You have to think that life must be pretty difficult as a newborn. After all, so far you’ve spent your whole time in a warm and wet environment; basically bumping around naked, not really worried about anything. Then all of a sudden you are thrust out into this cold, bright place, your means of nourishment is cut off, and you have to learn to breath in a whole new way in a matter of seconds, and then they wrap you in plastic!

While some people may have the time to set a schedule for their newborns so that they can get them cleaned every time the baby produces waste, for many this simply isn’t feasible. A new generation that rejects unnatural products both for the environment and for their children are choosing to use cloth diapers instead of disposables for catching the bodily waste that newborns produce. Let’s take a look at the benefits in health and in terms of our eco footprint, that choosing cloth diapers for your newborn can mean.

Less diaper rash. Cloth diapers simply can’t hold the same amount of waste, either solid or liquid, that a disposable diaper can. While at first blush this may seem convenient, the fact is that the healthy choices for our children are never convenient. The amount of waste that can build up in a disposable diaper can cause newborns, infants and toddlers significant pain and discomfort in the form of a rash. Using a cloth diaper mitigates this occurrence.

Renewable. The biggest benefit as far as the environment with cloth diapers as that by being washable, they are far less likely to be thrown out than disposables. Most disposable diapers contain quite a lot of plastic and other materials which will not break down for hundreds of years; a quick look at just how many disposables the average newborn goes through in a day is enough to make anyone’s spine creep when the eco impact is considered. The fact that you can use cloth diapers again and again, also means there is less impact on your bank account!

Less chance of an allergic reaction. As allergies are becoming more and more severe, many new mothers are finding that the synthetic materials used in disposable diapers cause their newborns to have a reaction. Not a very great way to start out life! Choosing cloth diapers made of non-allergenic material will greatly reduce the chance of a reaction from your baby.

As with so many are finding today, the old ways of doing things are proving to be the smartest for a new generation. Cloth diapers are a flash from the past, but perhaps they are a part of taking care of a newborn that should never have been left behind.