Now that I'm halfway through I've decided that it's time to start thinking about the little decisions that we'll all have to make sooner or later. With my 2-yr-old, LP, we just bought disposables and never really thought about the idea of reusable nappies. I think all the old ideas about scraping, boiling and scrubbing them entered my mind. I know that things have changed these days and they are easier to use and clean than before. However, I'm still in debate. Obviously, I'd like to do my bit for the environment (this is the environment my children will grow up and the idea that my son's nappies will still be degrading while his great-great grandchildren are alive is a huge insentive). I know that the initial outlay is much more expensive than buying disposables but over time I worked out that I'd be spending about £1000 on nappies by the time my baby is 2 1/2, whereas I could buy newborn-to-toddler reusables for about £230. I found disposables easy to use but cost-wise and environmentally-wise reusables seem a good idea but it's still the idea of looking after a toddler and a newborn while trying to wash and launder nappies that concern me. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks in advance Ginny X
Good question. There are a lot of services now who will launder and deliver your nappies for you every week. They tend to average between £7 and £9 for the service, which is a bit more than buying disposable nappies, but would probably help you sleep better at night! There's also the cost of having the washing machine on all day if you do it yourself (not only your elec bill but using up that electricity in the first place). However, you're right. We used disposables with our son and that was very convenient, but it does make you shudder to think of that growing pile of old nappies we're stocking up for the next geenration. Good debate. What does everyone else think?
I've decided already that I'm going to use re-usables for the reasons you outline above. But I haven't yet started with them, so can't offer much practical advice. I do have experience with the old terry nappies from helping my mum with my three younger siblings, particularly the last two. From what I remember it wasn't so much of a fuss as people make out, and given today's washing machines and the new nappies I'm hoping it won't be too bad.
I think hardest will be out and about, and I will probably buy some eco-friendly disposables for certain situations, though I think that all-in-ones are probably quite useful there too.
We've bought as eco-friendly as possible drier for emergencies and to finish the nappies off in if they need softening up (and also because we just lost our laundry drying room to the nursery!) I know you can get things like drier balls to speed up the drying process.
My decision was reinforced yesterday when a friend was over and had to change her son's nappy. She then brought it to me and asked where to put it. It was a corkingly smelly one. Yuk!! I was thinking of all that pooh that could have gone straight down the loo. I felt pretty bad putting it in a plastic bag and straight into the outside bin, and that was just one!
Sorry Laura, missed your message there as I started and then came back.
I personally think that there are so many options now for reducing your washing impact (get the most environmentally friendly machine you can, wash at low temps, use the most biodegradable detergent - you can even get these washing balls that require no detergent at all), plus general electricity usage awareness that cuts down your usage elsewhere, that the evil of having your machine on more is outweighed by the landfill aspect. You don't even need to boil wash nappies any more if you have a decent washing maching and get rid of most of the pooh as it arrives - using biodegradable nappy liners is a big help, and there are also re-usuable liners that you don't have to scrape the pooh off.
There's first of all all the production impact of the disposables - all that plastic wrapping and the chemicals used - and then the disposal impact.
I think the argument that re-usables are as environmentally damaging as disposables holds more pooh than water.
Then there's the other side of it that I just find it an unpleasant idea to have a week's worth of pooh sitting in a bin in the house.
Absolutely agree that there's no way reuseables are equally as damaging as disposables, but when you have a child, you certainly see your electricity usage because of how many washes you are doing a week. It was purely something to consider. There are some amazing designs now, of reusable types and it's a real industry in itself, which is great!
MG's Mum here - please read MG's blog on re-usable nappies. She's not looked back. As an "old timer" who stayed away from re-usables because of the old fashioned squares with my children (now producing children of their own, of course)- I was frightened of pins, hard, scratchy plastic pants for delicate skin and huge bulky bums that leaked everywhere. I regularly look after Jacob, and have been very impressed with the ease and convenience of re-usables; shaped, fantastic wraps to keep baby dry, fleece inners - I would definitely recommend them to any one. Drying can be a bit of an issue, but there are plenty that are "quick drying" and if you can finish them off in a tumble drier (eco friendly, of course Scribbler - good luck with the pregnancy by the by, watching with interest on the gallery) then so much the better. It's really no hassle dealing with the messy stuff, and the designs are so much fun, you want to display them! Good luck with whatever you choose to use
We were only just having this debate last week at parenting classes, with our little lad we've used disposables, but when the new one arrives with opted to go for the slightly more eco fiendly versions that are made from recycled materials, as when shown these at the classes mr and mrs luke were impressed with how they felt, and looked/ constructed. mrs luke used to work in a nursery and has experienced various reusable nappies to varying extents of success. living in a disorganised household mrs luke opted not to go down the reusbale route, plus we don't have a tumble dryer for when its wet and theres no where in the house to put one either, otherwise we would have given them a whirl.
I know I have been terrible with promising to update my nappy blog- but since moving out of my mum's house I've had no trouble at all with drying them minus a tumble drier! I've found that in the later summer months I could dry Jacob's nappies out on the washing line in 4 hours! Anyone who has read my blog up til now will know that I am using Tots Bots, highly absorbant and probably the chunkiest variety of reusable nappy on the market, but I can honestly say that even without a tumble drier I still have more than enough nappies at any one time. I do a wash now every 2-3 days, and I dry them over night. Even with the radiators only on til 10pm- but they're dry in the morning and ready to use again.
I would recommend anyone considering them to do your research! www.kittykins.co.uk have a fabulous range of almost all the types of re-usable nappies available on the market, and a groovy little quiz to recommend the type of nappy to fit your life style!
