cloth diapers

Choosing a child care program can be difficult for parents. Many parents feel guilt over leaving their child in the care of others, and worry about the quality of care their child will receive. Added to this dilemma, parents may worry that their chosen child care program will not accept cloth diapers, or will use them reluctantly.

Being faced with a parent who wants to use cloth diapers can be intimidating for child care providers. They may worry that the diapers will be hard to use or will leak constantly. They may not know what to do with soiled cloth diapers, and be reluctant to approach parents with their concerns.

Children's Health is the Main Concern

Parents choose to use cloth diapers for various reasons. Saving money and environmental concerns are popular arguments in the cloth vs disposables debate, but the foremost concern of most cloth diapering parents is their child's health.

Ironically it is the health of children that causes many child care programs to be reluctant to use cloth diapers. Due to the mass marketing campaigns of disposable diaper companies and popular misconceptions, many people feel that cloth diapers are hard to use and unsanitary. However, there is evidence to the contrary. According to a study led by Family and Health Systems Nursing, School of Nursing, Peabody College: "Analysis of the results of comparisons between cloth and paper diapers showed no significant difference in the frequency or the intensity of fecal contamination in child day care centers." Assuming the child care program's diaper-changing procedures are followed, cloth diapering systems can easily be used along with disposable diapers without compromising a sanitary environment.

Diaper Changing Procedure is Most Important

According to the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care, a diaper must be "able to contain urine and stool and minimize fecal contamination of the children, caregivers, environmental surfaces, and objects in the child care setting." Both disposable and cloth diapers meet this standard, although of all the modern cloth diaper systems, the All in One and Pocket styles may be the best choices to fulfill this requirement. In any case, the actual diapering procedure is more vital for the promotion of sanitary conditions than the actual diaper used.

Regulated (licensed or certified) child care programs are required to have diaper changing procedures that fulfill state or county regulations. These regulations are set up to minimize illness, especially those of the small intestine, by promoting healthy and sanitary conditions. Because the vast majority of small intestine illnesses in the child care setting are spread by fecal contamination, proper sanitation procedures are essential to stop the spread of diseases like Hepatitis A, Rotavirus, Giardia, E. Coli, and Shingella. I'm sure we can all agree that we don't want these diseases spread to our children!

Although the regulations covering diaper changes may differ from state to state, a good diaper changing policy will include:

• Handwashing of the caregiver both before and after the diaper change
• A dedicated space used only for diaper changes with a hard, washable surface and close to a sink that is not used for food preparation
• Hygienic disposal of paper diapers or storage of cloth diapers in an inaccessible covered container
• Washing and disinfecting the changing surface after every use
• Washing the child's hands after the diaper change
• In addition, children should always wear clothing over diapers

Some programs also use a disposable barrier like a waterproof pad under the child's bare bottom and require that their staff wear disposable gloves during the diaper changes for added protection against fecal contamination. This is not necessary as long as hands are properly washed and surfaces thoroughly washed and disinfected.

Don't assume that every child care has, or follows, sanitary diaper changing procedures, especially if your child care provider is unregulated. I know of unregulated providers who change diapers on the bed, couch, or floor surrounded by the other children. One that I know of even asks toddlers to throw other children's soiled diapers into the garbage can! Be sure to ask your child care provider what her diaper changing procedures are.

Cloth Diapers and Child Care CAN Get Along Together

Parents who want their child care program to use cloth should familiarize themselves with their state's rules and regulations concerning diapering in child care settings. Contact your local Resource and Referral agency or Department of Health and Family for a copy of your state's child care regulations. Be sure to choose an easy to use system of cloth diapers, and teach your child's provider how to use them. Also remember to show appreciation for the child care provider's willingness to step out of her comfort zone. A simple "Thank you" can go a long way.

Child care providers who are faced with a parent requesting the use of cloth diapers should familiarize themselves with the cloth diaper system presented by the parent. Be sure to ask any questions you have, and share any concerns or difficulties you may experience. Keep an open mind, you may enjoy the bright colors and soft feel of cloth diapers in comparison to the institutional

As stated earlier, the type of diaper used is less important than proper diaper changing procedure. Both cloth and disposable diapers can spread disease to children and child care workers if handled improperly; both cloth and disposable diapers can be convenient and hygienic when handled properly. It's easy to see that cloth diapers and child care do go together!

When it comes to purchasing baby bedding and cloth diapers, you definitely want to take a look at organics. Every parent wants the very best for their infant, and organic baby bedding and organic cloth diapers offers just that.

