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Thread: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

  1. #1
    julieruble
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    Default Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    Hi everyone. Wanted to ask a quick question to parents/parents-to-be. Generally speaking, vegans are often concerned with the environment, and I was wondering how the diaper situation was handled in your homes. Disposable diapers are a huge problem in landfills and cloth diapers create some issues in air/water pollution (this article looks pretty comprehensive: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5503.html).

    So do you use cloth diapers, disposable diapers, or what? For those of you who don't have children, which choice do you think you'll make?

  2. #2

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    i think my parents used cloth diapers when i was a baby. or maybe they used a combo of both. according to them, i was not a fan of diapers (or any sort of underwear)--->which led to my early potty training. if i ever have kids, i will use disposable b/c i would rather nap than clean cloth diapers all day (i know, it's selfish).

  3. #3
    julieruble
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    Fortunately, there are diaper cleaning services. No idea about the cost, though. Disposable diapers definitely win in convenience; you're right.

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    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Quote julieruble
    Fortunately, there are diaper cleaning services. No idea about the cost, though.
    It's not that expensive, I/we used diaper cleaning services when I was a student living on loans...
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

  5. #5
    Geoff
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    According to Brisbane Nappy Service, they are cheaper than disposables. I was in charge of nappy washing for my kids and it wasn't hard. Much easier now as we used a wringer machine and hung them on the line.
    Disposables are an abomination.

  6. #6
    Veganmama
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    you can also get compostable inserts which you just use a cover over, they are a little more expensive than disposables. Here in Melbourne there is a disposable recyclying service for only a couple of dollars a week my planet

  7. #7
    Geoff
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    Coincidentally, on ABC TVs 'The Inventors' tonight there was a nappy made of wood pulp and some sort of natural gel which is totally compostable and will sell for the same price as current diposables.

  8. #8
    Veganmama
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    I just got my sample of these, they are great. My girls have both just come out of nappies now during the day though, but i might give them a try for nights

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    My sister (who has now had 5 kids) used/uses cloth diapers on all of them. As far as convenience goes, it's not as difficult as you'd think (or at least as I thought it would be) once you get a system going. I don't plan on having kids, but if I did, I'd use cloth diapers. I did enough diaper changes ages 10-16 (having 3 older sisters who all had kids just as I was entering the convenient 'hey, let her take care of the kids while we all go out to the bar' teenage years).

  10. #10
    ConsciousCuisine
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    [QUOTE=julieruble] Disposable diapers are a huge problem in landfills and cloth diapers create some issues in air/water pollution (this article looks pretty comprehensive: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5503.html).
    QUOTE]


    Ditto on the disposable tampon and pads issue. I started a thread called "Glad Rags & Diva Cups vs Landfills"

  11. #11
    julieruble
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    Interesting; thanks CC. Didn't even think of that also being an issue.

    For those of you who use(d) cloth diapers (looks like most, interesting!) can you tell a little more about how they work? And... how gross/ungross it is to change?

  12. #12
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    Default Real Nappy Week

    Co-ordinated by WEN and the Real Nappy Campaign and funded by WRAP, Real Nappy Week is the annual focus of the nappy waste prevention campaign.

    See HERE for more info.

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    Default Re: Disposable diapers

    Does anyone know where you can buy disposable nappy/diaper bags (or dog poop bags) in the UK? I thought I'd ask here instead of starting a new thread.

    They're just for cleaning out my cat's litter box and we might also be getting a dog.

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    Default Re: Disposable diapers

    Quote Evilfluffbunny
    Does anyone know where you can buy disposable nappy/diaper bags (or dog poop bags) in the UK? I thought I'd ask here instead of starting a new thread.

    They're just for cleaning out my cat's litter box and we might also be getting a dog.
    Can't help you but I find it hysterical that you posted the question on this thread, I guess it just be changed to the Poo Thread .

  15. #15
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    Default reusable diapers

    whats your take on reusable diapers?

    i think theyre great. (not that ive used them as i dont have children) but i do think theyre a great option and such a great way to save the environment.
    "you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb

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    Default Re: reusable diapers

    when we were little my mum used terry nappies- u just wash them every time...

    so much better for the environemnt, i just think how many babies are there on the planet and how many times a day does each one poop = lots of nappies! and they take long time to biodegrade!

    defo reusable nappies!

