Not many people consider cloth diapers for their baby, although the numbers are growing. When the subject of cloth diapers comes up most people picture the large, white rectangles of fabric their grandmother used with pins. The good news is, while still available, this is not the modern cloth diaper!
There are several varieties of cloth diapers, but the “Cadillac” cloth diaper of today features one unit with an absorbent center, elastic around the legs and waist, snaps to adjust the rise so it spans several sizes, a waterproof outer layer - often in cute prints - and Velcro or snap closure.
Many people find that when they switched their baby to cloth diapers they experienced less diaper rash. This may be due in part to less exposure to chemicals and plastics used in disposable diapers. The soft cloth is also more comfortable on baby’s bottom!
Cloth diapers are significantly less expensive than disposables. Cloth diapering can cost anywhere from $50 (prefolds) to $500 or more for a supply that will last from birth to potty training. This range depends on the type and brand you choose as well as how many you want to own. Disposable diapers and wipes costs $100 a month on average, over the span of 2.5-3 or more years they end up costing around $3,000-for each child. Cloth diapers can often be used for multiple children.
Cloth diapers are more convenient (yes really!). No running to the store in the middle of the night because you ran out of diapers or wipes. Throwing them into the wash is no harder than taking out the trash!
Eco-friendly goes without saying. Disposable diapers are expected to take at least 500 years to biodegrade. Cloth generates significantly less trash. The detergents made specifically for cloth diapers are generally eco-friendly as well, so no concerns about putting more chemicals into the water.
Why not give it a try? You can save money and do something good for your baby and the environment. In Savannah, cloth diapers can be found at Just for Baby located at 7701 Waters Ave, or in the Midwife Mercantile store at the Birth Center (prefolds) located at 1692 Chatham Parkway. Brighter Day has a version called a “hybrid” diaper-cloth outer layer, disposable inner layer (but cloth inner layers are available elsewhere) it is located at 1102 Bull St. A great online source for cloth diapers is Kelly’s Closet.
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