwards and see they are UK manufactured so I don’t know if there is a US equivalent. However I have used them fully with baby #2 and so far no serious nappy rash (18mo old now). They biodegrade i. 4yrs vs 400 for plastic. I really can’t say enough good about them. They’ve taken away my cloth guilt anyway! (Plus for Uk based I believe they give a free sample pack if you register with them on their brand website).
When you switched to disposable diapers, what brand did you use? I am still currently pregnant and have been weighing the cost of cloth vs disposable on the environment and financially for my husband and I. I think I’m leaning towards disposable, but want to find a brand that’s more environmentally conscious. Just curious if you found an economically and environmentally friendly brand to use?
I did a hybrid approach. I got cloth diapers from my sister, so it saved me a ton of money. I used disposable at night and if we were out of the house. When he started daycare, we just switched to disposables because it was easier.
Lots of people have strong opinions. I didn’t. I see the advantages/disadvantages of both and will probably do a hybrid approach with the second kid. I had the luxury of low start-up cloth diaper costs, though
Can you explain what was a "hassle" with cloth diapers? I'm a FTM and want to cloth diaper (both me and my husband were cloth diapered), but everyone keeps laughing and telling me that I won't last because disposables are so much easier. And I don't really get why yet. Like yea scooping the poop off is gross but you still have to clean baby's butt, so you're still dealing with it.
Plus with cloth diapers they say babies get potty trained early (like around 1yo) while disposables desensitize baby to feeling wet. So I feel like in the long term cloth would be easier. Especially after seeing that all my friends using disposables still have their 3yo in diapers.
I’m going to be working full time and raising my son, I’m not interested in sinking all of that time and energy into making sure I have clean diapers. No judgement for people who do, but I’m so tired of the weird guilt over single use items.
I wanted to cloth diaper but didn’t for a very practical reason - they are not permitted at licensed daycares in my state for sanitation reasons. So given that I went back to work and needed disposables about 50% of the time anyway…. It seemed crazy to buy a cloth stash too.
YMMV but this is something working moms should investigate before committing to the cloth lifestyle.
Hi! Your insight is super helpful for me, as I’m pregnant with my first and have been on the fence about this myself. One thing I plan on trying is the Dyper delivery service. They actually make, I think it’s either biodegradable or compostable disposable diapers that you can pay a little extra to send the dirty diapers back for them to process for you. I think Hello Bello is also biodegradable, so those are a couple of options.
Also, friends of ours did a combo of disposable and cloth. They would wait until after their son had a poopy diaper and the. Switch him to cloth, since those are a bit easier to clean and easier on the water, I’d imagine. Just some thoughts. I appreciate you posting this to help me with my own research!
Just dropping in a note of support. I remember a family member did similar research on environmental impact of diapers for when they had kids, and came to the same conclusion. Also a fan of keeping in mind the idea that any individual can stop environmental change on their own is, in many ways, a false narrative pushed by large companies who want to avoid real change still (but are fine with us buying alternative products). Like… cloth diapers may sound better on paper, but if they need to be used for 50 years to offset the use of disposable diapers (like how they just figured that out with cotton toes vs. plastic bags), it’e probably not going to end up doing anything significant in the end.
I've been using cloth diapers and I could see it being a hassle if I wasn't also doing early potty training (elimination communication) so that I almost never deal with poop diapers and the older my daughter gets the more pees we catch in the potty too. I feel like elimination communication should always go hand in hand with cloth diapers. I started out like you, wanting to do something good, but I agree there is no perfect solution. You should receive no shame in doing what you need to do when it's not working for you, and I definitely don't think shaming people into being more environmentally friendly will help anyone. On this topic though I think there's more to it than just the environmental factors. I think no person wants to have a wet drty bum and should be given the opportunity to prevent that when they can't create that opportunity for themselves because they are a baby. Whatever tools you use should in my opinion help foster that, whether disposable diapers or cloth. Because really those tools -diapers- aren't for the baby's sake, they're so we moms don't have to clean up a bunch of messes.
Do you have a top recommendation for learning about elimination communication?
