Disposable diapers - pros and cons, benefits and harms

With the advent of a newborn baby, especially if it is the first-born, a young mother faces a lot of questions about care, feeding, education. The controversy surrounding diapers is another exciting topic.

1. Does the baby stay in the diaper for a long time?are diapers harmful for boys)?
2. How old can you use diapers and when is it best to accustom a child to the potty?

This article is based on our own experience and the experience of other mothers, and, I hope, will help you resolve doubts about diapers.

Pros and cons of diapers

Being in an “interesting position” I studied a lot of literature on this topic and decided for myself that I will not keep my future baby in the diaper all the time, but use it only for walks, when going to the clinic and at night. The strongest arguments against the continued use of disposable diapers were the following statements:

• Constant wearing of the diaper can cause the extinction of the congenital urogenital reflex, and, as a result, to a significant decrease in the volume of the bladder;
• Continuous stay of the baby (especially the boy) in the diaper can cause overheating of the genitals and adversely affect its reproductive abilities;
• Children who are constantly in diapers are very difficult to teach to the potty.

Moreover, it was very interesting to me when my baby starts asking for a pot himself.

Raising a baby without disposable diapers is possible, but is it economical, as some mothers think?

We also read: How many diapers does a newborn baby need per day?

Minus reusable diaper

Reusable diapers, in my opinion, are a relic of the past. Can't imagine what it looks like? A diaper folded 4 times, worn on a child by the principle of panties and fastened with pins (!). There are even several options for folding and putting on a reusable diaper.

Perhaps someone has adapted to this option, but I could not. The diaper goes astray, does not stay on the ass and, worst of all, it is wet all the time. At the end of the day - a bunch of wet, often crap one's diapers and as many wet pants. By hygiene rules, all this heap of dirty linen needs to be washed manually with baby soap, bleached for 6 hours in oxygen bleach, rinsed, and then machine washed in full, dried in a well-ventilated area and ironed on both sides (!).

Are you capable of such heroism to do these actions daily? Add here the characteristic smells throughout the apartment.

If you don’t put on a disposable diaper at all, but only a blouse and sliders, the situation will not differ much: the same pile of dirty laundry and daily washing.

So our grandmothers and mothers raised children, so you, dear readers of the article, grew up in wet diapers.

About disposable diapers

Someone will object: disposable diapers are expensive. But, if you calculate the cost of electricity, washing powder, depreciation of the washing machine and your strength, then, believe me, diapers will be cheaper. The benefits of using this little good of civilization are obvious and undeniable.

And now I will give the most important argument in defense of disposable diapers. Many mothers try to put the children on the pot as soon as possible, but contrary to all efforts, the babies start asking themselves at about 2 years old (plus or minus six months). By this age, the children mature and can control their desires, i.e., tolerate a little. It happens that babies ask for a pot by the age of 1, but this is an exception to the rule.

Let me give you an example of my friend, who was proud that her daughter grew up without a single “diaper” and washed all the diapers by hand (!), Because she was taking care of the washing machine. What do you think, at what age did her child begin to steadily ask for a pot? After two and a half years!

What is the difference between the children who were raised without diapers, from the children who grew up “dry”?

Children who are raised without disposable diapers, parents try to teach the pot from six months. As a result, they understand its purpose and “do their job” there when planting, but they themselves do not ask for a pot. Often babies carry a pot or point with a finger towards the toilet, but already “ex-post”.

Children growing up in “diapers” most often resist planting and even be afraid of the pot. To accustom such children to the toilet is really a little more difficult. In any case, teaching children to the pot is a long process. Stock up on patience and laundry detergent. (See the article why and what to do if the child is afraid of the pot.)

At what age is it best to accustom a child to the potty?

Experts advise starting after a year: 1.2-1.6. But to introduce the baby to the pot is worth it when the baby begins sit confidently without support: in 6-7 months. So he will understand the purpose of this subject and will not continue to resist planting. Planting a small one on the pot immediately after sleep, after eating and walking, you can save 2-3 diapers per day. We read in detail: when and how to teach a child to potty

When not to use a diaper

In order not to harm the baby, every mother should know that there are situations when the use of disposable diapers prohibited:

• The baby is premature. As a result of the imbalance between the production and release of heat, the baby can constantly have an elevated temperature (37.1 - 37.4^about C)
• The child has a fever;
• The baby has eczema, dermatitis or exudative diathesis;
• It is also not recommended to use a diaper to avoid overheating during very intense summer heat.

Happy motherhood and smart kids, dear mothers!

Read on

• Potty Training Panties
• What diapers to choose
• A complete list of things for a child
• Swaddling “FOR” and “AGAINST”

Diapers: myths and reality