Through the years many new parents are rethinking their choice of whether to use disposables or cotton diapers on their child. Disposable diapers have been around since the early 1960s and cotton diapers have been used for hundreds of years. Your choice of what you use will not only affect your child's health and comfort, but also your finances and the environment. There are pros and cons to using each type of diaper.
Cotton diapers are a less popular choice for new parents because of the inconveniences they bring. Cotton is much less expensive than disposables because they can be washed and reused. This also helps them be more environmentally friendly. It is also a proven fact that children who wear cotton have less diaper rash that those who wear disposables. Children in fabric diapers tend to potty train easier and faster than those who wore throw away diapers.
Cotton Diapers vs. Disposable Diapers
You should remember that just like anything thing we must make a choice with, there are pros and cons. With the good comes the imperfect. Cotton diapers have come along way since having only one method to fasten them – big old’ baby safety pins. This option is still available, but you can now find cloth diapers that utilize Velcro and snap closures. This advance is great if your child attends daycare of any care provider. Either way, you still have to make sure your provider will be okay with cloth diapers (they have to be changed more often than disposables). Many day care centers will not accept a child if he or she wears cotton diapers. They are not convenient for travel (local or extended) because they take up more room in the diaper bag and if you don’t get to them in enough time, they can leak quite a bit.
On the other hand, disposable diapers are seemingly the more popular choice for most new parents. There are many reasons why this is. Disposables are convenient, quick and easy to use. They can be thrown away instead of washed after one use. They are ideal for those who tend to travel a lot and rather not use cotton diapers.
However, like cotton, there’s good and bad to disposables. Disposable diapers are much more expensive than their cotton counterparts. In fact you’ll spend over $1,300 on throw away diapers before your child is potty trained (this is a very conservative number – the more popular brands run much more). You will have a harder time potty training your child compared to if your child wore cotton diapers, because you have to go from diapers to pull-ups then underwear. More money spent! They are also hazardous for the environment because they do not disintegrate. In addition, the chemical housed in the absorption of cloth diapers has been known to cause TSS or Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Nevertheless, the decision whether or not to use cotton diapers is a personal choice. It is up to you whether you want something more convenient or something that helps out the environment. You have to make your choice on what’s best for you, your family and budget, schedule and any other extenuating circumstances. Many parents must use cotton diapers because their child is allergic to disposable diapers and vice versa, though the chance of your child being allergic to the material used in cloth diapers (cotton, linen, etc.) is slim to none. Nonetheless, there is still that existing chance.
Whatever choice is made, choose sensibly, because that choice will have more affect on your child and your environment than you think.
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