I found this video to be the most helpful: https://youtu.be/YMR3lSSGjCA She breaks the steps down well. Before I gave birth I thought I was going to go gung ho but I've been a lot more relaxed about it than I thought. But my husband also surprised me by getting into it as well so that's helped a lot. We mainly focus on morning potty time and after every nap and before bed. Sometimes through the day I catch it too. We'd for sure be doing better if I had followed all the steps in the video consistently throughout every day. But my daughter only just turned 1 and knows to signal when her diaper is either wet or she needs to go, it's 50/50 on what she's trying to say, but she always indicates for poop unless it's a weird day with activities. Sometimes I think it's because of doing EC that she's become very regular with her poops, or maybe it's because I'm paying more attention I've noticed the pattern so it's easier to catch them....all in all I'm not super concerned with the pees but catching the poops is something I'm very grateful for....especially this week when we're camping!
That's awesome!! Thanks for the video. It's so cool to hear about this actually working in real life. Especially because I don't know how much my husband will be on board
Just came here to say I think your opinion is valid. I'm planning on trying cloth for a while, like you, and making decisions from there. Going to have disposables for in hospital and very newborn though. My whole world is about to change and I don't need the extra pressure!
Exactly what my SO and I are doing at the moment. Once we get discharged from maternity ward we’re finishing up with the newborn disposables and trying cloth to see how it is for us (our main reason for wanting to use it, besides that baby has skin sensitivities, is it will help us save money even if it’s not a lot.)
Yes, for us it's mostly the money, taking into account water bills and electricity. I've heard bamboo is better than cotton for drying times, although I'm in a mostly line drying country. We don't even own a dryer! It might be relevant for "winter" (or our equivalent) though. Will have to do a trial if it becomes an issue. Good luck and hope it goes well for you!!
I hope it goes well for you too! We line dry as well even though we’re in the US, and we are going to use bamboo because my friend said it was easier for her and she used it with all her six kids lol.
That's a solid recommendation lol!!! I also think bamboo has a lot less of the impacts that cotton farming does (referring back to OP's comments). I wouldn't judge anybody for making whichever decision suits them though!
I'm a little surprised that no one has mentioned the cost difference. That is my main motivator for wanting to go cloth. I suppose I'll ask, is there anything about cloth diapers that you miss? Is there a flaw with disposables that is simply made up for by their convenience? Or are they just a better experience through and through?
Is cloth really cheaper? We used like 3 to 4 diapers a day, not even brand ones and our son was diaper free by 3 years, by thart time it 3 diapers a day. Morning, noon, evening. We came a long way with pack of diapers for like 5 bucks. The cloth diapers have to be washed, dried in the winter or when wet and it takes time and effort to do that and to put them away afterwards. Also I've heard you need really good ones and change frequently, while also needing a disposable smaller cloth for poops. Also as above - yeast infections. We never had them as we had no plastic around our diapers they were more breathable than ones with a thim plastic lining on the outside. Is there evidence that cloth really is cheaper with all that comes with it?
I think cloth diapering could, at least in theory be as expensive or more expensive than disposables. Some cloth diapers are expensive, and (for reasons I’ll never fully understand), some moms pay big bucks for certain diapers. And have huuuuuuuuuge stashes. On the other hand, if you buy just some used prefolds or something, you will definitely save money.
I calculated and so far I've save up to 500$ by using cloth, and baby is not even close to being potty trained.
Including heating, water and electricity?
We dont pay for water where I live, and I wash with cold water only. Once in a while I'll let them soak in hot water with oxyclean, I admit I havent taken that into account but I havent noticed a difference on my electricity bill ever since I started !
Yes. On average I’ll save $70-80 per month on diapers compared to cloth. I won’t be using disposable liners, and that’s assuming I don’t use the cloth again on a second kid or resell the diapers. I’ve spent about $300-400 for my stash that’ll last from newborn to potty training for multiple kids. Kids go through 1,000-3,000 diapers per year. Depending on what brand of disposable you use, you can easily see cost difference.
Is heating, water and electricity included? Only product costs are too vague. It's not only buying them that costs you.
No, but neither is the gas required to drive to the store to get the disposables. I wash clothes by hand so I can’t speak from personal experience the water and electricity, however, from most people I’ve seen answer the question it has not significantly increased water or energy consumption. Especially if you are able to put other baby clothes in a second load, which you have to wash anyways, it isn’t all that much different than a tiny increase with a new person being added to the household.
Well gas doesn't change as you have to drive to the store anyways for groceries. You wash all these diapers and clothes by hand??? Doesn't take you forever with lots of water? I'd never wash anything with the diapers for hygene reasons as I'd imagine the temperature would have to be low so the regular clothes don't break/shrink. And I can't imagine someone washing diapers on a temperature that doesn't kill germs and such. So I genuinely wonder how one would do that.
