When a baby is born, the joy that comes with their arrival is often immeasurable. After all, welcoming a new life into the world adds a spark to the baby’s parents and completes a family. But having a baby is a responsibility. Part of that responsibility is taking care of the infant and making sure they are safe. One of the most basic things that a parent or guardian needs to address is finding the best baby diapers for the newborn.
Battling Diaper Rash
It may sound simple, but replacing diapers is a cornerstone of baby care. Not replacing a diaper for an extended period can harm the baby’s skin, and it is one of the causes of diaper rash. A baby’s skin sensitivity and chafing are other factors in the development of a diaper rash.
You can easily spot diaper rash by red, tender-looking skin in the diaper region. That region covers the buttocks, thighs, and genitals.
Aside from physical signs, changes in the infant’s disposition also mark diaper rash. This is evident when the baby seems more uncomfortable and fussier than usual. A baby with diaper rash usually cries when you touch or wash their diaper area.
What Are the Best Baby Diapers?
The search for the best baby diaper needs to consider diapers that won’t result in diaper rash. Simply put, the best diaper keeps the baby dry even when sleeping through the night. The best baby diapers are also convenient to use and affordable, plus they should be comfortable for your baby. Of course, don’t forget that the fit or diaper size should also be taken into account.
Choosing the best baby diapers can be a personal decision that depends on many factors. But ideally, baby diapers should be absorbent to absorb a baby’s fluid with relative ease. The development of superabsorbent polymers has resulted in diapers that can absorb and retain large amounts of urine and baby poo.
What’s Inside a Disposable Baby Diaper?
Today’s disposable baby diapers consist of three layers. The top sheet, closest to the skin, isolates the infant’s skin from the diaper’s inner core. The absorbent core contains “fluff pulp,” a mixture of superabsorbent polymers in a cellulose core. The backsheet is a waterproof outer material of polyethylene or polypropylene.
The composition, quantity, and superabsorbent polymer distribution differ per diaper brand.
While disposable diapers are convenient and highly absorbent, the dilemma is with their ecological ramifications. The global production of disposable diapers increases exponentially, with experts expecting it to exceed US$ 71 billion/year by this year. Unfortunately, there has not yet been a consensus on what are the best methods for recycling diapers, or absorbent hygiene products such as baby wipes.
An Organic Option?
In recent years, baby diaper manufacturers have made diapers from different fibrous compositions. These are pure bamboo, pure organic cotton, bamboo/organic cotton (70/30), and bamboo/organic cotton (50/50). The diapers contain superabsorbent polymer sodium polyacylate to enhance their absorption capacity. However, parents must still frequently check the diaper to see if it’s soaked; if so, they must change it immediately to avoid diaper rash.
While reusable diapers can be more expensive per piece and more labor intensive, they can be more cost-effective over the long term. And the use of natural, breathable materials like cotton make them comfortable for the baby and reduces the risk of diaper rash, as well as minimizes environmental impact.
Antibacterial activity tests have also been carried out on baby diapers against S aureus and E coli. These diapers were also subjected to product density, thickness, absorption capacity, and other similar tests. The diaper made from bamboo/organic cotton (70/30) exhibited the best performance. Perhaps most importantly, the composition of these diapers makes them more eco-friendly and easier to decompose than the previously mentioned standard disposable diapers.
Research published in 2017 acknowledges the environmental waste brought on by disposable diapers. About 20 billion diapers found their way to landfills yearly, generating more than 3.5 million tons of diaper waste that will not decompose until almost 500 years. Therefore, the PolYBioSkin European research project aims to study natural biopolymers and innovative non-woven tissues. The end goal is to industrially produce biodegradable baby/elderly diapers, facial beauty masks, and advanced medications.
Key Takeaways
The desire of every parent is to make their baby comfortable. This is sometimes difficult to achieve when diaper rash happens because their diaper wasn’t changed immediately or it affects their skin. While single use, disposable diapers are convenient, they have unfortunately become an ecological problem because of how long they take to decompose. Research is ongoing to find the best baby diapers. These will hopefully be eco-friendly, absorb liquid and other materials with ease, and still be comfortable for babies.
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