  17. #17

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    Default Re: reusable diapers

    I don't have children either, but I did read the Union Of Concerned Scientists stance on this. Basically, unless the diapers are made of organic cotton and your area has a good water supply and the energy used to wash/dry them isn't burning up lots of trees/coal/petroleum and the waste water is treated so the human waste doesn't hurt your streams then disposables are fine. The disposables today are supposedly made with less material (more absorbable) so don't take up as much room in landfills - granted you need to live in an area where you have local landfills so the diapers aren't travelling hundres of miles on a truck burning up fossil fuels.

    Easy choice, huh? I think it's the same as the paper or plastic dilemna (they say either, again). So you don't have to feel too guilty either way. Diapers are a way of life - I like knowing that there is no right or wrong. Please don't anyone ask about adult diapers.
    Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. - Albert Einstein

  18. #18
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    Default Re: reusable diapers

    Quote foxytina_69
    whats your take on reusable diapers?

    i think theyre great. (not that ive used them as i dont have children) but i do think theyre a great option and such a great way to save the environment.
    They are brilliant Foxytina :0)

    I used them with my son and will use the same ones 7 years later with this next baby!! I feel proud to use them and my concience is eased about the environment. When they aren't convient (which can sometimes be the case) I will use the biodegradable disposable nappies which you can compost and take little time to rot.

    Here's a piece I wrote for another forum a little while back (I run a natural parenting section on it now, so gunna cut and paste it as it's easier) Just thought I would share it with you :0) especially those thinking about having children .. it's a long piece and based on British stats but still useful reading (I hope!!)

    Hope it is of some use,
    Love and light
    Xxxx Stormy xxxX

    FACTS ON CONVENTIONAL DISPOSABLE NAPPIES VERSES RE-USABLE NAPPIES:

    Britain throws away nearly eight million nappies a day. of which 7.5 million end up in landfill sites. With a disposal cost to individual local authorities in hundreds of thousands of pounds per year (Nottinghamshire estimates £1 million per year).

    Each one takes 200-500 years to decompose in a landfill site! Disposable nappies consisit of 10% plastic, which is the part that causes the most problems.

    Studies suggest that parts of disposable nappies may take up to five hundred years to break down. With landfill sites that are filling up rapidly and each baby getting through approximately 5000 nappies before potty training those interested in waste management and reducing home waste costs are choosing Real nappies .

    Disposable nappies have only been around for around 30 years so we are probably sharing our planet with part of every disposable nappy ever put into a landfill site.

    Up to 500,000 nappies a day are burnt as clinical waste from hospitals and nurseries, costing the NHS from £250 to £350 per tonne. Not to mention the cost to the earths atmosphere.

    Approximately 94% of disposable nappies end up in landfill sites. The remaining 6% are incinerated as clinical waste, or end up as litter :0(

    Modern disposables contain super absorber granules as well as a whole heap of chemicals, wherea reuseables don't and are more natural against the skin.

    In an independant study on infants with 'very bad' or 'exstremely bad' nappy rash "the type of nappy worn did not emerge as a significant factor. Therefore, and contary to widespread belief, disposable nappies seem to have little protective effect" (Research conducted by Professor Jean Golding of Bristol University).

    Real nappies can be used many times, but there is an environmental impact in washing nappies - the additional use of detergents, water and electricity. But studies show that the energy used in making and washing re-usable cotton nappies is modest in comparison to the fossil fuels, water and wood used in the production, transportation and packaging of disposable nappies; and if real nappies are used again on second or subsequent children, their impact is even less.

    There is an initial cost for buying reusable nappies of a couple of hundred pounds but these can be use for any other children you have in the future. And by using environmentally friendly washing powders etc and energy efficient washing you can minimise the impact on the environment even more.

    Links for websites selling reusable nappies :0)

    http://www.babykind.co.uk

    http://www.totsbots.com/

    http://www.earthlets.co.uk/default.asp

    http://www.bambinomio.com

    There are other sites selling these nappies - just do a search!!!

    #######################

    ALTERNATIVE MORE ENVIRONMENTAL DISPOSABLES:

    From experience I know that using reusable nappies isn't always convienient, so when I didn't use them, I tried to use more environmentally friendly disposable nappies. They are brilliant, but I didn't realise you could compost them too (otherwise I would have) which is even better :0)

    The following is from a website I have found called ...

    http://www.naturebotts.co.uk/

    But there are other retailers that sell them too ...