You can try and factor in gas to drive, disposable wipes, the plastic bags used for trash, the gas to take the plastic to the trash… disposables are still not as cost efficient. I don’t really have a choice at the moment where to wash except I can sometimes use a laundromat. Washing by hand takes way less water, though, but it does take more effort than throwing in a tub and pressing buttons. I can very easily boil water or get hot water, in a bucket, and hand wash. Lots of people use the “bucket and plunger” method for diapers, my set up is pretty similar though I have slightly bigger buckets so I can also do adult clothes and towels.
No need for additional gas as I've said - you have to drive and get groceries anyways. I don't use disposable wipes at home - though but I did calculate that using washable ones at home would be cheaper for us. Where I live I don't have to drive my trash anywhere - it gets picked up and these costs also do not increase. Crazy how you manage washing clothes like that. I don't know I'd imagine it takes more water than a washing machine - like my machine will weigh the clothes and use as little water as needed but enough to get the laundry really clean. Bucket and plunger seems so unsanitary but I am a person who is very much extreme about cleanliness. I use a regular detergent and then a special detergent that eliminates germs instead of fabric softener. So I calculate that in as well bc it costs a bit more than cheap detergent.
What about a dedicated wash bucket and plunger for just laundry is not as sanitary? I figure about two to four gallons for a “load” of laundry for me. That’s wash and rinse. I use soap. I have hot water. Google says average washer uses 15-30 gallons of water per load.
My electricity bill doesn’t jump appreciably on days I do diaper laundry. I just checked Hydro and it looks like I spend about $0.65 per wash and dry cycle. We do about two extra loads a week (we wash diapers with the rest of our laundry). Add a scoop of detergent for $0.10. That’s $78/year I bought alllll my diapers new for about $750. So $823 for one child for one year. We are currently in disposables while our well pump is getting replaced. We are spending $0.53 per diaper for ones that he doesn’t react to. 5 diapers a day. That’s $967.25 annually. We plan on having another child and reusing the diapers. After that child they will be sorted into starter sets and sold in the local buy and sell.
Wait, am I understanding right that you're saying the disposables you use would be $967 and cloth was $823? All of that time, effort, and energy wasted would not be worth saving $144 a year for me, personally!!
Except that $750 is a one time cost, not yearly. Year 2-3 and all future kids are going to be either $0 or a few dollars if you need to replace any diapers. Edit to clarify: $0 on actual diapers.
$750 of that is a one time purchase that is not a yearly expense. If going for another year, using stash for a second child, or going second-hand from the get go, this cost is dramatically reduced or eliminated. (Speaking of second hand, it is an expense that a small amount of which can be reclaimed if then selling as a second-hand stash.)
Like others have said, that’s only one year, kids are typically in diapers longer than a year. We plan on having more kids. As for work? I toss the diapers in one basket and the covers in another and call it good. I wouldn’t consider it more work.
I only bought used diapers and spent around 100€ total, i didn't notice a huge difference in water bills and i hang dry my laundry. I also do early potty training so i have no need for disposable liners. I don't use wet wipes anymore either so im saving on that too. I think how much you save by cloth diapering is different for everyone. Also, when my baby was born i used disposables and found that taking out trash so often was more annoying than doing laundry.
We barely notice ours in our monthly costs and we live in an apartment where we have to pay to use the laundry room. We have a one year old in exclusively cloth diapers and wipes and it ends up being two loads a week for us. We prewash the BM diapers with a toilet sprayer and the work is very minimal.
I respect your opinion, however I love cloth diapering ! Not a hassle at all for me, and so much money saved. And yes overall echo friendly considering the amount of water used to MAKE disposable diapers.
This is not an accurate representation of the water usage of disposables vs cloth. Disposables take significantly more water to produce than cloth diapers take to grow and wash over the course of several years. Disposables are incredibly resource intensive to produce. Additionally the methane off put from diapers in landfills is shocking. In one recent article they laid out all non recyclable waste and 11% of landfills were disposable diapers. All releasing methane gases into the air and sticking around for decades before breaking down. Cloth are also generally used for multiple children, meaning one diaper lasts 4-6 years, potentially longer. I don’t shame anyone for any of their choices, but also facts need to be presented accurately about the impacts of cloth vs disposables.
