the diaper breaks open, though, the gel may end up on skin or in baby’s mouth, leading to skin or gastrointestinal irrita- tion. Plus, because SAP allows diapers to retain lots of liquid while keeping baby’s bottom dry, the child may have a harder time recognizing when he or she is wet, and thus take longer to potty train than an infant wearing cloth.


Newest Innovations


New hybrid diapers now feature cloth outer pants that are free of latex, chlorine and fragrance, and smaller, disposable inserts made of absorbent wood pulp and polyacrylate (still a po- tential concern). The inserts can absorb


up to 100 times their weight in liquid. Because they don’t contain plastic, many can be composted, thrown in the trash or even flushed, although not in septic systems. Hybrids can be useful for traveling and are accepted at some day care centers that don’t have the resources to deal with cloth diapers. Companies that sell cloth diapers have reported sales increases of 25 to 50 percent over the past few years as eco-savvy parents convert from dispos- ables. These new green moms and dads are determined to ensure an Earth- and baby-friendly “bottom” line.


Barb Amrhein is an editor with Natural Awakenings. See ad on page 23.


CLOTH DIAPER RESOURCES


• AllAboutClothDiapers.com • ClothDiaperBlog.com • ClothDiapersMadeSimple.com • DiaperJungle.com • DiaperService.RealDiaperIndustry.org • GreenBabyGuide.com • RealDiaperAssociation.org


Cloth Diaper Myths vs. Facts by Maj Bass


Cloth diapers have come a long way since your grandma used to use them. But even with their recent enhance- ments, a few myths are still floating around. Here are the facts.


Myth #1: Cloth diapers actually aren’t any better for the environment than disposables.


Fact: Many who believe this quote refer to a 2008 study published by the United Kingdom’s Environment Agency. The study stated that there was no clear win- ner in terms of environmental impacts between disposable and cloth diapers in the U.K., once all factors such as water, energy, detergent and disposal were considered.


Unfortunately, this report failed to consider several key factors. For ex- ample, it only evaluated cotton diapers, whereas many diapers today are made from sustainable and easily renewable materials like hemp and bamboo. It also didn’t look at the lessened environmental impact of today’s high- efficiency (HE) washers and the reduced energy that results from line drying (which many moms do). Finally, it did not consider the reusability of cloth diapers. Because of their durability,


cloth diapers can be used with multiple children in the same household. Once all these factors are consid- ered, cloth diapers prove to be a clear winner over disposables.


Myth #2: Cloth diapers are difficult to use.


Fact: Years ago, cloth diapers were dif- ficult to use—but not anymore. Today’s versions resemble disposable diapers in both style and design. They close with velcro tabs (some have snaps), they no longer require separate plastic covers (or “rubber pants,” as they were called in the past). Neither do they need to be pinned or folded. For how-to proof, vis- it the online video tutorial on YouTube, searching with these key words: “How to change a baby in under a minute.”


Myth #3: Cloth diapers translate to a lot of extra laundry.


Fact: Cloth diapers only need to be washed every two to three days and can be washed in one load. Additionally, washing cloth diapers only requires one rinse cycle and one wash cycle. Any new parent can attest to the increase in laundry loads once baby arrives. Cloth


diapers only add one more load to the bundle.


Myth #4: Cloth diapers require you to touch poop.


Fact: Gone are the days of taking a cloth diaper and dunking and swishing it around in a toilet to remove poop. Today, removing it from a cloth diaper is super easy. The two most popular methods are diaper sprayers and diaper liners. Diaper sprayers resemble the spray attachment on your kitchen sink, except they attach to the water line on your toilet. When baby poops, simply hold the dirty diaper over the toilet and spray the contents in.


Diaper liners are like thin, very soft paper towels that you lay inside baby’s diaper to catch the poop. Be- cause these liners are all-natural and biodegradable, when you change baby, all you need to do is toss the liner in the toilet, trash or compost bin. It’s that easy.


Maj Bass, mother to two cloth-diapered, busy little boys, is the founder and owner of Pooters, a cloth diaper and accessory online retail store based in Dallas. Call 1-800-346-0580 or visit PootersDiapers. com. See ad on page 23.


natural awakenings August 2010 19


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