Can disposables be cheaper?

[Baby Brian]

Most any big farming company does not use crop rotation any more. They just dump more minerals, fertilizers, and pesticides on the same field year after year (stupid yes, but still increases yields).

The increased demand for that application strips our available resources from somewhere else, and adds pollution, transportation, and labor costs that get added to our final price costs. It is a major environmental impact that most everyone turns a blind eye towards.

Disposable diapers on the other hand are made from secondary materials not suitable for the primary reason they were extracted for in the first place. Ie, the plastic in a diaper is made from oil originally extracted for gasoline or quality plastic parts. The left over refined oil/plastic is then used to make disposable diapers. The same with the pulp, wood harvested for paper can't be all used for paper since some of it won't have a high enough quality grade. That left over pulp is made into diaper fluff.

You really have to consider where all of the original materials are coming from before you can dismiss them for where they end up.

[Nat]

Where we live, our water/sewer costs are high. We are supposed to be spending $5 more in water cost accoridng to websites but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Plus nothing seems to work with the smell. I have tried taking advice about how to get rid of the smell so if disposbales are going to cost just as much as we pay for more in water, sewer/electric and trash, then I will stick with disposbales. Less smelly that way and my disposables get thrown in my diaper champ and then taken outside. Or I can have my own trash can outside and put my diapers in there so the whole bag gets filled up with diapers since not all of them will fill the bag up in the diaper champ. It just means we might need a bigger trash can from the city than a 35 gallon one which fits three 13 gallon trash bags.

[AwakenEvil]

I think that's why ive never liked the idea of using cloth diapers but for photos I think it would very good. Now my wife's best Tay used cloth diapers for her toddler. My wife was discussing the whole diaper thing and I guess the smell was discussed. Tay has some homemade detergent that eliminates the smell. If my wife sees this thread I will have her post the ingredients here.

[Baby Brian]

The best I've come across across for cloth diaper smell is to use dreft and vinegar in my wash, and to boil them every 2-3 months.

I think your idea of just switching to disposables for a couple of months is a good idea. This is going to be the only true way of finding out which will be cheaper and more convenient for you.

A word of advice though. Disposable will not be as absorbent as the cloth you are used to. When you do switch, go with a really good premium diaper.

[Nat]

I prefer diapers that hold a lot such as Molicare of Tena Slip Maxi. I know Abena holds a lot too and Dry 24/7 and Wellness Briefs. BTW I thought cloth doesn't wic away moisture so you feel wet more and change sooner than you would with disposable. That's the way it is with babies.

[Baby Brian]

Pretty much for at first. I can always feel the wetness even when I'm only a little wet in a cloth diaper. With disposables, I don't notice when I'm a little, or sometimes moderately wet. However, when I'm really wet or nearing capacity in a disposable I will definitely notice and know I need a change.

Take note that molicare supers will wick pee more effectively which gives them their great capacity, but also lets you feel being wet more (somewhat like a cloth diaper will). Abena xplus and dry 24/7 have more sap so they get their great capacity by swelling and locking the pee away. However, as they start nearing their capacity you will still feel being wet. For me, tena and wellness just don't absorb more than a couple of small wettings before leaking, so I stay away from them.

[Repaid1]

Where we live, our water/sewer costs are high. We are supposed to be spending $5 more in water cost accoridng to websites but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Plus nothing seems to work with the smell. I have tried taking advice about how to get rid of the smell so if disposbales are going to cost just as much as we pay for more in water, sewer/electric and trash, then I will stick with disposbales. Less smelly that way and my disposables get thrown in my diaper champ and then taken outside. Or I can have my own trash can outside and put my diapers in there so the whole bag gets filled up with diapers since not all of them will fill the bag up in the diaper champ. It just means we might need a bigger trash can from the city than a 35 gallon one which fits three 13 gallon trash bags.

[Nat]

Yes I did.

[Baby Brian]

Spokane Girl, did you even see the unit I posted in my other post in this thread?