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Would you like to wear paper or plastic underwear?

Posted by CDB Guest on 11/16/2007 to Cloth vs. Disposables

When I cloth diapered my babies I was on the answering side of a lot of questions. Of course, people had heard the horror stories from their grandmothers, or possibly their mothers, about cloth diapers. They always want to know WHY I would chose cloth diapers when the alternative, disposable diapers, were readily available.

That question was a simple one to answer. It was answered with a question of my own. "Would YOU like to wear paper or plastic underwear?"

Because folks, that's the bottom line. Cloth diapers are primarily made up of three ingredients; paper, plastic and sodium polyacrylate (the chemical that causes disposable diapers to be absorbent). You know what else uses these same three materials? Women's sanitary pads.

That's right.
Disposable diapers are made of the same ingredients as women's sanitary pads; not just the same ingredients, but also assembled in the same way. Disposable diapers and sanitary pads share the same absorbent center panel, the same waterproof plastic exterior, and finally, the same wrap around tabs to secure it. The only difference? One is secured to panties and the other to a baby.

Now, imagine wearing a giant sanitary pad wrapped around your waist - covering your body from your back waistline, down through your legs, and up to your front waistline. That is a disposable diaper.

So let me ask the question in a different way. Would you want to wear an adult size sanitary pad wrapped around your body 24 hours a day?

Didn't think so.
I wouldn't either.

I am glad that cloth diapers are the environmentally sustainable way to take care of any child's waste. I'm also glad that by using cloth diapers I saved a significant amount of money. I'm certainly glad that it was healthier for my child. But even if it didn't have any health or environmental benefits over disposables and wasn't less costly, I still would choose cloth diapers. I believe in giving my children the same comforts that I give myself. If I'm going to purchase soft, 100% cotton underwear for myself, I'm certainly not going to wrap my child in paper and plastic. Cloth diapers are made out of a variety of naturally absorbent fabrics; 100% cotton twill, absorbent hemp fleece, certified organic cotton, the soft plush of cotton fleece and sherpa, knit terry, and other custom milled blends. Don't diaper your baby in paper and plastic. Consider cloth diapering your baby instead.

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