09/11/2013
Cloth or disposable diapers? How do they compare as far as health and comfort, price, convenience and the environment?
These days, there’s not much difference. (Cloth diapers have come a long, long, way…) Here’s how they stack up:
Health and Comfort: No huge disparity, as long as you change baby’s diaper when it’s full (more often with cloth). Leaving on a soiled diaper increases risk of diaper rash, and isn’t too pleasant for baby. Your baby might prefer the softer feel of cloth diapers.
Disposable diapers are more breathable, but their moisturizing, absorbent chemicals irritate some babies.
Convenience: Forget the complicated folds and scary pins your mom had to deal with. Cloth diapers now come with Velcro or snap closures, shapes fitted to baby, waterproof bands around the waist , and removable lining pads, making the cloth change just as quick and easy as the disposable. Cloth diapers arent as absorbent, though, so you’ll have to change them more often.
Price :One baby can waste amount of 8,000 disposable diapers from born to end up using diapers. Each piece disposable diapers takes about HK$3, your financial burden may lose around HK$23,000 within three years
Wash the diapers yourself , and you ‘ll pay around HK$6250 for twenty-five pieces of recycle cloth diapers . This is considered as a best arrangement for a baby from born to two and a half years old
Environment: Not as clear cut as you might think. Yes, disposables use resources like trees and plastics during manufacturing, then collect in landfills (most are 40% biodegradable). But, consider the process of washing cloth diapers -- clean water and energy are used up, and nothing but dirty water is produced
