Why Cloth Diapers Are Better for Health

Photo by @isabelplett

 

Are you considering getting cloth diapers and wondering what the advantages are? In this article, I will clearly show you the health disadvantages of disposable diapers. You will also learn about the health benefits cloth diapers have for your baby.

Here's what you'll learn in this article:

• What makes cloth diapers special?
• Benefits of cloth diapers: gentle on the skin, early potty training, strengthening mental health, long-term healthy development
• Eco diapers are no better than conventional disposables

What makes cloth diapers special?

Disposable diapers are mostly made of plastic and a chemical absorbent core. What exactly is in disposable diapers and how much more sustainable cloth diapers really are, you will learn later in the article.

In contrast, cloth diapers are made of natural materials like cotton, wool, or hemp. They can be washed and reused. There are different cloth diaper systems, each with different properties and handling. If you want to learn more about the sustainability of cloth diapers, check out our article “Are cloth diapers really more sustainable than disposables?”

With Judes, we have developed a cloth diaper that is as easy to use as disposable diapers. Many of our parents even say that they are even easier to use in everyday life.

Photo by @isabelplett

Benefits of cloth diapers – why they are good for health

Cloth diapers do not contain harmful chemicals, which can prevent skin irritations and diaper rash. Additionally, they provide a healthy diaper environment through breathable fabrics and promote early potty training through natural moisture feedback.

Gentle on the skin

How do Judes cloth diapers prevent diaper rash? Let me mention the most obvious reason first: Judes contain no chemicals. This means there are no unwanted skin reactions.

Cloth diapers are breathable. At Judes, we use organic cotton for our inner diapers. This is not only absorbent and soft, but also super breathable. The air circulation allows your baby's skin to regenerate itself, eliminating the need for unnecessary creams or ointments.

Important: A rash can also be caused by complementary feeding, for example. Therefore, a cloth diaper is no guarantee that your child will never have sore spots.

Judes cloth diapers are particularly breathable because the innovative, super-thin twill allows air to circulate, protecting the delicate baby skin. We achieve this high level of breathability in Judes through two technical innovations:

1. We use organic cotton for the inner diaper, which is particularly breathable. We use a very thin yet extremely tightly woven cotton twill. This combines several advantages: It fits snugly, is highly absorbent, and breathable. So far, we have not found a supplier in Europe that offers a comparable twill.
2. We use at least 10 layers of this cotton twill, stacked on top of each other. This creates spaces where air can circulate. When using cloth diapers, we recommend not using an ointment for the baby's bottom – it is simply unnecessary, as the skin barrier is not compromised and baby's skin is naturally able to regulate itself.

 

Early potty training

A certain feeling of wetness is good for your child's development. Your baby receives natural bio-feedback: it directly feels what happens when it uses the diaper. Through this immediate sequence of action and outcome, even a small child can recognize this "if-then" connection and thus gain a (subconscious) understanding of it. This learning effect is absent when using disposable diapers: the disposables make the child feel like it's always dry, preventing this important fundamental experience.

This is why children with cloth diapers become potty trained much earlier than with disposables, as you can read in our study.

Cloth diapers allow for the perception of natural bio-feedback. When the child realizes it has used the diaper, it can communicate this. Parents or caregivers can then respond: this is "Responsive Parenting." The child learns that their central needs are responded to when they signal them. This helps your child develop self-confidence and strengthens its autonomy. You will learn more about this shortly.

By the way: Babies give signals from an early age when they need to "go." If you respond to these signals from the beginning, your child will not forget this ability. It is best to respond by holding them regularly (more on that later).

By the way, a wet diaper doesn't feel as uncomfortable on your baby's skin as you might think. As long as the baby wears the diaper, it maintains body temperature; even in a moist state. As soon as you remove the diaper, it cools down and feels unpleasantly wet. A wet Judes diaper is initially not a problem for the delicate baby skin!

