Some benefits of cloth diapering are obvious while others really aren’t. In the spirit of Real Diaper Week, let’s talk about them!

Saving Money. This one is pretty obvious, especially if you have used disposables in the past. Let’s say you buy 2 boxes of name brand disposables once a month. For 2 ½ years, you would spend $2,100 on diapers alone. Want to add in the cost of wipes? You’re now looking at $3,000. This total also includes only one child!! By purchasing cloth diapers and wipes, you can save over $2,000 and use them for multiple children. How awesome is that?!

Help the Environment. Disposable diapers take decades to decompose. It is believed to take anywhere between 200-500 years. Did you know that human waste is not supposed to go in to our landfills? Solids are supposed to be dumped into the toilet, like a cloth diaper, with disposable diapers. How many diapers do you think that really happens with?? Not many!

Decrease in Chemical Contact. In the world we currently live in, there are so many chemicals that we are exposed to. Putting your baby in cloth diapers, you are decreasing the amount of toxins they are coming in contact with. These include Dioxin, Tributyl-tin, and Sodium Polyacrylate. Dioxin is a carcinogenic chemical that has been linked to cancers and is banned in most countries. Tributyl-tin (or TBT) has been known to cause hormonal changes in humans and animals. And the best one of all is sodium polyacrylate. Sodium Polyacrylate used to be in tampons until the 1980s when it was found to be increasing the risk of toxic shock syndrome. It is no longer allowed to be in tampons, but it is still in our disposable diapers.

Convenience. When we used disposables, I cannot even tell you how many quick late night trips my husband had to make for a diaper run. We’d think there were a few more here or there and then there was none to be found! Now, all my diapers are always in my house and with washing every few days, I always know I have enough. Of course, the fluff mail that comes every once and a while from Cotton Babies helps too! 😉

Decrease in Diaper Rash. Rashes can be caused by a number of things: chemicals, sensitivities, moisture, etc. Most cloth diapered babies rarely get diaper rashes. I know we’ve had a lot less in our house since we made the switch to cloth!

Need I say it?? They’re adorable!! There is every color and pattern to match any outfit! My daughter didn’t care so much when she was younger, but now that she’s almost 2, she loves picking out which color or print to wear with her dresses. We’ve even made it into a learning lesson teaching her colors. Of course I catch myself calling them, “mirror,” “butternut,” and “dazzle.” But she’s still learning blue, yellow, and purple.

What are a few benefits to using cloth that you didn’t know about?