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Getting Started with Cloth Diapers
Out of the landfill, into the diaper pail
If you have a picture in your mind of bulky bums and difficult origami folds when you think of cloth diapers, here’s some good news. These aren’t your grandma’s cloth diapers, this is diapering for a new generation!
Not long ago if you wanted to cloth diaper your baby, your resources were limited to specialty stores, a diaper service, or the brilliant WAHMs selling cloth diapering supplies on the internet. Now cloth diapering is becoming far more common and convenient. The growing movement of mamas who want their babies to have the safest options naturally extends to diapers. And cloth diapering has many benefits.
Aside from not creating tons of waste to clog the landfills (the average baby has 5000 diaper changes before being potty trained), cloth diapers don’t contain harmful absorbent gels, don’t contribute to diaper rash, are great for burp rags, and usually result in earlier toilet training (see below)!
So if you’re considering cloth, we know you have questions. We went to the experts to get some fantastic advice about cloth diapers.
| Why is cloth diapering better for the environment? | |
 | "Cloth diapers are better for the environment because by using them, we are not crowding our landfills with disposable diapers that take up to 500 years to decompose! Also, when using FuzziBunz®, you can feel good that your baby is leaving a smaller imprint on this world. No landfill waste, no repeat manufacturing costs, no excessive packaging, and no more wasted time or gas for unnecessary trips to the store to buy diapers." |
| How do parents start cloth diapering? What do they need? | |
 | "Be positive, be flexible and start collecting your "stash" of cloth diapers! Get a small assortment of all the different kinds of cloth diapers (pocket, contour, all-in-one, fitted, and prefolds) and find what works for you. Find some cloth diapering moms and have them show you the diapers they use. Go to your local cloth diaper store and attend a demo. Don’t pay attention to brands, keep an open mind, look for styles of diapers to find what works for you, for dad, the caregiver, and your baby. Through this process, you will find your favorite brands and styles and you will become very comfortable with cloth diapering!" Why they love Angel Baby Bottom Balm: "Earth Mama Angel Baby has developed a wonderful diaper rash salve that works well with cloth diapers. The Angel Baby® Bottom Balm is formulated with organic olive oil to provide a soothing and healing first aide for diaper rash. As with any diaper rash creams, Bumkins recommends the use of a disposable or washable liner between baby and the cloth diaper to prevent staining and to protect the diaper from the water repelling properties that may occur with the use of a diaper rash ointment or cream." |
| What are the top things parents need to know when making the decision to cloth diaper? | |
 | "You can expect phenomenal savings using cloth diapers! Saving money (up to a couple thousand dollars per child), saving landfill waste (one ton per baby) and saving baby's tender tush — there’s nothing like the feel of a soft, clean cloth diaper against your baby’s skin! All this while saving your sanity — cloth diapers are SO easy to use these days. One of the best kept secrets about cloth diapers is flushable liners — they make clean-up a breeze! AND, cloth is SO cute to boot!" About Angel Baby® Bottom Balm: "At Bummis, we love the Angel Baby® Bottom Balm. It’s super versatile, 100% vegan and does wonders for cloth-diapered bums! The entire Earth Mama Angel Baby line has become a quick customer favorite at our retail stores." |
| Why is cloth diapering better for babies? | |
 | "Cloth diapers are said to encourage quicker potty learning because they give better "bottom line" feedback. For babies, this encourages an early alert system making sure they get changed in a timely manner — all but eliminating diaper rash. For toddlers, this means being more aware of what’s going on "below deck" allowing them to catch on quicker." Why they love Angel Baby Bottom Balm: "Angel Baby® Bottom Balm and Little Beetle diapers work well together. The fact that the balm contains zero zinc oxide means your Little Beetles can keep on absorbing while your baby's skin is soothed." |
| What to look for in a cloth diaper | |
 | "In my opinion there are three critical things to look for when purchasing a cloth diaper. 1. Where it’s made and where the components are made. I would avoid anything that’s not made in the US or Canada of components made in the US or Canada. Additionally any textile made from bamboo – even if it claims to be organic – has most likely been chemically processed. 2. Use/Care. Some diapers have special washing instructions; wool diapers need to be lanolized. There are a myriad of systems. Make sure you are comfortable with the option(s) that you chose. When in doubt, ask. 3. Fabric. I think it’s important to really examine what it is going against your baby’s skin. Is the skin layer bleached? If so there is a risk of Dioxin. Make sure the fabric touching your baby’s most tender parts is soft, absorbent and safe. What constitutes safe is a relative subject. Safe to me means certified organic cotton or hemp and BPA-free fleece. Wool is a great water resistant barrier but it is not soft directly on babies’ skin." Why they love Angel Baby Bottom Balm: "Through our testing of Angel Baby® Bottom Balm, we have found that it doesn’t compromise the integrity of LolliDoo Diapers at all. We love that it’s clean and the packaging is wonderful."
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| More praise for Angel Baby® Bottom Balm | |
 | "We wash over 40,000 cloth diapers a month, and when starting my diapering service I sought out the best products for baby, the environment, and for our business. Our service does not use harsh chemicals to clean the diapers and it’s a challenge when washing diapers that have substances such as greasy diaper cream. We learned quickly to offer an alternative to zinc oxide, which stains our unbleached cotton nappies. I wash every single diaper that come in and out of my service, and I have never had a problem with Angel Baby® Bottom Balm; in fact, this product has been the only diaper cream that we have found to meet every one of our criteria- clean diapers, happy baby and safe for the environment." Karissa Binkley CD(DONA) |
| More Cloth Diapering Tips | |
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"We have been carrying the Angel Baby Bottom Balm for many years. Not only is it very effective in clearing up a wide range of skin irritations, but has proven to be very safe for use along with cloth diapers. Unlike the heavier ointments like A&D® and Desitin®, it does not seem to leave greasy stains or odors on the fabric; the plant based oils dissolve out readily. Note that pocket diaper manufacturers still do recommend using a barrier between any ointment and the diaper itself." Paula DeVore, Owner BABYWORKS |
| Angel Baby Bottom Balm is safe for cloth diapers | |
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Zinc oxide coats cloth diapers and renders them non-absorbent, and perfumes and harsh chemicals can deteriorate cloth. And while any diaper cream can cause staining, or with too liberal applications leave a residue, cloth diapering mamas prefer creams and balms made with natural oils and herbs that heal and protect without ruining the diapers they’ve invested in. Angel Baby Bottom Balm is made with organic olive oil infused with a proprietary blend of naturally antibacterial and antifungal organic herbs, shea butter and pure essential oils. A little goes a long way, so there is no need to "liberally apply" to create a barrier. Have you tried Angel Baby Bottom Balm with cloth diapers? Do you have advice for cloth diapering mamas? Tell us about it! |
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