While there are many reasons to cloth diaper, here are just a few of the health and environmental concerns I have discovered on my journey.

• Disposable diapers contain trace amounts of dioxin – a carcinogenic by-product of the paper bleaching process
• Dioxins can be toxic and persistent, stick around in the environment for a long time and accumulate in our bodies
• Disposable diapers contain petroleum based ingredients that are made from oil- a non renewable resource
• One disposable diaper can take up to 500 years to decompose
• One child adds about 6500 diapers to our landfills, that is about 2 tons of waste per child

When I started cloth diapering it was all for the money we would be saving. We were spending roughly $100.00 per month on diapers alone. My son didn’t potty learn until the week of his third birthday. We were spending between $2500 to $2700 for the duration of his diapering years. The start up cost for my daughter using cloth diapers was between $600 and $700. I found, after purchasing many different types, that we prefer pocket diapers. My sisters’ start up cost was between $75-$100. She prefers prefolds and covers. The beauty of cloth diapers is that there is a perfect diapering solution for each family depending on what best meets your needs. Another bonus that I have found is that with my third baby on the way, I do not have to purchase anymore diapers.

Let’s not forget that with using cloth diapers you know:

• You are not throwing a quarter away each time you change a diaper
• You are not polluting the environment with hazardous materials
• There are no harsh chemicals or plastics next to your child’s skin

Plus, you have super cute diapers for showing off because let’s face it, they are and we’re proud! =)