As modern parents, we are conscious about the environment and we want to do our bit. We know we're part of the problem, but we believe we'll do better.

One of the most popular ways to be more eco-friendly is to use cloth diapers. We know the disposable ones end up in landfill and they do not break down. Some of you may even be thinking of converting to cloth. Personally as a mom who uses both disposable (eco-friendly option: Eco by Naty) and cloth diapers, I don't think the choice need to be mutually exclusive. 

Read on to find out the real truths about using cloth diapers. 

1. You need to change them often

Cloth diapers are praised to be good for baby's skin and can prevent diaper rash. However, you need to change them more often than disposable diapers.

Disposable diapers contain SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer) to suck the water in and keep baby's bottom dry. Cloth diapers are less absorbent and when soiled, will still remain relatively wet. Both my daughters develop nasty-looking diaper rash due to this. With cloth, I have to change them every 2-3 hours. 

2. Finding a nighttime solution can be tricky

If you have heavy wetters like my 2 daughters, it is very frustrating to deal with leaking cloth diapers every morning.  We use modern cloth diapers with two-part system and an additional booster insert, and it's still not enough to absorb everything.

I've been lucky to have both of my kids sleep for 12 hours overnight. Call me selfish, but I'm not going to wake them in the middle of the night to change their nappies. This is why we choose to use Eco by Naty disposable nappy overnight which can last for 12 hours of leakage protection. 

Every baby is different, and I hear so many success stories with parents using cloth diapers overnight. Experiment and see what works for you and your family.

3.  It is cheaper 

Cloth diapers have many options with different price range. The most common type has a price range from $20 to $30 each. To start, it is ideal to have 2-3 cloth diapers before buying more as you feel more confident with using cloth. You will probably need around 10 diapers for full-time use. For discounts, cloth diaper brands usually have pretty good deals during pregnancy and baby expos. 

Compare that with disposable diapers that cost around $0.40 per piece, depending on the brand and size. On average, if you use 6 diapers a day, you will spend approximately $70 a month. Although this cost is often absorbed into the family's grocery budget every week, you spend a lot more on disposables compared to cloth.

Some argue that water and energy bills from washing diapers come up pretty high. So, it may not necessarily be cheaper. That's partly true. It depends on the washing machine and if you use electricity or gas for hot water. But if you have more than one child, you will definitely save money with cloth diapers.

4.  You do not have to touch poop

Even with explosive poos, you do not have to touch the poo to clean the diaper. My favourite method is to use the spray tap in the laundry sink to rinse and spray the soiled diaper. For solid poop, it's easy to shake it off the diaper into the toilet bowl for flushing. 

5. You need to figure out the detergent

It's a learning process to figure out the right type of detergent and the correct amount of soap to use without clogging them. Remember not to use any fabric softener on your cloth diapers. 

At the start when I was using cloth diapers, I had the problem of them smelling like pee after a short while. It was easily resolved by changing detergent. 

We hope this article is helpful to you and all the best to your eco-parenting journey! xx