Baby bedding and cloth diapers are particularly important areas to think of using organic products. After all, infants spend a lot of time in their cribs and diapers. It's estimated that babies spend up to 60% of their time in bed, so you want nothing less than the healthiest products possible in this extremely important environment-and babies spend practically every minute in their cloth diapers. It's crucial that these items are as free of chemicals as possible for your baby's health.

Organic baby bedding and cloth diapers offer purity and healthiness. Organic cotton is grown without the use of chemicals-and in fields that haven't had chemicals used in them for a minimum of three years. This eliminates chemical toxins that are found in traditionally grown cotton.

Because babies spend so much time in their cribs and cloth diapers is just one reason you want to reduce your baby's exposure to as many potential toxins as possible. Another is that, as anyone who's spent any time with infants and toddlers knows, babies chew on everything from their baby bedding and baby clothes to their fingers and toes-they'll even chew on a cloth diaper if they can get to it! Toxins left in conventionally grown cotton baby items go right into your child's digestive system and from there, directly into their bloodstream when chewed on.

Many child health care practitioners believe that early exposure to chemical toxins found in traditional cotton cloth diapers and baby bedding causes children to develop allergies, asthma, and have an overall lower immunity to illnesses of all types. Whatever a child is surrounded by is not just chewed on-it's breathed in and absorbed through their skin too. Because babies are in the process of developing and growing, they experience more serious effects when exposed to toxins from environmental chemicals and poisons. And the greater the exposure, the greater the risk for infants.

Also, another wonderful advantage of organic cotton baby bedding and cloth diapers is that they are especially soft. The lack of chemicals leaves the cotton softer and more pliable. Too, organic baby bedding and organic cloth diapers are usually not dyed. This also helps make them softer than the traditional cotton baby bedding and cloth diapers we are used to.

If you want your baby bedding with some color or patterns, look for types that use vegetable dyes. You'll be assured you're getting the baby bedding with the least chemical toxins available. It will still be incredibly soft.

When it comes to baby bedding and cloth diapers, organic is definitely the best choice for your baby. Thanks to society's increased awareness and interest in environmental issues of all types, organic baby bedding and organic cloth diapers are of the highest quality of any time in history. Purchasing organic baby bedding and organic cloth diapers ensures you're getting the safest, purest bedding and diapers possible-and fewer chemicals and toxins means a healthier baby.

Originally, “diaper” was referred to the type of material rather than the usage. Linen was the original diaper cloth. Shakespeare wrote “"Another bear the ewer, the third a diaper" in The Taming of the Shrew. In US, diapers are often referred to as "pampers" from the popular brand.

Diapers are made with absorbent layers of disposable materials, terry toweling fabric or cloth. The choice to use either disposable diapers or cloth is controversial. Most attribute health, convenience emphasized by the makers of commercial diapers whereas the cloth diapers are cheaper and have less impact on the environment.

Cloth diapers are reusable, place less stress on landfills and are washable. Children wearing cloth diapers tend to get toilet trained earlier, since the cloth retains moisture, permitting the child to feel when it is dirty and wet causing them to associate the feeling with elimination. Eco friendly and alternative materials, which are grown without any use of pesticides, such as unbleached hemp and organic cotton are also used in some niche market diapers.

In recent years, cloth diapers have become more user friendly, with Velcro or snaps and pre-formed. The pocket or stuffable diapers are also getting popular. These diapers come with an outer shell sewn on three sides to a stay-dry liner. In many cities, there are cloth-diapering services, which deliver clean diapers and pick up soiled ones.

Disposable diapers are normally made of a waterproof exterior which resembles cloth in appearance, an inside layer which is actually a moisture-wick and an inner core to absorb the moisture (mostly dried hydrogel). The cloth diaper market has been taken over by the disposable diapers.

Unintentional and intentional chemicals are laced up in disposable diapers to speed up the absorption process. Even though the system enables to keep the skin dry, there is a potential risk of skin irritation suffered by the baby.

The ease of simply throwing away a soiled diaper is the inherent convenient factor for the popularity of disposable diapers whereas the cloth diapers leads to the irritating chore of washing it.

One of the recent developments is a reusable, flushable hybrid system, which contains an outer pant – quite fashionable – and an inner part, which absorbs the moisture. The inner part can be flushed or disposed of easily and the outer part is reused after washing.

Baby diapers are most certainly big business in the United States and all other western countries. Disposable diapers are what most people use and there is a never-ending market for them. Most parents find them much more convenient than cloth diapers. You can clean up easily without having to launder the diaper.

