1. Guidelines to save money in choosing diaper for baby
Should we choose reusable cloth diapers or disposable diapers?
Currently, parents are interested in choosing disposable diapers or using washable cloth diapers to reuse. What are the advantages and disadvantages of these two types?
The biggest issue of cloth diaper is the cost. On average, 1 year you will spend 20-40 million VND for buying your baby’s diaper, depending on the number of times per day and the brand you buy.
Meanwhile, with cloth diapers, but you can reuse it for an average of 2-3 years depending on the brand you buy. This, you will reduce the cost by 50% compared to disposable diapers.
The big problem with cloth diapers is that cleaning can be a burden on you, but now with washing machine, the job is becoming easier, so the problem is also solved for moms. Smell of your baby’s urine is one of the most common complaints. Today, however, many companies develop cloth diapers that have many innovative advantages for ease of use and comfort like you need to insert an extra pad (the lining is added to increase absorbency), the bottom contact fabric has a water-repellent coating to lock in moisture, or the stain-free fabric can be easily washed.
2. Strategy to save up to buy disposable diaper
Don’t buy too many diapers in newborn sizes because in reality, babies grow faster than you think. Even some babies are born large and have to use size 1, instead of newborn size. Here are the steps to help you best manage your costs
1. If your baby is born weighing between 2.5-3.6 kg, then 40 diapers are suitable. When the baby is older, it is more convenient to change the diaper to size 1. In Vietnam, the size of diapers can be classified by age such as diapers< for infants (< 1 year old) or toddlers (> 1 year old) and by> size such as size S, M or L.
2. Trying out several different brands to find the right brand for your baby is recommended for new moms. For example, there are types of taped diapers, pull up diapers, pads… Therefore, you should get advice from a salesperson to understand the uses and how each type works.
3. After finding the right brand, you should refer the prices at some websites, online shops and supermarkets. Don’t forget that you can find special discounts attached to these sales channels, so you will save a lot of money.
3. Questions parents are concerned about using baby diapers (disposable diapers or cloth diapers)
1. Does wearing diapers (pull up diapers) cause hip development or bowlegged problems?
Numerous studies have been conducted to determine exactly how the use of diapers may impact hip development, and there is not even the slightest trace of evidence to support such a claim.
Diapers also do not worsen any form of hip dysplasia or result in any kind of physical or developmental delay Many babies are born bowlegged because their legs were folded tightly across their bellies in-utero (during pregnancy inside the mother). Bowed legs usually straighten once babies with this condition start to walk and their legs bear weight. By age 3, most kids grow out of the condition.
2. Diapers will affect genital development of baby boy?
Currently, there is no scientific evidence linking the use of diapers to the abnormal development of the male reproductive system.
3. Some parents who use cloth diapers are also interested in how to clean cloth diapers for reuse.
· Taped cloth diapers (cloth diapers) should be washed at least 2 times before being used for babies to remove wax on the fabric and help the fabric absorb well.
· Machine washable, but should not be too much for 1 wash, preferably less than 24 pieces/wash to ensure clean diapers.
Use unscented and colorless soaps. Baby with a history of allergies should use soaps without skin irritants.
· Do not use fabric softener because it will reduce the life and absorbency of cloth diapers.
· It is best to dry cloth diapers in the sun. If using a dryer, check that the cloth diaper is heat resistant to adjust the drying temperature appropriately.
4. Some parents who use disposable diapers are concerned about causing redness, skin burns, is it because the disposable diaper material is not good for the baby’s skin?
TS.BS. Doctor Kara Shah, Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, USA, reported that disposable diapers will not release chemicals such as acids or bases that cause skin irritation or burns as rumored because the materials used are inert (non-chemically reactive) substances. Moreover, before the product is used for baby, it has been quality controlled by the manufacturing company and the quality management agency. The fact that the chemical secreted to change the pH level of the baby’s skin is also proven to be unfounded. Báo cáo của TS. Report of Dr. Kara Shah was published in the 2017 issue of Clinical Pediatrics, pages 13-17 and states that the report is independent and has no connection with any single-use diaper brand.
GENERAL ADVICE
Depending on the budget and convenience of you and your family, you can choose cloth diapers or disposable diapers for your baby. With the current evidence, there is no difference in causing skin irritation in both types. Imported diapers have no difference in quality compared to domestic diapers if they are of the same brand. Avoid choosing diapers with strange labels or foreign languages that readers do not understand. Choose the most saving type because diapers are the item that consumes a large amount of your expenses in the first 2 years.