Diapers Q&A - Why do so many parents use regular diapers, not cloth?

Why do so many parents use regular diapers, not cloth?

I personally used disposables with my first until he was 2 1/2, then switched to cloth. My second child was about 6 months at the time. Now I'm pregnant with my third and I am extatic to use cloth on the new baby! Do people not know that cloth diapers are not like the ones your grandma used to use? Do people even care that it's cheaper to use cloth and better for our environment? I don't understand why somebody wouldn't use cloth. Why wouldn't a parent want to use cloth?

Public Comments

Because a LOT of parents do not have the luxury of being able to wash and wash and wash. Cloth is great if you have time to increase your washing workload by about a load or 2 a day (depending upon how many cloth diapers you have on hand). Myself, we adopted a 9 and 11 year old...so I got lucky and didn't have to mess with diapers, and gave 2 kids that are AWESOME the loving home they needed. :)
If/when I have kids I will use cloth mostly for environmental reasons but also because they're healthier as they don't have all the chemicals in them.
because clothe does not pull wetness away from the baby. I used cloth for a while, but my porr baby smelled like pee. I enjoy saving money, too, but it was too messy for me.
I agree with you, cheaper and better for environment. The convenience of disposible was deemed for travel and visiting, but our rationale was that as long as we had a washer/dryer, why not use them? We saved a bundle and paid for the washer many times over.
I use cloth too, but I am at home full time. I don't think many daycare centers, which so many people use, allow cloth diapers. I know I LOVE my baby's cloth diapers and am so glad I only used disposable for a month - gift packages from my shower. Cloth leak less and I can change my baby as often as I want and not worry about money! And for any moms considering cloth - they really aren't the cloth diapers our grandmother's used. There are NO pins; there are diaper covers with velcro that don't leak; you can get a birth to potty package that has tons of diapers so you can do wash two or three times a week, not everyday; they don't smell any more than disposable.
I've never used cloth diapers, but I know some people prefer them. I like disposable diapers because they are quicker and easier. You don't have to rinse them and then wash them (and always be doing wash, there's enough us moms have to do than to worry about having to wash the diapers again because your almost out!). I was also worried about accidentily poking my baby with a saftey pin. From my view, the only good thing about cloth diapers is they don't add to the landfills and you probably save quite a bit of money (then again, maybe the laundry detergent and electric bill from doing all that wash would equal out to what disposables cost??)
Retailers and manufacturers make more money on a "Pampers baby." The big retailers and manufacturers have lead the public to believe that disposables are healthy (they're really not), they're not so bad for the environment (duh!), that diaper rash is normal, and that cloth is messy and inconvenient. You and I know that cloth is easier and (once you know what you're doing) doesn't leak. Not to mention the money we've saved!!!!! I occasionally meet someone who knows about pocket diapers and other convenience products, but retailers don't want us to know about them. The big one (I wish I had a backward "R" on my keyboard) publishes a book that tells expectant parents that cloth diapers are messy, and require pins and vinyl pants. Not in my house! I'm proud to wash my own diapers (1-3 times per week, not day). Kudos to you!
I used cloth until my daughter was 6 months. She ended up with a bad rash around her tummy from the rubber pants so that's when we switched. I have a ton of cloth diapers to get rid of now! Wanna buy them? lol!
Why do some people have to think that their way is the only way? Why wouldn't someone be able to at least understand that people do what they can when they can? While I'm sure that on top of using cloth diapers you also make your own baby food out of vegetables grown in your own garden fertilized with your own compost, that you will drive all three of those kids around in a hybrid Civic when you're not using your own legs to pedal them around town on a bicycle towing a buggy, that you will never buy them brand new clothes because used ones are cheaper and still have a lot of life left in them, please try to "understand" that other people don't share every opinion with you and that they don't have to justify their viewpoint to you.
Ummm ... Cloth are regular diapers. i do daycare and ONLY use real diapers. No paper for us! We use mostly pocket diapers, like Happy Heiny's and they have a fleece layer that wicks away wetness and doesn't leave any of that creepy gel that paper diapers tend to release. To the person who wants to sell their cloth. Get some wool or PUL covers. Vinyl pants have gone the way of the dinosaur! -)
Well one good reason is daycare. Most Daycares will not allow cloth diapers to be used. Another reason would most don't like having to change a diaper at a store and stick it in a bag and carry it around with them. Me personally I just didn't have the energy when my boys were born to keep up with washing them all the time. They have to be washed a lot or they add up and stink (I have friends that use them) and if you get enough to go a week or two without washing that is alot to build up. Some just don't like the idea at all. My grandma of course warned me about using them because all three of her kids ended up with horrible rashes because the plastic holders would cause moisture to get worse in the diapers but i realize they are different now. I guess it is just one of those things like breastfeeding, some woman like it while others don't for their own reasons.
