Article 4: Advice on Cloth nappies.

This article was first featured on the Stay at Home Mum - the Secret to Living on One Wage website: http://www.stayathomemum.net.au/ and I thank Jody for letting me share it here!

Advice on cloth nappies, why I use them. Well, apart from being a bit of a greenie and neo-hippy, I do feel they’re a better approach to bagging your baby’s bottom as you not only save money in the long run, but the resources used to create some of the modern wonders in cloth called a nappy are less taxing on our earth and environment than some disposables.

Don’t get me wrong, I DO use disposables too, but my preferred option IS cloth. I won’t name specific brands, but modern cloth nappies are more than just your good old terry towelling square. There are pockets, pre-folds, all in ones, swimmer nappies, Velcro or snappy studs, cotton, wool, hemp and even bamboo! With the right liner, one that is toilet flushable, biodegradable and even septic tank friendly, most “used solids” get flushed away like your own, and sometimes the nappies themselves don’t even need a soak. Just keep them in a nappy bucket, when its full, put them through as a load, soak setting if required. If you DO need to soak, think of your garden as my roses simply LOVE a good nappy bucket drink, sadly the rosemary didn’t. Do, however, consider the nappy soaker you may also use and go for a grey water friendly option.

Some people say “cloth nappies would take time away from playing with my children as I’d be washing all day.” Well, you don’t have to hand wash them you know, both top and front loaders CAN get them clean! And, I find I’m soaking and washing kids clothes pretty much every day as my kids get mucky through their indoors, outdoors explore everything to the fullest lifestyle. If I’m not washing and soaking their clothes, I’d have them running around naked a lot more often than they already do!

 “Cloth nappies are expensive!” Well, so are disposables, you just don’t see their cost as its spread out over the years rather than upfront. Some cloth nappies ARE expensive, but you need to look into the quality of materials used, the time taken, etc. AND! Think of the amount of times they can then be used. Then there’s the “they leak!” Well, sorry to disappoint the disposable loving world, but so do they! Sometimes you’re baby is going to achieve something so great that no nappy will keep it in, hence the washing machines mentioned earlier.

There is the belief that cloth nappies cause nappy rash. Well, my middle child had TERRIBLE nappy rash in all disposables, even those highly expensive, everyone raves they’re the best, brands. Put her in a cloth nappy with some lovely micro fibre organic cotton boosters and an unbleached, chemical free liner and no rash! My son now uses her old ones (yes, he does look interesting in pink nappies) but again, no rash. With him, there is also the added bonus of his cute little bum dance when the nappy is too wet for his liking. J