Guide to Cloth Diapering

With my third baby on the way, I’ve been considering cloth diapering. I admit that the whole thing seems daunting and the act of convincing my husband to get on board a seemingly insurmountable feat. But I thought I’d explore the options and turned to Vancouver-based New & Green Baby Co.

Experts in cloth diapering, New & Green Baby Co is an online resource for parents to learn about and trial cloth diapers, and to purchase from a great selection of cloth diapers, accessories and training pants. Its mission is first to educate and support parents via workshops, community events and groups. “And being available to answer a question – often in the wee hours of the night, too!” adds owner Karen Randall. “We are fuelled by five cloth diapering moms, all passionate about helping to educate parents and support them in their choices.” New & Green Baby makes shopping for diapers a nap: parents can research and shop for cloth diapers 24/7 on their schedule without having to haul their kids around. “We offer parents the option of picking up their orders and asking last minute questions or having their order delivered directly to their door,” Karen says.

We asked Karen to share her tips and info about cloth diapering.

What are the pros of cloth diapering?

Budget: save up to $2000 per child by using cloth diapers.
Earth Friendly: keep more than 7000 disposable diapers out of landfills – equivalent to one tonne of solid waste per child.
Easy to use: innovations in recent years have made cloth diapers just as easy to put on and take off. No more pins and crinkly plastic pants! And the washing – if you can operate a washing machine you can do this, without getting your hands dirty.

Reduce exposure to potential toxins: parent’s choosing to use cloth diapers know exactly what is up against their child’s delicate skin 24 hours a day. Disposible diapers don’t always include full disclosures on their “ingredient” list.
Promote better skin health: with less chemical exposure in cloth and cloth diapers being changed more often, babies in cloth often have a healthier environment for their skin.
Earlier Potty Training: Parents using cloth diapers tend to be very aware of their child’s elimination patterns and are able to help them learn in a more efficient manner. Children that have been diapered in cloth often retain the association with “I pee and I am wet” facilitating earlier and easier learning.

And what are the cons?

There is an initial investment that is not present with weekly purchases of disposables (many parents use our gift registry to help them get started).
There is a bit of a learning curve – you need to educate yourself about how to make this system work in your life.
Without the needed learning, there is a higher rate of families discontinuing cloth diapering due to perceived failure. We’ve heard these reasons and there were easy ways to remediate them – with the proper educational support!

There is two to three extra loads of laundry to do each week. Talk to any mom – you’re doing a heck of a lot of laundry anyway!
You may get nay-sayers expressing their opinions to you about one more thing!

In an upcoming post, New and Green Baby will dispel some of the myths around cloth diapering and demystify some of the common concerns people have with getting started with cloth diapers.