Why Choose Cloth Diapers? Disposables are EXPENSIVE!

The Expense of Cloth Diapering Vs. Disposable Diapers

The first thing everyone asks is “WHY… why in the name of all things beautiful would you want to use cloth diapers when disposable ones are so readily available!!!???!!!?”

OK, most people aren’t that emphatic about it, but it put out the basic idea of how people generally view cloth diapers.  Well, there are several reasons someone would want to use cloth diapers, and several types of people who would prefer them for specific reasons.  The frugal because even if you get the expensive ones, you’re still likely to save about $4,000 on your diaper expenses through the life of one child (not to mention the fact that you can use them on your next child as well).

When you look at the prices of disposable diapers against the initial cost of cloth diapering, cloth can seem a little overwhelming.  If you’re getting a good quality cloth diaper, it can cost you upwards of $500 for your initial investment, whereas you can get a package of disposables for about $12-15.  BUT you have to keep buying disposables!  Here, I’ll let this lady Tell you the Actual cost….. she’s better at it than me you can find her website at www.naturalfamilyonline.com

How much will they cost?
The costs calculated below for disposable, single-use diapers are based on two of the most popular brands from a store known for its value pricing.

The newborn package (up to 10 lb.) contains 48 diapers at $16.23, or $0.34 each . The average number of changes for a newborn is 12 to 16 per day for the first two weeks. 14 diapers x 7 days x 2 weeks = 196 diapers at $0.34 each = $66.64.  The infant size 1 package (up to 14 lbs.) contains 104 diapers at $ 0.22 each. An average baby requires 10 to 12 changes per day for the first three months.11 diapers x 30 days x 2.5 months = 825 diapers at $0.22 each = $181.50.  11 diapers x 30 days x 3 months = 990 diapers at $0.26 each = $257.40

Mega-pack pricing was used for the balance of the packages, because mega-packs are the least expensive. Each mega-pack was $28.92 + $2.02 sales tax, for a total of $30.94 per package. The infant size 3 package (16-18 lbs.) contains 96 diapers $0.32 each. A six- to nine-month-old baby requires eight to 10 changes per day.9 diapers x 30 days x 3 months = 810 diapers at $0.32 each = $259.20  The infant size 4 package (22-27 lbs.) contains 64 diapers at $0.37 each. A nine- to 12-month-old child requires eight changes per day.  8 diapers x 30 days x 3 months = 720 diapers at $0.37 each = $266.40.  The toddler size 5 package (over 27 lbs.) contains 58 diapers at $0.41 each. The average 12- to 18-month-old child requires six to eight changes a day.  7 diapers x 30 days x 6 months = 1,260 diapers at $0.41 each = $516.60.  The child size 6 package (over 35 lbs.) contains 48 training diapers at $23.00, or $0.45 each. An average 18- to 30-month-old child requires six to eight changes per day.  7 diapers x 364 days = 2,548 diapers at $0.45 each = $1146.60

GRAND TOTAL:
The total estimated average cost is $2,694.54 for 7,349 disposable, single-use diapers. Keep in mind that this is a conservative estimate. It is not uncommon for a child of 3 years to require a diaper at night, and children in single-use diapers tend not to feel wetness, requiring a longer duration of time for toilet training success. Your child’s individual sleep pattern, body functions and time frame for toilet training success will determine the number of actual diaper changes required.

OK, I’m back and that was a LOT of numbers!!  haha, $500 doesn’t seem so bad now does it, and that’s for a HIGH end diaper system.  They don’t HAVE to cost that much!  OK, what about the Laundry?  Even a low-efficiency washer-dryer combo only costs about $0.78 per load (including detergent) and most Cloth-Diaperers will do a load every other day. So you’ll (over a period of three years) end up with $427.05 in extra laundry [$.78(365/2)X3].  That STILL brings up a savings of over $1,500!!! [$2694.54-(500+427.05)=$1767.49].  Yeah, in the long run, they’re A LOT cheaper.

And that doesn’t take into account how many babies are allergic to the cheap diapers!  My niece Amy was and she had to use expensive “sensitive skin” diapers.  It made my Brother and Sister-in-Law’s diaper bill come closer to $6,000!!!!  Seriously!  Does ANYONE want to spend $6,000 on something that gets CRAP in it?

In conclusion, if you’re frugal at all, Or are having troubles with the economy the way it is now, Invest in some cloth diapers and learn how to use them well… or just make your own if you know how to sew.  Your bank account will love you for it.

This was Zachary’s 1st Cloth Diaper.  He was 6 days old.  We had been using diapers that we had gotten in the hospital and I got really annoyed with them because they kept leaking all over the place.  So i grabbed a wash-cloth and pinned it to my tiny little preemie baby.  Isn’t he so cute!  Well, He went from Screaming bloody murder whenever he had a wet diaper to whimpering slightly and once I made the covers, there were no more leaks.  Happy baby, Happy mommy, no cost to me.  Well, we went to the store and got a 10 pack of wash-cloths for $4…. it worked, then, when he got bigger (but still too small for most regular diapers) I used them as liners.  It was so lovely.