Since I'm a new foster mom, (Also the reason why I haven't been blogging as much lately...) I find that my life has changed immensely. This is an understatement. Kids change everything. The main thing is that I can't leave my house whenever I want. It may sound a little silly and totally enjoy taking care of my foster daughter, but if I want to go out and grab something for dinner or go shopping and my husband is in class, I can't. That like of freedom is kind of a big deal. It's something I haven't experienced before and is currently rocking my world, but I think I can handle it.
I may blab on and on about other new mommy issues another day, but today I want to talk about diapers. If you would have told me 3 weeks ago that I would soon be concerned about the cost and use of diapers, I would have thought you were crazy. But alas, life hands us some pretty funny challenges sometimes. I don't know how much diapers cost in the US, but here in China they run about 20 cents per diaper. Depending on how soon I can get Gongli, my daughter, potty trained, I probably going to invest at least $50 bucks in her personal feces catchers over the next few weeks.
Even though it's not really that much money, I'm thinking this is pretty ridiculous. There are people in China that make less than what I'm paying for diapers every day. Diapers are hugely bad for the environment as well. I'm concerned about where my money is going, but I really hate that I'm creating so much nasty trash. Is there a better way?
In China, small children are allowed to squat and use the bathroom in the street. I'm not lying, this is completely legit. One kid almost peed on me in Xian where the Terracotta Warriors are. The kids wear pants with slits in the appropriate place so that they are free to do their business just about anywhere, anytime. It's certainly not the most hygienic system, but I'm amazed that the kids as little as one just pop a squat by themselves in the street. They don't just go in the middle of the street, but rather off to the side or around a tree at the edge near the road. The kids use toilets when at home. It seems to be a pretty good system if you don't mind the nastiness. There are lots of street cleaners at every corner practically cleaning up the messes people make too. Their primary job is not to clean up kiddy poop, but I bet they've seen their fair share of it.
Anyway, I've also been thinking about cloth diapers. I don't think it would be that bad to clean them... But maybe I would sing another tune after washing out the cloths all the time. I'd have to be sure that the way I washed them wasn't more harmful to the environment with all the water needed and where that dirty water would go. Then there's got to be more eco-friendly recycled cotton more biodegradable diapers that one can get somewhere like Whole Foods or Earthfare right? I'm sure it lessens the impact on the environment, but is there a better option?
I feel like I'll make a good decision given all this information and the fact that something will have to give. There may not be a great environmentally friendly way to get rid of Gongli's little presents until she gets better at using the toilet. Does anyone else out there care about diapers today besides me?
I saw something on the Science Channel the other day about how bad diapers are for the environment. It's really quite frightening...
And that's comin' at ya' from yer local redneck hippie.
After 15 years and 30+ kids, I've seen just about everything in the waste disposal market. Here are a few of my favorites:
http://www.gdiapers.com/
http://www.mother-ease.com/cloth-diapers/20
http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Diapers
Cloth diapers aren't that bad to wash, really. The key is getting all the..ahem...solids off before they hit the machine. The best way to do this is to dunk the diaper in the toilet a few times, then flush, while holding on to the diaper VERY TIGHTLY. Swirl the diaper around as the toilet flushes, and everything should come off just fine. But hold on to that diaper! You don't want to flush one of those. That's an expensive plumbing bill.
The cloth diapers are not nearly as bulky as they used to be, either. My system of choice is cloth at home, and biodegradable disposable/flushable when out and about.
Also, the best way to get stains out of diapers is to hang them in the sun after washing. No need to bleach if you hang them outside.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Go for the cloth diapers! My parents couldn't afford to by diapers in 1989, so I cannot imagine what parents are paying now, but they used cloth diapers for me. I was too little for diapers anyways, but that is not the point. My parents probably saved hundreds of dollars. I would wear the cloth diaper, but my mom also had this plastic "over" diaper so that there were no leaks or anything. I say go for it. I think those would be the cheapest, and most eco-friendly way to do it.
Après la pluie le beau temps. ♥
Let's see if this works... don't click on it...
My little brother had those bulky diapers with the rubber pants. Those things were terrible. Now they are made in more absorbent weaves with breathable, but still leakproof outer layers. And they're shaped to actually fit a babies body now. WAY better than the old school rectangles!
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Good because that is what my kids are getting. I am not in any way spending all that money on diapers! It is insane what people pay for them. Thanks for the update on cloth diapers, I bet my mom is jealous. :]
Après la pluie le beau temps. ♥
Let's see if this works... don't click on it...
Me too. People who use the disposables often justify it by saying that washing diapers is just as bad for the environment as throwing them away, but that argument fails to consider the amount of water and energy used in the making of all those diapers. I think the manufacturing and the disposal combined makes disposables the less desirable choice.
Isn't it nuts that I have so many opinions about diapers, and I don't even have any kids? I bet parents LOVE that...
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
It is nuts, and I am on the same page as you! As soon as I even knew there were cloth diapers I made a decision, I think I was like 12? I completely agree with the manufacturing aspect of it. Plus they have allllll those different kinds.
"Now made to stretch so your one year has all the flexability of an Olympic gymnist!"
"New! Disguised as underwear so your five year old doesn't know they aren't potty trained!"
I think you see my point... Diapers have one purpose and one purpose only. Why the need for so many different styles and brands?
Après la pluie le beau temps. ♥
Drugs!
I feel like you guys have already made my decision for me. All I had to do is read the conversation you guys have been having. I'm definitely going to look into cloth diapers here in China. I know they use them for small babies, but I'll see what I can find.
Thanks so much!
www.progressiveu.org/blog/americangirlinchina
We use cloth diapers on my youngest nephew because disposables break him out and they really aren't that hard to clean. If you can find one, get one of those shower heads with the tube mabob that has good reach and you can use that to spray them out over the toilet (saves much time and frustration).
They're also incredibly cute these days. They can be expensive (sis was showing me an auction the other day where these INSANE people were bidding 200 and 300.00 on one freaking cloth diaper). She usually pays between 10-30 for a diaper... pretty expensive, but Alo doesn't have control of his bladder because of spina bifida so we'll be using them for a while yet and will be reusing them when the wee one gets out of NICU and is home with us so getting the really good diapers is worth the cost. And if you are sewing inclined (which I will, sadly, never be) you can make them relatively easy as well.
The only problem I really have with them is that using diaper cream with certain diapers can result in the cloth not soaking up the pee as well as it should. Get some felt (I think that's what it is) and cut out a piece of that to put into the diaper (next to the skin) and it solves that problem though. That and it never fails but I can put Aloshua in cloth diaper at home and never have a leakage issue. As soon as I put him in one to take him out somewhere, he leaks right through it. I think that's more of a 'screwing with me' issue than anything though. It's like Murphy's law for the Fallonverse.... if a leak can occur, it will.
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~Fallon~
An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't- A. France
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stupid store bought diapers. Thanks for your comment. Aloshua (great name by the way) is a lucky kid to have such a caring family.
I may end up sewing some of my own cloth diapers.
www.progressiveu.org/blog/americangirlinchina