It's time to compare the differences between cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers. Your baby will go through 8 to 12 diapers a day when he’s first born. Although that number does decrease as babies get older, that still adds up to thousands of diapers that may need to be thrown away. Many parents want to do what’s best for both their baby and the planet, but it can be tough to figure out what that is.

The debate over whether to use cloth baby diapers or disposables is ongoing, and both sides have excellent points. Learn what you can about both sides and then make the decision that’s best for you and your family.

Cloth Baby Diapers
When your child is wet in a cloth diaper, you’ll know it. Unlike disposable diapers, cloth diapers don’t have the absorbent materials to soak up wetness. This means you’ll be changing your baby’s diaper more frequently, which can actually be a good thing when you consider that sitting in a wet diaper can lead to diaper rash. Avoiding diaper rash is a high priority for parents. Many factors can cause diaper rash, including lack of air circulation, sitting in a wet diaper for too long, soap, exposure to chemicals and dye allergies.

Cloth diapers can be better for your wallet. While the typical cost of disposable diapers is $50 to $80 a month, it costs just $25 to $60 a month if you launder your own cloth diapers. If you use a diaper service, it will cost around $50 to $80 a month, so you’ll pay the same as you would for disposables. Proponents of cloth diapers claim that a diaper service may help the environment, as they are washing large amounts of diapers at a time, although they are using a great deal of water to do so.

The thought of cloth diapers still conjures images of big pieces of cloth secured by sharp diaper pins and everything near them soaking wet. All of that has changed. Newer cloth diapers are more convenient than those of old. Some are multi-layered with Velcro fasteners, making them just as easy to put on and take off as disposables. Flushable liners are available now, which let you take the soiled liner off and flush it down the toilet. This is especially helpful when your baby’s mess is a little dirtier.

Changing cloth diapers can be easier as well. Changing a cloth diaper is much like changing a disposable—just make sure that the back is high enough to prevent leaks and fold the front just under your baby’s abdomen.

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