I was gifted Natracare compostable baby wipes for our family to try out. I was not obligated to share a review, and all opinions expressed are my own.
I’m on round three of cloth diapering my babies. I would 100% recommend it to anyone who’s serious about taking their passion for sustainability (or frugality) into the parenting phase of life. There is definitely a learning curve, however! That’s why I’m writing this post: to share my best tips for eco-friendly diapering and wipes with you.
Why Use Cloth Diapers?
The most obvious reason to use cloth diapers is that it’s a low or zero-waste diapering solution. Everything gets tossed in the laundry after use. You can sanitize diapers and use them again for subsequent kids. When diapers wear out, they’re reusable around the house as cleaning rags–they’re super absorbent, which makes them great for cleaning up liquid spills. 100% cotton diapers can be torn up and composed when they outlive all of their usefulness.
Lots of people buy used cloth diaper lots since the price of new diapers can be high, depending on the brand and type of diaper. If you’re not completely on board but want to try it out, this is a nice option.
Many people also choose to cloth diaper because it saves money. While the initial price per diaper is higher than disposables, the cost per diaper ends up being much lower with consistent use.
Lastly, you might cloth diaper because you know what materials you’re putting (or not putting) on baby. Many disposable diapers contain various chemicals including phthalates, VOCs, acrylamide, bleach, and more (source). If you can’t afford “natural” disposable diaper brands, cloth diapers are a great non-toxic solution.
How I Cloth Diaper My Kids (And Other Options)
We started cloth diapering when my oldest was four months old. I started out using unbleached cotton workhorse diapers from Green Mountain Diapers with Thirsties waterproof covers. I wasn’t confident folding diapers myself, so I picked a no-fold option (that was still within our budget).
They were easy to use and no leaks. So, I decided to transition to full-time cloth diapering. We bought more covers and a couple of packs of unbleached organic cotton prefolds with snappis fasteners. I’m still wayyy too nervous to use real diaper pins 😛 although they’re longer lasting than Snappis, which do eventually break.
Over time I’ve added a few all-in-ones to my collection since they are more convenient for out of the house. When kids get older, I usually switch over to disposables when we are out, since wrestling a toddler on a tiny changing table is hard enough without having multiple layers of diaper to put on.
Other cloth diaper options include flats with covers (more adjustable coverage than prefolds–but also more folding) and pocket diapers, which are similar to all-in-ones (you have to stuff them with liners, but they’re easier to clean).
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Why are my diapers leaking? Many possible reasons. Sometimes all-in-ones or pocket diapers don’t work well until baby is a bit bigger. Their legs just don’t fill in the leg holes. You might want to try a more adjustable type of diaper like flats or prefolds. For bigger babies and toddlers, you might need extra liners if your child pees a lot at once. Sometimes it’s hard to get a prefold or flat onto a squirmy kid. Pockets or AIOs might make more sense when they’re older.
My kids generally outgrow the ability to use cloth diapers overnight by the time they’re one. Even with extra liners, they wake up in wet clothes every morning. So, we use disposables for nighttime.
Why do my diapers smell terrible? Usually this is because of gradual chemical buildup. Make sure you use two wash cycles for each load: a pre-rinse to get all the stuff off and a hot wash with detergent to actually get them clean. We also have very hard water where we live, so we need to occasionally “strip” the diapers of mineral/ammonia buildup with a stronger cleaner. I like GroVia Mighty Bubbles pods for that.
Why are my diapers causing rashes? Always consult with your pediatrician, in case a persistent rash is caused by a bacteria or fungus that requires medical treatment. It’s important to change cloth diapers frequently because the fabric is not (as) moisture-wicking as the inner layer of disposable diapers. Chemical buildup in diapers can cause irritation, so strip diapers regularly! If a rash is caused by bacteria or yeast, sanitize diapers after treatment before using again.
Compostable Baby Wipes?
I’ve tried various baby wipes through the years. My issues with disposable wipes: they smell chemical-y, and even nontoxic wipes contain plastics. Washable organic cloth wipes with a spray bottle of water are not as effective and stain easily.
Babies have sensitive skin and developing immune systems. They’re even more prone to the health effects of toxic chemicals than adults. Unfortunately, many wipe brands, including those marketed as “sensitive” or “hypoallergenic,” contain many irritating and unsafe ingredients:
- foaming agents like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), which strip the skin of its protective layer and make it easier for toxins to absorb into the body;
- preservatives like phenoxyethanol, a skin irritant;
- parabens, i.e. endocrine disruptors;
- alcohols (dry and damage skin with repeated use);
- propylene glycol and polyethylene glycol, which are skin irritants and toxic internally if they enter through broken skin;
- imidazolidinyl urea and other formaldehyde releasing preservatives.
Yikes! That’s a wholeee lot of things we don’t want to use on babies. Especially if you have a family history of eczema, allergies, and other inflammatory health problems, like ours.
Recently I discovered Natracare’s compostable baby wipes and I love them. They’re disposable wipes that are made from biodegradable organic cotton, without any GMO ingredients or pesticide residues. They’re also EWG certified for health and transparency.
We tried them out on baby K and these compostable baby wipes are just as effective as any other disposable wipes I’ve used. My husband thinks they work better! They also smell lovely, which is a pleasant change from our usual wipes. Of course, the big differences are that there are no added nasties and that I can compost them. They have all the benefits of disposable wipes and none of the harm.
Pssst–even though they biodegrade, please don’t flush these wipes! Sewer systems are NOT good composting environments.
And for all that I love cloth diapers… boy am I excited about potty training kid #3 this fall 😛
xx Claire
