Dissecting Disposable Diapers: What’s Actually in Them?

The Question of Disposable Diapers

Did you know that, on average, a newborn goes through 10 to 14 diapers a day? (Although at times, it can feel like a lot more, right?) Given how many diapers your baby actually wears, it’s only natural to wonder what’s actually in the disposable diapers. What are they actually made of? Some people who choose to use cloth diapers cite harmful chemicals in disposables as reasons for avoiding them while others are more concerned about the environment or cost. Then there are some who aren’t quiet sure why they use cloth diapers, but it feels like the right thing to do and that’s just fine too! So what’s really in disposable diapers, and are they a real danger?

What’s in those Diapers?

Diaper companies aren’t obligated by law to list all of their materials on the packaging, but most diapers have several layers. The fact that some ingredients are missing may or may not concern you depending on your personal opinions and beliefs. If you’re concerned as to why all ingredients are not listed, we encourage research on the subject. Of the layers listed the outer lining is usually polyethylene film, similar to what is used in making plastic wrap, although some diaper companies use a bioplastic made with vegetable oil instead. The inner lining often consists of polypropylene, which is also found in thermal underwear. Both of these materials are safe for baby’s skin. Some companies add things like vitamin E or other skin-soothing elements for the inner layer; they’ll often list these additions on the package. These are the layers you see – but what’s underneath?

Going Deeper into the Diaper

The next layer is the “absorbent core” that companies often talk about in commercials. It’s typically made up of bleached wood pulp and polymers. These polymers are what help soak up the wetness, and the chemical used is sodium polyacrylate. If it leaks through the lining, it can sometimes leave little crystalline flakes on baby’s body – but this can’t be absorbed into the skin, so don’t worry about that! Sometimes these crystals are mixed with acrylic acid, which in very large doses can be harmful to the skin, but the amount that might be mixed in during manufacturing of the diapers is minuscule and poses no risk.

If there are designs or wetness indicators on the diaper, these are made from various dyes. Scented diapers have added perfumes to them, as well.  Again these things are not supposed to be harmful but they are also un-necessary and simply increase the different types of chemicals you will find in a diaper.

Dioxins

There have been concerns about dioxins in the wood pulp absorbent cores, but studies have been done, like this one published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives that show there is not nearly enough dioxin in a diaper to be dangerous. Dioxins are a by-product of industrial processes that contain Chlorine. A significant amount of the dioxins in a baby will come from their food source such as breast milk for example.  While it is a known cancer-causing agent and also linked to reproductive issues at the right dose/exposure, things like diapers and breast milk from women eating a generally healthy diet do not have dangerous levels of dioxin in them. We are not going to be able to eliminate dioxins from our lives completely; the key is to avoid toxic levels of them by eating the right foods (generally healthy foods) and using safe products.

As a point of comparison, a single hamburger from a fast-food chain (which almost every parent finds themselves in at least a few times) has 250 times what is called an “acceptable” daily amount. So, while dioxins are something to avoid, the amount of dioxins in diapers should not keep you awake at night. However, there may be other things that you and your baby use/consume that are very much a cause for concern. Of course, new information is available all the time, so this could change but for now dioxins in diapers do not appear to be a real danger.

So what does all this mean?

You might be thinking, are you sure those chemicals are not harmful? Good news: the chemicals in the diapers are very mild, and considered nontoxic. Very rarely are babies allergic to any of these compounds found in disposable diapers. Obviously, if your baby has an allergic reaction to the diapers you should use an alternative, but an allergic reaction in itself doesn’t mean the chemicals in the diaper are ‘harmful’ to other babies that are not allergic. Just as an allergy to strawberries doesn’t make strawberries a harmful fruit in general. It’s just not the right fruit for the person who is allergic to it.

If you’re concerned about dyes or perfumes, choose a brand of diaper that is dye-free, scent-free, and chlorine-free. Check with your pediatrician or a pediatric dermatologist if certain brands start irritating your baby’s skin. If you’re still concerned about disposable diapers, talk with your doctor or pediatrician about your worries, and read up on information from reputable sources. Also, as we touched upon at the beginning of this post, there are other reasons to try alternatives to disposable diapers that are very valid and quite proven, such as cost and concern for the environment. Whether you choose disposables, cloth, or a mixture of both (yes, don’t forget it doesn’t have to be all or nothing), you’re making the choice that’s best for you and your baby, and as always we encourage you to ask questions about all of them, not just disposable diapers, so that you can be confident in your decision. Its also important to understand that information changes all the time as research continues.

Tags: baby diapers, cloth diapers, disposable diapers, toxins in diapers