Cloth Diapers or Disposable? Why Not Both?

It Doesn't Have to Be All or Nothing

We all know that cloth diapers are said to save money and the environment, because they are reusable. Disposable diapers are more convenient, because they do not have to be washed. I used disposable diapers with my first baby, then switched to cloth diapers when he was a toddler. Now that I have two children, I have settled somewhere in between. I now use both cloth and disposable diapers.

During the day when I'm home, I use cloth diapers. When I'm out and about, I use disposables. They take up less space in the diaper bag, though there are compact cloth diapers out there. I don't have to carry dirty diapers with me all day, taking up space in the diaper bag and stinking it up. You can, however, bring a plastic bag for your soiled cloth diapers. I like to be able to just throw my dirty diapers away when I'm in public.

The several kinds of cloth diapers I've tried spring leaks more often than disposables. This is another reason why I don't like to use cloth diapers when I'm not home, because I don't like dealing with leaks in public. Changing diapering systems or using doublers may prevent leaks, but that hasn't worked for us. My sons still can soak right through their cloth diapers, especially at night, which is why I use disposables at night. Leaks can interfere with restful sleep, because no one likes being wet while dreaming.

It is a given that you are going to have more laundry when you use cloth diapers. With only one child in diapers, it only means one extra load a week, but it can add up when you have two or more children in diapers. Laundry piles up quickly when you have two or more kids, even if you aren't using cloth diapers. If your cloth diapers are prone to leakage, you'll go through clothes and sheets faster, too. Using disposables at night and when out of the home cut down on laundry just a bit. When I'm out of cloth diapers, but have no time for laundry, I use disposable diapers until the cloth diapers are washed.