    Anyway instead of rewriting it all I just cut and paste from their website to give you an idea of what they are about and the cost of them for those who are interested ......



    Moltex Öko - ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DISPOSABLE NAPPIES

    Kinder to our babies

    Soft and gentle unbleached cotton-feel inner for extra comfort
    More elasticity around the legs and a stretchier waistband for an improved fit and better movement
    Gentle enough for babies with eczema and other skin problems
    Less likely to irritate skin, cause nappy rash or an allergic reaction - no deodorants, dyes, lotions, antioxidants or unnecessary nasty chemicals
    No toxic residues from bleaching agents that could harm your baby’s skin
    Tea Extract in the core - a purely natural product to help with odour control and protect against yeast, i.e. nappy rash
    Kinder to our environment

    Less pollution - no chlorine or bleaching agents in manufacturing process
    Biodegradable - proven to biodegrade within 8 weeks in a wormery - tests carried out by ecobaby in Ireland, visit www.ecobaby.ie for further information
    Eco-friendly - the only nappy recommended in Europe as being eco-friendly
    Contains recycled materials - reduces the amount of resources & water used to produce the nappy
    100% degradable packaging which opens along the top for re-use as a compost or bin bag
    Convenient and easy for you

    All the features of leading conventional disposables
    Maximum absorbency/ultra powerful core - minimal use of gel, tucked well away from your baby’s skin
    Soft velcro fastening - easy to fit, reclose and adjust
    Cotton-feel inner layer gives extra comfort for a happy baby!

    The Manufacture of Moltex Öko


    The manufacture of traditional disposables results in chemical waste polluting water, directly harming wildlife and entering the food chain. Moltex Öko nappies do not contain these unnecessary products and are therefore significantly reducing damage to the environment.

    The nappies are manufactured in Germany (“Öko” means “Eco” in German) with no antioxidants, lotions, dyes or perfumes - all of which are unnecessary and can be harmful to your baby's sensitive skin.


    Moltex Öko are the only disposable nappies available in the UK with an unbleached cellulose core. Conventional chlorine bleaching is purely to make a nappy “nice and white”, as are unnecessary brighteners. Bleaching has been proven to create a known human carcinogen - dioxin - which you wouldn't want next to your baby's delicate and absorbent skin. Moltex Öko nappies are not bleached which dramatically reduces any risk of cancer. That is why they are beige - do nappies really need to be white? Dioxin pollution is one of the world's most serious environmental problems.


    Take a look at the range of Natracare Feminine Hygiene products that are non-chlorine bleached.


    Conventional disposables generally have polyethylene for the plastic outer waterproof layer and polypropylene for the inner liner. As a disposable product this is a waste of environmental resources. Moltex Öko disposables use a special polyethylene film that is very thin and contains recycled plastic yet is just as effective.

    Any questions? Click here to go to our FAQ page...

    The Disposal of Moltex Öko


    The most environmentally friendly way of disposing of Moltex Öko nappies is to compost them, earthworm composting (“vermicomposting”) being the most efficient method. Earthworms rapidly penetrate and breakdown the nappy, excreting it as worm castings, which in turn are broken down by microbes. The resulting vermicompost can be used in your garden to great effect.

    For further and more detailed information about vermicomposting and how to build your own wormery click here to go to www.ecobaby.ie.

    If you need nappy sacks, click here for more information about Naturebotts very own degradable nappy sacks.


    Moltex Öko nappies are available in 4 standard sizes


    Value Packs Economy Box
    Mini 3-6kg / 6.5-13lbs 52 nappies £9.99 208 nappies £33.75
    Midi 4-9kg / 8.5-20lbs 48 nappies £10.99 144 nappies £29.75
    Maxi 7-18kg / 17-39lbs 44 nappies £10.99 132 nappies £29.75
    Junior 11-25kg / 26-55lbs 38 nappies £10.99 114 nappies £29.75
    MIXED BOX of 3 value packs - see below £29.75


    LINKS FOR OTHER WEBSITES SELLING MORE ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY DISPOSABLES (there are other sites so don't hesitate to do a web search):

    http://www.naturalbabycompany.com/

    http://www.earthlets.co.uk/default.asp

  19. #19

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    Default Re: reusable diapers

