I figured out that from the time my child was born til potty trained(I figured it for age 2), I would spend between $1200 and $1600 dollars on disposable diapers!

There is a foundation that provides cloth diapers FREE to those who qualify, you pay shipping though. http://www.clothdiaperfoundation.org/

I recently came across this video series on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/us...eisner#p/u on how to use cloth diapers, and all of the different kinds that are out there. No more plastic pants, diaper pins, prefolds and leaks! Cloth diapering has really evolved.

To get a set(20 diapers, about enough so you will do laundry every other day) of all in one, one size cloth diapers you will pay $400 for the really good ones http://www.justkidsstore....rasshopper but that is nothing compared to what you would spend on disposables! There are many many other options out there though.

Read on to learn why cloth is healthier for your child and the environment-

First, disposable diapers contain dioxin, a biproduct of the chlorine bleaching process they go through. Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, kidneys, liver, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer, and so can the dyes also found in disposables.(As stated by the World Health Organization)

Secondly, sodium polyacrylate, the clear gel-like substance you often find on your baby's bottom after a diaper change(and what makes a wet diaper squishy), gives disposable diapers their super absorbant characteristic. Its use in tampons was banned in 1985 because of its link to Toxic Shock Syndrome.

Tributal tin, or TBT is used in disposable diapers, and it is ranked by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most toxic substances in use in consumer products in the world today. It is a biocide and is used in killing or preventing the growth of bacteria.

The (FDA) Food & Drug Administration has received reports that fragrances in disposables caused headaches, dizziness and rashes. Problems reported to the Consumer Protection Agency regarding disposables include, chemical burns, noxious chemical and insecticide odors, babies pulling disposables apart and putting pieces of plastic into their noses and mouth, choking on tab papers and linings, plastic melting onto the skin, and ink staining the skin. Plastic tabs can also tear skin if the diaper is not properly put on the baby.

According to the Journal of Pediatrics, 54 % of one-month old babies using disposable diapers had rashes, 16 % having severe rashes. A study done by a disposable diapers manufacturing company shows that the incidence of diaper rash increased from 7.1% to 61% with the increased use of disposable diapers.

Chemicals in disposables(which are breathed in and absorbed through the skin) have been found to cause or make worse already existing asthma or other respiratory problems(just think of premature babies who's lungs are not fully developed breathing in these fumes!). Disposables are thought to increase the risk of SIDS(and so are vaccinations!), asthma, eye, nose and throat irritation, infertility and cancer.

It is estimated that roughly 5 million tons of untreated waste and a total of 2 billion tons of urine, feces, plastic and paper are added to landfills annually. It takes around 80,000 pounds of plastic and over 200,000 trees a year to manufacture the disposable diapers for American babies alone. The Union of Concerned Scientists has estimated about 18-28 billion diapers are thrown into landfills every year. And a 1998 study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that diapers made up 3.4 million tons of waste. It is estimated that a disposable diaper takes about 250-500 years to decompose. Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills.
- http://www.realdiaperasso...rfacts.php

All of this just really makes me think about the sky-rocketing rates of cancer, developmental disorders and birth defects, which were practically non-existant 100+ years ago

So, why not cloth diaper? It is cheaper, environmentally friendly, and healthier for your baby. Maybe for you it is even free!(if you qualify for the Cloth Diaper Foundation)

How can a diaper cause a birth defect? None of my kids wore them before they were born.

According to the Journal of Pediatrics, 54 % of one-month old babies using disposable diapers had rashes, 16 % having severe rashes. A study done by a disposable diapers manufacturing company shows that the incidence of diaper rash increased from 7.1% to 61% with the increased use of disposable diapers.

This is more a function of parents trying to get all they can out of the disposable diaper because of cost by not changing it often enough, than a function of the disposable diaper itself.

I grew up in cloth diapers. Many around here would tell you that I still have diaper rash.

Dave, I was getting at the cummulative effect of any kind of pollutant or carcinogen. If several generations are exposed to the same toxic chemicals, the chemicals builds up and are stored in the fatty tissue, are passed to the children during pregnancy, therefor causing birth defects.

[This message has been edited by RB (1/6/2011)]

How much do you spend on utilities to then clean these cloth diapers for several years? Electricity and gas for hot water heaters and washers and dryers to run. Not to mention the amounts of fecal material going through your washing machine. What effects will all that bacteria have when it gets into YOUR clothing and on your hands etc?

I do agree that there are benefits to cloth diapers but it may not be exactly what the article above leads you to believe.

There are disposable liners that are paper thin that you can put inside the diaper that will not let the fecal matter get on the diaper, but will let urine pass through, it talks about these in the video. You take them off and flush them when they have poo on them, and they can be washed a few times if they are only wet.

Did you know that it is technically illegal to throw fecal matter away in a garbage? The reason being that it contains live viruses that are by the way killed by hot water and air when they go through the washer and dryer. Scientists actually figured that polio was reintroduced to the US by poop from vaccinated babies being thrown away and water leaching from the landfill where the diaper was and getting back into the water system.

This post was meant to be informative and to give people a tip on how to save money, not argue on cloth vs. disposables. I think parents should be informed and should research the things that their children are exposed to. One example is household cleaners- look up your cleaner, bodywash, etc on goodguide.com and cosmeticdatabase.com, I think you'll be surprised!

With utilities it is still much cheaper to use cloth, at least for me. For someone who qualified for free diapers, it would certainly be worth it.

I wonder which are worse for the health of a baby: disposable diapers or vaccinations?

Oh, Bridgier, you foolish creature. Did you hear that the British Medical Association has officially announced that the initial "study" that claimed autism was caused by vaccinations wasn't just bad science, it was out and out fraud?

As for diapers, boy, am I glad that phase of my life is LONG gone!!!!

[This message has been edited by Amorette Allison (1/6/2011)]

Lol. If you know anyone with a child in diapers, please inform them of this money saving and health promoting Foundation. I would much rather pay a few extra dollars a month in utilities than $50 a month on disposable diapers!

You know, I looked into these while I was pregnant with my last. I did get some too. I had the GDiapers. They were okay. I guess there just isn't the FIT like there is in the desposable. I was washing everything, anything, all day and all night. So was I really better out in the cloth ones? NO! So... Now I use the Seventh Generation compostable disposable ones. They are great, and the COMPOST!

I don't know... washing diapers seems like a huge waste of water when we can use Glendive as a landfill.