Why we chose to cloth diaper

Bum Genius

The first time I came across cloth diapering during my pregnancy, my first thought was why are people still using cloth diapers in this day and age???  I thought it was such an old fashioned, unhygenic, backward thing to still be doing in such a modern time. But the more research I did, I realized that if anything was backward and old fashioned it was actually me and my ignorance on the topic.   I came to realize that cloth diapers have evolved so much over the years and that without a doubt they are the healthier option for the baby. The fact that they are eco friendly is an added bonus.  I honestly never thought I would be the type to actually enjoy cloth diapering, thats right I actually enjoy it. And this really surprises me becaue  I'm not granola, crunchy, earthy or hippie,  I'm just a regular girl who likes the convenience of modern technology. I thought I would hate cloth diapering, but decided to try it and hopefully grit my teeth and endure it for the sake of my baby but I actually love my cloth diapers!! So hear me out and maybe you might be convinced to give cloth diapers a try.


Reason number 1 -  I discovered that disposable diapers are loaded with harsh chemicals such as

•  Dioxins which are a by product of bleaching the diapers white
•  Sodium polyacrylate which aids absorbtion and helps prevent leaks. It often forms into small gel beads and lumps that can be seen on the babies skin when the diaper is taken off. Huggies claim that these gel beads aren't harmful to the skin. Yeah right.
• Volatile organic compounds such as ethylbenzene, toluene, xylene
• Many other chemicals like  polypropylene, polyester,  polyethylene, synthetic rubber and dyes.

Even pampers swaddlers (which we use at daycare) still arent chemical free, although they contain some soothing ingredients like aloe.  All these harsh chemicals can cause, irritate and aggravate baby skin as well as have other effects on the endorine system of the body.

Reason number 2 - Even though cloth diapers cost more money upfront, in the long run they work out to be cheaper than disposable diapers. Once you have built up a stash of cloth diapers and all necessary gear, all you do is just reuse it rather than constantly having to buy new disposables.

Reason number 3 Cloth diapers are eco friendly. This is an issue that has been heavily debated, since cloth diapers need to be washed over and over again, many argue that the water and energy used in washing the diapers is just as bad as the trees and landfill space used in disposable diapers. I beg to differ.

Reason number 4- Cloth diapers don't blow out and hardly leak if used correctly.. If you don't know what a blow out is consider yourself fortunate. If you're squeamish just skip to the next paragraph! Basically a blow out or diaper explosion is when your baby poops so much or with such force that it literally explodes the diaper and goes EVERYWHERE. Cloth diapers can withstand this and are able to contain what every poopy surprise your little one has waiting for you, disposables can't.  Since I started using cloth diapers I have never had a blow out or a leak. But disposables constantly leak, especially overnight. Even the almightly pampers swaddlers.

Reason number 5- Disposable diapers come in multiple sizes, so you have to keep going up a size as the baby grows, and sometimes your baby will outgrow a size half way through the box and you end up with half a box of diapers that are too small. Whereas the one size cloth  diapers are adjustable and grow with your baby.

Reason number 6- Cloth diapers come in cute and fun colors and prints, so you dont need to buy diaper covers to match your baby outfits.


SimplyChic baby is currently in daycare and sadly they don't allow cloth diapers, so she wears disposables (Pampers Swaddlers) to daycare but soon as she gets home she is back in her cloth diapers and wears them evenings, over night, weekends and any day she doesnt go to daycare.  Her skin is very sensitive and the one time we tried Huggies diapers she got angry looking bumps all over her bottom by the end of the same day!! So that was the end of that Huggies experiment. I actually did a side by side comparison of the huggies diaper with the pampers swaddler diaper and you can tell that the huggies feels rougher and harsher on the skin.


For our cloth diapers I chose to go with Freetime diapers by Bum Genius shown in the photos below

As you can see from the photos, they are an all-in-one, one size cloth diaper which means they go on just like a regular disposable diaper and have either hook & look (velcro) fasteners or snaps. They are one size which means they are adjustable to fit a baby from 8lbs to 35lbs. Which means we didnt use them right away when baby was born because they were too big for her, plus she needed a diaper that didnt touch or cover her belly button until it healed properly.   So far baby loves being in cloth diapers and  as you can see in the photo she looks cute as a button in them. Stay tuned for the next post about the actual cloth diapering process plus all the gear and cost involved!

Happy friday!