    Thanks for those links, Stormypagan. My sister is pregnant and lives in a desert area that suffers from water scarcity (along with overpopulation and cattle farming, but that's a whole other discussion) so she will definitely be interested in the newest disposables. I haven't seen anything quite as nice as those available in the UK but I will look further into it here (for her, as this house is well out of its baby years).
    Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. - Albert Einstein

  20. #20
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    Default Re: reusable diapers

    You are very welcome Dianecrna :0) I am sure if you do a search on the web you will find them, good luck with that, and if I find anything I will pass sit it on :0)

    I just feel it's our duty as defenders of mother earth and all that live on her, to do the best by her, and I believe it starts with our children. Therefore, environmentally/natural parenting seems the inevitable choice :0) I know you cant be 100% perfect all the time but you can try to do as much as you can!!

    Love and light
    Xxxx Stormy xxxX

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    Default Re: Disposable diapers / reusable diapers ??

    Cloth strictly. I believe it is a myth that diposables ever come close in earth freindliness etc. to reusables (if so we would all use disposable clothes and not wash those either!). But cloth nappies could certainly be better if they were organic hemp etc., cotton isnt the freindliest thing on the planet. you can buy these Hemp nappies and organic cotton though and not everyone lives in a desert (I have plenty of tank water that goes into a greywater system, I dont wash my nappies in anything other than a biodegradable laundry liquid)

    Even if you are in a desert the water to water the trees to make the diposables comes from somewhere and will be more per nappy than to wash each cotton nappy. But that said we all make comprimises, there are plenty of things I would like to do better, I use plenty of petrol in my car and generator. You do what you can. I need a nap too! but my freind has been a single mum since the beginning and I think that can be a pretty good reason to use disposables! I couldn't have done ANYTHING the first few months after having a baby and his father washed ALL of them (THEN!)

  22. #22

    Default Re: Disposable diapers / reusable diapers ??

    Definitely reusables. We've been using cloth nappies/diapers full time with our daughter since she was around 3 months old.There are all types of cloth nappies on the market now not just terry squares.i buy many nappies second hand now and havent had any trouble with them so far. in the long term they are so much cheaper than buying disposables. i wouldnt care if i never saw another disposable nappy again and if we have any more kids will use cloth from birth.

  23. #23
    VeganMata's Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable diapers / reusable diapers ??

    thank you for posting this!! its SOOO IMPORTANT to sue cloth diapers!! we have a bunch of organic ones by many different brands. i prefer to support the work at home moms and any small business though

  24. #24
    piper
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    Default Re: Disposable diapers / reusable diapers ??

    I tried cloth diapers for about 3 months w/ my first but they were just so huge and bulky and every time she needed a diaper change I would also have to change her entire outfit ( usually just a "onesie" and jammies ) because it would always leak through. BUT...I do wish I had stuck it out just a little longer and stayed w/ cloth. I sure don't feel so great about throwing away all those disposables and now that my little boy is almost out of diapers, it would be silly to invest the $$ in cloth now. *sigh*

  25. #25
    Plastic Pants
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    I Love wearing cloth diapers and plastic pants.

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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    I use cloth diapers. A service is an unnecessary expense. There are lots of amazing styles to choose from and they're not your mamma's cloth diapers, they've come a loooong way. Try these sites: heinyking.com; cottonbabies. They're easy and great for the environment. When we travel we use cloth or the G-diaper. The diapers from heinyking come with instructions but basically you just rinse of any solid waste; wash in a cold cycle; then wash in a hot cycle. No bleach ever (bad stuff, anyway) should be used on the diapers. They come in so many styles: one size, all in one, hemp, organic cotton, with snaps, or velcro.... We love ours. I would say you need about anywhere from 10+ a day. Get more than you think you'll need. If you're registering for a shower, put those on your registry because the initial investment is not cheap, but over all you save tons of money and our planet.

  27. #27
    Can't cook. Sarah_'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    Barf. I know it's good for the environment but I should think scooping a bunch of baby crap out of a cloth would make me ill. I don't care if it's my kid-it's crap and I won't touch it. What do you use to scoop the poop off the cloth? Where do you put the poop afterwards? Do you just rinse it off in the sink? If so, how disgusting. What happens when you're away from home and you need to change a diaper? Just hang on to a diaper full of poop for hours? Also, when it's time to wash them I wouldn't want anything NEAR my washing machine that had once had crap all over it. I'd have to hose it off outside first on the driveway for a few minutes and then wash it separately from everything else and then run the washer a few more times with nothing in it to make sure it was clean for my other clothes. It seems quite disgusting to me, and the amount of water I'd waste cleaning it would so not be worth it.
    I guess it's a good thing I'll never have children.
    Either this wallpaper goes, or I do.

