So assuming you read the title of the post, I feel like I should clarify that I have nothing against those who choose to cloth diaper nor do I turn my nose down at them. The basis of this post is more how it is not the ideal choice for my lifestyle as a mom. I firmly believe that each mom has the right to choose which method is better for her and her family.
So why type this post? I’m supportive of my fellow bloggers. When one of them asks me to help them out and share their posts with my readers, I do. When a bloggy friend who cloth diapers asked me to check out her post that was pretty much a run down of Cloth Diapering 101, I did so. I shared it with my readers and even commented letting her know while this wasn’t the choice for me, I was passing it onto my friends who were pregnant and consider going the route of cloth diapers. Big mistake! By commenting, my username was linked to my blog. Within the hour I started receiving messages of why I should reconsider my stance on cloth diapers. I responded simply by thanking them for taking the time to reach out to me, however I stand by my choice for disposable diapers. Some would never reply back, while others would then send me a bullet list of why I NEED to cloth diaper. I admit, I almost started to feel guilty about my choice. It hurt, and when once again I received another email like the ones mentioned above, I realized that no mother should be made to feel guilty about her choice to use disposable diapers.
Let me quickly acknowledge the benefits of clothe diapers. I do love the green factor! I try to recycle when I can and use my reusable shopping bags. I clean my home with natural cleaners and I make a conscience effort to conserve water. Yes, I understand it may be economical for some families in the long run. Plus, let’s face it, cloth diapers have super cute designs that you just don’t see on disposable diapers.
Why I Don’t Cloth Diaper
Yes, in the long run, cloth diapering can save you money. However, have you seen the cost of the cloth diapers out there? That’s some serious wallet damage! Truth is, I never pay full price for disposable diapers anyway. I’m able to purchase them in bulk and at a discount price.
Secondly, I’ll be frank. I hate doing laundry. I already do enough laundry as it is. It seriously is the never ending chore. Adding more items to the mix just sounds exhausting. My time is precious and I can think of other tasks I need to take care of than scrubbing poop out of a diaper.
Another major factor is that disposable diapers are preferred at my son’s day care and school. Now you may suggest I find a place that is cloth diaper friendly. However, my city isn’t exactly the land of economic friendly day cares and schools. This town is expensive. Childcare is expensive. If I find affordable childcare that keeps my baby safe, the last thing I care about is whether they cloth diaper or not. Please note I didn’t say they were CD-unfriendly, just that disposables are preferred.
Why I Won’t Cloth Diaper
First off, these are soiled garments we are dealing with. From what I understand, no matter how much and what the method you use to clean them, they are never truly clean. I prefer not to subject my child’s skin to cloth that had previously been soaked in urine and body waste. Yes, this could very well by my own OCD paranoia. However, this is how I think, and I have a hard time getting over the personal “ick factor” involved.
EDIT: I should clarify why I believe what I stated in the above paragraph. I’ve been told laundry is never fully clean from three people on separate occasions whose opinions I trust. One is a chemist who uses disposables, one works for our county’s Dept of Agriculture and the information provided was for clothes in general (not cloth diapers), and the other is a friend in the laundering service who does CD. Given their professions, and long time friendships, I no reason not to believe them.
Second, I just don’t want to. I’m a single mom who works a full time and part time job. I simply do not want to spend my time cleaning poop and pee many multiple times a day. Yes, you many see this as laziness, but this is me. I make efforts to live a greener life. However this is just one aspect I can’t seem to jump on board with.
Please keep in mind that just because something doesn’t fit into my lifestyle, doesn’t mean that it can’t fit into your lifestyle. If you are considering using cloth diapers than do your research because that may be the direction for your family to take. If you are planning to use disposable diapers, please don’t feel guilty about doing so. We all have our reasons of why we do what we need to do. Don’t let others sway your opinion if disposables or cloth fit better in your daily routine. All of us moms have different routines. We choose the diaper type that fits our lifestyle the best. Please, let’s remember to understand that about each other.
What do you prefer when it comes to diapers? Cloth or Disposable?
I use disposable diapers for all three of my sons. You are not alone and should not feel guilty for your decisions. Everyone has their own reasons for what they do and what works best for them. It’s disappointing to know people go out of their way to try to change the way you have been doing things when they don’t know you or your lifestyle.
Cloth diapers CAN be truly clean. i don’t understand why people assume that you can’t get them clean. Please, do more research before making claims like that. If you want to sposie diaper your children, for whatever reason, you have that right, but making claims that cloth diapers can never be clean, is not something you should be doing, especially since you obviously haven’t looked into it enough to know that your comment there is wrong.
With that being said, I am proud of you for sticking up for what you believe in. Don’t cave to others, but please research before posting to thousands of readers.
I also want to add that we do a mix of both cloth and sposies, mainly because I too, hate laundry, and having the occasional sposie day or week in, helps lighten the load. Pun intended.
I appreciate you providing feedback! Have I sat down and comb through study after study on this issue? No, I admit I have not. My basis of why I think laundry is never full clean is based on 3 friends who have informed that fact. One is a chemist who uses disposables, one works for our county’s Dept of Agriculture and the information provided was for clothes in general (not cloth diapers), and the other is a friend in the laundering service who does CD. All three at one point have told me that laundering clothes doesn’t mean they are completely clean. Given their professions, and long time friendships, I no reason not to believe them. I’ll update my post to reflect that information of why I believe what I do. Thanks again for your input!
I admit I started to use cloth diapers with my first child and just couldn’t keep up with the laundry on top of everything else going on. I was extremely sick, had to have surgery five days after she was born, and just couldn’t do it. I switched to disposable diapers and never looked back. I like the green factor and think it is great for moms who want to use them though.
