The Case for Reusable Cloth Diapers

I was recently speaking to a woman I know who is expecting a baby and was considering using cloth diapers. She was telling me about all the different diaper options parents have nowadays. Then she told me about an interesting reusable diaper trial program run by the Ottawa South Eco-Action Network (OSEAN). I was intrigued and wanted to know more. 

Our conversation reminded me of when I was pregnant and all the decisions expecting parents need to make. My son is 33 years old now, but I remember my husband and I choosing to use cloth diapers for him. Back then, we weighed the options and thought it was the best one for us and had no regrets. 

The decision wasn’t too hard or complicated for me as I was able to use my sister’s diapers. My sister and her husband already had three children and weren’t planning to have any more. That is one of the nice things about cloth diapers, they can be used on multiple babies. Having access to used diapers was definitely a big money saver for us. 

I also recall that my son didn’t have bad diaper rashes, which I thought might have been a result of our decision to use cloth diapers. 

I decided I wanted to learn more about the diaper trial program so I reached out to OSEAN. First of all, I learned that cloth diapers have come a long way since the 1980s. One of the reasons behind the diaper trial program is the number of options parents have when choosing to use cloth diapers. For example, in each of OSEAN’s kits there are all-in-one diapers, all-in-twos, pocket style, pre-folds, and more. 

This program is open to anyone in Ottawa, as long as they are able to make their way to the South Keys area to pick up a kit. 

To start the diaper trial program, OSEAN applied for a grant from the City’s Community Environmental Projects Grant Program (CEPGP). With these funds, they were able to purchase many different styles and makes of diapers. As well, they put out a call for used diapers from people in the community that could be added to the kits. With the increased number of diaper samples, OSEAN was able to take their program city-wide. 

Behind the scenes, there is a team of volunteers that organize and sanitize the diapers between users and repair the diapers when the elastic is worn out. 

How the program works is a parent borrows one of the kits for three weeks and tries the various styles of diapers contained within. Each kit contains approximately 30 cloth diapers to try. There are two types of kits – one for newborns and one for older babies. If anyone is interested in learning more, please check out OSEAN’s webpage.

OSEAN told me that the take up rate of parents who use the trial program and then go on to use cloth diapers for their baby is at least 80%. That is good news because, besides saving you money and being less harsh on your baby’s backside, cloth diapers divert a lot of waste from our landfills. More than 4 million disposable diapers are discarded in Canada every day and each diaper can take up to 500 years to decompose. 

Not to mention that what is inside the disposable diapers should really be treated at sewage treatment plants. It is possible that the contents of those diapers could be leaching from some landfills into our groundwater.

Parents don’t have to make cloth diapers an all-or-nothing proposition. Even using a combination of disposables and cloth diapers can make a big difference. For example, some parents might prefer to use disposables when they are going out or when the child is with a babysitter. There are lots of options, so families can choose what works best for them. 

After learning about OSEAN’s diaper trial program, I thought that perhaps Orleans should have a program of its own. There is a high demand for OSEAN’s kits and it would be more convenient for new parents living in Orleans not to have to drive to South Keys to pick up and drop off a kit. If you are interested in helping out with an Orleans-based trial program, or if you have diapers to donate, please contact the Convent Glen Orleans Wood Environment Committee at [email protected].