Cloth Diapers Versus Disposable Diapers For Malaysian Mothers
Choosing baby diapers is not just a matter of balancing cost and quality. Malaysian mothers’ choice seems to be between reusable cloth diapers and disposable diapers.
What are the benefits if you were to compare cloth diapers versus disposable diapers?
Firstly, cloth diapers are made of two or three very absorbent cloth layers, and may have Velcro to fasten them rather than a traditional safety pin. They have to be laundered either at home or by a diaper service.
The simplest disposable diaper is made of paper with a plastic outer covering. Some of the most popular disposable diaper brands in Malaysia are Pampers, Huggies, Mamy Poko, Drypers etc.
The most advanced type of disposable diapers has an absorbent gel, elastic legging, and attractively printed plastic outer covering. The downside of this type of diapers is the high cost.
Parents worry about babies getting diaper rash. Diapers, wet with urine, and left in contact with the skin for long time can cause rashes. Soap, chemicals or dyes that the baby may be allergic to may also cause rashes. Some dyes, and super absorbent gels used in disposable diapers can be extremely harmful.
There are also reports that certain fragrances used in disposable diapers cause dizziness and rashes on babies. If the plastic tabs to fasten the diapers are stuck on the skin of the baby, they might cause the baby’s tender skin to be torn.
There is also the danger of babies pulling out bits of the plastic cover of the disposable diaper and stuffing them into their noses or mouth, causing them to choke.
The problem of rashes on baby’s skin can also be caused by cloth diapers if they are not changed frequently.
One must also keep in mind that irrespective of the type of diapers used, some babies seem prone to develop diaper rashes while others may not. Diaper rashes can be avoided by taking care to change the diapers, of any kind frequently.
Disposable diapers are made to hold a lot of urine and so may not be changed them often. Cloth diapers on the other hand have to be changed as soon as they get wet. But they have to be cleaned properly to be safe for reuse.
Disposable diapers are more expensive than cloth diapers on the long run. But cloth diapers have to be laundered and this adds to the additional workload for caring mothers. With Malaysian hot and humid weather, drying the cloth diapers outdoor would not be a problem.
There are some concerns that the water used for laundering cloth diapers contribute to water pollution. However, water carrying diaper waste enters the sewage system and is treated by the Jabatan Bekalan Air to make it safe.
Disposable diapers on the other hand, do burden the earth with their solid wastes. Nonetheless, disposable diapers are very convenient. Modern cloth diapers are easy to use, easy to launder and are definitely cheaper on the long run. If you are a mommy, choosing the right type of diaper for your baby is your decision. So choose wisely.
>> Our Cloth Diapers Product Catalogue
8 Tips on How to Take Care of Newborn Babies
Newborn babies that within one-month old may experience some physical difficulties during the adaptation period in a new environment. Therefore, they need special care. The following are 8 most important things that the parents should look into.
1. Quiet Room
Besides breast feeding time, the baby is in sleep most of the time. So, baby’s room should be kept clean and quiet. However, it needs not deliberately avoid all the sounds as the appropriate sounds would be necessary for the baby’s hearing development.
2. Keep Baby Warm
Parents should pay attention to the baby’s body temperature and the air ventilation in baby’s room. The room temperature should remain around 25 – 28 °C.
3. Baby’s Clothings
The choice of baby clothes should be simple, light, soft, gentle and not easily fade in colours. Cotton cloth is the most suitable clothing for the baby as it is soft and able to absorb the sweat easily. Baby’s clothing that is too tight or too loose will restrain the baby’s activities.
4. Changing Diapers
Diapers should be changed immediately after baby’s excretion. Wash the baby’s butt with warm water and then gently wipe with cotton towel.
5. Take Bath
The baby should be showered everyday to keep him / her clean, comfortable, and fresh. Besides, parents also able to observe the baby’s physical anomalies such as rashes, trauma etc. and thus enhance the parent-child relationship.
The best bath time is half an hour before feeding or 1 hour after feeding to avoid spits. The water temperature should be tested by your wrist to make sure it is not too cold and not too hot.
6. Umbilical Cord Care
The objectives of taking care of umbilical cord are:-
• To prevent the infection of umbilical
• To facilitate the quick dry and fall off
• To observe any abnormal or bleeding circumstances
The baby’s umbilical cord is usually falling off within 7 – 14 days after birth. Special care is needed to keep it clean and dry to prevent bleeding and smelly. When changing the baby’s diaper, diaper have to cover up the umbilical cord to prevent infection that often caused by the urine.
7. Infection Prevention
The baby has low resistance to infection, wash hands whenever contact with and preparing food for the baby. Do not let the baby close to the people who have infectious diseases such as common flu patients, and avoid kissing the baby’s mouth to prevent infectious diseases.
8. Body Temperature
The newborn baby’s body temperature adjustment is usually not stable, and thus the body temperature is easily affected by the external environment which can be as low as 36.1°C and as high as 37.7°C. Therefore, the baby’s body temperature has to be measured everyday and normally before the shower.
Why Cloth Diapers For Malaysian Babies Are Better
When we talk about environment issues in Malaysia, cloth diapers are much better compared to plastic disposable diapers. Sometimes disposable diapers are thrown in dustbins and that causes problem for people who passes and who are waiting near that place. The situation is made worst if you are staying in apartments or condominiums.
Nothing is perfect though. There is a possibility of getting infections if cloth diapers are not washed properly. In actual fact, we will never know whether cloth diapers are better for the environment or disposable diapers. There is simply no concrete scientific data here in Malaysia.
One thing is for sure, each diaper category has certain advantages and disadvantages. It’s all depends on certain aspects.
Convenience for Parents
If we think from parents point of view, disposable diapers is the best option for them as they can change and throw diapers without much hassle. However, if they are using cotton cloth diapers, it is not so easy for them to handle the situation.
With fabric diapers, you would be left with only two options either to throw the cloth diaper away or carry it with you. This is a critical decision you have to make especially when you’re not at home.
When we talk about availability, cloth diapers might be a better option because we might run out of stock on plastic diapers and then we would face problem if the stores are closed and you have to run around town to look for an alternative option.
Cost of Usage
Which diapers help to save money in the long run? You might think that disposable diapers would be a better option to save money since they come in big packs from local hypermarkets. In reality, cloth diapers are cheaper to use in the long run.
Comfort for Babies
In terms of comfort for babies, cloth diapers are softer than disposable diapers. Have you ever tried wearing a plastic underwear overnight? Most of us don’t because it is not very comfortable. We would rather wear cotton underwear or panties. If that is the case, how would your baby feel comfortable wearing plastic disposable diapers?
Your baby would definitely be more comfortable if you use cloth diapers. Disposable diapers sometimes can leads to rashes on baby’s soft skin. If you want to know which would be the better option for your baby, try rubbing the inner part of disposable diaper and cloth diaper on your baby’s skin.
Do you want to use cloth diapers for your baby? If you do, check out our collection of cloth diapers. Our product comes in 7 assorted colours and delivered free to charge to your door step anywhere in Peninsular Malaysia.