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PlanningforBaby‐‐DiaperChoicesandComfort

RevisedbyCeliaRayHayhoe,Ph.D.,CFP®,FamilyResourceManagementSpecialist,VirginiaTechandChungwenHsu,graduatestudent,Dept.AHRM,VirginiaTech

Neitherclothnordisposablediapershavebeenshowntobehealthierfor

babies.Thechoicedependsonhowmuchtimeandmoneyyouhavetospend

ondiapers.Ifyourchildwillbeindaycare,mostcentersonlyacceptdisposable

diapers.Studiesshowdisposablediaperskeepthebabydrierandhelpmaintain

anormalskinpH.Toavoidproblemswhenusingclothdiapers,youhaveto

changethebabymoreoftenandusediaperliners.

Disposablediapers•Disposable(single‐use)diapersaredesignedtofitwellandholdurine.

•Disposablediaperstendtoleaklessoftenthanclothdiaperscoveredwithaplasticcover.

Costsofdisposablediapers•Babiesuseanaverageofsevendisposablediapersperday.Thiswilldecreaseas

thenumberofmealsthebabyeatschangesandasthetoddlerisreadytobetoilettrained.•Costofdisposablediapersdependsonthebrandandtheageofyourchild.Many

storesoffergenericbrandswhichworkjustaswellastheexpensivenamebrands.•Thereislittleornocostdifferenceinlaunderingclothdiapersandbuying

disposablediapers.Disposablediapertips•Emptyfecesintothetoilet.•Folddiaperswithsoiledareainside.•Wrapinapaperorplasticshoppingbagornewspaperandputwiththetrashtobetakenout.

•Donotleaveuseddiapersonchangingtablesorinpublicplaces.Alwaysdisposeofthemproperly.

Clothdiapers•Clothdiapersareusuallymadeofcotton.Acoupleofotherfabricsareavailableandareusuallyfoundthrough

mailordercatalogues.•Sizeofclothdiaperscanvarybutusuallyastandardsizeflatstyleisavailableandyoucanalterthesizebyfoldingthefabricdifferently.

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•Therearealsoform‐fittedorpre‐shapeddiapersavailablewithplasticcovers.Theproblemwiththeseisthatbabiesquicklyoutgrowonesizeanditisexpensivetokeepbuyingthem.Theyalsocostmorethannon‐fitted

clothdiapersandtakelongertodry,therefore,makingyourutilitybillhigher.•Youmaywanttobuyafewclothdiaperstouseasshoulderprotectors(burpcloths).

Clothdiapertips•Rinsesoileddiapersinthetoilet.

•Collectaday’sworthofdiapersinabucketcontainingwaterandadetergent.Youmayneedtoaddchlorinebleachaccordingtothedirectionsonthebottleandthesizeofthediaperpail.

•Forbetterodorcontrolandsanitization,pourdiapersandsolutionintothewasherandputitonthe

spincycle.•Thenaddwateranddetergent(andbleachifneeded)topre‐soakthediapersbeforesettingthewasheratfull‐cycletowashthem.

•Youmaynotneedtousebleacheverytimebutalwaysremembertowashthediapersinhotwater.

•Fabricsoftenercancausethefabricnottobeasabsorbent.Ifyou

mustusefabricsofteners,usedryersheets.•Line‐drythediapersordrythediapersinthedryerontheregularsetting.

•Manydetergentsareadvertisedforusewithclothdiapers.Whenshopping,checklabelstoseeifthedetergentisforclothdiapers.Otherdetergentswillwork,too,butdesignateddetergentstendto

workbetter.

Clothdiaperservices•Dependingonwhereyoulive,aclothdiaperservicemaybeavailablethoughnotusuallyinruralareas.

Also,therearenowfewerdiaperservicesavailablebecausedisposablediapershavebecomesopopular.

•Diaperservicescostmorethanhomelaunderingordisposablediapers.Diaper‐washingbasicsWashclothdiaperstwodozenatatimeeverytwotothreedays.Presoakfirst,usingyourwasher's

highestwaterlevelandthehottestwater.Launderwithahotwashandcoldrinse.Anydetergent

labeledfreeofperfumeordyeswillworkfine.Don'tusesoap.Itleavesabuild‐up.Aslongasyou

presoak,youdon'tneedtousechlorinebleach,whichshortensdiaperlife.Toremovestains,use

chlorine‐freebleachorwashingsoda.Ifyourbabyispronetodiaperrash,rinsediaperstwice,adding

three‐fourthsofacupofwhitevinegartothesecondrinse.

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Don'tuseliquidfabricsoftenerordryersheets.Yourbabymayhaveanallergicreactiontothe

fragrance.Fabricsoftenercanalsoleaveawaxybuildupondiapers,makingthemwater‐repellent

insteadofabsorbent.(Formoredetails,seetheU.S.ConsumerProductsSafetyCommissionwebsiteon

babysleepwear,http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/slpwear.html.)

ResourcesforNewParents•ConsumerReportswebsiteonDisposablediapers,http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies‐kids/baby‐toddler/care‐and‐dressing/diapers/diapers‐304/overview/index.htm•ConsumerReportswebsiteonClothdiapershttp://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies‐kids/baby‐toddler/care‐and‐dressing/diapers/cloth‐diapers‐4‐07/overview/0704_cloth‐diapers_ov.htmRemember, these are the basic guidelines to get you started. As you become more comfortable and have a set routine, you will have a better idea of exactly what you will need and not need. This is one of a set of fact sheets called Planning for Baby. You may also want to see the series Children and Family Finances. ThisfactsheetwasrevisedfromPlanningforBaby–ConsumerIssuesbyHayhoe,C.,Jamison,S.Dillard,A.F.,andChase,M.Reviewers:CristinSprenger,ExtensionAgent,FamilyandConsumerSciences,AugustaCountyKimberlyCardwell,ExtensionAgent,FamilyandConsumerSciences,SpotsylvaniaCountyShereeJones,GraduateStudentinApparel,Housing.&ResourceManagement,VirginiaTech