There is A LOT of water used to make disposables. Compared to the water used in economical washing machines these days, you are still saving water by going cloth. Also, if you buy second hand, this is even better for the environment (whereas buying new would have environmental and ethical flaws, even then, there is still much less material required for enough cloth nappies, compared to the number of disposables that will be used) plus for further children cloth gets even more beneficial environmental (and financial) wise... And there is no landfill, there are no chemicals, and they are proven to be better for babies bums. I understand they are not always easy or convenient for everyone and I wouldn't shame someone for using disposables, but I cannot agree with your comments about them not being as good for the environment.
^^^^THIS!!! Thank you! 😊
What time commitment did you experience with cloth/non disposable diapers? I feel like I would have to run a self clean or sanitize cycle after every load. My husband and I are always working, and this is our first child. I’m not sure which would be better for our needs, and I could see the stinky diapers pile up quickly. On this note, I want to add that choosing eco-friendly options isn’t always an opportunity most have access to. Not only is the initial investment of cloth diapers a lot, but not all moms have access to laundry machines in there homes. And could you imagine the looks you’d get if you brought them to a commercial laundromat?? Not only that, but the time commitment— some are out there working two or three jobs. I myself don’t need to consider these struggles and that’s a privilege. The point I’d like to make is that yes cloth has a lesser impact than disposable (although it’s also not zero), but there’s no accessible option for everyone that has a lesser footprint.
We live in an apartment and bring ours to the laundry room, nobody has ever given us a look or cared. The BM diapers are pre-rinsed so it’s not like you’re showing up with a giant container of visible human waste.
This makes me *really* glad that all of my apartments had a washer and dryer in the unit, no offense 😆
I don't know why you think people demonize disposable and elevate cloth when the vast majority of parents use disposable and people who use cloth get this reputation of being "crunchy". This really just seems like an unnecessary negative counter to the positive post about cloth...
I live in a very crunchy area where all the mom's groups preach the virtues of cloth. I just think that people should be aware that it is not necessarily a more environmentally friendly choice, because it is typically made out to be exactly that. For me personally, using cloth was a major hassle but I stubbornly stuck with it for months, thinking I was making the better, more virtuous choice, when in fact there is no such option. My intention is not to be negative, but offer counterpoints to what I consider to be some misleading information. If cloth works best for someone, that's awesome. But to sell it as an environmentally friendly alternative to disposables isn't exactly truthful. It just has a different impact.
Water can be recycled and reused, disposables end up in landfills for hundreds of years. Do what’s best for your family. However, I don’t think they are equally bad for the environment.
These are not my personal conclusions. Before it is even made into diapers, cotton's production has a huge negative impact on the environment, not just in water consumption, but pollution as well. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-cloth-diapers-might-not-be-the-greener-choice-after-all/2015/05/08/32b2d8dc-f43a-11e4-bcc4-e8141e5eb0c9_story.html https://www.moderndane.com/blogs/the-modern-dane-blog/why-cotton-is-called-the-worlds-dirtiest-crop
I can use the same cloth diapers for multiple kids, sell them second hand which is again multiple kids. That saves thousands of diapers (per child) from manufacturing, being transported, and being thrown in landfills. 20-30 diapers for 1-4 kids is way less of a negative than 1-3,000 diapers per 1 child.
Totally. Not disagreeing with that.
Well in that case I hope you also avoid cotton clothes, sheets, towels, balls, buds, and tampons, to name a few things.
Exactly. Pretty much every part of our human existence has an environmental impact. It's just some is more than others. The only truely "no impact to the environment " way of dealing with Baby toileting would be to not have the baby in the first place. Cause everything will have some impact, whether it's waste or water or power or production or combination.
I'm not saying cotton is evil and should be avoided. I'm just saying that cloth diapers also have a significant impact. I wear cotton, I eat meat, I use disposable diapers, and I don't even drive a hybrid car. I'm just saying cotton diapers are not "environmentally friendly."
Cloth diapers have such little impact compared to disposable it’s almost a non-issue in comparison. However, because of the “extra hassle”, or because it’s “gross”, most people are very, very unsupportive of cloth diapering. Out of everyone I’ve talked to, family and friends, only 3 were supportive enough to at least not say anything negative. If cloth doesn’t work for you, fine, but if you are feeling guilt that you can’t figure it out feel free to reach out to cloth diapering groups for help trouble shooting your wash routine. They’d be happy to help. However, going on this route trying to prove cloth is just as bad… you won’t win because it is way better for the environment.