Photo by @isabelplett

Cloth diapers can strengthen your child's mental health

I previously mentioned natural bio-feedback. Unlike disposable diapers, cloth diapers allow your child to perceive this. Children using cloth diapers gain a better awareness of their body. But that's not all.

The child feels the wet diaper and communicates it. Then, the child's signals are addressed and the diaper is changed. The child is, thus, developmentally guided in a bond-oriented way. Through this, children learn that they can influence their environment and become more independent. This independence in turn leads to greater self-confidence.

Responsive Parenting – confident children through attention to their needs.

According to the Meta-Study on the influence of attachment, temperament, and parenting on human development, Responsive Parenting means responding to the needs of the child. This way, the child learns that the world is not uncontrollable and that its signals are responded to. It develops stronger curiosity, self-confidence, and independence—for the rest of its life.

"Using the diaper" is one of the most central, daily physical experiences of every child. The more awareness a child can develop, the better. Because then the child can react to it. A child can only develop this awareness if it feels something when using the diaper.

Experiences of Vietnamese mothers – Babies potty trained by 24 months

That intensive parent-child communication can lead to early potty training was also shown by this study. In this, 47 Vietnamese mothers were surveyed and followed from the birth of their children to their 24th month. The interviews were then evaluated using qualitative content analysis. Diapers were traditionally seldom used by the Vietnamese mothers.

Instead, the mothers reminded their children to eliminate at certain times with a whistle sound. They also frequently checked if the children showed signs of needing to use the toilet. Through this process, all children used the potty by the age of 9 months. By the age of 24 months, potty training was complete, and most children managed the entire process independently.

Elimination communication

According to a study on Natural Parenting, children can control their eliminations very early on. Children whose signals are paid attention to would complete toilet training between 6 months and 2 years of age.

Typically, children are dry during the day and later also at night. This sounds as if a one-year-old could go to the toilet all by themselves – which, of course, is not the case. The little ones still need help on their way to the toilet, with undressing and also with wiping.

The study describes elimination communication as a gentle and respectful way of addressing one of the baby's basic needs. It is based on teamwork of mutual trust, intimacy, and continuous communication.

Brief explanation of elimination communication:

More and more parents are looking for alternatives to widely used disposable diapers today – one method of diaper-free parenting is indeed elimination communication. The term conveys a dual meaning: you hold your baby over the potty to prevent them from using the diaper. 

This may sound a bit unusual, as we were raised differently. However, the method is very natural and has been practiced by indigenous peoples for a long time. Even in Western culture, a majority of parents say that the child gives signals when they need to go.

Photo by Phil Hearing on Unsplash

How do I proceed correctly?

Over the toilet, over the sink, or over the potty – where you practice elimination communication is up to you. Make sure that both you and the baby feel comfortable. Communication is key – as often in parenting.

What you can pay attention to:

• Specific sounds or words your baby makes before needing to go 
• Your baby's gestures and facial expressions, like eye contact, fussiness, stretching, or straining 
• Individual timing that repeats (e.g., after feeding or sleeping)

Are you both ready? Give your baby the signal now that it's okay to go. Some parents use sounds like "shh" or "pfff," while others gently blow over the head.

There are different elimination communication positions. Depending on the age and preferences of the baby, a different position may be suitable. Especially for newborns, a close position is better to ensure that the head and back are well stabilized.

You can start elimination communication right after birth if you feel fit enough for it. However, starting later is also possible: We have parents in the community who started elimination communication when their child was eight months old. There is no "too late" in this matter.

Helpful links:

• A really good video is this one by "artgerecht". It shows how you can start with the diaper-free topic with a newborn.
• Windelwissen.de has also created a great overview of comfortable and back-friendly elimination communication positions.

Judes support elimination communication

We have deliberately designed Judes so your baby feels that it gets wet when it urinates in the diaper. We could have sewn in a polyester layer – but that would not align with our values. Because this way, your baby can learn this important connection. Your baby can then more quickly signal to you when it needs to go. It has learned what that means.

We are convinced: Judes enables your child to become a confident and happy person.

