Use 'real' nappies
There are eight million disposable nappies thrown away in the UK every day – which is an environmental stinker. ‘We do not know how long it takes for the plastics in disposable nappies to decompose but it could take hundreds of years.’
Home laundered nappies could save you around £500 on the cost of keeping a baby in nappies. And while disposable nappies are made of superabsorbent chemicals, paper pulp and plastics, real nappies are mostly made of natural fabrics.
But you do need to have the time and energy to go green on the nappy front, It’s not an easy choice – as this article makes clear.
If you want help or advise in thinking aboiut this action, try The Real Nappy Helpline – 0845 850 0606 – which gives callers details of their local cloth nappy contacts whether they want to buy them to wash at home or use a laundry service.
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30 Apr 2006
Yes. We used to use “real” nappies but went to Disposable just for ease, longevity and hassle free. We’re looking to potty train so maybe cloth will make a come back.
GB , 06 May 2006
We have used real nappies for both boys and found it very easy indeed. Lots of Councils give incentives to people to try real nappies – free trial schemes or money back vouchers.
Prudhoe, GB , 10 May 2006
On our first child, we found reusable nappies to be perfectly easy to use and not at all a hassle to wash. They also smell less unpleasant and cost much less to use. Add to that the environmental benefits and we really can’t see why anyone should want to use disposibles. We’ll be re-using our washables on our second child.
23 May 2006
They are fantastic, so much better all round. Really easy to use, we didn’t soak and washed nappies every other night. Try pocket nappies for ease of use and quick drying. Just down to washable pull ups overnight now (harder to find but still great).
24 May 2006
Why would anyone use disposables all the time? We find reusables are cheaper, and they catch breastfed baby poo much better!!
When away overnight we do use disposables so I’m not carry wet nappies around everywhere, but use Moltex which are “eco” disposables.
16 Jun 2006
Shortly to be entering the world of nappies and have been given some real ones – hurray! Has anyone tried washing their real nappies using ecoballs? If so does that work ok, or do they need washing hotter? As ours are second hand they don’t come with instructions!
22 Jun 2006
well i never thought it would be so easy…I am using a nappy called one-life which as it suggests adapts with poppers to fit your growing baby.They are really easy to wash and I do not wash at a higher temp than 30 deg and am not putting the machine on much more than before. It does sadly give me a nice warm feeling at every nappy change- am I a saddo or what?
15 Jul 2006
We used the ‘mother-ease’ one size fits all with poppers etc which were great until we were having to change little one every hour or so because he was soaking wet through to his clothes – he was around 18 months old. Now using Nature Baby.
20 Aug 2006
I am using the onelife birth to potty set of washables on my newborn. They do leak but then so do the disposables (I use Moltex when we are out and about and at night). I paid £275 for my set but have just received a cheque from my local council for £55 towards the cost which really helps. Plus I can re-use them on baby number 2 when that happens ;o)
25 Aug 2006
Used disposables with first two, but am determined to try ‘real nappies’ for no.3. (Due in Jan.)
Martock, GB , 31 Aug 2006
No problems using real nappies, but the Sumdgling gets a disposable at night, or if we’re changing her when we’re out. But disposables do have a nasty chemically smell.
Chatham, GB , 10 Sep 2006
We’ve been using real nappies on Ellie since she was a couple of days old and have found them no trouble at all. Not sure about the link to the BBC article, suggesting that disposables have saved women from a life of drudgery :-( Real nappies are really not that hard work and there are so many reasons to make the switch. Have a look at http://www.realnappycampaign.com/index.html for more facts and figures :-) Happy nappying!
13 Sep 2006
I love they way my liitle one looks in his fluffy nappy! His big brother used them & at one point we had them both in them but we are trying potty training at the moment (more seems to be going on the carpet….)
Levenshulme, Manchester, GB , 08 Oct 2006
Reuben loves his bamboozles by tots bots. They are cosy on his bottom and just as easy as a disposable to put on. You can get all sorts of funky wraps too. we found this website really helpful, very prompt service, good prices. www.lizziesrealnappies.co.uk
09 Oct 2006
Bought my bambino mio nappies 2nd hand from Ebay and they are fabulous. You just need to be in a routine. I wash them every 2 -3 days with soapnuts at 60C and dry them on the line or on an airer; I don’t have a tumble drier. I use biodegradable liners and have just switched to washable wipes which are no more work at all ‘cos you are washing the nappies anyway. I love real nappies and only use the Nature Boy and Girl or Moltex Oko if we are away on hols somewhere there are no laundry facs. As for nighttimes, I just add a booster which seems quite satisfactory. And as for keeping women in a life of drugery; lots of so called labour saving devices are extrememly harmful to the planet and you can keep them for me.
Marlow, Buckinghamshire, GB , 14 Oct 2006
just potty trained my second child from real nappies
Marlow, Buckinghamshire, GB , 14 Oct 2006
just potty trained my second child from real nappies
15 Oct 2006
I love my washable nappies! I have one or two of quite a few makes (motherease one size, tots bots, bumble, diddy diaper) but have now settled on mothercare terry squares for general use. our daughter is small for her age and i find these not too bulky (we use the bulkier ones at night). they also dry very quickly, which is excellent as we don’t have a dryer. my favourite wraps are the litewrap or the motherease rikki. i also use washable liners, washable wipes and a washable sack for dirty nappies when we’re out – once you’re in a washing routine anyway, wipes etc are no more bother and a lot cheaper. i love the look of washable nappies on her and on the line, and the feel of them, and the satisfaction of knowing that i am saving the environment and money too.
