Cloth diapers for your baby: advantages and disadvantages of the alternative

Disposable or disposable diapers are used by most parents. You can choose between the classic diaper and diaper pants. But the sustainable cloth diaper, the eco diaper, is on the rise. More and more parents are choosing to wrap their child in cloth. Last but not least, the increased environmental awareness of broad sections of the population is probably responsible for this. If you have not yet decided whether you want to use cloth nappies or disposable nappies for your baby, here are the advantages and disadvantages of disposable nappies and cloth nappies.

Cloth diapers are often better tolerated

Many parents who use cloth diapers for their child argue that they are more skin-friendly than disposable diapers. Although this has not been scientifically proven, it may be that babies who repeatedly have problems with a sore buttocks or rash with disposable diapers may actually react less to cloth diapers. This could be related to the better air permeability of the natural materials of a cloth diaper. If your child often reacts to disposable diapers with irritated skin, it is worth considering testing cloth diapers.

Cloth diaper handling is more challenging

Today’s cloth diapers have nothing to do with the old-fashioned white triangular cloths or muslin cloths from grandmother’s times. There is a large selection of diapers with growing systems and folding diapers that work in a similar way to common disposable diapers. However, the use of cloth diapers is still associated with significantly more effort than the use of disposable diapers. The latter can simply be disposed of in the trash can after use. In addition, apart from purchasing them, they do not require any special preparation, but can simply be removed from the packaging. Cloth diapers, on the other hand, need to be washed and dried after each use. If inserts are used, they may need to be folded before reuse.

Cloth diapers are also a bit more demanding to use, at least at the beginning. It usually takes some practice before the diapers fit with just a few movements and keep the baby clean and dry. Disposable diapers all work according to the same principle, with cloth diapers the handling can differ from system to system. However, if you have a little patience, changing with cloth diapers will soon be just as easy as with disposable diapers.

Cloth diapers are cheaper to the same price in the long term

Cloth nappies are certainly more expensive than a package of nappies as a one-off purchase, but this one-off investment usually remains over the entire nappy years. Cloth diapers are therefore significantly cheaper over the long term, especially if they are also used for subsequent siblings. The only additional cost is for washing and drying the cloth diapers. If you use a diaper service for this activity, the costs for cloth diapers and disposable diapers roughly cover each other until the end of the diaper period.

Cloth diapers are less absorbent than disposable diapers

As far as absorbency is concerned, cloth diapers can rarely keep up with disposable diapers. The latter are equipped with scientifically developed absorbent cores that automatically turn liquid into a kind of gel. The absorbent cores of cloth diapers are simply made of absorbent materials, such as terry cloth or gauze towels, whose absorbency is severely limited. Cloth diapers often do not retain enough liquid, especially over a long period of time, such as overnight. Of course, this also depends on how much your baby puts in the diaper and what type of fabric you use. During the day, the deficit can usually be compensated simply by changing the diaper more frequently. At night you can put a pad under your child to protect the mattress.

Cloth diapers require more accessories

Changing with cloth diapers requires significantly more accessories than with disposable diapers, where you only need the diaper itself. A cloth diaper system usually consists of:

• the diaper itself, i.e. the absorbent core
• a waterproof overpants
• If necessary, additional absorbent pads and a diaper fleece that is supposed to keep moisture away from the baby’s buttocks.

If you are going on a trip with your child, these accessories can take up a lot of space. Also, you can’t simply dispose of a cloth diaper after changing it, you have to carry it around with you until you get home. This can be a problem, especially on vacation. Disposable diapers are therefore usually more practical for on the go.

Cloth diapers support hip development

Cloth diapers are health-promoting for babies because they almost automatically support the so-called wide-winding effect. Because there is more material than in a disposable diaper, your baby’s little legs are pushed apart, thus promoting healthy hip development. Of course, you can also achieve this effect with a disposable diaper, for example by placing a thick insert over the diaper.

Cloth diapers are more environmentally friendly

A plus point for the cloth diaper is its environmental compatibility. Disposable diapers produce a lot of waste, on average they make up about 5% of all German waste. Cloth diapers are simply washed and reused after use. The stool contained in a cloth diaper is disposed of in the toilet, where it actually belongs. It is true that many parents also use fleece inserts in cloth diapers to keep the baby’s buttocks dry. However, the amount of waste this creates cannot be compared to the mountain of disposable diapers. Of course, it is also important to remember that washing cloth diapers requires a relatively large amount of water, which has a different impact on the environment.

Cloth diapers harder to get

You can buy disposable diapers in any supermarket, drugstore or pharmacy. Cloth diapers, on the other hand, are not that common and you may have to search for a while before you find a store that stocks cloth diapers. When purchasing, you are therefore not as flexible as with disposable diapers. However, this problem only arises once at the beginning of the winding. If you have the necessary utensils together, you do not need to regularly replenish the inventory, as with disposable diapers, but always have the cloth diapers at home and available.

Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages. Just try both variants and then decide from experience whether cloth diapers or disposable diapers are better suited to your needs. Or ask other mothers what kind of experiences they had with which solution and how satisfied they were. With a little experimentation you will surely find the perfect solution for you and your baby.