  28. #28
    Karma Junkie vava's Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    I am very biased in cloth nappy favour - see my profile and webpage for info - it is illegal to put human poo in the dustbin - so even if you use disposables you should be putting poo down the toilet before disposing of the disposable nappy.

    Cloth nappies nowadays have fleece inners and poo just drops off this fabric into the loo and the nappies can then be stored in a bucket within a mesh bag dry pailed until they are ready for the wash. Disposables really stink because of all the chemicals in them. The only chemicals in cloth nappies are the ones the owner puts there! Cloth nappies do not stink whilst they are in the nappy bin waiting to be washed and then you simply take out the mesh bag with the nappies in and place the whole lot in the washing machine and they sort themselves out in the washer. If you want pleasant smelling dirty nappies you can add some drops of your favourite essential oil to the rim of the mesh bag in your nappy bin.

    Cloth nappies are better fitting than disposables so if your child is leaking in cloth - it is a wrong nappy for the child or the fit is not correct. Try wearing disposables with breast fed poo babies and watch the clothing changes at every poo. A cloth nappy correctly fitted will not leak wee or poo. Unless it is absolutely sopping.

    Cloth all the way!

    I notice this thread was started a while ago - check out this link for current info.

    http://www.clothnappyaddicts.co.uk/

    loads more if you google cloth nappies....
    even perfect isn't perfect - Rubyduby 4th July 08

  29. #29
    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    Quote vava View Post
    it is illegal to put human poo in the dustbin - so even if you use disposables you should be putting poo down the toilet before disposing of the disposable nappy.
    i didn't know that, and i bet most people don't bother!

  30. #30

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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    Well, for one thing, after kids are past the infancy stage, they don't really poop every diaper change. If you're exclusively breastfeeding, you don't need to do anything with the poop. Until my son started solid foods, I just tossed all his diapers together in the dry diaper pail, and when the pail was full, into the washer it went. It's not like dealing with adult poop! Toddler poop is kind of gross, but eh. I think you get used to it.

    We do use cloth diapers, both for our health (the chemicals in disposables kind of ick me out) and to keep from adding more to the landfill). They're super easy, not pins and plastic pants like in the olden days! If anyone wants more info about cloth dipes, feel free to pm me.

  31. #31
    snivelingchild's Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    I use cloth doggy potties in my house. I pick the poo up with toilet paper and flush it, then throw them in the machine. It's actually not that gross (unless you have a dog with health problems like mine) but I'm used to it. It's just as gross as washing reusable menstrual pads. It's natural.

    When out and about, people often have to tuck used disposable diapers in the diaper bag, folded up of course, until later. It's not much different with wrapping up cloth diapers up to wait for the washing. Plus, with a baby, you do laundry much more often.

  32. #32
    Can't cook. Sarah_'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    ^ LOL, I'd never use a reusable menstrual pad either. Those and those Diva cup things just gross me out.
    Perhaps I'm too squeamish for my own good? Does everyone else not have a problem with menstrual blood and feces?
    Either this wallpaper goes, or I do.

  33. #33
    Karma Junkie vava's Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    I feel quite sorry for you, must be horrible to be squeamish about a natural bodily fluid like a period, poo I can inderstand a bit more, cos it can be full of bugs, and you do need to be careful but periods....
    even perfect isn't perfect - Rubyduby 4th July 08

  34. #34
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    Yeah I use a mooncup and after the initial 'Eughh you can see the blood' there's no problem!

    As with the nappies, I don't think I'd be too happy to change re-useable nappies but the I see there being no other choice. I don't ever wish to use disposables apart from maybe at night (if i needed to!)

  35. #35
    Can't cook. Sarah_'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    Quote vava View Post
    I feel quite sorry for you, must be horrible to be squeamish about a natural bodily fluid like a period, poo I can inderstand a bit more, cos it can be full of bugs, and you do need to be careful but periods....
    Well, to be clear it's not the fact that it's a period that grosses me out, it's the fact that it's blood in general. And while I do think that changing a reusable diaper is utterly repulsive, I understand that it is more environmentally friendly and I am glad people use this option. I just never plan on having to deal with these things 'cause I never plan on having kids. I find children to be just as gross as poo.
    Either this wallpaper goes, or I do.

