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This post was originally posted by Musica, mom to a 6-month-old, on Indian Moms Connect – Conversations on Motherhood.

As a new mom, in most situations we are pretty much overwhelmed with either no options or in some cases too many options. Deciding the right one is often a daunting task. How do we choose the best for our baby angels? One such case is the use of diapers for your little one. Do I use cloth or disposable?

Many people fear that cloth is just going to be too hard. Yes, those fears have some basis in truth because even the best modern cloth systems are a bit more work than diapering with disposables, largely due to the need to deal with laundry every day instead of just dumping your baby’s dirty diapers into the  dustbin.

What are the factors to consider when thinking about cloth diapers? 

Modern cloth diapers are available in a variety of systems that attempt to make the process simpler. But, the truth is that the mind-boggling range of options, size, comfort, tie-ups/snaps/Velcro… can be confusing.

No Rashes:
Well, to start with, I was pretty sure I was going to use cloth diapers.
And the driving point for me was that I had never heard of rashes with use of cloth diapers. (Still holds true.)

Cost effective:
The ones I use are the plain cotton absorbent tie-up variety. However they are one time use/wetting only. The starting size is usable from birth to 6 months at least and buying 3 dozens (yes, you will need that many at least) will set you back by Rs.1,500 only . You will need a nappy protector so that each wetting does not dampen her onesie/dress/your bed/crib/bedsheets. Available in many colors and designs, around 4-6 should be more than sufficient. That’s another Rs.300.

Total approximately Rs.1800 for a 6 month period compared to about Rs. 9,000 you would spend on disposables for the same period, besides the environmental factors!

So this option is the most economical & healthier, though the efforts are higher as compared to disposable ones.

The cleaning process for cloth:
Cloth Diapers need a more elaborate cleaning process:
1) Clean the poop off & rinse
2) Soak them in a pail of antiseptic solution (Dettol)
3) Wash them in hot detergent water and rinse
4) Spin dry

Also once every 2-3 weeks, drying in the sun to naturally bleach them is required.

Superbottoms:

After 6 months of cloth diapering, I came across Superbottoms, which is one of the newer innovations to the above to make life a little more simpler.

The Superbottoms Diaper:

This set comes with a cover and an inner absorbent sheet, called soakers.
The cover has a 4 size adjustment which makes it suitable for kids up to nearly 2 years.
The soaker is completely washable and re-usable, has 3 layers of microfibre and 3 adjustments too.

My Experience:

  • It is effective for at least 3 wettings or 2-3 hours (may differ baby to baby). In this way I’m at peace for those many hours vis-a-vis the single use traditional cloth diapers.
  • The dry-feel fabric helped to keep the bottoms dry and with no sign of rashes too.
  • There was no requirement for usage of creams or powders.
  • Lovely colors, designs are available to match all outfits!
  • Another point to consider also is that snaps on Superbottoms are better than the velcro kinds, primarily because velcro-like closures tend to get filled up with lint, and as a result they lose their binding strength over time and tend to wear out faster and if they are not fastened prior to laundering or come undone in the laundry, they stick to everything and create havoc in the machine.

Cost Comparison:

Cost-wise, although they are 2.5 times more costlier than traditional cloth, but then it still is a 65% savings than disposable ones! Also, it’s a one-time cost that is usable till minimum 2 years whereas traditional ones need size changes after every 5-6 months.

So the initial investment will be approximately around Rs.2,000 for 2 years with all the benefits of cloth diapering – the big ones being no rashes and no adverse effect on the environment!

Small irritants:

One worrying factor I faced was my little one was sweating near the thighs, because of the humidity. 
Also the set is a little bulky, so it may not suit newborns is my view.

In Short:

  • Cloth saves you a lot of money
  • Cloth is healthier for your baby
  • Diapering with cloth is better for the environment
  • Cloth gives you options for overwhelming cuteness that disposables can’t match!

I would recommend Superbottoms to all those new moms on the lookout for diapering options that are environment-friendly, baby bottom-friendly, cost-effective and of course for the overwhelming cuteness factor!