If you’re expecting, there are many choices you’ll have to make, and choosing which type of diapers you’ll use is one of the most important. For the most part, you’ve got two choices – cloth or disposable diapers. Each type of diaper has advantages and disadvantages, so consider the following advice carefully.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers will cost much less than disposable diapers, since you buy the diapers and then reuse them, saving you lots of money. However, you’ll have to clean the diapers on a daily basis and – in most cases – this will have to be done by hand, unless you pay for an expensive take-away service. You’ll need to consider how much time you’ll spend doing this chore, especially if you work full time or have other children.

In addition, cloth diapers can reduce the chance of your child having allergic reaction to diapers, since some babies can’t tolerate the synthetic materials in disposable diapers. You’ll also have to consider the smell that using cloth diapers can cause in your home, since you probably won’t have time to wash the diapers as soon as you change them. Therefore, they’ll probably sit in a pail for most of the day, leading to some pretty stinky smells. Cloth diapers are also more prone to leaks, which can lead to huge messes for you to clean up.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Disposable diapers

Disposable diapers are often much more convenient than cloth diapers. Since you can quickly change the diaper and throw it away, you won’t have to worry about a lot of clean up. If your child attends daycare, you may have to choose this option, since many providers won’t change cloth diapers. Disposable diapers also have fewer leaks on average, so you may want to go this route if you have nice furniture or carpet to protect.

However, disposable diapers can be very costly. Most parents spend anywhere from $20.00 to $40.00 each week, depending on the brand they use. In addition, you’ll want to consider the impact that disposable diapers have on the environment. Using disposable diapers on just one child can create over 1,000 pounds of additional waste for the landfills. And since disposable diapers don’t break down quickly in the landfill, they can have a huge impact on the environment.

As you can see, there are many things to consider when choosing between cloth and disposable diapers. Many people feel that the environmental impact is enough to make the choice for cloth, while others have no choice but to use disposable diapers because of their daycare providers. As a compromise, many people choose to split their choice and use disposable diapers during the daytime and cloth for the overnight hours. This will cut down on the environmental impact, as well as the cost of buying diapers.

If you’re set on using cloth diapers, but want to avoid the mess of washing them yourself, there are a number of companies that will pick them up and wash them for you. Of course, using these services pretty much negates the cost benefit of using cloth diapers over disposable ones. In the end, however, it comes down to a matter of personal preference and lifestyle. Before you commit to either type, you’ll want to weigh your options and decide which is best for you.