Getty Images
DCL
This post is part of a series on choosing the best diapering option for your baby. First up, the pros and cons of using cloth.
Baby goes through a whole lotta diapers before she graduates to the porcelain bowl, (or, if you're like me, to that funny little plastic potty in the corner of the kitchen). And the type of diapering you choose has a huge environmental impact, plus, turns out, may have health implications for your baby, as well. Chances are, if you're in America you're using conventional disposable diapers.
Based on the latest data, about 95 percent of American tiny tushies are wiggling about in those. First let's look at the environmental impact of that choice: Disposable diapers make up 5 percent of landfill waste in the United States. About 18 billion disposable diapers were discarded in America last year, and the average American baby will go through about 5,000 changes before she switches to undies.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates it takes up to 500 years for a standard gel-filled disposable to decompose. A small, but significantly growing number of parents are forgoing the convenience of disposables either some, or all of the time in favor of Great Gramma's old standby, cloth. If you think cloth might be right for you, ask yourself the following questions:
