Most busy mothers swear by the convenience of plastic diapers.
But a growing number of women are switching back to cloth out of a concern for their babies and the environment. Some switch because they don’t like the chemicals in plastic diapers. Others don’t like the price of disposable diapers.
But most of those making the switch say the updated version of the cloth diaper—made out of wool or hemp grown without pesticides—is as easy to use as plastic diapers.
Elisa Mangual, a mergers-and-acquisitions corporate attorney from Hyde Park, has been using cloth diapers on her 11-month-old daughter for several months. She says more of her friends also are now turning to natural cloth diapers.
“Our mothers are like,‘What are you going to do that for?’" Mangual says."We seem to be going back, but our world is just changing.”
Sarah Gesiakowski, owner of PinStripes and PolkaDots in Bloomington, a cloth diaper company with a diaper showroom for customers, recommends BumGenius! for curious mothers. She said it is waterproof but breathable and it can fit a baby from six to 35 pounds. The diaper has a hook and loop closure, inner core and lining fabric, stretchable tabs and leg elastic.
Another brand, Fuzzi Bunz, has one layer of waterproof fabric and one layer of poly fleece and fastens with plastic snaps. The two layers create a pocket so users can put an extra insert into the diaper.
Still, some mothers may believe that using cloth diapers sounds like a lot of work.
But Mangual, who managed to find the time to pump her milk on conference calls at work, says it isn’t as hard as it sounds.
“It’s not impossible. Whatever you prioritize, you can do.”
