Whenever a new baby comes, a mother must decide on whether to use a cloth or disposable diapers. The confusion mainly stems from the lifestyle of the parents, and from constant well-meaning suggestions of in-laws, friends, and relatives. Before you decide, weigh down the pros and cons of each type of diaper.
Environment
| Cloth | Disposable |
| width=”239″>Cloth diapers do not pose a threat in the environment. Washing it thoroughly will make the cloth diaper reusable again. | There are some landfill issues about disposable diapers not being biodegradable. |
Comfort
| Cloth | Disposable |
| The natural fibers of cotton cloth diapers enable the skin of your baby to breath more. Moisture is not trapped on the baby’s skin as long as you change the diaper in time. It’s easy to know when your baby has soiled his cloth diaper, so you know just exactly when you need to change your baby. | The synthetic material of disposable diapers can cause some irritation on your baby’s skin, as well as the chemicals used to preserve and sanitize the diaper. The plastic cover of the diaper can cause heat to be trapped inside, causing further discomfort and increased risk for diaper rash. The cover also makes it hard to know if your baby has done the deed unless you peek inside or smell the diaper. There are diapers that have the feature of telling you when to change your baby, but that will pose some budget strain. |
Cost
| Cloth | Disposable |
| You only need to buy for the cloth diaper once. Proper care ensures that you get to use your cloth diapers for a long time. Your overall expense in buying cloth diapers is dependent on the quality and care that you give to your cloth diaper. An expensive cloth diaper may give you a high initial cash-out, compared to cheap diapers. On the other hand, expensive cloth diapers are made of high-quality material, so you don’t need to buy new sets for a long while. | Depending on the brand and age of your baby, you may need to buy diapers every week or up to 4 times a month. The overall cost that you will get from disposables is still higher compared to cloth diapers. Added features like wetness indicators, breathable covers, and designs further increase the cost of the diaper. |
Ease of Use
| Cloth | Disposable |
| Most mothers detest the cloth diaper for you have to fold it in a certain way in order to use the diaper effectively. The use of cloth pins also makes wearing and securing the cloth diaper difficult. It’s a hassle especially when a mom’s in a hurry, or when the family is outside having quality time. Aside from that, some parents do not like the additional load of washing cloth diapers, especially when washing off stool and stains. Pre-soaking the diaper overnight can also pose some health and safety issues for other younger and inquisitive siblings or pets can gain access to the soaking diaper and may ingest the water or drown in it. | Velcro fasteners and adjustable straps are just loved by mothers and caregivers on the go. Once the diaper’s been used, mothers can just throw them in the diaper pail for disposal and forget about it. |
Choosing between cloth and disposable diapers is a personal choice. It’s totally up to you which one you would prefer. What’s important is that you won’t be facing so many problems when it comes to keeping your baby hygienic and fresh.