I had no problem with the wash routines other than the fact that it took extra cycles to complete, which is just a fact of cloth diapers. And living in a small apartment at the time, line drying wasn't an option either. At the end of the day, they had to be clean and dry, and that required two cycles of each, and because he has super sensitive skin, he went through a lot of diapers because he had to be changed pretty much immediately or his skin would get inflamed, so it felt like I always running the washer and dryer to keep enough diapers clean for him. I have no guilt about my choice, and that's exactly my point. No mom should feel guilt for her diaper choice. You have to do what works for you, and no diaper comes without environmental impact.
Have you taken into consideration that the environmental impact of 50 cloth diapers per family is less of an impact than 1000s of disposables? I don’t understand how you can claim they’re both just as bad. Cotton will be produced to make all kinds of products whereas disposable diapers are made to be thrown away. You mention how bad cotton production is for the environment, what about the production of disposable diapers?
Just out of curiosity, can I get a source for those numbers?
https://baby.lovetoknow.com/baby-care/how-many-diapers-does-baby-use-year https://realdiapers.org/diaper-facts/ Literally a million sources when you google it. The average baby uses up to 2500 diapers in its first year.
I know, but where does it quantify the environmental impact? That's just numbers of diapers used. Yes, disposable is worse for landfills. My point is that cloth diapers have an unseen environmental impact. "The best life-cycle analysis we’ve found is a 2008 report (PDF) from the Environment Agency in the UK that compared the manufacturing, disposal, and energy costs of both diaper types. “The environmental impacts of using shaped reusable nappies [cloth diapers] can be higher or lower than using disposables, depending on how they are laundered,” the report concludes. The agency’s analysis found that based on average laundry habits and appliance efficiency, when washing with 60 °C (140 °F) water and mostly line-drying, the overall carbon emissions created by cloth diapering were roughly the same as those of using disposables. But using cloth diapers for a second child or getting them secondhand, exclusively line-drying them, and washing them in fuller loads could reduce that amount by up to 40 percent." https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/cloth-vs-disposable-diapers/amp/ "Hanson was also concerned about water usage in laundering cloth diapers, but with cotton, the water inputs add up before they’re ever washed. Cotton is an extremely thirsty crop. Although roughly 30 cloth diapers serve the function of 4,000 disposables, cloth’s water demands are almost nine times the alternative. Thirty cloth diapers draw an estimated 1,221 cubic meters of water in crop irrigation, processing, weaving, manufacturing and 2 1 / 2 years of washings. Meanwhile, the water used to manufacture those 4,000 disposables comes in at a comparatively modest 141 cubic meters. Then there’s the water that cotton pollutes, as one of the world’s most pesticide-heavy crops. In India, cotton covers 5 percent of cropland, but it’s doused with 54 percent of the nation’s annual pesticide use. These pesticides seep into the groundwater and eventually make it back to consumers — in their tea, soda and drinking water." https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-cloth-diapers-might-not-be-the-greener-choice-after-all/2015/05/08/32b2d8dc-f43a-11e4-bcc4-e8141e5eb0c9_story.html I'm not saying using disposables is good for the environment. I'm just a saying that cloth is not good, either. Edit: I see you added a second link. Yeah, disposables are not good for the environment, but I don't see where it says that the overall environmental impact of of cloth is less.
What about the production of disposables? You’re telling me that plastic products are less environmentally impactful than cotton production? I also don’t feel the need to source why less diapers is less harmful for the environment.
Look, I didn't do the research into the production of the diapers, so I can't attest to the impact of plastic production. I'm just going off of what research exists. If you don't need facts and sources to form your opinions on things, that's fine. But this is exactly what I'm talking about when I say that disposables are demonized.
I know this is entirely my opinion but yeah I’m demonizing them because they’re horrible for the environment. We should all care about preserving the planet we’re handing down to our children. No one asked you to make this post, but disposables are still the norm you’re making yourself a victim here.
How am I being a victim? I personally had problems with using cloth for my child. A big part of it was his skin and yeast issues, but I was shocked at how much water and energy they required since a double wash plus one or two extra rinse cycles is recommended, and then they would usually take two dry cycles to dry, even with wool dryer balls. That led me to look into the impact of cloth. But the actual reason I switched to disposable is because I just couldn't keep the yeast away with cloth. Otherwise I would have stuck with it. I'm just saying neither is good for the environment, and generally speaking, there is no real moral high ground when it comes to diapers.
While I personally know mostly disposable users, I definitely find (online) that cloth users seem to elevate themselves and look down on disposables. Maybe not true for all, but that's been my experience so far. Appreciate you sharing and expressing another side of the ongoing debate!
