Choosing diaper type: Cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers

When choosing your baby’s diapers, you have two options: disposable or cloth diapers. This is a very personal decision and no one should try to convince you to choose either. You can try an option and then switch, or use both types, alternating between them.

Disposable diapers

Most disposable diapers are equipped with an absorbent layer to keep your baby’s waste away from their skin to avoid irritation, chafing, or leakage (although sometimes it’s inevitable). There are many brands of disposable diapers, which, over the years, have improved and now are more comfortable and lightweight than ever. There are also eco-friendly options that help reduce the number of diapers that reach landfills. These diapers used to have ingredients that caused health concerns to parents, but lately, these materials have been replaced for safer ones; for example, latex was replaced by spandex. 

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PROS

• They are convenient, especially when you’re out and about.
• Don’t need cleaning, you simply throw them away.
• Are easy to change.
• Are very absorbent, so your baby may require fewer changes.
• Good for preventing leakage.

CONS

• They are not the greenest option, despite the existence of eco-friendly disposable diapers.
• Most contain chemicals (that have not been proven to be harmful), but some parents prefer their baby to not be in contact with them.
• They are expensive.
• Their absorption capacity prevents discomfort, so compared to cloth diapers, it can be more challenging to transition to underwear when potty training.

Cloth diapers

Cloth diapers today are not like the ones used by our grandparents. Today’s diapers are very modern and the different types vary in absorption and texture. In some countries, there are diaper cleaning services or you can wash them at home.

PROS

• There are many choices of fabrics and designs to choose from.
• You can save money –especially if you wash them at home.
• They are environmentally friendly.
• They don’t contain chemicals.
• It may be easier for your little one to say goodbye to cloth diapers making the transition to underwear smoother when potty training.

CONS

• They have less absorption capacity –but it depends on the diaper–, compared to disposable diapers.
• They can be difficult to clean.
• Washing them at home is time-consuming and may increase the cost of electricity and water.
• Hiring a cleaning service can be costly.
• When you change your baby’s diaper and you’re not at home, you need to store the dirty diaper in your diaper bag.

We described some pros and cons of both kinds of diapers, but remember every parent can have a different experience in their use. So, check out which kind of diaper fits better with your lifestyle and personal preferences!