Disposable diapers were first seen in stores in the 1940s, but they took a while to catch on. They were too expensive for most people and those who could afford them often had servants to do the baby care and laundering so they did not see the benefit. Also, the early disposable diapers were just in one size that did not always fit the baby well, so they leaked worse than cloth diapers.

In the 1950s, when disposable diapers started to be manufactured in different sizes, they became more popular with the rich. It was not until the 1970s that the price of disposable diapers (along with many other plastic-based products) dropped to the point where they became affordable for most people. People very quickly found how convenient they were and it was soon considered very old-fashioned and even unhygienic to use cloth diapers.

Disposable diapers have continued to improve every decade, becoming lighter weight, more absorbent and better fitting. Different styled diapers for boys and girls appeared, they were given cute designs, and diapers became more environmentally friendly due to customer demand. There are now several large manufacturers, all claiming to make the best disposable diaper for your baby.

In the late 1990s and 2000s there has been a swing back towards cloth diapers. This has come about for many reasons. One is the increasing interest in the environment. People are concerned at the way our garbage is increasing. They do not always think of the environmental cost of laundering cloth diapers, and the electricity, water and detergent that it uses.

Cloth diapers have changed a lot in the last 50 years. The cotton used these days is treated so that it stays much softer and is easier to wash than it ever used to be. They come in different colors now with cute patterns. Diaper pins have gotten more cute too, and many cloth nappies do not even need them, because they fasten with buttons or velcro.

Even with cloth diapers you do have a disposable section which is the liner. This means you do not have to deal with big mess on the diaper itself. Another advantage of cloth diapers is that children who wear them will usually toilet train earlier because they can feel the unpleasantness of being wet in a cloth diaper. On the other hand, a small baby in a cloth diaper is more likely to wake when it is wet for this same reason.

Cloth diapers are also less irritating to the skin for most babies, and as many babies these days develop skin problems like eczema, this can be important for parents in their choice of baby diapers.

The debate about whether to use cloth diapers over disposable diapers has raged for years. Those who swear by disposables claim their convenience trumps any drawbacks. Those who use cloth diapers have equally-strong opinions about their diaper choice.

My spouse and I, after having used both cloth diapers and disposables, decided to solely use the latter. But, we realized that cloth diapers offer many benefits that disposables lack. In our research, experience and through conversations with others, we learned some of the main reasons why some new parents choose to use cloth.

Reason #1: Cloth Diapers Cost Less

While estimates vary widely, many experts agree that from the moment of birth through the time when a child is becoming potty-trained, new parents can expect to spend over $2,000 on disposable diapers. With the added cost of baby formula, food and other necessities, $2,000 is a significant expense. On the other hand, an entire set of cloth diapers will likely cost under $100. Also the cloth type can be reused for any brothers and sisters who may be born later.

Reason #2: Cloth Diapers Are Better For Your Baby's Health

Some parents claim that cloth diapers help prevent your child from developing skin rashes because the cloth lacks the chemicals that are often found in name-brand disposables. Though information is limited, some studies suggest a link between the chemicals in disposables and sterility and cancer.

Reason #3: Cloth Diapers Are Environmentally-Conscious

Disposable diapers go from our babies' bottoms to our nation's landfills. It's estimated that American children use 18 billion disposables each year, adding 80 tons of plastic and 1.3 million tons of pulp wood to our landfills. Instead, cloth diapers go from our babies' bottoms to our washing machines before landing back under our babies' bottoms. In other words, they have little negative environmental impact.

Reason #4: Cloth Diapers Accelerate Potty-Training

Studies have shown that when children use cloth diapers, they often make the transition from diapers to potty-training more easily. There are a couple of reasons why this may be so. First, cloth diapers don't have the ability to soak up wetness and keep your child dry like disposables. So, when your child soils the cloth type, they are more likely to feel the sensation and want to learn how to avoid it.

Second, some research has shown that many children grow attached to their cloth diapers. They began to feel a level of responsibility for them, often trying to remove them when they feel the need to eliminate. This tendency continues to grow as the child ages and eventually encourages the transition to potty-training. Though some people doubt the validity of these reasons, additional research seem to support the findings of earlier studies.

Should You Use Cloth Diapers For Your Child?

Ultimately, your decision to use cloth will depend on how important some of the factors above are for you and your family. Some new parents are extremely concerned with their contributions to the environment. Others place a higher value on convenience. Still others focus on the difference in cost between cloth and the disposable alternative. I suggest trying both. That way, you'll know from experience which is the better choice for your child.

