We started out using disposable diapers, and we used them for a good chunk of time. Like most moms, I didn't know
better, and there were a lot of things I believed about cloth that just weren't true. I had no idea how much cloth
diapering had changed… If you have flashbacks of babysitting and seeing bleach-soaked poopy diapers in the toilet or
bathtub, see a therapist! Cloth diapering has changed….
Common misconceptions about cloth diapering:
1) Poopy diapers have to be rinsed and soaked
Please, please, please know that this is not true. Yes, you do need to shake off the majority of the poo into the
toilet, but that doesn't mean rinsing. In fact, breastmilk poop is water soluble so there is no trip to the toilet
at all. Once your baby eats solids and lots of them, you might benefit from a "Mini-Shower Sprayer" (it's a little
shower head that attaches to the toilet and quite a fabulous invention I must say). But the washing machine is
designed to, guess what, wash. So, at least in this house, there is no dunking, swishing, or wet-storing,
and really, the sprayer doesn't get a whole lot of use.
And by the way, have you ever read the package of disposable diapers? In little tiny font it says, "When
disposing of soiled diaper, empty contents into toilet." So really, with either kind of diaper, you really are
supposed to flush the poop. Human waste is not meant to be thrown in the trash.
2) Cloth diapers require pins, special folding, and rubbery covers, and they leak
Oh was I a sucker to this myth! I had no idea the dramatic technological changes that have taken place in the
cloth diapering world. When I saw my first pocket diaper, I was totally blown away. Cloth diapers aren't the
old-school versions of yesteryear. Simply by browsing this website, you're already seeing that this myth is just
that, a myth. Velcro-like closures, snaps, super-soft waterproof fabrics that breathe, diapers already
shaped like diapers .... fabrics that truly perform such as microfleece, hemp, and microfiber.
So why does this myth still hang around? Well, you've probably seen cloth diapers in the Sprawlmarts of the
world (you know the ones, the big big stores where we register all our baby things). The only cloth diapering
products they offer are the old stuff that our Grandmothers used -- cloth diapers that need pins, paper-thin fabrics
with zero absorbency, covers that feel like trash bags ... I firmly believe they do this only to
perpetuate the myth that cloth diapers are a major inconvenience and nothing a good mother would want anything to do
with. "Come hither to our disposable aisle, good mother, where you will find the very best in diapering
solutions." Don't fall for it! Thank goodness you've already made it to where the real diapers are: the online
stores.
3) Cloth diapers stink
If you read my reasons for using cloth, then you already know the drill: poop stinks. That's all there is to
it. But when it comes to the difference between cloth and disposable, there is no comparison. Something about the
chemicals in disposables that change your everyday pee-pee diaper into a freaky ammonia-scented satchel. What
surprised me about cloth was that my cloth diaper pail, after 3 days of sitting, doesn't stink. Or at least, not
like the Diaper Champ did. Ok, if you stick your nose in it, it's not a scent you're going to want to bottle and
sell, and when I dump the bag into the wash I do need to breathe pretty shallow, but just sitting there in the
hallway I don't smell it at all. So don't worry: if you use cloth, your house isn't going to smell like urine and
feces.
4) You need a diaper service to use cloth
No, you don't. I wouldn't use one anyway. Those are expensive! You have to take the diapers to the door and who
wants to do that. You have to use their diapers and that takes all the fun out of it. Plus, I don't know what they
wash them in and that would bother me. Doing your own diaper laundry is so not a big deal. It really isn't. See
next myth . . .
5) I don't have time for diaper laundry
Ok, maybe you don't for real, but just make sure you understand a few points. Diaper laundry is not like regular
laundry. You don't have to fold when you are done -- I mean you certainly can fold up all your diapers, but lots of
busy moms just toss them all in a basket. Also, you might think that you need to wash them several times to get
clean. Really you don't! And time? Doing the diaper laundry doesn't take much of my time. Now that I have two in
diapers, I often do diapers daily. Before I go to bed I put the diapers in the washer, fill up the bin, and leave it
overnight. The next morning I finish the cycle, and run a hot wash. I put the diapers in the dryer, and my washer is
free before breakfast.
