Recently, I joined the Real Diaper Association and they asked this question.  I thought it may be helpful to post my personal reason for choosing cloth diapers here as well. I know I make reference throughout my site as to why, but never am I real specific.  Here it is: 

Why I Chose Cloth?

Cloth diapering was not a given for me.

I have two children and did not discover cloth diapers until my second child. Both of my children have sensitive skin and had trouble with disposable diapers. However, my daughter's condition was more severe than my son's. At approximately two months of age, our daughter was diagnosed with labia adhesions, a condition that we were told probably linked to a family history of eczema.

We were told that depending upon the severity of the adhesions that our daughter may have frequent infections and other complications until she reached puberty, but that there really wasn't much we could do about it. We were also told that if her condition worsened and we needed to treat her that the common treatment was a hormone treatment given in a cream form. Doesn't sound too terrible, until you read the side affects.

Me, the research it Mom that I am, came home to my computer and started looking for any info or natural treatments that I could find. I came across a blog with moms talking about the very same issue that my daughter had and the treatments they had tried including the nasty hormone cream and it's side affects, surgery only to have the adhesions come back, and most importantly cloth diapering. I was shocked and amazed.

Dreading the whole thing, I started shopping for cloth diapers. I was amazed at all the wonderful products available today. When I received my diapers, I was still very skeptical and reluctant. However my skepticism quickly diminished, as by the middle of the second week of cloth diapering our little girl was free, yes free, and completely clear of labia adhesions and we have not had any since. Our pediatrician was also amazed at how quickly she cleared up and that her adhesions have not returned. They have since added a segment to their website recommending cloth diapers for other girls experiencing adhesions.

My husband and I now think that both of our children had allergies or at the very least strong sensitivities to the chemicals in disposable diapers, as our son had severe diaper rashes as well.

We love our cloth diapers so much that we have opened our own cloth diaper business. Our business has allowed us to share information about cloth diapering, help reduce the number of diapers entering landfills, and keep babies’ rash, adhesion free.

Once I realized how many chemicals are in disposables, I was appalled that the average person who uses them has no idea. Doesn't it seem odd that we label cigarettes and alcohol, in which we know are harmful to us, yet something we wrap our children in does not have to list potentially hazardous chemicals that it contains? Hmmm…..

 

Please keep in mind, I am not making any promises that this will work for you, but it did for us and it's well worth a try.