Cloth Diapers vs. Disposable Diapers: The verdict, cloth IS less absorbent.

…but isn’t that a good thing?

So often with disposable manufacturers the issue of “maximum absorbency” is a big deal.  The big name sposie manufacturers go to great lengths and spend millions to develop a product that is built to soak it up, soak it in and absorb-absorb-absorb.  But in reality, is that something you really want or need?

Admittedly, the issue of absorbency is usually a great source of confusion with moms who switch from disposables to cloth.  They expect cloth diapers to work just the same as disposables and are often surprised when they don’t.  When a cloth diaper doesn’t make it through the night without leaking or a trip out to run errands, moms frequently and mistakenly think there must be something wrong with that diaper or brand.

Truth is that cloth diapers need to be changed more often than disposables, but that’s not something that should be considered an awful inconvenience.  With disposables sure, the longer the baby can wear the diaper the less diapers you’ll use and the more money you’ll save.  But at what cost?

Putting yourself in your babies shoes, or let’s say diaper…Would you want to sit in a wet, hot, gell filled diaper for hours on end just because it’s not yet leaking?  Or as a toddler, would you want to be toddling around with a five pound bag of hot jelly swinging around between your legs when you’ve just learned to walk?  I think not.

Personally, I was happy to be a little inconvenienced by having more frequent diaper changes when I realized the alternative:  Letting baby sit in a soiled diaper just because I can.  It’s a gross thought.

That’s my two cents.  I feel the case for cloth is stacked against disposables for just this one simple fact, and I didn’t even need to mention the health risks, chemical and carcinogen exposure associated with the use of disposables.

Julie