In 2009, the Danish Government  unveiled official research demonstrating that
….Two-year old children are at risk from a bewildering array of gender-bending chemicals in everyday items such as waterproof clothes, rubber boots, bed linens, food, nappies (disposable diapers), sunscreen lotion and moisturizing cream.
This gender bending phenomenon has been evident for years.  Disposable diapers are made of plastics and processed wood pulp. Almost all disposable diapers also contain super-absorbent polymers, aka SAP’s. These are chemical compounds which are placed inside disposable diapers in the form of beads, which turn into a gel when exposed to urine.
Are the chemicals used in disposable diapers safe for babies? What does it mean if a specific chemical is deemed ‘safeâ€, when, as the Danish study confirmed, our children are exposed to a “bewildering array†of chemicals, and no one knows how these interact over time to weaken immune systems, increase childhood cancer and diabetes, lower sperm counts and bring about other adverse reactions seen by doctors and parents all over the world.
There are certain aspects of our world, and of our children’s world, that we can exercise control over, and others about which we can do little or nothing. The immediate environment of our families is an area over which we can exercise a great deal of control.
The fact is there are plenty of effective reusable diapering choices available that do not include SAP’s, processed wood pulp or other chemical components. There are chemical free lotions, organic clothing and bedding, and other products that are more in line with a non-toxic and sustainable approach to child rearing and family life. And when we make the choice to go down this path, we have a “multiplier effect†that increases the impact of our choices on the global environment.
If we support products, companies and industries that are working to create and distribute these products, we make it more likely that others will as well. This is certainly what has happened with Organic Agriculture, which has grown from a “fringeâ€, counter-culture approach to a global force representing an alternative to GMO’s, chemical agriculture and factory farming.
Ghandi said that “we must become the change we wish to see in the worldâ€. If we want to live in a world where sustainability and environmental safety are important values, we begin by incorporating them into our own lives. Diapers and diaper care is the beginning of a new life and a new phase in the life of our family. The decision to diaper with reusable, chemical free products is a great way to start this process. Because, in the immortal words of Pooh, “Let’s begin at the beginning.â€
Expecting a baby in 2010? Got a shower coming up? Want cloth diapers or build a healthy happy nursery with our carefully crafted and quality made Organic Baby things?
Many expecting parents are currently engaged in what I call- “The Great Diaper Debate”. They want to do right for the environment and they also want to make the best choice for their baby. As expecting parents do more research, they will find numerous arguments out there for both sides- Pro-Disposable and Pro-Cloth.
I sometimes hear parents new to cloth diapering complain about their cloth diaper covers leaking- even after double diapering.  It can be frustrating for even the most patient & well intended parent when their seemingly “fool proof” cloth diapering system fails.
