Babies can be the cutest, most expensive little people ever. They need a lot of gear and supplies from car seats, clothes, to bottles and everything in between. One expense that is usually unavoidable is diapers.
These days, we have a ton of subscription and delivery services available to us, so it should come as no surprise that diaper services exist. While ordering diapers to your door might sound like a modern concept, diaper services have been around since the 1900s!
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about diaper service and whether it’s right for you and your baby.
What is diaper service?
Diaper service is a service that provides a set amount of diapers for a weekly or monthly fee. The diaper service can offer disposable or cloth diapers. They will deliver the clean diapers to your home and pick up the soiled diapers on a schedule. Disposable diapers are composted by the diaper service. If you opt for cloth diapers, the diaper service will clean and sanitize the diapers.
Diaper services were very common before disposable diapers became much more mainstream and available to the public in the 1940s in the US. The addition of in home laundry options, like in home washing machines, also affected diaper services. However, diaper services still exist today for moms and families that are considering the service.
How Does This Work?
Diaper services can vary according to your unique location and the company, but the general process usually follows the same steps.
You’ll select a plan that fits your family’s needs (one baby or multiples) and budget.
Clean diapers will be delivered to your home. Usually on your first delivery or when your service begins you will receive a waterproof diaper pail or bag.
You’ll put the soiled diapers into the diaper pail after each change. The diaper service will pick up the dirty diapers at the scheduled time. They will handle all of the laundry and sanitation needs so there’s no need for you to rinse or wash anything.
Disposable Diaper Service vs Cloth Diaper Service
It is possible to use a diaper service with disposable diapers. Instead of your one time use diapers going to a landfill, the diaper service disposes of your compostable diapers. Compostable diapers are made from biodegradable materials that eventually break down into compost.
Compostable diaper services take care of the process of safely composting the diapers for you. It’s not recommended that you compost diapers on your own due to risk of spreading pathogens and bacteria from human waste.
Cloth diaper services provide clean prefolds (diapers) delivered to you on a recurring basis. They take care of the cleaning and sanitizing the diapers.
Usually you would need to provide your own diaper cover, which you can just throw into the regular laundry load. Be sure to check with your local service to see if they provide covers for you as this can vary.
Cost of Diaper Service
Diaper service can start as low as 25 dollars per week. Some companies charge a minimum of 4 weeks at a time. Others offer discounts if longer periods of time are purchased, for example 12 weeks or up to 52 weeks at a time.
Pros and Cons of Diaper Service
Making the switch to cloth diapers can be a big change for some families. Choosing to use a diaper service has its advantages and disadvantages.
Let’s start with the benefits:
No additional laundry because you don’t have to deal with washing diapers
Typically save money on cloth diapering versus disposable diapers
Convenience and ease of use, there are many cloth diaper options available
Environmentally friendly choice, using a diaper service reduces waste in landfills
Cloth diapers use less chemicals and reduce the chance of irritation against baby’s skin
Cons:
Can be more expensive than home laundering
Dirty diapers will be in your home for at least a week at a time
Possibility of running out of diapers
Some diaper services only offer simple prefold options
Is Diaper Service Worth It?
Ultimately this is a decision that comes down to your personal situation. Cloth diapering can seem like a lot of work to some, but diaper services take the work of laundry out of the picture.
In addition to lessening the laundry load, if you value the economic savings, less impact on the environment, and using diapers with less chemicals, then a diaper service may be the way to go.
Remember, cloth diapering is not all or nothing. You could use a diaper service along with some disposable diapers. Neither option is one size fits all, find the balance that works best for you.
Where to Find Diaper Services Near You
Searching online for diaper service and your city should bring up some local results.
Be sure to check online parenting groups or get recommendations through word of mouth for the best services in your area.