Organic Diapers-Part 2

Good for Baby's Skin

Since your baby's skin is fragile. It requires sufficient access to air so that it remains supple and grows properly. Organic diapers, which are typically made of a highly absorbent material such as organic cotton and allow air to circulate on your baby's skin. The use of disposable diapers generally restricts the amount of air that the baby's skin receives which can cause skin rashes.

A Good Economic Choice

Many people have been led to believe that organic diapers are more expensive than disposables; however, that's not necessarily the case. Although, the initial purchase price of organic diapers is higher compared to disposable diapers, organic diapers become a smart economic decision over their useful life.

In fact , it is estimated that the average family spends $1500-2200 on disposable diapers by the time a baby is 2 ½ years old as compared to $300-800 when using organic cotton diapers. So in the long run, it can be quite cost-efficient to use cloth diapers.

Better for the Environment

Organic diapers are typically produced in a way so as to limit environmental impact. In addition, they are completely reusable so they reduce waste. In contrast, disposable diapers are generally not recyclable. They utilize materials such as paper (which in turn is obtained from trees) and plastic (which is non-biodegradable).

In the 1990s, it was estimated that more than 18 million disposable baby diapers were disposed in the USA alone [2]. This is a huge stress for mother earth to handle. In addition to containing pollutants, disposables cannot be degraded (even biodegradable disposable diapers have 30% plastic which makes them therefore, not entirely biodegradable.

Even knowing the benefits, some people still find cloth diapers intimidating. The good news is that today's organic cloth diapers are not the same as those in years past. There have been innovations to make them easier to use and more convenient for today's times.

The bottom line is that using organic diapers is a personal choice. If you find the idea of going to all cloth diapers intimidating for your busy lifestyle, consider a compromise. Some people use cloth diapers while at home and disposables for when they are on the go. Experiment to see what works best for your family.

References 1. J. Tanino et al., "The Relationship of Perianal Dermatitis to Fecal pH," J Pediatr 54 (1959): 793-800 2. The Landbank Consultancy Limited, "A Review of Procter & Gamble's Environmental Balances for Disposable and Re-usable Nappies" (18 July 1991).

Have a Favorite Organic or Natural Cloth Diaper?

Finding the right diaper for you baby can sometimes be trial and error. If you've found a great alternative to disposable diapers, let us know!

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