Have you ever had to choose between food or diapers? 1 in 3 US families make that choice every month. There are limited programs that provide assistance to low income families for diapers. Local diaper banks, churches pantries and more are spread so thin working with limited resources to help these families. Out of desperation many families resort to theft or washing out used disposable diapers. As the economy continues to worsen, this problem will only continue to grow with it.

Cloth diapers offer a solution for low income families that is cost effective and environmentally sound. Non-profits like The Rebecca Foundation’s Cloth Diaper Closet are working hard to help these families make the transition from disposable diapers to cloth diapers and providing them enough diapers to successfully and continually diaper their children. These wonderful programs reduce the stress and burden from low income families and free up much needed money for basic necessities such as groceries and utility bills.

Despite the amazing impact cloth diapers are having for these low income families, there still remains one last hurdle for these hard working families to jump. Currently many daycares refuse to accept cloth diapers due to State Regulation wording either not mentioning cloth diapers or being so vague in the wording that daycares use this as a loophole to require families to use disposable diapers.

We want to change this and request that all States adopt or amend the their daycare regulations to the following:

All State daycare facilities are REQUIRED to accept provided cloth diapers and cloth wipes.

• Parents shall provide a closeable, waterproof container, either a zippered diaper wet bag that can be laundered or an easily cleanable diapers pail with a firmly fitted lid, designed to prevent caregivers from contaminating the exterior surface with caregiver is inserting a soiled diapers and within the caregivers reach of the diaper changing area.
• The container shall be removed daily, cleaned and sanitized by the parents.Soiled diapers shall not be rinsed or washed by caregivers or daycare facilities. Soiled diapers shall be placed in provided containers “as is” or solid waste may be placed in toilets, unrinsed and placed in provided containers at the daycares discretion to reduce odors.
• A waterproof diaper/cover must be used at all times, a clean diaper/cover shall be used at every change.
• Cloth wipes shall be acceptable as long as they were provided in a sealed container or zippered bag. Wipes can be provided pre-moistened, or dry with a wipe solution.

We also want to have all Directors and staff of daycare facilities to take a required course on the proper use and care of cloth diapers. This will be mandated and performed by certified cloth diaper teaching experts at no cost to the state through non-profit educational programs administered by cloth diaper experts.