Well, we've taken the plunge... The Haacke's have decided to enter the fun-filled world of cloth diapering! Call us crazy (we are), but after doing lots of research & MATH, heres what I have learned...
Just a moment while I step onto my soapbox...
FIRST - Disposables are TOXIC! • Dioxins - Most toxic of ALL carcinogens, banned in most countries except the U.S.. • Sodium Polyacrylate - (You know, the little "beady thingys" that absorb the peeps) Reported to cause severe skin irritations, oozing blood from perineum and scrotal tissues, fever, vomiting and staph infections in babies - not to mention that it was banned from tampons in 1985 because of its link to TSS, & it has killed children after ingesting as little as 5 grams of it - YIKES!! • TBT - Highly toxic enviro pollutant that causes sterility... Also factor in the offgassing of the plastics, perfumes & dyes - No Thanks!
SECOND - Cloth is CHEAPER! Figure this:
• Disposable diaper costs an average of $0.24 per change. • $0.24 per change X 70 changes per week = $16.80 per week • $16.80 per week X 130 weeks per diapering period (2 1/2 years) = Total Cost of Disposable Diapers $2,184.00
Cloth Diapers cost a little more to begin with (about $300-$400), BUT they at least can be used through more than one child. Now, I dont know about you, but I can't afford to spend over $2,000 a year on non-biodegradable landfill nuggets, which leads me to my last point: (Yes you enviromnentalist nutties out there, this is for you) GARBAGE! On average, each baby/toddler uses 9100 diapers in a 2 1/2 year period! Times that by however many millions of kids wearing disposables... Imagine what that does to our groundwater...
If you want to try a little experiment, go buy a package of Depends & wear them 24 hrs a day for one week (I did postpartum)... I now have complete empathy for little Aubrey's "diaper-rashed, sweaty-sticky, crinkle-when you move, perma-plastic-imprinted" little tushie that Aubrey & millions of other kids suffer through every day.
So anyway... though cloth diapering is a little more effort & a little more laundry, its worth it for us. I'm stepping down off my little soapbox now...
3 comments:
Wow beck! Cloth diapers?! Good luck! :) Well hope you guys are doing well. Here is our blog: http://traceandmichelle.blogspot.com come visit us!!! Love ya!
Very interesting... if any one would do it, it would be you Becca :) Hope you and the family are doing well. Love ya!
So, I finally got a chance to finish reading this entry of your blog.. who would have thought I wouldn't have time to read a few paragraphs! Anyways.. I will be excited to see Aubrey's new diapers. If nothing else I am going to buy cloth diapers just to have on hand with our preparedness stuff.
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