Cloth diapering is not what it used to be—long gone are the days of diaper pins and plastic pants. Modern cloth diapers use snaps, velcro, buttons, toggles, and include a naturally absorbent liner under the cover. They are easy to use, not bulky, and quite fashionable. Cloth diapers can also lead to earlier potty training. In recent years, a growing number of parents have determined that the healthiest and most economical way to cover baby’s bottom is with cloth.

While cloth diapers cost more upfront than disposables, they offer long-term savings. The majority of parents opt for home laundering with prices ranging from $400-$1700 for diapers, laundry supplies, water and electricity to get baby from birth through toilet training. In addition, these diapers and covers can be used for siblings, saving even more for families with multiple children. Compare this to disposables which can run up to $2,500 or more per child.

\Cloth is gentler on baby's delicate skin because the fabric breathes, helping to evaporate the potentially irritating ammonia that starts to form as soon as a baby wets. They are also free of dioxon (a by-product of bleaching paper and according to the EPA a known danger to the central nervous system, kidneys, and liver) and Sodium Polyacrylate (the absorbent gel that has been linked to toxic shock syndrome, allergic reactions, and is potentially lethal to pets).

It has been estimated that roughly 5 million tons of untreated waste and a total of 2 billion tons of urine, feces, plastic and paper are added to landfills annually, which not only pack the landfills but also contaminate groundwater with untreated waste. Single-use diaper packaging recommends flushing solid waste into the toilet before disposing of the diaper. However, it is doubtful that most parents actually rinse out single-use diapers.

Ready to potty train? Before reaching for the “pull-up diapers,” keep in mind that super absorbent polymers allow disposable diapers to retain lots of liquid while keeping baby’s bottom dry. The child may have a harder time recognizing when he or she is wet, and thus take longer to potty train than a child wearing cloth.

Cloth diapers are available at Hosie Naturals, 630 Brevard Ave, Cocoa Village. For more information call owner, Kari Feucht at 321-252-5581, visit hosienaturals.com or follow on facebook or twitter.