Are dispsoable diapers bad for your babies?

Question

are they bad for their health? I am trying to convince my husband to use cloth diapers!

Answer 1

Yes. Disposable diapers are full of chemicals, namely dioxin which is carcinogenic. The chemicals can cause skin irritation and rashes, allergic reactions, and they pollute the environment.

Cloth diapers are not bad for the environment. Yes, you use water to wash them, but water is a renewable resource unlike disposable diapers that sit rotting in a landfill for 500 years.

My water bill increased $3 a month when my daughter was born, and that is considering I now do an extra 6 loads a week with all of her clothes AND diapers, so it's not an increase in cost at all compared to the dollars you will waste on disposables.

My daughter has never had a rash using cloth diapers. She stays drier with them because they absorb better and don't get soggy like disposables. I use pocket diapers with hemp inserts and the lining of the diaper is dry to the touch.

If you choose to use disposables go for a brand like Tushies (www.tushies.com) which do not use absorbent gel, or 7th Generation which are chlorine free.

Some websites that give more information on cloth diapering are:

www.abbyslane.com (my favorite)

www.punkinbutt.com

www.treecitydiapers.com

www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com

And www.diaperpin.com is very helpful too.

Answer 2

Disposable diapers are not bad (as in unhealthy) for babies.  They are wasteful and not very environmentally friendly but they are less hassle and cost more as a result.  If you have more time than money or just want to save the planet...go natural.  If you don't have time to spare to do the extra washing...buy disposables.

I buy disposable;)

Answer 3

Ok basically I understand why you might want to use cloth diapers strictly. What I will say they are not unhealthy in any shape, way or form.

However you have to weigh the pros and cons of your decisions. With disposable diapers the rate of rashes, mosture lockage and disposal are great.  However they are bad for the enviroment.

With cloth diapers they are enviroment friendly, affordable as well as reusable. However you might have a kick *** electricty bill as well as some serious diaper cream usage in between. I mean I understand you want to do what is best for your baby. Maybe you and yoru husband should sit down and weigh all the options before you come to a decision. After all it couldn't hurt.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

I find it to be the opposite.  Cloth diapers are not near as absorbent therefore increasing your child's risk for diaper irritation or rashes.  Cloth diapers still need to be washed right?  That means that sure you might keep disposables out of a land fill, but you waste a lot of water and electricity by washing the cloth diapers everyday.  I don't see the point in it.  

You can either throw away a disposables or waste more water by washing cloth diapers....seems kind of silly to say one is more eco-friendly than the other.  Not to mention the fact that one cloth diaper costs as much as a full package of disposables.

Answer 5

Not bad for their health- but bad for the environment.  Cloth diapers are bad for the environment too, though.

Try biodegradable diapers or flushable liners with a waterproof exterior- or at least ones that aren't made with petroleum.

Answer 6

You can get earth friendly diapers at you local natural food store. there much better for the enviorment and not the hassle like the cloth ones. although i think cloth would be the best for the enviorment and washing them wont make your bill huge like others are saying. it just depends how absorbant they are.

i live in town with cheap water, i'd used cloth diapers. also feed the baby organic baby food. that is so much better for their health. keep the baby on a natural and organic diet and h/she will be so much healty then the other children just becuase he/she doesnt the fake, nasty artifical c**p in all the food. not just baby food, but everthring as they grow up. they'll thank you one day.

Answer 7

I do not know about the health of your baby but they are horrible for the health of the environment. Using cloth diapers is not as hard as most people think. Even with the detergent, water and energy used to clean them, they are far, far cheaper in the long run.

Answer 8

Well they do contain a lot of chemicals. Cloth diapers are a much better choice.

Answer 9

Actually if you look into the material the gel is made out of in disposables you would be quite disgusted. There is chlorine, rat poison and other nasty chemicals. Cloth diapers greatly reduces diaper rashes. The people who say they cause more is because you do have to change them more frequently. If you have a front load energy effiecent washer, the cost is VERY low to wash. Also it is advised to line dry cloth so there cuts out the expense of using the dryer. I would go cloth, they are super cute, no diaper rashes if your child is change when they go and saves LOTS of money in the long run! Good luck

Answer 10

Actually cloth diapers are not nearly as healthy for your baby.  The disposable diapers are horrible for the environment but are really good at keeping moisture of the baby's skin.  Cloth diapers cause a LOT more diaper rashes,  you can say it is nearly impossible to avoid a rash with cloth diapers.

Answer 11

They are not really disposable. They just say that. After the little one soils it up, run it under the hose, and its good for another round of p**p

Answer 12

For their health? LOL, no! You need to find a much better argument than that.

Answer 13

I'm not a fan of the chemicals used in disposables, but I don't know the current research on the actual impact in the baby.

I will say to those who said that disposables cause less diaper rash, my experience was the exact opposite, and I've heard many others have the same experience as me. My daughter had HORRIBLE rashes with disposables! They don't allow airflow, and because your baby might not feel wet, they could be wet for awhile before you change them. Even the most absorbant disposable can't wick away 100% of the moisture.

With cloth diapers, my daughter rarely gets a rash. I change her more often because she feels wet more often, but it's no big deal.

I love cloth diapering!! I will never go back to disposables!

Answer 14

Nope not at all. Disposable diapers do a good job of keeping moisture away from baby's skin.