One of the most important decisions parents must make for their newborn is deciding whether to use cloth or disposable diapers. The factors parents or caregivers should consider when selecting the best diaper are: health, cost and its impact on the environment. The first and most important factor in selecting the best diaper should concern your baby’s health, especially their skin. A common problem in diapering is diaper rash. Here are a couple of quick facts about how diaper rashes occur:
• It happens frequently for babies with sensitive skin (be mindful of new materials on baby’s skin and chemicals used to clean or produce diapers)
• Extended exposure to waste (urine and stool)
• Diaper lacks circulation (usually occurs in disposable diapers)
• Yeast infections (certain antibiotics can contribute to the imbalance of helpful and harmful bacteria)
• Improper sanitation of cloth diapers
Parents, please note that diaper rashes are very common, but in order to avoid it, be sure to keep baby’s skin clean and dry by changing diapers as needed.
About Disposable Diapers
Some parents prefer disposable diapers because you can simply dispose diapers into a diaper pail. Disposable diapers are useful when traveling. The positive features for disposable diapers are the highly absorbent materials used to contain wetness; the source is usually the absorbent gelling material (AGM) in the center of the diaper that contains moisture from the skin. Preventative measures for diaper rash in disposable diapers include changing the diapers frequently. Disposable diapers, however, have negative impacts on the environment. Disposable diapers do not break down quickly and therefore packs landfills with its waste. It is costly and associated with increasing time for potty training for children because they cannot feel wetness– due to absorbent material in disposable diapers. Additionally, the bleach used in disposable diapers contains potentially harmful chemicals to enhance their superabsorbent capabilities.
About Cloth Diapers
Cloth diapers have evolved and become quite efficient in that they now have Velcro straps. The positive attributes for cloth diapers are no use of materials like AGM or dyes. These materials may affect a baby with sensitive skin. Cloth diapers can be cleaned in-house or by using a cleaning service, both options are proven more economical than disposable diapers. Although advocates of cloth diapers agree that disposable diapers negatively impact the environment, advocates of disposable diapers argue that the use of resources and energy – electricity and water negatively impacts the environment. Some diaper cleaning services use bleach to clean which can cause the same problems as bleached disposable diaper. Cloth diapers can also be messy, as you have to clean it yourself, or at the very least rid the waste material. As disposable diapers are ideal for traveling, cloth diapers are not because you must carry the soiled diapers with you. Diaper covers can be helpful but ultimately it may inconvenience the parent or caregiver.
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