Health Nugget of the Week
November 30, 2011Cloth Diapers – Not What They Used To Be!!
I know I might get jumped all over on this topic as I do not yet have kids, however before you immediately get your backs up please know that I have close friends that use cloth diapers who have inspired me! So with that here we go…
Picture from www.ampdiaperstore.com
As a society we are definitely becoming more environmentally conscious and concerned about what ends up in our landfills. This is great news! Brandon is getting more and more environmentally friendly with the adopting of a recycling program with personal recycling bins at each home, Brandon University being the 3rd Canadian University to eliminate bottled water in 2010, and now with the City of Brandon announcing the that as of 2012 there will be a ban on the sale and distribution of single-use bottled water in all city-owned and operated facilities.
But why are we turning a blind eye to diapers? I know, I know one step at a time right? But it isn’t just about the landfills – we are exposing our babies to chemicals their little bodies and skin just doesn’t know how to deal with. One of the main culprits being dioxins. Now if you have been following my blogs and/or newsletters at all you will be aware of what Xenoestrogens are. Dioxin, which is a byproduct of chlorine used in the manufacture of diapers (as well as female hygiene products: tampons & pads), can accumulate in the body and lead to hormonal imbalances among other things. This is a great article that explains the toxicity of disposable diapers – please take a quick minute to check it out: “Toxins in Disposable Diapers: Dioxin and Sodium Polyacrylate“.
Ever wonder how long it takes for a disposable diaper to break down in the landfill? An Australian cloth diaper company, G Diapers, have a great video showing the time laps of how quickly their biodegradable diapers break down into compost compared to a chlorine free and disposable diaper:
So those friends I mentioned at the beginning? They have been using AMP Diapers – the best part? They are local – owned and manufactured out of Winnipeg, MB. They are amazing – with a variety of fun colors as well as adjustable clips that allows the diaper to grow with your baby! This company was developed by a mom who had unsuccessfully tried using cloth diapers more than once – so she developed these diapers as an answer to those parents searching for that easy to use, environmentally conscious alternative to disposable diapers. Honestly from what I’ve heard (and what I’ve changed during my babysitting duties!) they are not much different than disposables! Here’s her website: AMP Diaper Store.
So if you have kids in diapers, or are soon to be a new parent please educate yourself and decide what is best for you. Cloth diapers definitely are not what they used to be and can end up benefiting you (and baby) in so many ways…saving cash, lowering the toxic exposure to your baby, and shrinking your carbon footprint!!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
