Pregnancy certainly brings so much joy and excitement to expectant parents, but it also brings many questions, especially if it is your first baby. Will I be able to provide enough milk for my baby? Should my baby be pooping too frequently? How many layers of clothing would be enough; won’t she/he feel hot? When can I give her formula milk? And a thousand more questions.
One of the most common dilemmas that parents encounter is whether or not to use disposable diapers. If so, will it be okay to sleep in a wet diaper? What if she develops a rash? Like many other things, using disposable diapers has its pros and cons. Here are the ones worth considering when deciding to use one for your baby:
Pros of Disposable Diapers
It is no secret that changing baby diapers is not a fun task at all. It is smelly and can get messy. Disposable baby diapers help to babysit less of a struggle by keeping the diaper changing process quick and convenient.
- Sanitary Disposal
When your baby poops onto a reusable cloth diaper, you need to clean the cloth by getting rid of the waste. Baby pee can be washed out through handwashing, but poop needs to be disposed of first before washing the cloth.
Throwing the poop into the toilet offers an opportunity for a big mess, and keeping your hands off the dirt can be a challenge. But when you opt for disposable diapers, all you need to do is throw the dirty nappy away.
- Convenient for Mom and Dad
Disposable baby diapers are quick and easy to use. Changing your baby’s nappy will be as easy as throwing the soiled one away and changing it with a fresh new one. Moreover, using disposable diapers saves you precious time and energy from washing and drying cloth nappies, lending you more time to play with your baby or do other household chores.
- Comes in Hypoallergenic Variants
Does your little munchkin suffer from an allergic reaction to materials often found in standard diapers?
You can buy baby diapers online in hypoallergenic variants to protect your baby’s sensitive skin. Hypoallergenic diapers can prevent rash and chemical or allergic skin reactions, so your baby stays as comfortable as possible.
- Convenient for When On-the-Go
Disposable baby diapers are the best way to go when you are out and about. Going on a holiday, playing outside, or visiting the grannies calls for a more convenient nappy time.
Especially with babies, who cannot yet communicate, poop time can be anytime, and the last thing you want when you’re away from home is to tackle dirty cloth nappies. With disposable diapers, you can just throw and go!
Cons of Disposable Diapers
Although it offers impressive advantages that can make parenting life a lot easier, disposable diapers are not perfect. There are also some drawbacks that you might want to know about.
- Cost
Since you cannot reuse them, the cost of disposable diapers can easily get expensive, causing many parents to turn to reusable diapers. On average, a newborn baby can use around seven diapers a day.
That can easily add up, especially if you are using top-quality brands. On the contrary, you only have to buy reusable diaper cloth once, which makes much savings compared to the disposable type.
- Waste
Many parents today are more conscious of their environmental impact and try their best to minimize them. Disposable baby diapers can cause so much waste, considering you will have to change nappies about six to seven times a day.
However, you can easily find compostable and eco-friendly baby diapers online. These variants break down over time, making them a popular option for environment-conscious parents.
- Potentially Irritating to the Skin
The dyes and plastic materials used on your baby’s disposable diapers can give your baby a rash. Although not all diapers will do this, hypoallergenic variants, which are less likely to cause skin irritation, also cost more in most cases.
If your baby suffers from rashes, you can always ask your doctor for anti-rash ointment or medication to remedy this minor skin problem.
Everything baby-related comes with pros and cons, from the milk to give your newborn, co-sleeping or not, to homemade baby foods or store-bought ones. The path to take is entirely up to you—the best person who can tell what’s best for your baby. Go for whatever makes the situation convenient as long as you keep in mind the overall well-being of your baby.