As you come to the crossroads of choosing which cloth diaper style is best for your baby, there's no need to look any further than fitted cloth diapers. These diapers are the perfect blend of convenience and cost-effectiveness for your baby.

Everything Stays Where It Belongs

When it comes to what Baby deposits in the diaper, I think we all can agree that it's best if it stays in the diaper. After all, no one wants to feel that oh-so-lovely ooze that can come from the south end of a sweet little baby.

With prefold cloth diapers and contour diapers, there's nothing to keep the mess from coming out around the legs. You can pin and Snappi the diapers as tight as you'd like, but there's still a distinct possibility for escaping poo.

If you choose fitted cloth diapers, however, the elastic at the leg holes keeps everything right where it belongs - in the diaper and off of your hands and Baby's clothes. The fastenings at the waist also stop the upward creep that can happen with a particularly nasty diaper.

You Can Easily Stay All-Natural

Many parents turn to cloth baby diapers out of a desire to live a more natural lifestyle with their child. However, many cloth diaper covers are anything but natural.

Most pocket diapers and all-in-one cloth diapers have a waterproofing layer made from a laminated fabric like PUL. PUL is polyester sprayed with a chemical to make it watertight. Obviously, not exactly natural.

With fitted cloth diapers, you can select your cloth diaper cover separate from your fitted cloth diaper. This allows you to use a diaper cover made of a natural fiber, such as wool, to waterproof your cloth diaper system and keep your baby (and his clothes) naturally dry.

Effortless Airing of That Precious Bum

Even with the most tender of care, Baby's bottom may get a bit rashy from time to time. This can happen because of an illness, an irritant in a new detergent, or even the heat of summer. None of it, however, is comfortable for Baby.

One of the best ways to clear up a nasty case of diaper rash is one of the most basic - air. However, it can be difficult to air out a baby's bum without creating a series of puddles throughout your home.

With a fitted cloth baby diaper, you can put just the diaper on without a cover and allow air to circulate to Baby's bottom. While not waterproof, this system will keep the worst of the puddles at bay. With frequent diaper changing, you can keep everything dry and clear up that diaper rash that is so plaguing your baby.

So while it may seem that cloth diapering is difficult, there are many benefits to using fitted diapers. When you weigh what's most important to your family, it's highly likely that fitted cloth diapers are in your family's future.

If you’re a new parent, you’ve probably heard your grandparents telling you how lucky you are and singing the praises of disposable diapers. Way back then, the only option was cloth diapers, which require a ton of laundry work. See, less than thirty years ago, disposable diapers were considered a luxury. Nowadays, everyone uses cloth diapers and people that use cloth diapers for their babies are considered to be odd. There are several reasons that modern parents might want to use cloth diapers instead of disposables, and, believe it or not, cloth diapers are starting to make a bit of a comeback.

The main reason that a parent may choose to start using cloth diapers instead of the name brand disposables is the cost. Cloth diapers are much cheaper than disposables, even if the parents are paying a diaper service to haul away the used diapers and bring clean ones each week. Disposable diapers can easily cost well over one hundred dollars per month or more, and you’ll be paying this expense every month for around two years. Many parents are starting to forgo the convenience of disposables to save this extra money.

There are also environmental issues to consider. Disposable diapers are made out of plastic and a pad of absorbent cotton. Plastic does not biodegrade well at all, which means that our landfills are filled with diapers that aren’t going away anytime soon. Most people believe that the convenience offered by disposable diapers outweighs this fact. They might not consciously make this choice, but their actions speak for themselves. Environmentalists believe that those who use cloth diapers are taking one small step which goes a long way to protect and preserve the Earth for future generations.

Those whiny parents and grandparents might still have a few bones to pick with today’s parents who decide on using cloth diapers, because the today’s cloth diapers are much different from those that they were using on their own kids and grandkids several decades ago. They are used to awkward folding and having to use safety pins to fasten the diaper to the baby. Modern cloth diapers are pre-cut and shaped to cover the baby’s backside quickly and easily. They also have Velcro fasteners or snaps to make it easier to secure. One other added feature is that many cloth diapers now come with a flushable, biodegradable paper lining hold in solid waste so you can easily flush it down the toilet. So no more stinky diapers sitting around waiting for trash pickup day.

Cloth diapers are currently used by only a very small percentage of parents, but they are still out there and available. Any parent concerned with the cost or environmental impact of disposable diapers should seriously consider going with cloth.