A "disposable" diaper will only cost from 20-36 cents per diaper, and you can pick them up along with your groceries, so how can they really be as expensive as spending several hundred dollars on cloth diapers? Even if it does cost a little bit more for "disposables", isn't easier to spend just a small amount each week?
Sometimes, it can be hard to come up with that much money all at once.

To help you see the real costs of "disposable" diapers, I have used Pampers® "disposable" diapers, at two current price levels - regular price of $14.49 and sale price of $9.99.

The Step One package contains 80 diapers. Your newborn will need about 10-12 diaper changes per day in the first four weeks. In that month's time you have only used about four packages or 320 diapers. For a total cost of $57.96 at regular price, $39.96 at sale price.
Well, that's not too bad, just pocket-change . . . right?

But the Step Two package only contains 68 diapers. Your baby will need about 8-10 diaper changes a day from one to five months of age. So you now only need to bring home just over 3 packages per month. But that's a total of 870 diapers for just four months. For a total cost of $185.39 at regular price, $127.81 at sale price.
O.K., it's getting a little more expensive, but your time is valuable . . . right?

If you are lucky, your baby will still fit into Step Two diapers for another few months. But your baby will still need about 8 changes a day from five to nine months. That's another 870 diapers for the next four months or so. For a total cost of $185.39 at regular price, $127.81 at sale price.
But cloth diapers are a lot more work . . . aren't they????

The Step Three package contains only 56 diapers. Your 9-12 month baby still needs about 8 diaper changes a day. So add on 13 more packages or 728 diapers for three months. For a total cost of $188.37 at regular price, $129.87 at sale price.
Ouch! This is really adding up . . . isn't it!?

So in just your baby's first year alone, you will have lugged home about 31 Jumbo-sized packages or 2,788 diapers. For a total outlay from your pocket of $617.11 at regular price, $425.45 even at sale prices!
Time to make sure you are shopping for those sale prices . . . huh!?

Of course, it does get better once your baby is over a year old . . . right? The Step Four package only contains 48 diapers, but your 12-18 month baby will need just 6 diaper changes a day. That's about 23 packages or 1,104 diapers for six months. For a total cost of $333.27 at regular price, $229.77 at sale price.
Wait a minute . . . how much did you say cloth diapers would cost!?

After this long, why bother switching to cloth? Your toddler now only needs about 5 diaper changes per day. That's just 154 diapers a month. Well, from ages 18-30 months that would be 42 packages or 1,848 diapers, because the Step Five package contains only 44 diapers! For another year's cost of $608.58 at regular price, $419.58 even at sale price.
But this is costing you almost as much as your baby's first year!?
Will this child EVER get toilet-trained!?!?!

If the price of "disposable" diapers does not increase before your child is finally toilet-trained (ha-ha!), two and a half years of diapering is going to cost you over $1,558.96! Why, even at sale prices, it is still going to cost you over $1,074.80! And that's all before adding in any taxes.
Gee . . . how much did you say a new washer and dryer would cost?

STILL, aren't all these new cloth diapers awfully expensive? Why, your mother only paid $8.00 for a dozen diapers, and they were good enough for you, as a baby!

(Let's see, wasn't that back when minimum wage was 50 cents an hour, and you could go to the store with a dollar . . . and come back with a loaf of bread, a quart of milk and CHANGE!!?)

O.K., so you CAN still buy the same flat diapers your mother used on you. These diapers are even still on sale for about $12.00-$14.00 for a dozen.

But TODAY'S busy parents are demanding better quality, better fit, and quick and easy use. They want diapers with good absorbency, no messy leaks - and a fashion sense to boot!

In short, they want a cloth diaper with all the convenience and ease of a "disposable", without the high, guilt-ridden, environmental cost.

Now, if you've read the previous "disposable" diaper costs information, and still aren't convinced . . . spend a few minutes thinking about the following:

There are a lot of important baby supplies you will be purchasing for your new child. How much do you plan to spend on your baby's highchair? A high chair will average around $80.00, and your baby will use it one to three times a day, up to half an hour at a time . . . for about two years.
Wouldn't you agree it's worth the money?

How about a car seat? You'll need an infant seat, toddler seat and booster seat. Or something like an Evenflo® seven-year seat (that's what I got). It costs about $120.00. Your baby will use it two to six times a week, up to an hour at a time . . . for two to seven years.
Certainly an item you can't afford NOT to buy!

Now, how much do you plan to spend on your baby's stroller? A good-quality stroller averages around $180.00, and your baby will use it two to six times a week, up to two hours at a time . . . for about two years.
Wouldn't your back and arms agree it's worth the money?

Most parents-to-be consider the crib to be the first, and most important, purchase. An economical crib and mattress will cost you at least $200.00, and your baby will use it from zero to eighteen hours per day.
(Hands up, all those babies that prefer to sleep with Mom!)
That's seven days a week, for two to three years.

What value will you put on an item your baby will use 24 HOURS per day . . . SEVEN DAYS per week . . . for at least 18 MONTHS TO 3 YEARS? An item worn against the most sensitive, vulnerable and precious part of your baby's body? An item which must not only offer a comfortable, snug fit . . . but must be durable enough to last through 200 wetting, pooping, rinsing, washing and drying cycles!?

Compare the value of a high-quality, convenient-to-use, long-lasting cloth diaper, averaging around $8.00-$10.00 each . . . to the tiny newborn outfit Auntie Sally bought for $25.00 and your baby may not wear more than once!

Deciding on an economical system of 36 prefolded diapers at $97.95, and four packages of Babykins pull-on pants at $13.49 per packages, would cost you just $152.00. Comparing this to the costs of "disposables", you would be able to recoup your initial outlay in less than two months!
And at an average of 6,000 diaper changes, that's less than two and a half cents per diaper change!

Choosing a more expensive system, such as 36 Snug-to-Fit fitted diapers at $278.95, and 12 (3-4 per size) Cot'nwraps at $17.50 per cover would cost you $489.00. Comparing this to the costs of "disposables", you would be able to recoup your initial outlay within your baby's first year.
Which means the second and third year of diapering are FREE!!!
That works out to just eight cents per diaper change!

Yet, this extra cost will buy convenience for you, and a comfortable snug fit for your baby. To be enjoyed by your baby, and you, through-out 6,000 changes! Not to mention saving your wallet anywhere from $1069.96 to $1,406.96!!

So it's up to you.
A month from now you could have lugged home four or more JUMBO-sized packages of "disposable" diapers . . . making you between $40.00 to $60.00 poorer for every single month you do so . . .
Or you can INVEST in your child's future, and diaper in soft, comfortable cotton cloth diapers.

YOU DECIDE!!

Copyright © 1997 - Born to Love