Cloth Diapering Myths Busted

There are many myths out there concerning cloth diapers. We are going to bust some of the common myths in hopes of encouraging more people to start to cloth diaper their baby:

Myth #1
All cloth diapers are bulky and won't fit under my baby's cloths

Fact
Cloth diapers come in many shapes and sizes that will fit your needs. If you are looking for a trim diaper, avoid one-size diapers which tend to be bulky on smaller babies. You have to remember that disposable diapers start small and then will get bigger as it starts absorbing fluids. Cloth diapers tend to stay the same size or get smaller as they start absorbing fluids. By comparing a full disposable diaper to a full cloth diaper, you will probably find that the cloth diaper is the same size as the disposable.

Myth #2
I will have to do a lot more laundry than what I already have to do.

Fact
With cloth diapers, you will have to do more laundry, but depending on the number of diapers you have, you do not need to do laundry everyday. If you have enough diapers to last you 3 days, then you only need to do an extra load of laundry once every 3 days!

Myth #3
I have to store dirty, smelly diapers

Fact
After everything is said and done, you end up storing disposable diapers for a lot longer than you do with cloth diapers because you choose when you wash them.....you can't call the garbage truck to come when your diapers begin to smell really bad!

Myth #4
Washing cloth diapers will cause my utility bills to go up a lot.

Fact

The hydro and water needed to wash you diapers is a lot lower than you may think. Based on 2008 Hydro Quebec rates, it will cost you $0.40 for a hot wash, $0.18 for a warm wash, $0.02 for a cold wash and $0.17 for a dyer cycle (http://www.applecheeks.com/). One reason people notice an increase in their utility bills after a baby is born is not because of just washing diapers, it has to do with the extra water and hydro used because you are probably spending more time at home so the lights are on more, you flush the toilet more, you use the dishwasher more, etc. If you do use cloth diapers, you will be doing more loads of laundry but the increase in water usage just because of washing the diapers wouldn't be drastic.

Myth #5
Cloth diapers leak more than disposable diapers

Fact

Any diaper will leak once it becomes saturated. If you are someone who likes to keep their baby in a diaper until it is so full it falls off, then cloth diapers are not for you. However, if you like to change your baby's diaper every 2-3 hours, then you won't be changing your baby's diaper any more often with cloth. We found that making the switch to cloth diapers we were not changing our baby's diaper any more frequently. For night time use or when you need to go longer between diaper changes, you can add more layers in your diaper to make it more absorbent.

Myth #6

With cloth diapers I will have to scrub dirty diapers to get them clean.

Fact

Scrubbing the diapers is an option....but not an option we chose because of the mess. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, then you do not have to do anything to your diapers before putting them in the wash since breastfed babies' bowel movements are water soluble. If your baby is not exclusively breastfed, then you can add a liner to your diaper (we love the Bummis liner) so then if your baby does have a bowel movement you dump the liner and everything on top of the liner in the toilet and flush! The mess is all gone! The Bummis liner we use is super soft and is safe for septic tanks.

Myth #7

With cloth diapers I will be handling the dirty diapers more than with disposable.

Fact

If you have a waterproof bag/liner in your diaper pail, all you have to do is put the dirty diapers in the bag and then when it is time to do the wash, you take the whole bag, turn it inside out into the washing machine and then start the wash! You don't have to touch the diapers until they are clean.

Myth #8

Cloth diapers are expensive to buy

Fact

The initial investment is more than disposable diapers, however once you buy a set of diapers, you are done spending money unlike disposable diapers. If you do not want to make the commitment to buy a whole set of a particular diaper, there are many stores that have a trial program where they send you a variety diapers to try. At the end of the period, you decide if you want to keep any of the diapers. If you do not like any of them, there usually is only a small rental fee. If money is an issue, buying a one size diaper is the most economical option because it grows with your baby. By using cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers, you could save thousands of dollars according to some companies...and the amount you save increases if you take good care of your diapers and use them for additional children.

Myth #9

My baby won't like sitting in a wet diaper.

Fact

Everyone seems to concerned about babies sitting in a wet diaper expect the babies themselves. With the increase in popularity of disposable diapers that draw away wetness from a baby's bottom, everyone thinks that the diapers need to have that feature. Cloth diapers have been used by our parents and grandparents and they never had a problem with this issue. If you are still concerned about the wetness against your baby's bottom, there are many diapers that do have a quick dry layer (such as fleece or suede cloth) that is right next to your baby's skin so that they will not feel the wet absorbent layer. Cloth diapers can be just like disposable ones!

Myth #10
Cloth diapers are hard to fasten onto your baby

Fact
You can still buy the cloth diapers that require a pin to put them onto your baby, however there are many more diapers that use either Velcro or snaps to fasten onto the baby. Putting these types of diapers onto your baby is no harder than putting a disposable diaper...something that even Dad can do!