Diaper Hype

I wanted to give a little nod to Colin's diapers because we are quite pleased with them and because I know some expectant mommies read this blog who might be interested.

Before Colin was born we had the Great Diaper Debate which included some spreadsheet analysis (what can I say, we both work in IT). The first question was cloth, disposable, or the trendy-with-the-stars g-Diaper that is actually a cross between the two. We eliminated cloth pretty quickly because we both planned to be working parents and even though they have come a long, long way from the cloth diapers that were used on me, they still seemed like a lot of work. Plus, from an environmental standpoint, I read that unless you use cold water to wash them and hang them out to dry, the green benefits are debatable (due to the amount of resources required to wash and dry them). I talked to a friend who uses the g-Diapers and loves them but we eventually ruled them out because of the cost. So then I began researching the various "green" disposable diapers out there - Seventh Generation, Tushies, etc. I made my spreadsheet which compared costs and the green benefits of the various diapers. My analysis landed me on a brand called Nature Babycare, a company founded by a Swedish mother.

These diapers became the clear winner because they were reasonably priced (only a few cents more per diaper than Pampers) and they had the most green benefits. Here's an excerpt from their website that sums it up pretty well:

"Rather than basing so much of the nappy on oil as other brands do, Nature Babycare nappies use cornstarch and other natural ingredients wherever possible. While the nappies are not 100% biodegradable yet, we are proud of the steps we have taken to provide you with an environmentally friendly nappy. Nature Babycare nappies consist of chlorine free pulp to help with absorption, a backsheet and distribution center based on corn, as well as chlorine-free cellulose in the nappy."

We've been very pleased with them...they work well and they are super cute with little green leaves all over! We use the wipes too. They're available on Diapers.com but Amazon has them the cheapest and you can sign up with Amazon's "Subscribe and Save" service to have them sent to you on a regular basis and save 15%! We use that service and the diapers arrive at our house the very next day.