Last week was real nappy week and you may have come across some articles in the press about this. Most local councils now try to encourage their residents to use cotton nappies rather than cloth. So why exactly is this?
Well, disposable nappies take literally HUNDREDS of years to rot down in landfill sites and 90% of our disposables do end up in landfill areas. So even when we as parents are no longer around, our children's nappies will still be sitting in a huge mountain of waste. What a legacy to leave behind for future generations! Disposables contain a large amount of plastic, which is one of the reasons it will not decompose. Of course we also add to this amount of plastic by using nappy sacks when we dispose of them.
Parents are now becoming very aware of the effect that disposables can have on our environment and are increasingly keen to change to cloth. One of the other main incentives to make this change is financial reasons. By using cloth nappies you can save up to £500 per child. This includes any costs for laundering those nappies and you can save even more if you keep your real nappies for second and subsequent children.
What are the other benefits to using cloth?
Health
The use of real nappies will, through better positioning, encourage normal development of the hips. This is particularly important in premature babies*
Real nappies do not contain the chemicals and gels which are found in disposables.
With cloth nappies you can tell how hydrated your child is as you can feel the wetness of the nappy. In the early days, especially when you are breastfeeding, this is a really important sign and is the only way you are going to know if your baby is getting enough milk.
Potty Training
Studies have shown that children in real nappies toilet train on average six months earlier than those in disposables. The first step in toilet training is for the baby to recognise the link between bladder release and a wet nappy. With disposables they simply cannot make this link because the super absorbent gels absorb all the moisture.
Comfort
If you were given the choice of wearing scratchy paper pants or lovely soft cotton pants what would you choose?
Reliable
With the right cloth nappy and wrap, you should not have any problem with leaks. On the whole they are far more efficient at containing poo than disposables.
How to Launder Real Nappies
Using cloth is not a messy affair! The poo is collected in the liner and simply flushed away. If you use flushable liners this makes it even easier.
Simply put your nappy into the nappy bucket until wash day. There is no need to soak them. Wash a full load at 60 degrees. If nappies are just wet they can be washed at 40 degrees with other washing. Line dry as much as possible or dry indoors in a warm place such as an airing cupboard. Cloth nappies can be tumble dried but if you are trying to be environmentally friendly it is best to keep this to a minimum.
If you would like any advice on choosing cloth nappies please email me at tracy@greenmums.co.uk
*Graham Taylor, Consultant Paediatrician.