The basic truth is........not many people know how to get a service, and are WAYYYYYYY to lazy to wash em themselves. Every store sells the disposables. It's all about lazy.
Excuse me if this is a bit harsh, but NUTS with the environment. What is best for the child. A lot of science has gone into the "regular" diapers. Those people who design those diapers do so with the welfare of the child in mind. Take note, if "you" are concerned with those terrible terrible chemicals that might contact your baby's skin, consider the chemicals in the laundry soap, or detergent, the left over chlorine from the bleach used, and chemicals that might be in the water that could react with the baby's urine. Are any of you biologists, or chemists? Have you spent years testing what is in what, and how it affects the baby? If not, trash the cloth diapers and trust those scientists that developed those "regular" diapers. One major problem with those so highly lauded cloth diapers by some of the respondents is that if you miss with the pins used to keep this thing on your baby, you could skewer your child with that pin. Then you have the chance of infection. As I said at the beginning, trash the cloth diapers and NUTS with the environment. A little time with the "regular' diapers is not going to be a super disaster for the environment. If you feel that strongly about it, use the "regular' diapers for extra material in a compost pile. You could dump them in an eclosed container with water and let the bacteria in them produce methane for heating and cooking with. Now that would be a super plus for the environment. After the bacteria are done, the liquid effluent would make a great fertilyzer for lawn or garden. You run a much higher risk of skin problems with your baby using cloth diapers than you do using the other kind. Besides, who wants 2 messes to clean up after, a soiled diaper, plus the leaks from them, or just one mess the baby did in the diaper?
because when my son has to pee he has to pee. PLUS I work full time and the last thing I want to do is wash poopy and peepee 'washrags' all night long. The main reason I personally like the disposable diapers is because those really bad runny diareah poopies that run out of his diapers. It would stress me out more if I had to worry about a cloth diaper leaking on my sunday dress than just paying the extra money to buy diapers that can go anywhere and do anyhting almost. But you stick to what works for your lifestyle, disposable diapers fit mine better thats all
Its honestly about convinience, cost, time and how lazy or not parents are! Its just easier... sad but true.
I am so tired of people who think their way is the only way. You use cloth diapers. Good for you. Just because that is what works for your family doesn't mean it works for mine. Honestly, I plan on using cloth with this baby. I'm 33 weeks pregnant and have been looking into it. I find it very confusing. I have no idea where to start and the whole sizing issue is confusing. I live overseas so I have to order the diapers and I have no idea which ones to order. The web sites are surprisingly vague when it comes to questions. And the initial investment is a big one so I'd like to order the right ones the first time out. Plus, where we live there are no diaper services and I'm still confused as to how you wash the darn things. So, for me it is all about not knowing what I'm doing. But my main point is that I think it is rather egotistical of you to come on here and insinuate that if someone does something differently than you then they are doing something wrong. Our family believes in eating an all natural diet. We try to avoid sugar, preservatives, msg and trans fat. What do you feed your children? The way we eat isn't easy to do. The mainstream grocery stores are loaded with junk. We do our best but it is hard work and I understand that many families are too busy to take the time to go to the extremes we've gone to. Should I log on here and post a question asking why, why, why people continue to feed their families Hamburger Helper or Teddy Grahams? I'm sick of the stupid debates on this site. Every day it is the same shit. One woman is making another feel bad because she doesn't breastfeed. Another gets mad because some mom said she believes in spanking. Then there are the work or stay at home debates. Now we're going to attack eachother over which diapers we use?? What the hell is wrong with all of us. What ever happened to live and let live. You're happy with your choice to use cloth. Good. Be happy with your choice. It is a good thing. But do you think it is fair to judge someone who has made a different choice? No wonder parents are exhausted. They are constantly having to answer to everyone else about their choices. And often they're damned if they do damned if they don't. Personally, I'm tired of justifying myself to people. I homeschool because I believe it is the right thing to do. I stay at home because I want to be the one to raise my kids. I'm pagan. I believe in an all natural diet. I believe in the family bed. I believe in breastfeeding for the first two years of life. I think cloth diapers are a good idea because they seem cost effective. All of those things work for *me*. If you don't like it too friggin' bad. If they don't work for you then fine. Do what works best for your family. I'd never assume that my way is the right way for everyone. It is just the right way for ME and my family. I sure wish other people would stop and think before they shoot their mouth off.
