Cloth Diapers Versus Disposable Diapers; Cloth Diapers Have Less Chemical Reactions to Baby Sensitive Bottoms
There are a number of reasons why parents are switching to cloth diapers instead of the disposable diapers and one reason is money. Cloth diapers save an average of $25 to $35 per month depending on if the parents wash the diapers themselves or use a diaper service.
Another concern of the disposable diapers for many parents is keeping the baby’s skin dry, healthy and free from diaper rash. There are many different ways a baby can get diaper rash: prolonged wetness, lack of air circulation, chemical and dye allergies, soaps, ammonia formed by bacteria that interacts with urine left sitting against the skin and the growth of microbes in the diaper area could all be irritating and cause rashes.
The best cloth diapers can not prevent diaper rash. A parent must be vigilant about changing a baby’s diaper to guard against wetness and to prevent diaper rash.
A few of the concerns about disposable diapers include sodium polyacrylate which is the super absorbent gel and dioxin, a byproduct of bleaching paper. In the past, sodium polyacrylate has been linked to Toxic Shock Syndrome, allergic reactions and very harmful and potentially lethal to pets. According to the EPA – Environmental Protection Agency – some of the dioxin and dyes is known to cause damage to the central nervous system, the liver and kidneys. The Food and Drug Administration or FDA has received numerous reports that the fragrance in disposable diapers causes headaches, rashes and dizziness. Problems reported to the Consumer Protection Agency include chemical burns, noxious chemicals and insecticide odors, babies pulling disposable diapers apart and putting the pieces in their mouth or nose, choking on tabs, paper and linings, plastic melting on to skin and ink stains on skin.
Some babies do perfectly fine with disposable diapers while others have reactions ranging from the mild to the very severe while wearing disposable diapers. To be on the safe side many parents choose cloth diapers with a diaper cover and either have a diaper service pick them up and wash them, or wash them out themselves to save time and money in addition to avoiding potentially dangerous reactions to disposable diapers.