Health disadvantages of disposable diapers

Below, I will give you reasons why wearing a disposable diaper can be harmful to your baby. A French agency conducted a test and found 38 hazardous chemicals in disposable diapers. For this reason, 21 non-governmental organizations submitted a letter to the European Commission. In it, they demanded that some chemicals be banned and the use of chemicals be restricted. However, this was rejected by the European Commission.

In short: Disposable diapers contain a lot of chemicals, and this will not change anytime soon. As promised, I will now discuss the possible health impacts of disposable diapers:

Disposable diapers can cause diaper rash

There are two types of diaper dermatitis: there is a rash in the diaper area, known as ammonia diaper dermatitis, and diaper thrush, a fungal infection in the intimate area. You can find a detailed article on diaper dermatitis, its symptoms, causes, and treatment options on our blog.

The sore baby bottom can have various causes:

• poor/no breathability
• reaction to contained chemicals
• wearing the diaper for too long

Disposable diapers are often not or only very limitedly breathable. They are designed to seal everything hermetically: nothing should leak out, they should feel dry around the clock, require infrequent changing, and ideally prevent unpleasant odors with artificial fragrances. These are all artificial factors that prevent the skin from doing its completely natural (and evolutionarily tested and optimized!) job.

Sore bottom due to poor breathability

The non-breathable material of disposable diapers prevents air circulation. As a result, the skin can no longer naturally thermoregulate, creating a warm, moist environment that is perfect for the development of bacteria, as explained by Dr. Corinna Schultheis.

Sore bottom as a reaction to contained chemicals

How does a disposable diaper create a dry baby bottom? With the superabsorbent or, simply put: with chemicals. Baby skin is especially sensitive to external influences. Chemicals can easily enter your child's body through the intimate area, says biologist Katie O’Reilly.

Sore bottom from wearing a wet diaper too long

Ads often highlight the long-lasting dry feeling of diapers. A wet diaper is claimed to be uncomfortable. Diapers claim to keep dry for 12 hours, so why change every 2 hours? Ads encourage infrequent diaper changes. Plus, every diaper costs money. Unfortunately, as a result, the baby's bottom is often exposed to urine and stool for too long, which can also be a reason for a sore bottom, according to Dr. Corinna Schultheis.

Conclusion: The perfectly tuned system that the body naturally uses to protect itself and its largest organ, the skin, is being hindered in its work.

Disposable diapers can be responsible for delayed potty training

You might be wondering: "Why would children become potty trained later because of disposable diapers?" Well, they do not feel the urine in the diaper thanks to the absorbent core in disposable diapers. At first, this sounds good to us – but it is not.

Disposable diapers simulate constant dryness. Thus, your baby cannot develop a sense for its bodily reactions. The natural feedback "urge to urinate → wet diaper" is missing – and so is the learning success.

Interesting: The absorbent core in disposable diapers is so powerful that it not only absorbs your child's urine. It also removes moisture from your child's skin. That's why many disposable diapers contain a kind of cream/panthenol.

Disposable diapers prevent natural bio-feedback

Cloth diapers allow for natural bio-feedback through the feeling of wetness. But with disposable diapers, the opposite happens. Disposable diapers are optimized to feel as dry as possible for as long as possible. This could be the reason why children with disposable diapers take longer to become potty trained. As mentioned, according to our study, one in four children is now diapered with disposables for 4 years or longer.

Enuresis – bedwetting after the age of 5

You might have heard of enuresis before. It refers to bedwetting until well after the age of 5. Studies increasingly link extended use of disposable diapers with enuresis. Children demonstrably become potty trained more slowly when using disposable diapers.

The rule of thumb we can deduce from this scientific essay on potty training and disposable diapers, as well as from our Judes-parents' experiences, is: Those who are constantly dry remain wet longer!