  36. #36

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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    Poop isn't nice to deal with, I won't lie. But neither is the cost of diapers (and menstral pads) that just get thrown away. I can't stand throwing money away like that. I think it's all just something you get used to.

  37. #37

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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    We started out buying Nature Boy biodegradable disposables, very expensive, but we liked them. When #2 came along, we couldn't afford those for 2 babies (#1 was still only 15 months old). So I bought some regular disposables. Luckily I got some hand-me-down cloth diapers, not the best, but they turned me on to cloth when he was 2 months old and we've done cloth ever since, with the exception of disposables sometimes at night (and during my bad morning sickness with the others when I could barely stand up much less face scraping poop into the toilet). I've had 2 in cloth diapers for quite a lot of time, and it works out just fine. I run a load of diapers in the washer every 2-3 days.

  38. #38

    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    Ancient thread bumpage.

    What sort of wraps do the cloth users here favour? I can't say the idea of plastic fills me with joy, by fleece sounds kinda leaky.

    If it wasn't for the whole 'It's from sheep' thing wool would sound good to me, but obviously that's not a direction I'm prepared to go in.
    Quitting something because it's hard is wrong, and quitting something because it's wrong is hard. One takes cowardice, the other bravery.

  39. #39
    not2ez2bgreen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    There is another option in place of or in addition to cloth diapers!

    Elimination Communication. Its the idea that children, even from birth are aware of their elimination needs, and use body language as cues. Parents can tune themselves into these cues, and recognize when their child needs to eliminate and take them to an appropriate spot to do so, such as a training toilet. For many it's a crazy concept to have an infant or child go around pantless, but it really can work, if you are willing to give it a go.

    We have used EC but we have also used cloth diapers, and disposables. We never really got into using the cloth diapers full time because we didnt have a big enough stash to last until we could get a whole load together to wash. We have also used disposables, for the convenience factor, but when we do we always use diapers with organic cotton fill, which is better for the enviroment than the gel fillings on the production end, even if they do all make it into the land fill.

  40. #40
    treehuggingmama
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    jflj
    Last edited by treehuggingmama; Mar 12th, 2013 at 12:49 AM.

  41. #41

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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    I used cloth diapers for both my kids, and I found I handled poop less when I used cloth diapers than before I switched to cloth. Disposable diapers didn't seem to keep the poop contained as well and it would end up all up the back and on the clothes and on whatever the baby was sitting on (or me!) But all the poop stayed in the cloth diapers. I had a diaper sprayer hooked up to my toilet to spray out the diaper to make it easy to dispose of poop, and then I'd put the wet-but-not-poopy diaper in a diaper pail and wash every other day. It was much easier than I thought it would be!

  42. #42

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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    I second what gx2 said, we had massive poo blowouts until we switched to cloth. We're talking all the way up the back to the neck. Since we made the switch over a year ago we've never had that happen. They're really not difficult to use at all. We used to have some fancy ones where the poo slid right off into the toilet. We've switched to 100% cotton but it's still not as disgusting as everyone thinks. We just rinse in the tub if it doesn't all come out, and we throw them in the washer at night. Easy for us!

  43. #43
    BeetIt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    Quote treehuggingmama View Post
    We use cloth nappies with our 7mo and we think they're great.. Also I have read that they are better for teaching baby when she needs the loo as she can feel her wet bum in cloth nappies x
    this was the case for us. The disposables have the technology to wick away the moisture from the skin, which sounds great except when you're potty training you need them to feel it! Went went cloth for expense and environment. In the end it was just easier. (Get it? In the end? See what I did there?)

  44. #44
    Cakeaholic rainbow's Avatar
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    Default Re: Disposable / reusable diapers ??

    I just ordered GroVia nappies. Most of the time, they're completely reusable. But you can also use a disposable insert within a reusable shell. My parents will be providing two days of childcare a week and my Dad doesn't want to deal with reusable nappies. So this was a compromise; the disposable inserts create less waste than fully disposable nappies, because the shell still gets reused, and the rest of the time we will stick to the washable inserts.
    Live and let live

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