For the most part, we use cloth diapers, but we do have disposables in the house for when I don't time things out well and can't finish the laundry in time.
Whenever Jayden is wearing a disposable diaper, I can smell the chemicals.
I said something to our pediatrician about it and she said there really are a lot of chemicals in diapers. She said she doesn't use cloth, but she does use the more natural disposables they sell, with less chemicals.
I have done only a little research into this, but apparently if you ask diaper companies, they won't tell you what is in their diapers. But many websites have some of the chemicals listed and they are scary. Chemicals that are linked to things like asthma and even cancer.
Have you noticed how much thinner diapers are now than they used to be? I work with older children and haven't diapered babies in many years. Not since I was a teenager doing baby-sitting. When we bought diapers for Jayden, I was shocked at how thin they were. I thought maybe we bought the wrong kind, but they are all like that. I found online articles about the proud diaper companies announcing their new diaper innovations that are so much thinner than before. But, they aren't made using magic. They obviously have to be made with more chemicals.
I feel like that is something a lot of people don't talk about. I mean, baby books push for you to feed your baby organic food, but then you should diaper them in chemicals 24 hours a day? I wish diaper companies would make changes in the other direction. Less chemicals instead of more. I bet mothers would be okay with thicker diapers or diapers not quite as leak proof if it meant healthier.
And even beyond the chemicals being against your baby's skin, these same chemicals then go into the ground....and eventually our water. Think of all the used diapers out there in the world.
I know I worry more than most people, but isn't this something we should be scared of?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
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I'm right there with you!
ReplyDeleteI'm like that too!
ReplyDeleteYes and yes!!! The timing of this post is perfect. I was just reading an article about all the chemicals in disposible diapers. UGH! I don't have any diapering experience (yet), but we plan on using cloth and I've already started a stash of them. There are so many benefits of using cloth that any cons I can think of don't even come close to the benefits.
ReplyDeleteYep, I'm there too. Trust me, I've spent a LOT of time studying chemicals by now, and even the ones fit for human ingestion scare the eek outta me. That's why I made diapers for Mabel. We were always about 2/3 cloth and 1/3 disposable because Jon was NOT on board with the idea of having to put things aside for me to wash with pee or poop on them. Neither was my dad. Then she outgrew the ones I made right around when she started talking about going, like telling us when she needed a change, etc, so I didn't make another round because we are going to *gasp* start having potty time...Even then, it's scary. I don't want to commit to pull ups, because they have the same creepy absorbent stuff in them as the diapers do. I think we are going to compromise here again, I just hope for a quick transition. Anyways. Some diapers caused both girls to have awful reactions, some leak, it's just creepy. I get over it by assuring myself they are exposed to plenty of crap I can't control, but, I'm with ya. Yikes. I'm hoping if we get the chance to do babyhood again to be able to employ someone *cough*MOM*cough* who is on board with my cloth fetish so it's not a concern anymore.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, this comment is more rambling then helpful, but hopefully it helps you feel a lil less alone.
Yes!! So gross, right?!
ReplyDeleteThat is a HUGE reason why we opted for cloth. When we do need to use disposables (eg. When traveling) I will pay more for the ones without added frangrances (I hate the way disposables smell).
ReplyDeleteAnother reason for cloth. When i learned that they took out some chemical from menstrual pads (because of TSS) and left in diapers...oy.
ReplyDeleteI do worry about the chemicals. I used cloth while I was home on maternity leave (first 4 months) but when I went back to work, none of the day care centers would do cloth, so we had to use disposable every day. I wish I had tried harder to find more "natural" disposables. I still worry that I exposed my daughter to too many chemicals over the years. Maybe with the next one, I can find some more natural solutions.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Though I use disposables and cloth. I bought a lot of the all in ones (fuzzi bunz) and a lot of the old style cloth diapers as well and tons of inserts. I usually use cloth when at home but use disposable when not at home. I try to have at least 2-3 days a week in cloth 100% of the time. Makes me feel less guilty that way.
ReplyDeleteI never even thought about this :( As much as I worry about organic food going in my baby- I never quite thought about what's going ON my baby. Thanks for this food for thought.
ReplyDelete