planning for baby ‐‐ diaper choices and comfort...planning for baby ‐‐ diaper choices and...
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2009 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 2910-7038
Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Mark A. McCann, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; Alma C. Hobbs, Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.
PlanningforBaby‐‐DiaperChoicesandComfort
RevisedbyCeliaRayHayhoe,Ph.D.,CFP®,FamilyResourceManagementSpecialist,VirginiaTechandChungwenHsu,graduatestudent,Dept.AHRM,VirginiaTech
Neitherclothnordisposablediapershavebeenshowntobehealthierfor
babies.Thechoicedependsonhowmuchtimeandmoneyyouhavetospend
ondiapers.Ifyourchildwillbeindaycare,mostcentersonlyacceptdisposable
diapers.Studiesshowdisposablediaperskeepthebabydrierandhelpmaintain
anormalskinpH.Toavoidproblemswhenusingclothdiapers,youhaveto
changethebabymoreoftenandusediaperliners.
Disposablediapers•Disposable(single‐use)diapersaredesignedtofitwellandholdurine.
•Disposablediaperstendtoleaklessoftenthanclothdiaperscoveredwithaplasticcover.
Costsofdisposablediapers•Babiesuseanaverageofsevendisposablediapersperday.Thiswilldecreaseas
thenumberofmealsthebabyeatschangesandasthetoddlerisreadytobetoilettrained.•Costofdisposablediapersdependsonthebrandandtheageofyourchild.Many
storesoffergenericbrandswhichworkjustaswellastheexpensivenamebrands.•Thereislittleornocostdifferenceinlaunderingclothdiapersandbuying
disposablediapers.Disposablediapertips•Emptyfecesintothetoilet.•Folddiaperswithsoiledareainside.•Wrapinapaperorplasticshoppingbagornewspaperandputwiththetrashtobetakenout.
•Donotleaveuseddiapersonchangingtablesorinpublicplaces.Alwaysdisposeofthemproperly.
Clothdiapers•Clothdiapersareusuallymadeofcotton.Acoupleofotherfabricsareavailableandareusuallyfoundthrough
mailordercatalogues.•Sizeofclothdiaperscanvarybutusuallyastandardsizeflatstyleisavailableandyoucanalterthesizebyfoldingthefabricdifferently.
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•Therearealsoform‐fittedorpre‐shapeddiapersavailablewithplasticcovers.Theproblemwiththeseisthatbabiesquicklyoutgrowonesizeanditisexpensivetokeepbuyingthem.Theyalsocostmorethannon‐fitted
clothdiapersandtakelongertodry,therefore,makingyourutilitybillhigher.•Youmaywanttobuyafewclothdiaperstouseasshoulderprotectors(burpcloths).
Clothdiapertips•Rinsesoileddiapersinthetoilet.
•Collectaday’sworthofdiapersinabucketcontainingwaterandadetergent.Youmayneedtoaddchlorinebleachaccordingtothedirectionsonthebottleandthesizeofthediaperpail.
•Forbetterodorcontrolandsanitization,pourdiapersandsolutionintothewasherandputitonthe
spincycle.•Thenaddwateranddetergent(andbleachifneeded)topre‐soakthediapersbeforesettingthewasheratfull‐cycletowashthem.
•Youmaynotneedtousebleacheverytimebutalwaysremembertowashthediapersinhotwater.
•Fabricsoftenercancausethefabricnottobeasabsorbent.Ifyou
mustusefabricsofteners,usedryersheets.•Line‐drythediapersordrythediapersinthedryerontheregularsetting.
•Manydetergentsareadvertisedforusewithclothdiapers.Whenshopping,checklabelstoseeifthedetergentisforclothdiapers.Otherdetergentswillwork,too,butdesignateddetergentstendto
workbetter.
Clothdiaperservices•Dependingonwhereyoulive,aclothdiaperservicemaybeavailablethoughnotusuallyinruralareas.
Also,therearenowfewerdiaperservicesavailablebecausedisposablediapershavebecomesopopular.
•Diaperservicescostmorethanhomelaunderingordisposablediapers.Diaper‐washingbasicsWashclothdiaperstwodozenatatimeeverytwotothreedays.Presoakfirst,usingyourwasher's
highestwaterlevelandthehottestwater.Launderwithahotwashandcoldrinse.Anydetergent
labeledfreeofperfumeordyeswillworkfine.Don'tusesoap.Itleavesabuild‐up.Aslongasyou
presoak,youdon'tneedtousechlorinebleach,whichshortensdiaperlife.Toremovestains,use
chlorine‐freebleachorwashingsoda.Ifyourbabyispronetodiaperrash,rinsediaperstwice,adding
three‐fourthsofacupofwhitevinegartothesecondrinse.
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Don'tuseliquidfabricsoftenerordryersheets.Yourbabymayhaveanallergicreactiontothe
fragrance.Fabricsoftenercanalsoleaveawaxybuildupondiapers,makingthemwater‐repellent
insteadofabsorbent.(Formoredetails,seetheU.S.ConsumerProductsSafetyCommissionwebsiteon
babysleepwear,http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/slpwear.html.)
ResourcesforNewParents•ConsumerReportswebsiteonDisposablediapers,http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies‐kids/baby‐toddler/care‐and‐dressing/diapers/diapers‐304/overview/index.htm•ConsumerReportswebsiteonClothdiapershttp://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies‐kids/baby‐toddler/care‐and‐dressing/diapers/cloth‐diapers‐4‐07/overview/0704_cloth‐diapers_ov.htmRemember, these are the basic guidelines to get you started. As you become more comfortable and have a set routine, you will have a better idea of exactly what you will need and not need. This is one of a set of fact sheets called Planning for Baby. You may also want to see the series Children and Family Finances. ThisfactsheetwasrevisedfromPlanningforBaby–ConsumerIssuesbyHayhoe,C.,Jamison,S.Dillard,A.F.,andChase,M.Reviewers:CristinSprenger,ExtensionAgent,FamilyandConsumerSciences,AugustaCountyKimberlyCardwell,ExtensionAgent,FamilyandConsumerSciences,SpotsylvaniaCountyShereeJones,GraduateStudentinApparel,Housing.&ResourceManagement,VirginiaTech
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