There is so much debate these days over whether cloth nappies or disposables are the greenest way to go. I'm on neither side, as I believe it is the choice of the parent on what nappy they would like to use, and there are some 'eco' disposables out in the
market available for 'green' mums who just don't have the time for cloth. Everyones situation is different. But I would like to put my experience down in writing. I use cloth nappies. Towelling cloth nappies to be more exact. I don't use a liner, although I have heard of a mum who made her own liners out of some old flannelette sheets. I also use cloth flannels, instead of wet wipes. I have had the occassional comment, 'You must be crazy!' And maybe I am, but from my point of view cloth nappies are the best way to go. And here are some questions that I get asked quite frequently.
What about the amount of water used to clean them?
I fill a bucket with water at the beginning of the day, and every time a nappy is changed it goes straight into the bucket. Of course any poo is scraped off into the toilet and rinsed under the tap before being placed into the bucket. At the end of the day I empty the bucket into the laundry sink and wring out the nappies. I put them into the washing machine with a little detergent (I use AWARE, a special detergent so that the grey water can be put straight onto the garden. Although I must stress, DO NOT PUT NAPPY RINSE WATER ON YOUR GARDEN!), a cup of vinegar in the fabric softener compartment and set it on a normal cold wash. I first started out with a top loader, but found that it used too much water for my liking, so my Hubby and I invested in a front loader that uses only 61 litres of water per wash. You can find top loaders these days that are quite economical on water. I hang the nappies outside and give them a day of sunshine to dry. The sun will do a great job of bleaching your cloth nappies and they will come out good as new. So all up I use approximately 80 litres of water a day to wash my cloth nappies.
Don't your children get nappy rash?
Yes, doesn't every baby at some time. I find that they don't get it as severe, (My first child was in disposables from six months of age) and I treat it as any other mother would, with cream or nappy rash talc.
It isn't hygienic is it?
Of course it is. The nappies are rinsed, washed and then bleached in the sun.
Aren't you afraid of stabbing your child with a pin?
Safety pins these days are still as sharp as they used to be. It takes a bit of practice but once you get a hang of it pins aren't so difficult to use. I always make sure I have a finger behind the cloth that I am pushing through and have only stabbed myself a couple of times. And there are some nifty little inventions on the market these days that hold a cloth nappy on just as well as pins.
Isn't it time consuming?
I guess it is. It depends on how you look at it. It takes me hardly any time to rinse off a nappy and throw it into a bucket. And putting them into the machine is just like any other load of washing, same as hanging them up. You don't have to iron them, just fold them into whatever shape you use. I've always found using cloth nappies as quite rewarding.
A child can't learn how to walk properly in a cloth nappy!
Of course they can. A cloth nappy can be just as bulky as a disposable. Both my boys learnt how to walk by the time their first birthdays came round and they had both worn cloth nappies since coming home from the hospital.
Don't cloth nappies leak?
Yes, they can. As can disposables. You can use fluffies, pilchers, or plastic covers, to go over your cloth nappies to make them more leakage proof. But it is the same as any nappy, once they get wet enough they leak!
I really do love using cloth nappies. For my first I only lasted six months, but she started staying at her Dads every weekend and he just couldn't figure out how to fold them or use the pins. For my two boys, I have used cloth nappies since they came home from the hospital. And the best gift I got for my youngest was from my sister-in-law. She got me a gift of ready made cloth nappies. They have a water-proof outer cover and a hemp insert that is removable. It looks like a cloth disposable. To hold it in place there are velcro strips. They fit from newborn till they are toilet trained. They are a fantastic invention and I use them alongside my towelling cloth nappies. They are also just as easy to clean. There are many types of these nappies out on the market today, and they do make using cloth nappies a little easier. It really is a parents choice what type of nappy they would like to use. I hope I have given some insight in the use of cloth nappies. It really isn't as hard as some people make it out to be.
www.greenkids.com.au
(August 19th) (
! Walking - both my DDs hit the average and walked at 13 months, so no it didnt affect their walking either! Leaking - DD1 was incredibly skinny pre-solid food, and her AIOs leaked all the time, until she got chubby legs. With DD2 she's been in a fitted pocket nappy called Minki and they leak less on her than Pampers or Huggies, so I really dont bother with throw away nappies very often! Liners - I used paper liners with DD1 but anm much happier with fleece liners with DD2, though I dont need them on Minkis as they are all-fleece inside and out.
