Combination Diapering Method: Cloth Diapers and Disposable Diapers the Easy Way

by Irina Gedarevich

There are real benefits to Cloth Diapers as there are to Disposable Diapers, and why said you can't utilize the benefits of each?

 

Benefits of Cloth Diapers:

  • ● Won’t expose baby to chemicals (other than those found in laundry detergents)
  • ● No recurring purchasing costs
  • ● No landfill waste from disposable diapers
  • ● Breathable when you don’t use a plastic cover. A wool diaper cover is best, as wool is water repellant.

 

Drawbacks of Cloth Diapers:

  • ● You have to clean the poop (but there’s an alternative! Keep reading)
  • ● Potentially increased water and electricity utility cost due to more frequent laundering

 

Benefits of Disposable Diapers:

  • ● Very convenient - wrap it up and throw it away
  • ● Less bulky
  • ● Baby feels dry for a longer time due to the sodium polyacrylate that absorbs moisture, so baby may sleep longer through the night

 

Drawbacks of Disposable Diapers:

  • ● High recurrent costs - some estimate over $100 per month!
  • ● Potential exposure to chemicals
  • ● Landfill waste - can take up to hundreds of years to decompose

 

A Tangent on Elimination Communication

With my first baby, I purchased some Organic Cotton Cloth Diapers from Green Mountain Diapers, as well as Disposable Diapers, and we practiced Elimination Communication. With the baby that is on the way, I still have the set of Organic Cotton Cloth Diapers I had purchased eight years ago, and I’m sure that someone is going to gift us a pack of disposable diapers that I’ll use at night and when going out. My friends know that I try to use items that are as healthy as possible, and that includes using diapers that are eco-friendly. Some of the best disposable diapers I’ve found are AndyPandy, Bambo Nature, Happy Little Camper, and Earth's Best. There are others by larger companies, such as the Honest company, but in my opinion it is nice to support smaller companies during this difficult time. 

With the baby that is on the way, I plan on again practicing Elimination Communication, as I really do not enjoy cleaning poop. With my first, I practiced Elimination Communication day and night - with my next, I plan on using disposable diapers at night, with the hope that I’ll get a bit more sleep than I did with my first.

 

How I Avoid Blowouts

Did I mention that I don’t like cleaning poop? Well, I came up with a plan that worked well for me with my firstborn. I cut up an old cotton bedsheet that would’ve been thrown away, into pieces that were just slightly larger than the inside of the cloth diaper. I lined the cloth diaper with a piece of the old bedsheet every time I did a diaper change. During the first few days, before my daughter got used to pooping on the toilet, I used the clean front part of the liner I made to wipe away as much meconium or poop as possible, and I tossed it into the trash. If my daughter just peed, I threw the homemade liner into the washing machine to recycle again during another diaper change. This technique can be done with any cotton cloth that has outlived its life.

 

Some may frown on throwing away a soiled piece of cloth into the trash, as technically, before adding things to the landfill, we are all supposed to wipe/wash the poop off, yes, even off disposable diapers. If you have the energy and the desire to do so, that’s great! As a new mother, I was already exhausted with the lack of sleep, trouble producing adequate milk, and watching for signals that my daughter may need to use the restroom. If I missed a signal or if she pooped at night, I would promptly change my daughter’s diaper, but washing off poop from an old bedsheet diaper liner is where I drew the line.

 

Washable Organic Baby Wipes and Other Products

We washed our baby girl in our bathroom sink, as our sink was large enough to even give her a bath. I was never a fan of disposable baby wipes, because they truly add to the landfill without a real benefit. Once baby has gone potty, it's easy enough to wash the baby under the sink, and I did not find a need to use a changing table. If you prefer wipes, the best kind are washable organic wipes, which you may find on Etsy, or through Green Mountain Diapers. They’re the next best thing to just washing off baby’s booty under the sink. If you must use disposable wipes, keep in mind that the skin is the largest organ in the body. Anything that you place on skin can get absorbed into the body - this includes various chemicals and fragrances, which can be allergenic, so it is important to get wipes that avoid various chemicals and fragrances. These Water Wipes contain 99.9% water, 0.1% Citrus extract, and traces of Benzalkonium Chloride (0.002%), but they are not biodegradable. Happy Little Camper makes a flushable wipe that contains aloe and vitamin E, and in general has safe ingredients. If you choose to get them, I won’t judge, as wipes can be convenient when traveling, and can be used to easily clean up messes as well as to wipe baby’s hands or mouth. We each do our best for our babies, and that’s all anyone can ask for.