Cloth vs disposable diapers: it is worth it in the long run to go with cloth? Check out the pros and cons of each and decide which is best for your baby & budget!
Are you wondering what diapers to buy for your newborn? Are cloth diapers worth trying? Then don’t stop reading to find an answer to your question. Having a baby is the greatest thing in a woman’s life. But after the baby comes, you suddenly realize that you should have stocked up on diapers, because you need tons and tons of them. And in time you start to think whether disposable ones are worth it and whether you should switch to cloth ones. Well, I’m here to help you make your choice. I’m going to talk about cloth and disposable diapers and compare them by price, convenience, and health.
Cloth diapers reduce expenses in half
If you’re looking at things in the short run disposable diapers are cheaper than cloth ones. A disposable diaper costs around 17-35 cents, depending on the brand and the quantity. The price of cloth diapers also varies depending on the brand and the material, but you can expect to spend around $7 per diaper.
However, until you start potty training your child, you’ll need around 8,000 disposable diapers. Yes, that’s right. Imagine how many dirty diapers you’re going to throw away! And how much will you have to pay for this?
Well, let’s do some sums! 8,000 diapers x 17c = $1360. And that’s if you go with the cheapest and biggest packages on the market. But since that’s not usually the case, specialists estimate that an average family will spend around $2000-$2500 on diapers and diapers accessories. Wow!
On the other hand, cloth diapers will be more expensive in the beginning when you have to buy in bulk. For reference, you’ll need around 24 diapers for a newborn and another 24 when your baby hits 15-20 pounds. So you can build a stash of cloth diapers for as little as $250-$500, depending on the brands and possible discounts.
Of course, if you’re using diaper laundering service, the price will go up. But if you do your own laundering, you’ll spend around $800-$1000 on cloth diapers, cloth diapers accessories (inserts, covers, wipes), and bills.
As you can see from a financial point of view, cloth diapers can save you money vs. disposable diapers. And that’s not all. If you decide to have another child, you won’t have to buy another 8,000 disposable diapers and spend nearly $2000. You can reuse your cloth diapers, which will reduce your expenses drastically.
Disposable diapers require less effort
If we have to be honest, disposable diapers are more convenient in most cases. You remove the sticky, full diaper, get the new one on, and throw the dirty one in the garbage bag. Easy-peasy, right?
Using cloth diapers means that you have to deal with the icky side of the problem. After all, you can’t just throw the diaper with the poop in the washer. In addition to this, you’ll be doing a lot of laundry which requires times and efforts. And after a hard day of taking care of a moody baby, you might not be up to this task.
Moreover, if you need to change the baby in the parking lot of the supermarket, you’ll have to take the dirty diaper home to wash it. And cloth diapers can be messy because they do not absorb so well as disposable ones. So be prepared to carry a bag of smelly diapers every time you go somewhere with the baby.
On the good side, cloth diapers are as easy to change as disposable one because they have Velcro or snaps and they fit snuggly. Moreover, you won’t have to rush to the supermarket in the middle of the night when you realize that somehow you’ve run out of disposable diapers yet again.
Cloth diapers don’t contain chemicals
Since cloth diapers are less absorbent than disposable ones, this means that you’ll have to change the baby more often. While for some of you that might not seem a good thing, regularly changing the diaper and keeping the baby dry means that you won’t have to deal with diaper rash often.
In addition to this, some disposable diapers contain dyes, scents, and chemicals, which will irritate the sensitive skin of your newborn. So, if your baby’s bottom is constantly sore, it might be time to get rid of the disposable diaper (or look into more hypoallergenic options, and yes, they do exist). Moreover, some babies enjoy the soft texture of the cloth diaper more than the texture of the disposable one.
Also, your baby will start to feel wet and uncomfortable in the cloth diaper when he grows older. So, it will be easy to start potty training and transition to undies.
Bottom line: you really have to decide whether cloth or disposable diapers are best for your baby, your budget, and your lifestyle. Honestly, either option is just fine. Don’t let anyone else try to talk you into choosing one over the other if you have your heart set on a certain type of diaper. Cloth diapers are worth it, but then again, so are disposable!
So what do you think about cloth diapers? Do you use disposable diapers or cloth ones? What’s your experience with both? Tell us in the comments.
Everyone must use reusable diapers for their babies because they does not contain chemicals & they are environmental friendly also
When my son was born there was not much hype on cloth diapers so we used bought. I think that worked well for us.
My diapering days are long behind me and we only used disposables when we were diapering. My sister in law is expecting in a couple of months, definitely sharing with her.
Babushka was a stay at home mom and used cloth diapers for The Trio. However, whenever BB went out of the casa with them, we did use disposables. BB2U
I don’t have any experience using either but an older coworker said she loved the cloth diapers. Curious to read what others think.
You know if I would have known about the cloth diaper when my kids were babies, I would have used them instead of the disposable ones.
Doctors recommend disposable ones as they are less prone to infections. Also cloth diapers retain moisture for log leading to skin rashes.
I don’t have kids so I don’t really have a preference but I feel like people will do what ever is best for them and their babies!
Cloth diapers is definitely better for the environment and far more effective. I used disposable diapers for my son but I’m seriously considering cloth diapers when I have another baby :D
Cloth diapers conceptually is the better idea. But I just never went in that direction and more power to those who make the choice to use them.
My daughter attempted cloth diapering with my granddaughter. It didn’t work out for them but I know a lot of people who love it.
Cloth diapers are definitely better for the environment but I know me. I could not! I hate messes lol
We used disposable for our first baby, then with our next two babies we did cloth diapering. It was a little more work, but so worth it for the cost savings and the fact that my babies always had such sensitive skin the cloth diapers worked better for our family.
I did disposables with one and cloth with the other. I loved cloth. There was a learning curve for sure but once that was done it was smooth sailing.
I started with cloth diapers with the twins and eventually ended up doing cloth and disposable. Disposable primarily when we traveled but cloth diapers most of the time. Saved money and helped get them potty trained sooner.
I used a hybrid and loved it. It was worth it for me. I have been told that going cloth all the way is definitely worth it. You save a ton!
I used cloth diapers and all my kids were potty trained completely by two. My daughter used cloth diapers for all three children. Same diapers for all three kids. All her kids are potty trained by two. Still think cloth diapers is the best.
I think cloth diapers are adorable, but they just weren’t for me. I preferred the ease of disposable diapers and I never felt guilty over it. I had friends who told me I should go cloth, and I’d always say, “No thanks!”
For me, disposable diapers were just easier to use and more convenient. Of course, cloth diapers have come a long way since my kids were babies. Back then, you had to use safety pins, etc. and it was a lot of work.