Disposable nappies are a great invention for many parents! Disposable nappies are easy to use, so easy even, that many parents have started potty training their children at later ages. Cloth nappies, used before, have been fading away since the invention of disposable nappies. We at Go Potty however see many parents switching from disposable to cloth nappies again. Cloth nappies are more environmentally friendly, cheaper, are better for your child’s health and children are potty trained at an earlier age! At least that is what we are made to believe. In this blog we will take a deep dive in the difference between cloth and disposable nappies. And we will research if children are actually potty trained earlier when using cloth nappies.
Environmental Impact
First of all, we will take a look at the environmental impact of cloth nappies. Cloth nappies are believed to be better for the environment, since you only have to purchase a few nappies without having to throw them out. However, cloth nappies are not straightforward a better option for the environment. This may sound contradictory, since many environmental organisations promote cloth nappies. There are a few ways to make reusable nappies a better environmental option. The first is by washing efficiently, below 60 degrees, line drying and using a full washing machine. Another option is using the nappies on more children, for example a second or third child or by donating or selling them to other parents. To conclude on the environment, the motivation to use cloth nappies to protect the environment is legit, but only when you wash efficiently and reuse the cloth nappies. See this report for more information.
Cost Benefits
Secondly, we will look into is whether the usage of cloth nappies is cheaper. Again, this depends. Unfortunately. Upfront, cloth nappies are quite expensive, meaning when starting with cloth nappies they will cost a lot of money. In the end, nappies will be cheaper than disposable nappies. Especially when using the cloth nappies just for one child will be expensive. But, using them for several children, for example by using them for your other children, donating or selling them, will give you more value. And, as mentioned above, this will also increase the positive environmental impact the cloth nappies have!
Health risks of Disposable Nappies and Advantages of Cloth Nappies
Before getting to the third point, first some undiscussed data. Data showing that disposable nappies might have some negative effects that most parents are unaware of. What Shaikh and colleges (2010) have found is that disposable nappies could be a risk for urinary tract infection. Especially when nappies are super absorbent. The reason for this is that the nappies are insufficient at ventilating. Ventilation is needed in the genital areas so bacteria don’t have a chance to overgrow. Partsch (2000) found differences in scrotal skin temperature when using disposable nappies. This difference in temperature has been found, but what it means is unclear. It is hard to test what kind of impact this has later in the life of children. The reason for this information is to keep in mind that disposable nappies might have some disadvantages that most parents are unaware of.
Do Cloth Nappies Lead to Earlier Potty Training?
Thirdly, many people think that using cloth nappies in comparison to disposable nappies causes children to be potty trained earlier. Researchers suggest that disposable nappies are an important factor for delayed potty training. How come? Most likely because disposable nappies are easy in use. Another reason is that many parents do not know when to train their child, causing them to start much later. Many parents believe that a child is ready when their child says they want their nappy changed, because it’s wet. But, when using hyper absorbing nappies children are not able to feel the wetness. Hence, many parents don’t start potty training before three years of age. Want to know if your child is ready for potty training? There are many things that indicate that your child may be ready! Read more about potty training readiness signals in this blog.
Using Cloth Nappies and Earlier Potty Training in India, China, Russia and Japan
We will take a deeper dive by comparing nappy usage and average potty training age in a few countries. India and China use mainly cloth nappies for their children and start very early potty training (even before the children turn one). However, in Russia parents widely use disposable nappies and they too start training children when they are very young. In addition, in Japan, Takahashi (1987) tested twins, one twin was using cloth nappies and the other disposable nappies. Results show that there was no significant difference in time of being toilet trained when using cloth nappies or disposable nappies. Taken these findings into account, there is no difference between using cloth or disposable nappies with regards to potty training age. Type of nappy and average potty training age are both culturally bound, but no scientific evidence has been found that they influence each other.
But why are there so many rumours that children who wear cloth nappies are potty trained earlier? The popular opinion that it’s because of the wet feeling, but this has not been scientifically proven. So, perhaps the reason is simple: it is just up to the parents. Certain parents are more conscious about the environment, costs, advantages of using cloth nappies, and often these parents are also more conscious with potty training their child at an earlier age. Parents who use cloth nappies start training earlier, mainly because washing the nappies is a big task to parents. Using cloth nappies is a choice, so is starting early with potty training.
Biggest Impact Environmental Impact = Start Potty Training Early
So, in conclusion, cloth nappies are definitely a step towards a cleaner environment and they can be lower in costs. But will your child be potty trained earlier when you use cloth nappies? Not necessarily. Your child will be potty trained earlier, when you as a parent start potty training your child earlier. In fact, the biggest impact we can have on the environment, when looking at nappy use, is starting potty training early.
Want help potty training your child? With our easy-to use app, your child will be potty trained in no time! You can start already from 18 months. Download the Go Potty app and test if your child is ready for potty training for free!
