It seems like for every proponent of disposable diapers, there’s an equally adamant one for cloth diapers. With the environmental, health, financial, and ease-of-use factors to consider, you might be at a bit of a loss as to what direction you should go. Once your child hits the potty training phase, you have yet another option to consider when it comes to night training products: Peejamas.

Now, each method may not work for everyone, so it’s important that you research all of your options to find one (or a combination) that works best for your child and lifestyle. We’ve gathered some information to help you decide.

Environmental Factor

Disposable: In 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that Americans threw away almost 4.2 million tons of disposable diapers, which made up roughly 1.5% of the total trash for the entire year. That’s a lot of non-biodegradable garbage! Most disposable diapers are made from plastics, gels, and wood pulp, which seem to stick around until the end of time.

Cloth: Monitoring the environmental factor for cloth diapers is tricky because it goes beyond just the cloth diaper production and disposal. You have to also consider the additional water, electricity, detergent, and carbon emissions that come into play for making, using, and reusing each diaper. You should expect to do between two and three extra loads of laundry per child each week, so this option may not be saving the environment quite as much as you think.

Peejamas: Peejamas are an alternative to cloth diapers for children who have started potty training and are working on nighttime awareness. These absorbent pajamas are made from a blend of cotton and bamboo that keeps urine from soaking the sheets while leaving enough of a wet sensation that kids notice they need to get out of bed and use the potty. Peejamas can be washed and reused more than 300 times. In the less than two years that Peejamas have been on the market, they have prevented 13 million disposable diapers from going to landfills across the country.

Health Factor

Disposable: With skin sensitivities on the rise, parents are becoming more concerned with artificial dyes and materials coming into contact with their children’s bottoms. While those things are what make disposable diapers effective at wicking away moisture, they can cause reactions with some children. That said, because of the wicking technology in disposable diapers, your child can go longer without requiring change, which can help prevent diaper rash. Additionally, disposable diapers let you use diaper creams, which can help children who are susceptible to rashes and other infections.

Cloth: Cloth diapers, on the other hand, are dye and gel-free, so you have more control over what comes in contact with your child’s skin. Because they don’t have the same moisture-wicking capabilities, you will need to change cloth diapers more often to prevent diaper rash, and you have to be more conscious about what kinds of diaper creams you use and how you launder after using creams.

Peejamas: Peejamas are made from Oeko-100, certified fabric that is safe against children’s sensitive skin. Not only that, but the material isn’t soaked in flame-retardant chemicals, so it’s less likely to cause a reaction than other pajamas on the market. It’s important to note that the makers of Peejamas still meet children’s sleep-safety requirements by making their pajamas tighter and more tapered so they are less susceptible to flames.

Financial Factor

Disposable: Disposable diapers (unlike cloth diapers) have a consistent expense until your child is completely potty trained. You can expect diapers to cost you between $30 and $60 per month, which rings in at about $360 to $720 a year! Some retailers (ex: Target) help you offset that cost by offering coupons or cash back for buying diapers in bulk, so keep an eye out for their promotions.

Cloth: Cloth diapers have a higher up-front cost, which can seem daunting at a time when everything else that comes with a new baby is already so expensive. You can expect to pay between $300 and $600 for diapers and covers alone to have enough that you’re not doing laundry every single day. Some researchers have tabulated that the sum of the actual diapers and covers plus all of the extra electricity, water, and tools needed to clean them means that you’re only saving $120-$270 total compared to disposable diapers after three years of use. That said, if you use your cloth diapers for multiple kids or buy them secondhand, those savings go way up.

Peejamas: Overnight disposable diapers can be up to double the price of regular disposable diapers, and the cost of buying extra sheets and constantly washing them after nighttime accidents can really add up. While the price tag of $59.99 for two pairs of pajama pants can seem expensive, that cost is about the same as one or two months’ worth of nighttime disposable diapers, but Peejamas are reusable. Each pair of pajama pants can last almost a year of daily use!

Ease-of-Use Factor

Disposable: There are very few people who would argue that disposable diapers are the most convenient baby hygiene item out there. You can just throw them away when you’re out and about, and you don’t have to worry about lugging a dirty diaper around with you. If you have multiple kids needing diapers, kids in daycare, or a very active lifestyle, disposable diapers are a very user-friendly option.

Cloth: Cloth diapers can be inconvenient when you’re at home as well as out and about. Since you can’t throw them away when they’re soiled, you have to be prepared to bring dirty ones home with you. There are additional cleaning tools that can make your life a little easier, but they come at an added expense.

Peejamas: Peejamas are a very handy potty training tool because they don’t add a single thing to your bedtime routine. Instead of using your standard pajama bottoms, your kids just pull these ones on when it comes time to get ready for bed. The added bonus here is that since Peejamas absorb the liquid from nighttime accidents, you don’t have to change the sheets in the middle of the night like you would if they were wearing underpants. Also, Peejamas allow your kids to feel some of the moisture from their urine (unlike disposable diapers which can wick that feeling away almost instantly). This can help expedite your child’s night potty training.

Hopefully, this breakdown has helped you figure out which direction to go with your diapering regimen. And remember—it’s always possible to do a combination of the three options to really maximize your savings and ease-of-use while reducing your environmental waste.