Hi, I am Dr. David Hill and today we are going to talk about diapers. Cloth versus disposable. Now, there is a lot of debate about cloth and disposable diapers and we should start by talking about what each of them are. Disposable diapers, of course, are made of plastic, paper and another artificial fibers. They are able to absorb a tremendous amount of water, using polyacrylic gel to suck the water in and form short of a gel that keeps fluids away from baby's body. Also because of the elastic components in the diaper, they generally be able to avoid needs. Cloth diapers are made of natural materials, almost always cotton, which can be formed in a woven, terrycloth or even flannel form. They don't suck up as much water and generally you need to use some sort cover over them to keep them from leaking. Those covers don't always work as well you'd like. One question about cloth versus disposable diapers, has to do with convenience. Which is more convenient? A lot of people will probably say that the disposable diaper is convenient. It is after all disposable. In fact, many day cares will require you to use disposable diapers, because of the convenience for the care taker. On the other hand, cloth diapers had become a lot more convenient in recent years. There are velcro attachments in stead of the diaper pin, that people used to accidentally stick there babies with. Also they now sell disposable liners for those diapers which mean they clean up a lot easier. You can of course hire a diaper service in most urban or suburban areas, to haul away the dirties and bring you back clean ones. That does of course, cost money. The biggest question about disposable diapers has been the environmental impact. Disposable diapers can account for as much as two billion tons a year of landfill usage, and that is a lot when you think about it. Now the disposable diaper companies would point out the cloth diapers have to be laundered, that requires water, detergent, electricity to run your washing machine and dryer. Or, if you have a diaper service, they have trucks which probably burn diesel or some other fossil fuel. So, they are not completely environmentally friendly, but I think a lot of people will agree that they probably, at least marginally, better for the environment than disposable diapers. Another question that comes up is which is better for the baby's health? Well, there may be some topical reactions to dyes, scents, or other chemicals that are used in disposable diapers, and you don't have that generally in cloth diapers. Especially if you washed them in hypo allergenic detergent. On the other hand, disposable diapers keep fluid away from the baby's body better. So some people think that they may prevent rashes a little better than cloth diapers, although the medical literature is not very solid on this point. So, which one are you going to use? Well, it remains up to the family. In summary, you can say that disposable diapers are probably more convenient, but probably worse for the environment, and they may or may not help prevent diaper rashes. Cloth diapers are a natural alternative, although they do have there own environmental cost. They are probably less convenient and they are wetter and more prone to leak. However, it is based on what your family wants to do and as a pediatrician I can't tell you what, you going to have to decide for yourself. So, that's cloth versus disposable diapers, and I am Dr. David Hill.
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