Cloth diapers available these days – the adjustable waterproof modern cloth diapers might sound like a new concert. Still, cloth diapers in the form of langots, prefolds and nappies have been there for generations. Grandmothers used to keep aside the soft cotton sarees and cut triangles and squares from them to make soft homemade nappies for newborn kids in the family.
If you are at a stage where you are still deciding whether to be a cloth diaper parent or not, this article will help you get all your doubts cleared, and myths about cloth diapers busted!
Myths About Cloth Diapers
- Cloth Diapers Are Expensive
On the contrary, cloth diapers are way cheaper in the long run than disposable diapers. For example, one cloth diaper would cost you around seven hundred rupees, and you will need about 16 cloth diapers for the complete diapering journey of your baby from day 1 to the day they are completely potty trained. That totals around eleven thousand rupees. On the other hand, one disposable diaper from a popular brand would cost you around ten rupees, and you will need not less than 3000 diapers in the first year alone, which amounts to thirty thousand rupees in just the first year. The rest of the math is simple. So, the thing about cloth diapers being expensive is a myth.
- Cloth Diapers Are A Hassle To Wash & Are Unhygienic
This is one of the biggest myths you will hear about cloth diapers in general. People assume that washing and maintaining cloth diapers is a big task, a hassle that adds to their chores over and above taking care of a newborn baby. Well, that’s not true. Washing cloth diapers is as easy and convenient as washing other baby apparel. Because of the milk spills, we throw up and drool on the baby’s clothes. We rinse the baby’s clothes before putting them in the pile of laundry and washing them. This is the same with cloth diapers too. As mentioned in another myth above, you do not have to touch the poop to clean the diaper. Using a detergent formulated especially for cloth diapers, such as SuperBottoms Super Laundry Sheets, available at https://www.superbottoms.com/ will ensure that the diapers are cleaned properly and are as hygienic as a new piece of clothing for your baby.
- You Will Have To Touch Poop With Cloth Diapers
No, you don’t have to. You can clean the cloth diapers without coming in contact with the poop. Although, you will still need to wipe and wash the bottom of your baby after they poop in a cloth diaper, just like you would for a disposable diaper or regular underwear. Wipe off the poop from the upper layer of the diaper using a disposable tissue or wipe and remove the poop. You can also knock off the poop directly in the commode using a water spray or washroom jet faucet. Then once the poop is off, you can rinse the diaper like all other clothes of your baby!
- Cloth Diapers Are Tight & Inconvenient
Anything too tight on the crotch area can cause harm to your baby’s reproductive health in the future. Many people think cloth diapers can be too tight and inconvenient for your baby. On the contrary, because they are made of cloth, cloth diapers are airy and keep the genitals of your baby comfortable. You need to ensure that the sizing and the fit are perfect and cloth diapers will never be uncomfortable and inconvenient for your baby.
- Cloth Diapers Are Complicated To Use
Looking at all the snaps and adjustable buttons of a cloth diaper, you might assume that those are difficult to size and a complicated fit to achieve compared to disposable ones that just come in different sizes. But, in reality, once you size the diaper and adjust the snaps according to your baby’s size, you do not need to open the snaps and resize them until your baby outgrows the size and moves to the next size. In this case, you need to open the snap and re-snap them in the next size. It is as simple as this! Not complicated at all.
Tips To Use Cloth Diapers
Now that you know that cloth diapering is not intimidating or complex, and is cheap, go ahead and place the order for your stash. And here are some quick and easy tips to make cloth diapering easy for you:
- Clean and sanitise your hands before changing the diaper of your baby. This is a good hygiene practice and will avoid any infection that can be passed on from dirty hands to your baby’s skin.
- Let the bum air dry between the diaper changes. This will eliminate the chances of rashes due to dampness on the skin.
- Do not use scented detergent, antiseptic liquids or fabric softeners to wash cloth diapers. They reduce the life and absorbance of diapers.
- While adjusting a new diaper, it is good to adjust the rise first and then adjust the waist while making your baby wear the diaper for the first time.
- Keep a simpler wash routine. Either go by the number of dirty diapers or an alternate day washing cycle. This will help you plan the number of diapers and your day better.
- While travelling or during an outing, carry a wet bag to keep your dirty diapers from spreading the odour or spoiling other clothes and other stuff.
- Try different kinds of cloth diapers. Give padded underwear a shot for diaper-free time or while potty training your baby. For younger babies, try our nappies and langots.
- If your baby pees frequently or is a heavy wetter, try inserts made of hemp. They are extra absorbent and last longer.
- Change the baby’s diaper every 2 – 3 hours, even if they have not pooped in it. Good hygiene will keep your baby safe from nasty and painful rashes.
- Do not invest in Velcro fastening diapers once your baby is six to seven months The Snap system is better secured and challenging for the baby to remove independently.
Now that you have all the information you need to ensure that cloth diapers are suitable for your baby, we hope you make the sustainable and conscious choice! Happy Diapering!