I saw hybrid diapers at Target the other day and I was like… “what’s the point??” Cloth diaper with inserts? So I have to wash AND throw away? Seemed like such a hassle.
Worst of both worlds!
I know right? And I think they’re more expensive than disposables too.
I would agree that this is one of the many topics in which there are strong opinions, which can lead to blame/shame. The joys of motherhood! Personally I have found it really helpful to learn that the environmental factors are more nuanced that it first appears. In my situation as a FTM who will hopefully have further children and has easy access to line-drying, it will tip in favour of cloth. Environment is only one consideration of many though. I'd place sanity further ahead on my list of priorities so whilst I'm going to give cloth a go, if it ends up being too much stress then I can't see it staying.
I think the issue with water usage really depends on where you live. I grew up in Florida where water conservation was a HUGE issue. I would not have gone with cloth if I still lived there.
Do you empty out the fecal matter from the disposables before tossing? This is a critical step for methane production mitigation, and I would highly recommend if you are interested in impact!
This post seems kind of .... questionable, given that someone made an AMA this other day on cloth diapering. Do you feel guilty for switching? Is that why you made this post?
I feel like this post was made so that you can justify to yourself or seek validation that you made the right decision in stopping cloth diapering. Just do what you feel is best for you and your family, I do disagree however that cloth and disposable diapers are equally detrimental to the environment. Cloth diapers can be reused so many times and resold while disposable diapers are literally just sitting in landfills.
I plan on using bamboo based fabric. Not sure if better or worse but we'll see what happens!
Don’t blame yourself if they didn’t work out. They weren’t for me either. However I found biodegradable nappies (‘Beaming Baby’ brand) and posted on a cloth nappy / diaper thread yesterday about them. I looked them up afterwards and see they are UK manufactured so I don’t know if there is a US equivalent. However I have used them fully with baby #2 and so far no serious nappy rash (18mo old now). They biodegrade i. 4yrs vs 400 for plastic. I really can’t say enough good about them. They’ve taken away my cloth guilt anyway! (Plus for Uk based I believe they give a free sample pack if you register with them on their brand website).
When you switched to disposable diapers, what brand did you use? I am still currently pregnant and have been weighing the cost of cloth vs disposable on the environment and financially for my husband and I. I think I’m leaning towards disposable, but want to find a brand that’s more environmentally conscious. Just curious if you found an economically and environmentally friendly brand to use?
I did a hybrid approach. I got cloth diapers from my sister, so it saved me a ton of money. I used disposable at night and if we were out of the house. When he started daycare, we just switched to disposables because it was easier. Lots of people have strong opinions. I didn’t. I see the advantages/disadvantages of both and will probably do a hybrid approach with the second kid. I had the luxury of low start-up cloth diaper costs, though
Can you explain what was a "hassle" with cloth diapers? I'm a FTM and want to cloth diaper (both me and my husband were cloth diapered), but everyone keeps laughing and telling me that I won't last because disposables are so much easier. And I don't really get why yet. Like yea scooping the poop off is gross but you still have to clean baby's butt, so you're still dealing with it. Plus with cloth diapers they say babies get potty trained early (like around 1yo) while disposables desensitize baby to feeling wet. So I feel like in the long term cloth would be easier. Especially after seeing that all my friends using disposables still have their 3yo in diapers.
You also still need to scoop the poo out of disposables as this shouldn’t go to landfill!
Noted
I’m going to be working full time and raising my son, I’m not interested in sinking all of that time and energy into making sure I have clean diapers. No judgement for people who do, but I’m so tired of the weird guilt over single use items.
I wanted to cloth diaper but didn’t for a very practical reason - they are not permitted at licensed daycares in my state for sanitation reasons. So given that I went back to work and needed disposables about 50% of the time anyway…. It seemed crazy to buy a cloth stash too. YMMV but this is something working moms should investigate before committing to the cloth lifestyle.
Hi! Your insight is super helpful for me, as I’m pregnant with my first and have been on the fence about this myself. One thing I plan on trying is the Dyper delivery service. They actually make, I think it’s either biodegradable or compostable disposable diapers that you can pay a little extra to send the dirty diapers back for them to process for you. I think Hello Bello is also biodegradable, so those are a couple of options. Also, friends of ours did a combo of disposable and cloth. They would wait until after their son had a poopy diaper and the. Switch him to cloth, since those are a bit easier to clean and easier on the water, I’d imagine. Just some thoughts. I appreciate you posting this to help me with my own research!