Disposable diapers have undoubtedly eased many parents’ workloads when it comes to baby care. However, some still prefer the traditional lampin or cloth diapers. Let’s settle the score once and for all: which is better, lampin vs. disposable diapers?
Lampin vs. Disposable Diapers: An Overview
Before we proceed with their pros and cons, let’s first briefly differentiate cloth diapers from disposable diapers.
Cloth diapers, which many refer to locally as lampin, are made of natural material such as cotton. Traditionally, cloth diapers are made of plain white fabric that mommies fasten with the use of small safety pins.
Nowadays, though, cloth diapers come in various sizes and forms. They could still be flat fabrics, but many stores sell pre-folded ones in the shape of underwear. Instead of safety pins, we can now conveniently fasten them using snaps or hook-and-loop fasteners.
Some of the cloth diapers are “hybrid,” which means they are made with water-proof outer cloth and absorbent inner fabric. Of course, all cloth diapers are washable and reusable.
On the other hand, disposable diapers are single-use. They come in various sizes and are made with plastic, absorbent material, and adhesives.
Lampin vs. Disposable Diapers: Pros and Cons
And now, let’s explain the advantages and disadvantages of using cloth and disposable nappies. You can use these facts to help you choose between the two options.
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Convenience
The first factor we’ll look into is convenience. Parents who use cloth nappies for their babies need to soak and wash them after use.
Washing them is simple and easy, but it’s not quick. You can generally toss wet cloth nappies directly in the laundry pile, but if it’s soiled, you need to spray or scoop off the poop first before soaking and washing.
Moms who use disposable diapers know the drill: they just throw them properly in the can once soaked or soiled. Hence it’s more convenient.
Availability
The discussion in lampin vs. disposable diapers availability is quite tricky.
Both are now readily available online and in grocery stores and malls; however, we can still say that disposable nappies are more accessible because small stores (sari-sari stores) often have them, too.
Prevention of Rashes
Experts say diaper rashes occur due to skin irritation, often because the skin experiences prolonged contact with a soiled diaper or the diaper material itself.
However, please note that there are measures to prevent rashes while using disposable nappies. Ideally, you need to change their diaper every 3 hours or so and after every poop.
Because you need to change lampin once they are soaked or soiled, it might significantly reduce the risk of diaper rash. Still, please remember that babies using cloth nappies can develop rashes, especially if you don’t change them right away.
Better Night-time Sleep
Between cloth diapers and disposable diapers, which better promotes quality sleep?
In one study1, investigators found that infants who wore disposable nappies with a high-absorbency rate experienced less overall sleep disruption than infants who used cloth diapers.
Cloth diapers are naturally less absorbent, and for this reason, they require frequent changes even during bedtime.
Effects on Environment
Discussing lampin vs. disposable diapers pros and cons will not be complete if we don’t talk about their effects on the environment.
At one glance, it’s easy to say that disposable nappies have more negative environmental effects. After all, they contribute “millions of tons of waste in the landfills” yearly – in the United States alone2.
However, some reports3 mentioned that environmentally speaking, cloth diapers have disadvantages, too. Parents need to use lots of water, electricity, detergent, and fabric softener to wash them.
Overall, we can still say cloth diapers are more “eco-friendly” in the sense that disposable nappies contribute to more physical waste.
Affordability
And finally, let’s talk about expenses.
Naturally, disposable diapers are more expensive because they are single-use. Considering that babies can use up to 12 nappies a day, it’s easy to see how your expenditures can blow up if you choose disposable diapers.
On the other hand, cloth diapers are reusable, so you’ll end up spending less in the long run.
Key Takeaways
Have you made your choice yet? Here’s a recap of our lampin vs. disposable diapers scoreboard:
Disposable Diapers
- More convenient
- Highly accessible
- Promotes less sleep disruption
Lampin
- Might lead to fewer rashes
- More eco-friendly
- Less expensive
Ultimately, parents know what’s best for their babies, especially after weighing all the possible pros and cons.
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