Disposable diapers can cause various illnesses

I've already mentioned that the chemicals in disposable diapers can be responsible for diaper rash. Unfortunately, these are just the mild effects.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children are particularly vulnerable to chemicals. As you already know, disposable diapers contain a lot of chemicals. The French agency ANSES estimates that over 14 million European children could suffer from potentially very serious, variable, and latent diseases due to wearing disposable diapers, which could affect their quality of life over time. This includes cancer, endocrine disorders (hormonal and metabolic diseases), reproductive disorders, and diabetes. According to researchers, the effects on children could be irreversible.

Male fertility can also be affected by disposable diapers

The fertility of men can be inhibited not only by the chemicals in disposable diapers. Poor breathability alone can already cause damage. Studies have shown that the testicles in disposable diapers quickly overheat. This, in turn, leads to developmental disorders of the Sertoli cells, which are important for sperm production.

Photo by @isabelplett

Chemicals from disposable diapers are also in our environment

How the chemicals from diapers enter our environment occurs in various ways.

Residual waste is incinerated and then placed in landfills

Our residual waste is stored in landfills within Germany and incinerated in waste-to-energy plants. What remains after incineration, along with the materials filtered during incineration, is hazardous waste and is placed in landfills. Thus, our waste is still present, even if not in its entire form. In landfills, toxins can eventually seep into our groundwater. You can learn more about this in this Spiegel Online video.

Illegal waste export directly impacts the environment

Germany exports waste. Legally, we only export plastic waste, but unfortunately, a large portion of German waste is illegally exported. This means our disposable diapers, which should properly go into residual waste, are sent beyond Germany's borders. If you want to learn more about this, you can watch a video from Weltspiegel.

Our waste is taken to landfills in non-EU countries. These landfills are not technically as advanced as those in our country. Assuming they are even proper landfills at all. Most of the time, illegal waste exports are simply dumped in nature. Toxic substances can evaporate here or easily seep into the groundwater. Our waste can directly affect nature, animals, and even people there.

Chemicals detected in rainwater

There are so-called forever chemicals. They are known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS for short.

Recently, a research team reached a shocking conclusion: PFAS are now found in rainwater all over the world (regardless of where a sample is taken). The concentration of PFAS in rainwater is now so high that it is classified by our health authorities as hazardous to health.

Photo by Julia Koblitz on Unsplash

Eco-diapers are no better than regular disposable diapers

Eco-diapers sound good at first, don't they? I thought so too. But honestly, I don't see any advantage. Instead of petroleum-based plastics, bio-plastics are often used. I thought that would be a good thing. However, studies show that bio-plastics also contain a lot of chemicals.

Eco-diapers contain hormonally active substances

In addition, studies have shown that bio-plastics can affect our hormone system even stronger than conventional plastics . Hormonally active substances like plasticizers are suspected to cause infertility when they enter the body through the skin.

Also, the absorbent core is, in most cases, still packed with chemicals, just like other disposable diapers. As a result, they are not fully biodegradable and are ultimately disposed of the same way as conventional diapers. To make matters worse, eco-diapers cost significantly more money.

Photo by @isabelplett

Conclusion: Disposable diapers can harm health – cloth diapers offer benefits

Judes offer health benefits:

• They are made from natural materials
• They provide better leak protection than disposables (thanks to our innovative cotton twill)
• They are gentle on the skin and can prevent diaper rash (good breathability allows the skin to do its natural work)
• Early potty training thanks to Judes (natural bio-feedback from the skin)
• They can strengthen your child's mental health

Disposable diapers, on the other hand, have various health disadvantages:

• They can cause diaper rash (poor breathability, reaction to chemicals, prolonged wear)
• They can lead to delayed potty training (enuresis)
• According to researchers and NGOs, they can be a cause of various illnesses (cancer, reproductive disorders, diabetes, hormonal & metabolic disorders)
• They contain chemicals that can be directly absorbed by children or enter our environment

Eco-diapers are mostly made from compostable materials but still contain harmful chemicals. Additionally, eco-diapers contain hormonally active substances, which can have worse effects than conventional disposables.