Diaper Alternatives
As mothers and mothers-to-be there are many important decisions that need to be made. One decision is whether to use cloth or disposable diapers. Not only should your needs influence your decision, but also the health of your child and the environmental impact that your choice will have.
Diaper Service
There is no need to rinse dirty diapers in the toilet! Simply through soiled diapers into the diaper pail and put them at your front door for pick up twice a week. Daisy Fresh Diaper service uses phosphate free biodegradable detergents. They use very little chlorine bleach (3Tbsp to 50lbs of laundry) in whitening diapers (1). It's easy, affordable and environmentally friendly. Daisy Fresh diaper services are located in Victoria and can be contacted at 380-2826.
Options: Cloth Diapers, Covers & liners
Flat pre folded or contoured - The pre-folded diapers are square or rectangular and the contour diapers are hourglass shaped. Pins fasten these diapers together, and a waterproof cover is put on overtop.
Fitted diapers - These diapers have elastic at the waist and legs, are fastened by Velcro or snaps, and require a waterproof cover.
All in one diapers - A fitted cotton diaper that has an outer waterproof cover built in.
Remember that when buying cloth diapers you can choose from different materials including: hemp, flannelette, that are bleached or unbleached and organic or non-organic cotton.
Covers - you can choose natural fibres such as wool and cotton, or synthetic fibres such as nylon, vinyl, polyester, and fleece. Plastic covers are also available at a lower price, but they are not as durable and are not breathable.
Liners - Reusable layers of cotton that line the inside of the diaper to make it more absorbent, which is good at night.
Disposable liners - These also line the inside of the diaper, but can be flushed or thrown away making cleaning soiled diapers easier.
It is safe and less costly to pick up used diapers from a consignment store, garage sale, or a friend.
You can order diapers on line from companies that sell, non-bleached, organic cotton and a variety of different styles of diapers.
Local Stores That Have New Cloth Diapers and Diapers on Consignment:
Sailor Jack, 424 Craigflower Road, 382-Jack (Consignment)
Abra-Kid-Abra, 2024 Oak Bay Ave, 595-1613 (New and Consignment)
Clothes Line Clothing Co, 4488 West Saanich, 479-0800 (Consignment)
Kiddin' Around, A3-9769 5th St. Sidney, 656-1041 (New and Consignment)
Kids Connection, 9783 3rd St. Sidney, 655-0570 (Consignment )
Kids Corner, 899 Goldstream Ave, 474-4845 (Consignment)
TJ's The Kiddies Store, 3045 C Douglas, 386-2229 (New)
Chlorine Free Diapers
If you find that your child soaks through their diaper at nighttime or you can't stand carrying around dirty diapers while in public, there are disposable diapers that are not bleached, chemical free, gel free and have a cloth liner.
Local stores that sell these diapers include:
Colwood House of Nutrition , 6-310 Goldstream, 478 -3244
Life Styles Market, 180-2950 Douglas, 384 - 3388
The Market on Yates, 903 Yates, 381 - 6000
Planet Organic Market, 109-3995 Quadra, 727 - 9888
Diaper Free
In the past and in other parts of the world today, diapers were and are non-existent. Instead parents learn to respond to their child's elimination needs. Natural infant hygiene is very environmentally sound as no unnecessary waste is created (2). For more information Ingrid Bauer wrote the book The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene on this subject.
Fresh air, clean water and soil: a healthy environment is what is best for our children. It is not sustainable to fill the landfills with disposable diapers and to leave our mess for future generations. Cloth diapers are a little less convenient but unlike disposables there impact on the earth will not be felt for hundreds of years.
1. Carol from Daisy Fresh Diaper Service. Phone interview. June 16, 2004.
2. Bauer, Ingrid. 2001. Diaper Free! The Gentle Wisdom of Natural Infant Hygiene. Natural Wisdom Press.