27 Feb 2007
We have used cloth for both of our kiddies and would not consider using dispos (except on holiday I must admit- if we are self catering I use my nappies but in the caravan we use dispos- blush…. I did try honestly). Use a mixture- started with Cotton Bottom prefolds but have recently discovered shaped nappies- cost more but less folding. Could’t even begin to put those huge packets of nappies in my shopping trolley
01 May 2007
Yes you can use ecoballs! We have and are using motherease washable nappies, with liners, they wash superbly and dry on the line much softer than when we use detergent, on less sunny days I add Ecover laundry bleach if the nappies are particularly soiled and I’m feeling rather nappy proud!
14 Jul 2007
Save the planet – use NO nappies!
After using 15 disposable nappies a day from the day her baby was born, six months later my sister has gone to just one a day which is only there ‘just in case’. She told me really early on that her daughter would be potty trained from birth. I laughed! I thought she was joking. But she was serious and now my niece, only six months, ‘goes’ in the toilet or on the potty with help from mum. The best thing about it is that there is NO MESS to clean up afterwards! And of course you don’t have to UN-TRAIN your child later on after two years of peeing in their pants.
Here’s a great site that helped me understand what my ‘crazy’ sister was on about: http://www.bornpottytrained.com/
Northamptonshire, GB , 16 Jul 2007
Oscar is nearly 10 weeks and we’ve been using Cottontail Company one size nappies. They’re also organic cotton – does that give me double brownie points??!
Finding them incredibly easy to use and quick to dry. They are specifically designed not to be bulky and have a high cute factor. I don’t have a tumble dryer (is that now triple brownie points??!) and have managed very well despite the horrendous weather. I have to admit though, I do have a aga which I hang them on (oops).
Huddersfield, GB , 02 Jan 2008
We used washable nappies with both our children most of the time – it was fine, and saved lots of money, as well as giving us a nearly empty bin (useful for those of us on fortnightly collections) compared with our diposable-nappy-using friends. The best bit was being able to wave them goodbye once we potty trained – I managed to sell them so I am both nappy-free and £90 richer!!
Stroud, GB , 26 Jan 2008
We’ve tried using washables (Cotton Bottoms and Bamboozles) repeatedly but although they work really well as nappies, we just found the whole process too much work. So I’ve now marked us as lapsed on this one. We’re using Nature “degradable” nappies instead and trying to minimise rubbish going to landfill in other ways.
Oh well, choose your battles as they say.
Martock, GB , 24 Mar 2008
With one baby, we managed quite well, but with 2, we’re using mostly disposables till things settle down – we’re lapsed at the moment.
Sheffield, GB , 04 May 2008
i am a bit of a nappy obsessive i use a mixture but mainly fuzzi bunz during the day and tots bots with motherease wrap at night but i also use terry squares like a prefold in an emergency ( the terry squares i use are 35 years old as they were mine and my brothers which means they have lasted 4 children now) bek
Perth, GB , 05 May 2008
I agree that washing cloth nappies is a lot of work. We hire our nappies from a laundry service, and they take the dirty ones away each week and replace them with clean ones. It’s more expensive than buying your own nappies, but because of the economies of scale, I’m told, it actually works out better for the environment. Have a look on the web and see if there’s a service near you!
05 May 2008
I’ve been using real nappies since my son was 6 weeks old. I gave myself goals of sorting out the breastfeeding first & then tackling using real nappies & I haven’t looked back since (he’s nearly 5 months old now). I really don’t find it any extra trouble washing his nappies, when you have a baby the washing machine is unfortunately in use far too much anyway. The nappies go in before we go to bed & are hung up in the morning. I use a combination of bamboo terries & onelife popper nappies & Lollipop fleece or bamboo nappies (which are great for when you go out or encouraging real nappy-phobic people to change his bum!) Lollipop is a great nappy advisory service. http://www.teamlollipop.co.uk/
06 May 2008
We used washables with our two (now aged 4 and 2) since they were newborn. The elder girl went into pants aged a week short of 3. As the younger hits 3 in November I imagine we’ll shortly be saying goodbye to our nappies. Have had no problems with washing, but like others use biodegradeable paper nappies when on holiday (eg camping as we don’t want the nappy bucket to fill up in the corner of the tent!) I endorse the comments of those who recommend buying second hand. We have a mixture of terry squares, done up with a nappi-nippa, and Motherease one-size, plus a few tots-bots. It’s really worth trying one of each type if you can (some councils have a nappy ‘library’ where you can borrow different types to see what works best for the size and shape of your child etc. Having two skinny girls we preferred the terry square (easiest to dry too) and the Motherease onesize (poppers make them go really small if you need them to. A friend who used washables with both her girls really struggled with her son who seemed to wet so much that he needed a whole new set of clothes each time – not quite so green on the washing load! Sio the tip is. Don’t spend loads of money on a full set of birth to potty washables brand new, in case the type you choose aren’t the ones that would suit you best. Borrow from friends and buy second-hand. NCT Nearly New Sales are always worth a look.
London, GB , 08 Dec 2008
Our little one’s too small so far (5lb 3oz) for any of the reusable nappies we have ready (a very timely loan from friends—another great aspect of ‘real’ nappies), so we’re on disposables for the time being but as soon as she gains a little weight we’re looking forward to making the switch very soon.
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