6) Cloth-diapered kids need to be changed more often
Um, no, diapered kids need to be changed more often. It doesn't matter what kind of diaper you use, you
are supposed to change a diaper when it is wet or soiled. At least, that's what the American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) says. Of course, any mom knows, that's all well and good advice when you have a sweet little newborn baby to
care for, but how about the frantic toddler who screams bloody murder when you stop them in their tracks for a
change? A toddler who would rather throw a fit and spread poop all over herself and you than get her diaper
changed? We've found that with cloth, we change diapers about 7 to 9 times a day. We don't change our toddler the
moment she is wet. If we did then by now our eyes would have been scratched out. We use enough absorbency in her
diaper so that we don't have to risk life and limb too often. And at night? She sleeps 12 to 13 hours (thank you
Lord), and spends the entire night in that same diaper. Most mornings, her jammies are completely dry. Honestly I
couldn't say that about her disposables, even when she was teeny tiny.
7) There is no way my husband will agree to this
This was a big one for me. I mulled over cloth a bit here and there, but in addition to my own misconceptions
about cloth, I really thought that my husband would completely toss out the idea. And he certainly would have,
depending on how I'd gone about approaching the option of cloth.
It's true, a lot of husbands who are already set in their ways with disposables, or have the preconceived idea that
disposables will be what your family will use when the baby is born, are anti-cloth diapers. Or at least, they
think they are. But here's the surprise: just about every husband I know who started in this mindset, including my
own, made a dramatic turn once they started using cloth diapers. In fact, it won't take long and you'll find
that the same man who thought cloth diapering was the foulest thing imaginable is suddenly bragging about your
family's new diapering system. That same man will be the guy who will figure out ways to keep your kid out
of disposable diapers.
All you have to do is start out with a few diapers as a trial; just a few diapers, just a couple times a day,
to see how your family adapts to them. You'll be amazed at how cool your husband thinks those diapers are, as long
as you keep it simple.
8) Only hippies and environmentalists use cloth diapers
I'll admit it. When I imagined using cloth diapers, I pictured a community of people living in tents in the forest,
with small children running around in plain white diapers with no clothes. The men had long hair and beards, and
the women parted their hair down the middle and wore braids.
Hey, I didn't know any better! If you fancy yourself a hippy or an environmentalist, there is nothing wrong with
that, and if you are reading this from your community-tent computer run by the local generator, then I sure hope I
didn't offend. But for those who bathe regularly, shop at Target, eat out sometimes, and have a television set can
feel comfortable knowing that cloth diapers are not an extremist choice. Cloth diapering is for anyone,
regardless of lifestyle, income, or preferences. There is something for everyone in the choice to use cloth.
9) I'd end up spending too much money on water and electricity to do all the laundry anyway
Oh now you don't really believe this one, do you? Nah, of course not. But just in case this thought has come
across your mind, put it to rest. Since we have been using cloth diapers, I really have not noticed a change in our
electric and water bills. I don't think running the washer and dryer a couple more times a week makes much of a
difference at all.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that there is a comparison between the cost and environmental effects of
disposables to those of cloth diapers. With cloth diaper costs, you are looking at renewable resources. With
disposables, purchasing one diaper for every use and then tossing it in the trash is a much different scenario.
10) We're out of the house too often to use cloth diapers
The great thing about cloth diapers is that when you make the decision to use them, you don't sell your soul to the
cloth diapering gods. You always have a choice to use disposables if the need arises. That said, you would be
surprised at how easy it is to use cloth when you are out. Personally, I just love changing my kid's diaper in a
public bathroom and putting on a cloth diaper. When people see how cute they are, they act like I invented some
amazing new concept for diapering. It's particularly fun to use them at the doctor's office. Doctors and nurses
are consistently amazed that a patient of theirs uses cloth.
We carry a few of both options in our diaper bag, just in case. When we need to make a change when we're out, we
just put the used cloth diaper in a bag (some families use a re-usable wet bag for this, but all we have are those
plastic kind from Target). When we go on a weekend visit out of town, a lot of times we'll use disposables just for
the sake of ease. The great aspect of cloth diapering is that it is always your choice and your choice alone. Some
families use cloth and only cloth while some use a combination of both cloth and disposable to the extent that works
for them. We try to use cloth as much as possible but always keep our options open. You'll figure out the system
that works best for your family too.
