Why use reusable Nappies?
- By Carley Brierley of www.bibsnbots.co.uk

Ok, so first, why not?

Well, I suppose people would argue that disposables are just so
handy, no mess to deal with and better for nappy rash. Hmmm is that it?
I seem to have run out of things to say about them!
Lets deal with those issues first then. First of all, did you know that nappy rash is actually caused by the reaction between urine and poo? So, it doesn’t actually matter what type of nappy you put your child in, if you don’t change them immediately after they have ‘soiled’ their nappy then they will be prone to nappy rash.
As for dealing with mess, well in the 2 years I have been using cloth on my son and daughter I can honestly say I have dealt with less leaks and soiled clothes than when I used disposables on my first two daughters.

I think the reason for the soiled clothes was the fit of disposables. They just are so flimsy that anything other than urine seems to fly out of the top or the leg holes, leaving a new baby with it up their back or down their legs. This then led to baby needing a full set of new clothes and a bath!
So, considering this, how does that make them harder work than cloth?

So now why?

Well the obvious one is the savings. Did you know that between birth and the age of 2 and a half it will cost you around £1324.40. This is how I worked it out.
At birth you will use approximately 10 nappies a day as you change through the night as well.
10 nappies/day @ £0.20/nappy = £2.00/day
7 days a week at 2.00 = £14.00/week
At around 3 months this may drop to 7 changes a day.

7 nappies/day @ £0.20/nappy = £1.40/day
7 days/week @ £1.40/day = £9.80/week
So in the first year with 3 months/12 weeks at £14.00/week and 40 weeks at £9.80 per week it will cost you £168.00 + £392.00 = £560 for the first year. £509.60 for the second year, £254.80 for half of the third year.
This is a total of £1324.40

If you bought 20 birth to potty pocket nappies; say the most expensive brand at £20 a nappy, they would set you back £400. That would save you a whopping £924.00!
If you bought sized nappies and wraps they would cost you for
15 size 1 nappies and 3 wraps and 15 size 2 nappies and 3 wraps cost approximately £324.00. This would save you £1000.40!!
So, if ever there were a reason to switch to cloth cost would be a major factor in the decision.
An added bonus is there is a market for pre-loved nappies, so once you’ve finished with them, if they are a decent condition…then sell them on! Even better!
The environment.
Did you know?
Each year close to three billion disposable nappies are thrown away? This accounts for 670,000 to 750,000 tonnes of waste. Disposable nappies make up about 4 per cent of household waste and they may take up to 500 years to degrade.
I even read somewhere that if HenryVIII had been in nappies that they would still be degrading now!
If you think about it there is only so much waste we can bury in the ground and cover over. We need to start being more responsible. Even if you only used 1 cloth nappy a day in place of a disposable that would save 730 nappies going into landfill just from 1 baby! That’s a staggering amount!
Well, the choice of reusable nappies out there is immense. So there is bound to be something that suits your baby. Cloth is so soft next to your babies skin why would you choose anything else? The different patterns and fabrics can enhance even the funkiest of outfits whilst doing a job at the same time!
As a mum that uses cloth nappies the hardest choice I have had to make with cloth nappies is which gorgeous one I am going to buy next! There are nappies out there to suit every budget, from old fashioned terry squares to fake minky fur pockets nappies.

My advice to anyone about to venture into the world of cloth nappies, is to not buy in bulk initially. There would be nothing worse than spending more than £200 on nappies that will last you till your baby potty trains then discovering they don’t work for you!