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Converting to cloth Mum-of-two Alix Delahaye discusses the advantages of cloth diapering
Charlie Banana
These days, more households are looking to engage in sustainable lifestyle choices. Many parents like the idea of cloth diapering but are a little overwhelmed at the thought of it. In the first six months of life, a baby will go through between 40 and 60 diapers per week, that’s over 1,000 diapers which will end up in landfill. That environmental impact,
Charlie Banana
18 | EXPAT PARENT
along with some health concerns over the plastic-based ingredients in disposable diapers lead me to consider cloth alternatives for my two children. For many, cloth diapering still conjures up images from our grandparents’ days; with a muslin cloth and safety pin. However, thanks to some incredibly innovative brands, modern washable diapers have come a long way since then. They can be thrown in the washing machine without any soaking, the liner with poop gets flushed and most diapers can go in the dryer. I can happily say that since making the switch to cloth, I’ve never looked back. I now exclusively cloth diaper my five-monthold daughter and use them on my two-yearold son at night. Here are five reasons to give it a go.
and on multiple children, making them a much kinder choice for the planet.
1. Environmentally sustainable Most brands of disposable diapers are not biodegradable, meaning they will stay in the landfill for hundreds of years. Cloth diapers that are well-cared for can be used for many years
4. Tailored to snugly fit your baby Cloth diapering offers custom solutions to reach the adequate absorption level for your baby, thanks to many types of shells, inserts, and boosters.
2. Plastic-free Disposable diapers raise safety concerns due to the nature of plastics they contain, most of which act to increase absorbency. Some studies show that chemicals in disposable diapers could be considered potentially threatening to baby’s skin and hormonal development. Cloth diapers are a far more natural way of diapering and tend to cause less irritation to baby’s bottom. 3. You’ll be financially better off In our household, the overall cost of cloth diapering has worked out to be 60% cheaper compared to if we were to use green premium disposable diapers.
