| When it comes to diapers, you really have only two | | | | the first year of the baby's life, you can expect to pay |
| options: cloth diapers or disposable diapers. The | | | | over $1000 for disposable diapers! |
| debate for which type to use then becomes a moral | | | | Let's now consider the case for cloth diapers. |
| one. Should I use cloth diapers which are reusable and | | | | Benefits of cloth diapers: |
| washable, and thus do not have to be thrown away; | | | | Cost can be less for cloth diapers. There is an initial |
| or should I use disposable diapers which are not | | | | investment you must make to buy the cloth diapers, |
| reusable, take us valuable landfill space and take years | | | | but once you have them you can use them over and |
| to biodegrade; however, they are VERY convenient? | | | | over. This is even better new if you plan on having |
| Let's first consider the case for disposable diapers. | | | | more than one child as you can use them for a |
| Benefits of disposable diapers: | | | | number of years. Although you must launder the |
| Convenience. You pull the old one off and slap the | | | | diapers yourself or pay a service to launder them for |
| new one on. Additionally, they come in many sizes and | | | | you, the cost can be as little as half the price of |
| are available at almost any department or grocery | | | | disposable diapers. |
| store. | | | | You can feel good about decreasing the amount of |
| They typically don't leak. Anyone that has had a baby | | | | garbage that you are throwing away. |
| can tell you a horrible leaking story, so this is not | | | | If being organically sound is important to you, you're on |
| always true, but overall, not much leakage. | | | | your way with cloth diapers. |
| Once your baby is out of diapers, you can stop buying | | | | Negatives about cloth diapers: |
| them - you won't have lots of extras | | | | Convenience. Cloth diapers have to be cleaned. |
| Negatives about disposable diapers: | | | | Growing up in a home with one bathroom, we (my |
| Being disposable, they have to be disposed | | | | brother and I) often found the toilet occupied with a |
| somewhere. They go into your garbage and then to | | | | dirty diaper. As children, we wanted nothing to do with |
| the landfill. Not a great option if you are trying to be | | | | the cleaning, so we would go find mom.... |
| more green-friendly. In my research, I found numerous | | | | Cloth diapers leak much easier than disposables. |
| studies that claim a disposable diaper takes 550 years | | | | There is a larger investment to start with than what |
| to decompose. In comparison, an aluminum can takes | | | | disposable diapers are going to cost. |
| less than 500 years and a paper bag takes less than | | | | In the end, you need to decide what is going to be |
| two months. | | | | best for you and your family. The convenience of |
| Disposable diapers cost a lot of money. Assuming the | | | | disposable diapers or the green, organic and less |
| average disposable diaper costs $0.30 and that most | | | | expensive method of cloth diapers. Regardless of |
| children will go through about 10 diapers each day, your | | | | your decision on diapers, it is an awesome experience |
| cost is $3.00 per day or about $100 per month. Over | | | | to have children. |