The average baby will use nearly 6000 disposable diapers which requires about four to five trees to make. Then there is the plastic for the liner and the chemicals used to both bleach the wood pulp and to create the super absorbent inside. After manufacturing the diapers we next have the cost of disposing of the diapers. A baby diapered for 2.5 years will generate two tons of waste in just diapers alone.
And then we have the cost to my pocketbook. Take the figure of 6000 diapers times a conservative $.20 each. That equals $1200 to diaper one child. Multiply that by 2 or 3, or my brother's 5 kids ($2400, $3600, $6000) and that's a lot of money!
I've spent about $100 on our stash of cloth diapers. There is the continued cost of laundering and replacing/repairing diapers that fall apart, but that is minimal. So far, my favorite diapers are pocket diapers like the bum genius and happy heinys, but they retail at about $18 each, so I only have a few that were gifts or bought on clearance. Other than they are super convenient, they have snaps in the front so they grow with your baby. 
My second favorite, and much cheaper option is using proraps with homemade inserts. The covers are about $8.50 each and you only need about 2 a day. The inserts cost me less than $1 to make.I do still use a disposable at night, and when we travel. Bryan uses them a little more liberally than I do. I think he does it so that I will always change Brett's diaper, so he won't put a disposable one on him!
I'm getting much more committed to the cloth diapering myself - in fact I just got an order of new cloth diapers yesterday! I love the bumgenius but for the sake of color choices have decided to branch out a little with some other brands. I'm really pushing myself to save the disposables for the exception rather than the rule. I agree I think a lot of people just don't realize how far cloth diapering has come and how addicting it can get!
ReplyDeleteJoy,
ReplyDeleteI haven't checked in for a while since things have been so busy around here... and once I finally do, I find THIS post!! Have you been reading my mail??? :0)
I seriously have been thinking about cloth diapering our next baby (Henry is thankfully getting close to being toilet-trained)... and you make a convincing argument! My main reason is the cost -- although the eco-friendly side is very appealing as well.
Do you use a service or do you clean them all yourself? We live so far out in the boonies that there isn't the option of a service. How are they as far as holding in the moisure? And the poo? Do you use them for naps as well?? What are the negative aspects? (Lots of questions here, but I have been thinking about it and I'm thrilled to find someone who uses them!! :)
Amber
You make your mama proud! Watch your mail, Brett. G & G Sitka
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