The answers here say it all -- people have no clue what cloth diapers are like. They think that they still need pins and rubber pants and that they require loads and loads of extra laundry, or that soaking diapers smell badly. They don't think about the environmental impact of diapers filling landfills. They don't know, or wish to know, about the health impact of the special "absorbency" chemicals which are part and parcel of all modern disposables. They have no idea that using disposables will cost considerably more over the long run, even if they have an extraordinarily large diaper wardrobe for their babe. Myths, legends, misinformation and plain ignorance fuel behavior here as in most areas of life. Not unusual, but sad.
I used them on my twins. Did you know the sun naturally sterilizes them and takes out stains? Just scrape of the poo. Wash as normal in hot water and hang on the line. Sun does the rest. No chemicals no real effort. Loved cloth nappies
I'll chime in on why I did not. To preface, you should know that I am very into healthy living, and natural everything, and especially reducing my own carbon footprint. But diapers was one place where I caved. First, I was committed to cloth diapering. I bought a couple of covers and a bunch of diapers at some place like Rite-aid. Had baby. Called local diaper service. Out of business. Called other local diaper service. Out of business. Bought diaper pail and Oxyclean. Cheap diapers and covers leak. Baby was covered in poop all the time, and so not only did I have to wash all the diapers every day, I had to change her clothes every time and wash them (separate from the diapers) every day. Then the baby got a rash. I treated her for thrush. I powdered her. I used all manner of creams and anti-fungal applications. Still she had a rash. I temporarily switched to disposables. Rash went away inside of the diaper. Turned out she had eczema. I made a second attempt later. This time I bought the very best covers and the very best hourglass diapers (about $200 total). They still leaked. They still ruined all of her clothes. Or they cut off the circulation in her chubby legs. And they took AGES to dry. And then the rash came back. I was finished. At that point, I decided that I'd better lay off my heavy-handed uber-conscientious-earth-mother thing, because I was being taught a lesson. :) With my second baby, I decided I could still make a difference. I used disposables and let the damn things fill up to 5 lbs before I changed them. I could get down to only two or three a day, and reduce his exposure to inhaled acrylates at the same time. Not perfect, but at least it left me with lots more time to find other ways to be super(green)mom. :)
Parents just don't want the bother or to make the effort. It is a lot of work to use cloth, but it's totally worth it, as you know! I think it's a shame that more parents don't....
Because I work full time and have a hard enough time spending time with my son and husband and making dinner and cleaning the house. I don't have time to clean cloth diapers. Maybe more friendly to the environment, but just doesn't work for us. And before anyone says if I used cloth diapers, I wouldn't have to work because they are cheaper, no...diapers aren't our only expenses and at this time (though I'd love to) I can't quit my job. (Believe me, we've looked at this several times) the $ just doesn't add up to what it needs to.
I think the majority of parents hear cloth diapers and think of rubber pants, pricking babies with pins, and pails of bleach water. Just look at the new cloth diapers at www.diaperpin.com! Also-the detergent I use only requires a few tablespoons. I do not use bleach-that breaks down the fabric. If the detergent and water made such a bad impact on the environment we would all be running around in disposable paper outfits. It's really not that hard, I know lots of parents who use them and they work full time. I only have to wash every other day, and I've travelled down the country with my son in them. I haven't put him in a disposable since I made the switch over a year ago. I think parents should think about babies comfort too-most of us had to wear maxi pads after childbirth-those are really uncomfortable. Now imagine your child in something similar-that's a disposable diaper. When my son was in disposables he had bleeding rashes, I tried every brand out on the market and nothing helped. Turns out that some babies are allergic to that gelly stuff they have inside. My sister has seen me change a cloth diaper full of poo-real easy just plops in the toilet and goes into a dry pail. She still can't fathom it but complains about the price of pampers. I think it's really overwhelming at first if you don't understand it. I also can't stand that people leave the poop in a pamer, wrap it up, then it goes into a landfill to rot for hundreds of years. Read the package-it says that poop is to go into the toilet. This is so human waste doesn't go into our land.
Because its the mothers choice on if she wants to use them or not, just like its her choice on if she wants to breastfeed or formula feed.
I find the idea of having to wash out my baby's diapers that are filled with poop, disgusting. I know it is less expensive and less of a "waste"- but not at all convenient. When I go on an outing, I don't want to have to bring plastic bags to keep the carseat dry, or put wet or soiled diapers in. I find the convenience well worth the extra cost, as well as the fact that I don't have to have a laundry service just for cloth diapers or wash them myself. With the advances in the absorbancy of disposable diapers, I don't have to worry about leaks, and my child stays dry. Just because some things are better for the environment and less expensive doesn't mean we should all give up the comforts that technology has given us. I personally only ever used the cloth diapers as burp rags, as many people do. It's good that there are people out there like you who are able to put the cloth ones to good use, but as for me- I'll keep the disposables!