Diaper Fast Facts

Some interesting facts about diapers (much of this is from Environment Canada's Online News Magazine - EnviroZine):

Even when using disposable diapers, the contents should be emptied into the toilet so that the waste can be properly treated (it's true! Read the fine print on any package of disposables).

In the first two years, the average baby will require between 5000 to 7000 diaper changes.

Disposable diapers in landfills can prevent water from soaking to the ground.

Cloth diapers encourage babies to potty train faster than disposables, because with disposable diapers, the babies seldom feel any wetness or discomfort. One potty learning recommendation is to show your child where their waste goes by flushing it down the toilet, you'll already be doing this with cloth!

Using too much detergent when washing cloth diapers can cause build-up, reducing the absorbency.

Over four million disposable diapers are discarded in Canada per day.

Instead of thinking in terms of "money saved", try thinking in terms of "money earned". Say you were to invest the amount of money you would have been spending on disposable diapers into an education fund for your child - how much could you earn on that amount when your child is ready to use it? (Ahhh, if only I had the discipline to invest....).