Like everything with pregnancy and child raising, you can find someone who will say anything about diaper choices to back up or justify your diaper practice. But when it comes down to it there really is no perfect way to diaper.
I think there are two absolutes: (1) Diapers are without question the second largest contributor to landfills around the world. (2) Human waste, when left untreated, is without question absolutely terrible for the environment.
But is it better if you only breast feed? If you only feed organic baby food? What about the effect of the treatment plants on the earth? What about cloth, chlorine free, latex free? What about water problems where I live? Forget the planet, what is best for my baby's health? The never ending series of questions goes on and on ... AND .. pick your choice or your poison, there is a study or a blog or some other seemingly credible source to back it up.
When I was pregnant Morgan and I started sifting through the massive amount of information about diapering and decided to go with cloth diapers at home and disposable whenever we were out or traveling. We have stuck to this plan pretty well - in 21 weeks of Raymond's life I have used 9 packages of 7th Generation Diapers (approx $99) and cloth diapers the rest of the time (total investment $150 so far). Our investment in cloth has certainly paid for itself and I have not had a problem with cleaning them. I use liners that are totally biodegradable between the bottom and the cloth and flush those along with any #2 waste. If the waste overflows then I use our nifty sprayer to rinse any excess off and flush it. I wash the diapers as soon as I run out of covers, about once every 6 days, with a few drops of Tee Tree Oil to act as an anti fungal. They always come out clean and I have no feeling that my washer is poopy, which was my fear. I am sure there is some reside of poop in our brown water, but I do not think it much more than some folk's skid marks would leave behind. (hehe skid marks).
I do use disposable (chlorine and latex free) diapers whenever we are traveling, going out, and when Raymond is sleeping. (And I am much less likely to "knock out" the poop with a disposable. I suck.) Simply because it is easier. And for many people that is what it comes down too - what will work in their lifestyle. Many of us live in areas with totally different environmental challenges so it makes sense that we would make alternate decisions regarding the best way to diaper for the world.
But the point blank truth of it all is that is is gross - not so much gross for us to deal with our child's poop - but gross for the world. Personally I am a little better knowing that at least 50% of our diaper waste isn't going into a landfill - but that is what works for me. There is definitely no right answer.
Are you using the G Diapers? With the disposable liner and "sprayer" it sounds as such...and I've been eyeing them so I wanted to hear a user's opinion! If not, what brand are you using?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Jillian (Burgess) Hall
Hi Jillian! No, we are not using gDiapers, mainly becuase the little local shop we use around here doesn't carry them. I know people who are and love them and people who have tried and hated it. We use a combination of Flip diapers (which are very like the gDiaper) and Thirsties. I like the Flip once the baby is bigger as they just do one size. Thirsties are awesome as they have a double seam at the leg so there isn't and side squirtage and they have smaller sizes.
ReplyDelete