Disposable diapers or cloth diapers for our newborn baby twins and why?

Question

Disposable diapers or cloth diapers for our newborn baby twins and why?

Answer 1

It's honestly 6 in one hand, a half dozen in the other.

Cloth diapers:

If you wash them yourself, they're cheaper and more environmental friendly. They'll add slightly to your water consumption, detergent usage and your septic tank, assuming you have a private tank.

If you have a service do them for you, it's not as environmentally friendly.  You have to consider the cost of gas, bleaches/detergents that they use on a larger scale, and the impact on local waterways, since the companies normally are connected to a sewage treatment plant which doesn't screen for phosphates and can't remove 100% of the nitrogen from the wastewater.

(Phosphorous and Nitrogen are the leading causes of eutrophication and algae blooms in waters, which lead to low oxygen levels and fishkills, etc).

If you use disposables:

They're less labour intensive (no rinsing and washing, etc) - they're easily purchased in the event of an emergency at 1am, etc. However, they are more expensive, since you cannot reuse them.

There's debate about the biodegradability of disposables, and the effect of human waste in landfills.  Most current landfills have liners and monitoring wells to ensure that no 'leakage' enters the local waterways.

In my case, I opted for disposables.

Why?

Here where I live in Denmark, they incinerate the trash instead of burying it in a landfill. 90% of all waste (that isn't recycled) is incinerated, with 10% being deposited in landfills.  The waste which is burned is used to generate methane and the burning of the waste also runs steam generators which help supply power to the local grid.  The heat from the steam is also channeled to local municipalities in the winter for heat.

Answer 2

I think that laundering cloth diapers isn't that big of a deal - one cycle every evening, line dry, and their ready for the next day.

I use the bumgenius 3.0 one-size pocket diapers and they've been a breeze.  They go on just like disposable with the velcro tabs, they wash up really well, and I NEVER worry about not having diapers.

I do use disposables when we are out for the day.  It's easier than storing a bunch of dirty diapers for the day.  I use the 7th generation brand and feel like I'm doing what's best for my son.  (who wants all of those chemicals in disposables around his "stuff" as my husband calls it?)

When I started, I bought 4 cloth diapers (two fuzibunz and two bumgenius).  It'll cost you about 80 bucks including tax and shipping and then you can try it for yourself without having to write the big check.

One other thing, you'll want to use disposables with the cord cut out until your babies' belly buttons are all healed up!

One more thing, it gets easier as they get older.  Since about 2 months, my breastfed son has done one poo a day (at about the same time each day).  I just swish the poopy diapers in the toliet and most of the stuff comes off.  The wet dipers just get thrown in the pail.

To reply to the above post - the fleece lining wicks moisture away better than any disposable that I've seen.  Sometimes they don't feel wet to the touch, then you remove the pad and sure enough, they're wet!  I usually check if they are wet by their weight - the feel heavier when wet.  And the "they're not that wet, I'll just keep this diaper on" doesn't ever happen with cloth because you're going to wash them anyway - what's one more?  (I've watched parents keep wet diapers on their kids in restrooms - yuck!)

Diaper rash - I've never had a case of diaper rash.

Answer 3

It really depends on where you live and your life style. If you have a cloth diaper service who will clean them for you, go for it. That will save you money in the long run. If you live in a rural area and have to launder them yourself it is a lot of work.

If I lived in a city with a diaper service I would switch for the sake of the environment, but I don't... and I don't have the best washer... so I am using disposable.

Answer 4

i would suggest cloth  it may be time consuming but its worth it especially with twins. cheaper to

good luck and congrats

Answer 5

depends on what your feelings are for cost effectiveness (with twins i would choose cloth) - disposables are not as environmentally friendly, not great for babies skin, does not encourage early potty training (they dont feel wet....why should they care?)

for me, and i would think with twins the easiest method would be dry pail method - what type of diaper depends on your budget - you no longer have to swish in toilet - just dump off solids - and if you have a utility sink when you launder just spray off to make sure - if no utility sink, they have sprayers that attach to toilet water line

with twins - i would suggest at least 6 dozen diapers - i have a frequent wetter (14-15) diapers a day - i use prefolds tho - not the pockets or aio, w/fleece, etc. - no matter what you chose tho i would still go with 6 dozen for twins

Answer 6

Disposable diapers wick away the wetness from the baby's bottom thereby preventing diaper rash. With cloth diapers they sit in ammonia filled diapers and are more likely to get a diaper rash. You are going to have your hands full just trying to keep them clean and fed. You are going to be dog tired at the beginning. My suggestion is that you start with disposable and then when you have a routine if you want to try cloth then give it a try. You are going to be doing so many new things that you will need to give yourself a break and do what is convenient sometimes.

Answer 7

I would say cloth all the way.  I recently switched to cloth and the washing is really no big deal.  I use Pocket diapers and AIOs.  They are easy to use and wash.  With newborns, a diaper service is better b/c they grow out of the newborn size so fast, but there are now even One size diapers that truly fit newborns.

Now that my son can talk, he told me he likes the cloth better.  He says that they are more comfortable, and so I am sure that they are more comfy for even those little ones who can't tell us.  

Good luck, and http://www.zbeardiapers.com/ has a great bargain bin when you want to buy some diapers!