I have no kids, but I’m with you on the laundry thing & don’t think there is any chance that I would cloth diaper if I did have a kid.
I used disposable diapers, but I seriously considered cloth with my last. The part that made me decide not to was the economical factor. Yes, by using cloth diapers, you are not filling up the landfills with disposable diapers… but consider the amount of water, energy and detergent that is being used to clean them.
http://www.sustainer.org/dhm_archive/index.php?display_article=vn321diapersed
I also worked and daycare was “unfriendly” towards CD. Not to mention, I couldn’t afford a service and I didn’t have time to do all of that laundering myself.
I do still think they are adorable and respect any mother’s decision to diaper their child how they see fit. But it really irks me when they get all high and mighty regarding their decision.
Don’t feel quilty there is no reason why. Everyone has their own opinions. I was going to try cloth diapers. Buy realized it wasn’t for me either I just think its too dirty and makes a mess
This kind of thing is beginning to bug me—same with breastfeeding issues. When my son was born (80’s) there were some people cloth diapering, but most of us used disposables. Back in those days the moms I knew who used cloth at home also used disposables elsewhere for both convenience and sanitary reasons. I don’t remember anyone making any kind of big deal about it. It was not an “all or nothing” “you’re a bad mom” kind of thing at all. I am hearing the same sorts of things now about breastfeeding. In those days some of us did and some didn’t–I don’t ever remember asking a mom why she chose not to BF! From the day my son came home, I breastfed *and* had bottles so that others could get in on the bonding/feeding. Again, it was not an “all or nothing” “You’re a bad mom” kind of thing at all. I am sorry that these days some people seem to have taken it upon themselves to judge.
We use a mix of cloth and disposable. I honestly never could find a nighttime solution for my first son using cloth so we did disposables at night and cloth during the day starting around 6 months. With my second we started cloth during the day and disposables at night straight from the beginning. I don’t like waking up to wet sheets. I def can see how cloth isn’t for everyone and there are days where I’m like “I don’t want to wash diapers this week so we will just use sposies for a while”. I go back and forth
I used disposables for my daughter and I also (GASP!) had to bottle-feed her because of issues I had with breastfeeding. Sometimes I think people who are the “super-green-natural” type are so judgmental of moms who don’t follow their lifestyle. I was a 22-year-old single mom who worked 40 hours a week at a daycare taking care of other people’s babies for $9 an hour just so I could get a reduced rate on daycare for my own baby. It wasn’t easy. The last thing I wanted to do when I got home was scrape poop out of a diaper. My daughter is now an almost 14-year-old honors student despite wearing pampers and drinking Similac. Things might be different if I had another baby now, seeing as I’m older, married, and work mostly from home. I’d have more time to do laundry and cloth diapers might be more economical for us…I’d have to decide. One more thing, in case anyone’s wondering…I’m also judged and called “selfish” for only having one child by the same people who judge me in my disposable-diaper-Similac-buying days. I’m proud of how I’ve concentrated all of my efforts on raising my one child to be the awesome kid she is today…people need to worry about what works for their own family instead of judging everyone else.
Hear! Hear! I have 4 children (including a set of twins). I used all methods of diapering – a diaper service, washing my own and disposables. In the end ;-) , disposables won out because I had such heavy wetters. I stuffed menstural pads, padded liners, extra diapers (folded in thirds), etc and STILL my baby would wake up soaking wet! Finally, adding an extra liner (or 2) in a disposable would do the trick!
So I say, whatever works for EACH baby/family!
Ditto to breast feeding! I had good intentions with each of my babies. My first one REFUSED to breast feed. My second one (over 10 lbs at birth!) sucked so hard, he drew more blood than breast milk – OW!
With my twins, I had virtually NO MILK and TWO babies to feed! So, formula it was.
BTW…ALL of my children are quite happy & healthy ;-)
It seems like there are so many controversial mothering issue. People are very passionate about their choices. When I was on my birth board it went from circumcision, to breastfeeding, to diapering. I support a mom’s choice to decide for herself.
I used them for my youngest two. I won’t say one way is better then the other. I wanted to say I am sorry for moms who are going out of their way to make you feel this way. No matter the choice you make for you or your child(ren) there will be a ton of people on the other side telling you that their way is better. The way I see it is the future is the main goal in this teaching them proper manners and right from wrong is what we will see not what was covering our child’s bottom. Good for you for sticking to your ground.
4 kids here, I tried cloth and preferred disposable. Less work, more convienient for me. Plus I like the baby powder smell
My oldest is 7, my middle is 4 – they were both disposable diapered. #3 will be here in 11 days and we are going to attempt cloth diapering. I’m at the point that I would like to see the benefits and it can’t hurt to try. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll go back to disposables. Basically, to each their own. It doesn’t make you any worse or any less of a parent and frankly, I highly doubt anyone’s child grows up differently based on what covered their rear!
I think each person has to choose what is right for them. It is completely up to you what works for your life and circumstances.
As a mom of 2 boys who, in their infancy, did try cloth diapers, I APPLAUD YOU!!! Not for your choice, which to me, doesn’t really matter, but more, for standing UP for your choice. I preferred disposable diapers myself. Trying to go somewhere, with your child, and lugging around heavy icky poopy soiled diapers… eww!! ;)
But I also had a laundry room, so it cost to wash them daily. It was not a choice for me!
There are plenty of mom’s out there who pay for laundry, and do it, who go on road-trips, who do it, and will turn to me and tell me 20 reasons why I could have done it.
The whole thing, is just like breastfeeding, IT’S A CHOICE. You either want to, or you don’t.
Thank you for your post on YOUR DECISION, which I support.
Marianne, from Sandling All Day