Disposable diapers are convenient for parents, but they are made of highly synthetic materials that can have adverse health effects on a baby’s sensitive reproductive organs. In this blog post, we will discuss the top three non-toxic disposable diapers that can help you protect your baby from toxic exposure.
In my very first YouTube video since 2021, I show you the absolute best brands that are going to help you find the best non-toxic diapers for your baby! I talk about some key things to know when it comes to using non-toxic disposable diapers:
- What are disposable diapers made of?
- What are the toxic effects of disposable diaper materials?
- How to find the best non-toxic disposable diapers
- The Top 3 best of the best non-toxic diapers according to a Toxicologist
If you want to watch the full video, press play now! You can also continue scrolling to read more.
What are disposable diapers made of?
Disposable diapers have four layers: the top sheet, the acquisition layer, the super absorbent layer, and the outermost layer. The top sheet comes in direct contact with your baby’s reproductive organs, and the other layers help keep your baby dry. These layers are made of synthetic materials like cellulose, polyester, and sodium polyacrylate (SAP), which can have adverse health effects on babies.
Disposable diapers were invented to reduce the amount of water needed to wash reusable diapers, but they come with their own drawbacks. One of the disadvantages of cloth diapers is the large amount of water needed to wash them. SAP has advantages over cotton, including the large amount of liquids it can absorb, the cheap cost, and the high profit margin for diaper manufacturers.
What are the toxic effects of disposable diaper materials?
A baby’s diaper area is highly absorptive to chemicals, and toxicants absorbed in this area can bypass the body’s natural defense system known as first pass metabolism or liver detoxification. Toxic chemicals absorbed in this area can be hazardous to a baby’s health since they have direct access to the reproductive organs, and early childhood exposures can have long-lasting effects into adulthood.
Several studies have shown that disposable diapers contain phthalates (1), endocrine-disrupting chemicals associated with toxic effects on reproduction, the respiratory tract, cognition, behavior, metabolism, and more.
Disposable diapers have also been shown to release toxic solvents like toluene and xylene (2), and the high pH of diapers could contribute to diaper dermatitis, AKA diaper rash. The chemicals released from disposable diapers have been shown to exacerbate asthma symptoms (3), and they contain heavy metals and released formaldehyde (4), a known human carcinogen and a potent allergen.
Why should you use non-toxic diapers?
Non-toxic disposable diapers can significantly reduce a baby’s toxic burden. Children are not able to efficiently detoxify the same way as adults, so chemicals they are exposed to can have much higher magnified effects compared to adults. There is no way to avoid all synthetics, but when it comes to disposable diapers, we can get pretty close.
Avoiding plastics and plastic-like materials as much as possible is the ideal way to reduce exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics. Microplastics are persistent environmental pollutants that can end up right back in our bodies through the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Microplastics have been detected in human lung tissue, placenta, and blood. They can act as toxic magnets, binding and absorbing toxic chemicals from the environment, facilitating their entry into our bodies.
Here are the top three non-toxic disposable diapers that you can use to protect your baby from toxic exposure:
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#1 Best Non-Toxic Diaper: Ecoriginals
They’re 90% biodegradable, which is the highest of all disposable diapers I’ve seen.
Non-GMO cornstarch top sheet, cotton backsheet, and the absorbent core contains plant polymers with a small amount of SAP to boost absorbency.
These have the least amount of synthetics, which are found around the fastener tabs and leg cuffs.
Even the paper packaging is biodegradable, so we don’t have to worry about a bunch of plastic going into the environment and polluting our water, air, soil, and food supply.
#2 Best Non-Toxic Disposable Diaper: Andy Pandy
They’re made with a bamboo top and back sheet, which are in direct contact with your baby’s skin.
Totally chlorine-free bleached, which means low likelihood of dioxin contamination.
Plus they’re 86.5% biodegradable, which is great!
#3 Best Non-Toxic Disposable Diaper: EcoPea Co
They use a bamboo top sheet.
The absorbent core of the diaper also contains bamboo pulp, which is totally chlorine free, does not contain any fragrances, and is OEKO-TEK 100 verified not to contain a up to 350 toxic substances
In conclusion, non-toxic disposable diapers are a great option for parents who want to protect their baby from unwanted toxins.
Thanks for reading! Leave a comment and let me know if you’ve ever considered non-toxic diapers for your baby?
