www.incontinentsupport.org

Sandy brings up a good point. She just recently started to wear cloth diapers and plastic pants after being a long time disposable wearer. Of course, both types have their advantages and disadvantages. For Sandy, my feeling is she really likes the convienence of the throw away disposable but dislikes the washing of cloth diapers as they are re-used. Sandy may have a different feeling, and I would like to hear her further if I'm wrong.
My preference is cloth, but I need the convienence of disposables at work. Cloth diapers are my first choice at home and on weekends.
I would like to hear other comments of the many members this forum has. What is your feeling between a cloth diaper and a disposable diaper? Do you dislike having to wear one over the other? I would love to hear all comments from you guys and gals out there!! ...............Paul Martin

I myself like the fact that with the cloth I can go longer and less worries of leaks than with the disp diapers. But there is the washing to deal with.
When im away from home I do prefer the disp diapers (like the abena) for the convienence of being able to just throw away the used diaper. Expecially if its a messy one. But at night, or when im busy doing stuff around my house, nothing beats the cloth diaper for the absorbancy factor.

Also with the cloth diapers, I can layer them to be as thick as I need them, like at night when I need them thicker. Also the cloth diapers wick a lot better than the disp so the entire diaper is used, not just the part in the crotch.

So like Paul said, there are advantages and disadvantages to each one but I still prefer the cloth over the disp diapers. Even with the washing factor.

I think I'm 50/50 or 60/40 you decide ..........Sandy

I would say Sandy is more 60/40 to cloth, and about to go 75/25 once she realizes cloth are so great at night. She's got to build up her supply, yet. That's coming! .....................Paul Martin

If you never wear or wore cloth, then you'd never know the benefits we rave about.

For the die hard cloth fan such as myself, I have to add that disposables are a necessary part of the diaper wardrobe. I could not see myself travelling with cloth diapers and I've done international travelling.

I could not see myself take my business trips (domestically) with cloth diapers.

These very practical needs for a disposable diaper led me to my constant searching for a better disposable...even better than a Molicare and ATN that was using back then. Now, with Abena and others, it is pretty easy to acheive "respectable protection" and freedom from leaks is mostly a case of finding the time and place to make diaper changes ahead of any potential for a leaking problem. Yes, that leads to waste and expense, but what is the price of your protecting your secret while in a serious situation such as a business trip and meeting with clients and so on?

Thanks, Paul, for kicking off this thread! I will look forward to seeing how different people come in on this topic, but it's hard to imagine a cloth wearer who never wears disposables!

JoeK

Just a warning for those of you using disposable diapers/nappies! Papa



Chlorine Facts

Dioxin, a chemical byproduct of the manufacturing of chlorinebleached paper, is believed to be the single most carcinogenic chemical known to science.

When you open the door of your dishwasher after washing, toxic volatized chlorine from dish detergent and tap water is released into the air.

Thanks to chlorine pollution, Americans ingest a daily amount of dioxin that is already 300 to 600 times greater than the EPA's so-called "safe" dose.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has found dioxin to be 300,000 times more potent as a carcinogen than DDT.

Dioxin has been linked to endometriosis, immune system impairment, diabetes, neurotoxicity, birth defects, decreased fertility, and reproductive dysfunction in both women and men.

Studies show that 40-70 percent of the dioxin in bleached coffee filters can leach into your coffee; dioxin found in paper milk cartons also leaches into the milk you drink.

Cancer-causing chemicals like chlorine found in many household products such as coffee filters, disposable diapers, paper towels, and bathroom tissue are readily absorbed through the skin.

Oh bah with that "this causes cancer" bullshyte. It's a total load of crap. If you believe everything you read then breathing air and drinking water cause cancer too. Better stop now!

I prefer disposables over cloth primarily for the convenience factor... changing a cloth diaper in public and carrying around the used one until you get back home is a big task. It is much easier just to roll the disposable up and toss it.

I also find disposables are far more comfortable than cloth... and I actually get rashes less with disposables.

The third factor is thickness... which is somewhat related to comfort. A cloth diaper would have to be immensely thick to last 8-10 hours... where as a 8-10 hour disposable isn't too bad.

I still have a few cloth diapers at home... I'll use them occasionally, say if I've been drinking... b/c beer literally runs right through me. Other than that... I'll stick with my disposables.

_________________
~~PuddleGuy

Puddleguy,

I think I read some where once that smog can cause cancer. It makes sense that it probably could, but I would not reccomend you stop breathing.

Ah yes and the Government told us Agent Orange was not harmfull either! (Dioxin) The graves are filled with my brothers from Vietnam who were exposed! Papa

It was just a FYI notice. Esp. for anyone who has been exposed to Dioxin previously - my cancer was from it.

But we all judge are own risk factors. They even try to tell us cigarettes cause cancer - we know better than that - it is just non-smokers who want you to be like them who push that idea.

Papa, you wrote:

"Chlorine Facts

Dioxin, a chemical byproduct of the manufacturing of chlorinebleached paper, is believed to be the single most carcinogenic chemical known to science"...and on and on and on.

Dioxin turns out not to be particularly poisonous. Remember that eastern European head of state whose rival tried to poison him with a massive dose of dioxin a few years ago? He ended up staying in the hospital for a few days and had some facial scarring. That was it.

There has been a great deal of scary talk about dioxin and other chlorinated compounds. About 99.9% of it is junk science, the kind of crap the local news readers use to try to scare their listeners and get ratings.

Consider for a moment that common table salt is about 2/3 chlorine. Ya gonna go on a salt-free diet as a result? I think not....