Okay. So. The word "dilemma" implies that there is a really big issue or concern about something. And in some eyes, this might not seem like a dilemma at all. But in mine it is.
So here goes...
Other than being terrible for the environment and just collecting dust in landfills, I have now learned that all disposable diapers test on animals.
Seriously.
And by "testing on animals", I don't mean that they put the diapers on the animals to make sure they fit. No. Not even close. What I mean by "testing on animals" is that they apparently have to test the toxicity of the gels that the diapers use to soak up the baby's waste.
And that disgusts me...especially since the term "toxicity" refers to the levels at which something is harmful or damaging to a living (or non-living, I guess) being. So, in the fullest sense of the word, they are using animals to test how harmful the chemicals in diapers are.
And that mental picture is so much more gross and disturbing that the dirtiest diaper mess.
I will admit - I really love disposable diapers because they are so quick and easy. And because V goes to a babysitter during the day, it's really the most convenient option to just hand his sitter a bag of diapers so she can change him while I am at work.
But now I am seriously thinking of possibly switching to cloth diapers for all the times that V is NOT at the sitter. I wouldn't be comfortable asking the sitter to use cloth diapers while he is under her care...but for the times before work, after work, and on the weekends...I am seriously considering it.
And like I said before, this might not seem like a dilemma at all. Besides, people use disposable diapers all the time. Our parents used them on us. We use them on V. Millions of other people use them on their children. It's completely normal and accepted.
But something in my gut now cringes knowing that it's so bad not only for the environment but for the lives of animals who don't even know what diapers are.
So now I will leave my questions for you...
What are your thoughts on using cloth diapers? Is it messier? More time consuming to clean? Does it cause more diaper rash?
And...in a family of parents who both work, is it really possible to switch to cloth diapers 100% of the time?
4 comments:
We used disposable diapers with both our boys. Have you ever heard of the blog Young House Love? They are great, they work from home so they are able to use cloth diapers with their daughter. They explained it all really well here http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/08/the-much-requested-cloth-diaper-post/ If we had another baby and I was able to stay home or if we had a nanny, I would invest in the diaper sprayer and do cloth. With daycare, etc., disposables are certainly easier. Definitely feel environmental guilt from it - we have been using them continuously since December 2007 when Caeleb was born! Noah is just about ready to be potty trained (he'll be 3 in March) so hopefully the end is in sight.
Hey Samantha! Thanks for the input. I definitely feel a lot of guilt over it. Especially now that I know they test on animals. Yeah, I eat burgers and chicken and turkey, etc....but testing chemicals on animals makes me a little sad. Especially since I know beagles (we have one) are often used as test subjects in labs.
But even with that in mind, I don't know how feasible it is for us to use the cloth diapers. The sitter wouldn't do it. So then I would only do cloth diapers at night and on the weekends...and what if we need to go somewhere and change a diaper while we're out? You know?
So I'm not quite sure how it will work. I think if I stayed at home or worked from home I would DEFINITELY try it out. Still on the fence, though, about whether I want to try it now or not.
But I will definitely check out that blog! It sounds interesting.
PS - Your boys are SOOOO cute!!
Hi there. I read your blog on occasion via Lindsay's blog. We started cloth diapering when my dd was 2 months and my son was 18 months. I am fortunate enough to stay home... so it was silly not to. If you use a private sitter I would totally consider talking to her about it. Using a pocket diaper (I highly recommend BumGenius 4.0s). They are an all in one diaper that a baby can wear from birth till basically potty training. The cover is stuffed with an insert and it is so easy. Typically you stuff diapers after you are done with your laundry. Then they are ready to go. When you wash them you pull out the inserts and then wash. You can totally use them on the go. They make "wet bags" that you put your fresh diaper in and then after you change the baby you put the soiled diaper in it. It is all contained and it is water proof. I would see if you have any local cloth diaper stores in your area. They are so helpful! We drove almost 2 hours to take a class on cloth diapering to see if we could/wanted to do it. Also many cloth diaper stores offer a great "try cloth for free" promo. It's so wonderful. I think people often hear cloth and they think of the old prefolds but diapers have come so far. I loved prefolds for our newborn. She wore them till like 6 months then moved into an all in one. There are so many options. It's so much better for the environment and your child. feel free to contact me if you have more questions. I'd be happy to help you if you want. I think it's great that you are even considering cloth! Good luck.
Thank you for your comment, Wendy!
I have heard a couple friends talk about the all in one diapers and they actually sound really convenient! I think if I was a stay at home mother or at least worked from home, I would use cloth diapers in a heartbeat. And I still want to look into it to maybe try and incorporate it into our routine somehow. My thought is...if we can cut back on buying diapers at least a little bit, then that is making at least a little bit of difference.
Right?
Thanks again...and I will definitely keep you all posted!
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