Diapers and Wipes

Since I didn't know (still don't) if I'd ever be able to go diaper free, when I was pregnant, I spent hours, days, weeks even, researching diapers. I think my poor husband was so weary of hearing about them that he was ready to stick a pencil in his eye but, as Pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, author of "Raising Baby Green" wrote on The Daily Green, "diapers are a major ecological issue." I had to carefully consider my decision, not only for the sake of the planet but for the health of my little girl.

I had always thought that cloth was the obvious choice for health and sustainability but was confused by the argument that some disposable diapers may rival cloth in their ultimate carbon imprint. The primary source of this argument was “Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable and Reusable Nappies in the UK," a study released in by The Environment Agency of the UK. I won't bore you with the details since I'm long winded enough already but, if you read the study, you'll see how flawed it was.

In considering the impact of cloth vs. disposable one has to account for the process from the manufacture of the diaper to it's ultimate disposal and everything (namely, washing) in between. All said, cloth wins out environmentally, especially if the diapers are laundered efficiently and without bleach. This rules out diaper services if you're concerned about avoiding chlorine (which you should be, in my opinion) because of the numerous detrimental environmental and health problems (including dioxin production) associated with its use.

SO, during my pregnancy, we decided to purchase Gro Baby shells and organic cotton and hemp soaker pads at the Giggling Green Bean. We spent a tidy sum on these one size diapers (because of the less concerning TPU coating on the covers and the organic inserts) only to find a few problems. First, they were WAY too big for a newborn, especially a smaller one like Sela. Second, there is no way they last all night without leaking and you can only use so many extra inserts before they're utterly huge and mess with baby's alignment while sleeping. Finally, even without inserts and even now that she's almost six months old, they are still so big that she has to wear one size up in clothing.

Needless to say, I would never buy one size cloth diapers again. I liked the simple prefolds and covers that we used at Boulder Community Hospital much better. Also, that option would have been much less expensive. Another (rather expensive) lesson learned. Sigh.

For a while we used the Gro Baby diapers during the day and disposables (more below) at night but now we just use the disposables. However, I hold out hope that the cloth will be useful when she's a little bigger. Incidentally, the Giggling Green Bean is a great store and has many other options. Amy, the owner, is fantastically helpful and it's always fun to stop in.

Disposables: I made the best choice I could, I think, and that turned out to be Nature Babycare diapers. I typically love Swedish products (e.g., Hanna Andersson and Svan) and these were designed by a Swedish mom. They do not contain the sodium polyacrylate polymer (the stuff that makes most diapers absorbent) and they are chlorine-free, biodegradable, and compostable. Unfortunately, I can't compost them since I don't have the room for a heap and my Nature Mill composter won't take them.

Will they degrade much in a landfill? Not likely but nevertheless I think they're a better choice than most. I considered G-Diapers with their flushable liner but my husband didn't think our plumbing would handle them and they also contain sodium polyacrylate. I have used 7th generation in a pinch but again, sodium polyacrylate (though I will say, they fit much better).

Ok, wipes: I chose Fuzzi Bunz organic double sided wipes for reusables and Elements wipes for disposables. I must be doing something right health-wise despite my minor assault on the environment by using disposables because Sela has yet to have a diaper rash. I use Trillium Organics OGbaby Barrier Balm at night and, when there has been any slight redness, Motherlove Diaper Rash and Thrush.

Oh, somewhat sadly, one more environmental concession I've made is to order my diapers and wipes on Diapers.com. They will match any price and I get Upromise savings but the reason I do it is because I can't find them locally. For a while I was able to find the diapers at Babies R Us but, since they stopped carrying them in all the stores close to us I had to face finding them online or drive to Littleton. I have never seen the wipes locally but I tried Earthwise at one point. The ingredients are OK - better than most - but they are not biodegradable or compostable and I want them to at least have a chance of breaking down within the next five centuries.

What is worse, wipes that aren't biodegradable or the fuel used to deliver my Diapers.com order? These decisions are so tough but my consumer-consciousness increases all the time and, thankfully, as we vote (well) with our dollars so will the healthy options. Better suggestions? Please share!