I now use a combination of Tots Bots with re-usable fleece liners (no stains or lingering smells with fleece) and some truly funky Minki Nappies, which are 'pocket style' nappies, to be stuffed with terry squares or hemp pads to suit your required absorbancy levels. I've found these fantastic for overnight, as Jacob is proving to be a 'power wee' baby- and will even leak out of a disposable nappy overnight!!! Since however using Minki nappies stuffed to capacity with terry boosters and Cotton Bottoms squares, not a single leak!
I've been using terry nappies for a fortnight now and if i had known how easy they were i would have used them with my two previous children.
When i was looking at reusable nappies i had to weigh up the cost and terries came out cheapest as i could buy 18 nappies for £30 whereas reusable ones were more expensive.
You just have to have 6 nappies in the wash, 6 airing and 6 to use.
Thanks everyone! We still have a bit more time before we have to make our final decision but from the things I've heard (both here and from other friends), we're probably going to go down the reusable route. It seems to make more sense both cost-effective and environmentally. Plus the idea of all those chemicals coming into contact with the baby's skin is a major factor. With our 2-yr-old we found that some "disposables" tend to burst open (and not always when they're full), covering him with silcone pellets - and whatever other chemicals they use to make nappies. Luckily our son doesn't have especially sensitive skin but there's so telling whether the baby will inherit sensitive skin. I almost feel guilty about using disposables for my son now. If we'd known that reusables were so easy-to-use (I'll believe those of you who say so!) we would have used them with No 1. We'll probably also go with Luke's suggestion (thanks Luke & Mrs Luke!) and get some eco-friendly disposables for emergencies/travelling/staying with grandparents, etc. Once again, thanks everyone!
We've put up some ideas about great companies for nappies (thanks for your inspiration, MG!) but please do let us know if anyone thinks we've missed any. The wraps are so funky, I wish they did them in my size. Look quite cosy for wearing when I go to freezing cold football matches...
I have used the eco-friendly disposables almost from the start- way back in August because of the cost of electricity, the impact of detergents, blah de blah, and because I did not like the image of the landfills forever. The first thing I noticed was that nappy rash has not troubled us since the change-over (Isaac was too small for the eco ones initially). I also use non-perfumed biodegradable nappy sacks and do not store the dirties in the house. For the sake of the environment and the sake of my baby's bottom I have no regrets.
We have used cloth nappies since 5 days and I love them, no nappy rash here, we wash on low temps and hardly ever use the tumble drier.
We also use eco disposables for emergencies but find that stuffable nappies are good for days out, grandparents etc. Once stuffables are stuffed they are easy to put on just like a disposable and the all in ones work the same way.
A cheaper way of doing cloth is to buy second hand nappies I have only bought a handful of new ones and Ds is 13 months already.
A great site that has links to all cloth nappy sellers in the uk is www.theclothresource.co.uk.
All the best with your shopping and the rest of the pregnancy.
Hi everyone, i am just on 22 weeks pregnant and i have been gettin a lot of front and back pain.my daughter is 3 and i never had any of this whilst carrying her.Is this normal to have pain around now or should i get in contact with my midwife.not really sure what to do for the best.Just wondered if anyone had any advice on ways i could relax or try to ease the pain.
my son is 17,and my two girls are 8yrs and baby 7 months,i've always used terry nappies,where is the problem? the machine does the washing, and how great it looks to see bright white nappies hanging on the washing line, so always give them a chance and dont dismiss them
i have just had my third child two weeks ago and i have bought the bambino mio birth to potty pack. I am using the nappies for the first time as i shamefully used disposables with my first two for ease. (No excuses!) I am keen to make the most of the re-usables and the concept seems great but i must admit they are bulky and i am concerend that my newborn is uncomfortable. This is mainly due to the fact that the nappy is so long i have had to fold the end over to make it fit in the outer cover. This is good in one way as little boys may need more padding in the front, but it all looks huge on my 10lb baby! Any ideas if i am doing this right? Tips would be greatfuly received!
fleece liners can be snapped over the toilet and the poo falls off cleanly and then a quick rinse and they are good to go in the next load of laundry - we use a nappy pail to hold them with a few drops of tea tree oil and completely cold water
Fab debate! I'm only 12 weeks, but decided a while ago that I will be using the re-useables. One suggestion for those who are toying with the idea but not sure which ones to go for is that many manufacturers do trials pack, which include a nappy, a wrap, a booster pad and some liners. Buy 3 or 4 trial packs of different nappies and see which ones work the best for your baby...as we all know, the little darlings come in all shapes and sizes, so some nappies will fit better than others!
One make I haven't seen mentioned on here are the Little Lambs. From what I have read about them, they look fab. Come in both cotton and bamboo....my choice is bamboo, as it is super absorbent, naturally anti-bacterial for bums and for those who are environmentally driven, is ecologically sound in its production cuz its fast growing and doesn't require any pesticides or other chemicals.
Also, for a birth to potty nappy, consider Baby Beehinds. Again, either bamboo or hemp which is as absorbent....and both are organic! Great colours, too!
The other thing to consider about disposables is that because they are non-breathable, the temperature within the nappy is higher....so NOT good for little boys' future fertility!!!...as well as all the nasty chemicals!
i find the bambino mio nappies get soaking after a couple of hours, alright when i am at home and can change him every wo hours but not so good for being out and about or at bed times so i am going to try some trial packs as suggested. Where is best to buy?
so i am going to try some trial packs as suggested. Where is best to buy?
