Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloth diapers – Make the right decision!

Ever stumbled upon making a choice between cloth diapers and disposable diapers? I did! Let’s talk about the advantages and disadvantages of cloth diapers. We chose cloth diapers for both my kids and we had some great experiences and some hassles that come with cloth diapers which I will be sharing with you in this post. If you are preparing your home for your baby, here is a list that can help you and here are some Baby essentials that are most helpful.

What are the advantages of cloth diapers?

1. Cloth diapers are eco-friendly

EPA reports around 4.1 million tons of waste generated by disposable diapers on landfills only in the US. That is huge!!

On average, we use around 200 disposable diapers a month. Multiply it with 36 months (taking 3 years as an average time we use diapers on babies), that is around 7200 diapers!!! And that is just one baby that I am talking about. Now imagine the amount of waste we are generating using disposable diapers. This math was my major reason to start using cloth diapers.

By using cloth diapers we can at least try to reduce our part of the waste that is being generated.

2. Lowers Diaper rash problems

Diaper rashes and allergies are much lesser in cloth diapers as there are no chemicals used in them that can irritate a baby’s sensitive skin. And it allows better airflow making it more comfortable for babies to run around wearing them.

This is the main reason for most parents to consider cloth diapers over disposable diapers.

3. Way cheaper! Do you really save money using cloth diapers?

You can calculate the cost of 7200 diapers for a baby over 3 years time approximately. Over the cost of say 12 or 24 cloth diapers that can be reused and the only money you will be spending is on the water and detergent in cleaning them. Isn’t that awesome? Who doesn’t love saving money!

4. Cloth diapers are versatile & super cute

Honestly, I fell for the cuteness of these cloth diapers when I was expecting my daughter. You get to choose colours, characters and so many varieties which just makes you say awww…

By versatile, I mean you can use these cloth diapers at your convenience.

• For those who hate cleaning the potty from cloth, you can choose to use disposable liners which can be flushed in the toilet.
• You can double layer the cloth liners if you need more absorbency.
• You can choose to use the soft natural fabric at home which is super comfortable for baby’s skin.
• You do get fleece liners if you want to use it on the go and dont have time to check diaper often.
• You get variety of liners right from thin, bamboo, super absorbent to choose from as per your needs.

5. Promotes early potty training

When I say this, I am not kidding! My daughter was potty trained when she was 18 months old and she initiated training herself.

Cloth diapers get wet and babies can feel it and are aware of the discomfort helping them understand the whole potty training idea.

6. Repurpose

While they are eco-friendly and help with recycling easily. They are also very efficient to reuse and repurpose with subsequent babies if taken good care of.

If you no longer need them, you can even donate them or sell them (Yes, I didn’t know you can sell used cloth diapers).

What are the disadvantages of cloth diapers?

1. Inconvinience

It is the fact! Cloth diapers are not as convenient as disposable ones.

• You need to learn how to use them.
• You need to take good care of cloth diapers.
• You will be dealing with a lot of laundry and washing.
• It is not convienient to carry them outside the house.
• They need to be changed more frequently when compared to disposable diapers.

2. Needs time to wash and clean

This seems to be the biggest disadvantage of cloth diapers. Washing them and taking care of soiled cloth diapers is a time-consuming task. Even when you use a washer to wash them, it needs a pre-soak in hot water, a gentle detergent and most of them have to be tumble dry so it is a lot of work.

But honestly, it seems like a task. I have been doing it for almost 3 years combining both my kids and it actually isn’t. I mostly soak all the soiled diapers in hot water and Dettol and put them in the washer at night every day and tumble dry them so it is ready in the morning.

3. Not as absorbent as disposable diapers

Cloth diapers need to be changed more often when compared to disposable diapers. Almost every pee! You do get fleece liners which keep them dry a little longer than the normal fabric, but not as long as disposable diapers coz they are not designed with chemical superabsorbers.

Which diapers are better disposable or cloth?

While we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of cloth diapers above, I am a huge fan of cloth diapers just coz the fact that it is chemical-free. But that does not mean it is the right choice for everyone.

Weighing the pros and cons of reusable diapers, you can decide what suits your family the best. There is definitely no right or wrong answer here. You make the decision that is best for you & your family!

FAQs – Cloth diapers advantages and disadvantages

How long do cloth diapers last?

Typically, you can use cloth diapers for up to 3 years. But if you take good care of them by washing and cleaning regularly, it can last longer.

When should I start using cloth diapers?

You can start using it from month 2 or 3 when the baby is around 10 lbs. You get the option to snap down or snap up sizes so it fits the baby best. Check out Alva baby cloth diapers which are super cute and easy to use.

How many hours should cloth diapers be used?

It is preferable to change the cloth diapers every 2 hours to avoid any kind of skin irritation. As the material is cloth, the absorbency is limited making it uncomfortable for babies.

Switching from disposable to cloth diapers

If you are planning to switch from disposable to cloth diapers,

• Make sure to check and change the diaper every 2 hours.
• Avoid using rash creams or oil that can stain and affect the durability of cloth diapers in long run.
• Be prepared for an extra load of laundry.

How do you put on cloth diapers overnight?

You can totally use cloth diapers overnight. Here are some useful tips for night times:

• Plan to use hemp inserts or fleece inserts that can last a couple of hours extra.
• Make use of the cloth diaper pockets to put on the insert so that baby does not feel the discomfort.
• Stock up your diaper caddy with a few disposable or cotton liners that is accessible at night.

Switching to cloth diapers for potty training

This is the biggest advantage of cloth diapers! If you choose to use disposable diapers, do plan to switch to cloth when you start potty training your toddler. Cloth diapers speeds up the training as there is no chemical to absorb and the baby can feel the discomfort.

• Cloth diapers ensure that toddlers stay dry for up to 2 hours and interest them to try the potty.
• When there is an accident, they know there was one coz they can feel the discomfort.
• You can get their favourite characters on the cloth diapers so they can be mindful of not wetting them.
• Choose to get a few training pants for day time which can be used as underpants later.

Thank you for checking my post! If you found it useful, please show some love by commenting below. If you have any useful tips that you can share about your experience wrt the pros and cons of reusable diapers, feel free to let me know!