As a new parent, you are responsible for providing all of your infant’s needs.  You will be faced with many choices on which products are best for them.  One choice you will have to make is what type of diaper you want to use on your child.  You can choose between cloth diapers and disposable diapers. 

Both have many positives and negatives.  It is up to you to decide which are best for the health and comfort of your child as well as what fits your budget.  This article discusses the positives and negatives of using either cloth or disposable diapers.

Cloth diapers are more economical because they can be reused.  After the child soils them they just need to be washed and dried properly as opposed to disposable diapers which are thrown out after every use.  The cotton material of a cloth diaper allows the child’s skin to breathe therefore reducing the occurrence of rashes.

Cloth diapers will last you not only through this child, but as long as they are cleaned and stored properly, you can use them on subsequent children.  It is also believed that babies who use cloth diapers learn how to use the toilet faster than those who do not.

On the other hand, there are some negatives to using cloth diapers.  Cloth diapers require diaper pins to close them.  This could be dangerous to the child if the pin comes unhooked.  Some daycare facilities do not use cloth diapers and therefore are not able to clean them and store them properly.  Cloth diapers are also harder to travel with since they cannot be easily discarded when used.  They may tend to leak more than disposable diapers if they are not wrapped and fastened properly.

Disposable diapers are easy and convenient to use.  They can be thrown away once they are soiled therefore eliminating the need to do an extra load of laundry.  Disposable diapers are sold based on the child’s weight which enables the parent to get a better fit.  A better fit will prevent leaking.

Unfortunately, because they are not able to be reused, disposable diapers are more expensive than cloth diapers.  They are also not the best thing for the environment because they are not bio-degradable.  Research shows that five million tons of disposable diapers are thrown away annually.  Children who use disposable diapers are slower with toilet training.  This is because the super-absorbency of a disposable diaper keeps wetness away from the body.