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Time to Change - Real Nappy Week 2006

by Sally Akins from TreeHugger Mums

2006 marks the 10th Anniversary of Real Nappy Week, which this year runs from 24th-30th April. If you haven’t given cloth nappies a try yet, there’s never been a better time to do so.

Using cloth nappies no longer means boil washing, nappy pins and plastic pants - modern nappies are soft on the skin, easy to use and look great. There is a really wide range of choice available to fit your needs – whether you want organic materials, funky colours, or simply the most economical option, you’re sure to find the perfect nappy to suit your baby. Changing a cloth nappy takes little more time than a disposable, and apart from that you simply need to add two or three extra wash loads each week into your normal routine.

But why choose cloth? For many parents, the environmental costs of disposable nappies make them choose a reusable alternative. It takes a cup of crude oil to make the plastic used in each disposable nappy, and around 4.5 trees are needed to make the pulp in nappies used by one baby for 2.5 years. Nearly 8 million disposable nappies are thrown away every day in the UK, and around 90% of these end up in landfill sites.

Many councils are now cutting back to fortnightly refuse collections to try and cut down on landfill – by changing over to cloth nappies your bin won’t be as full, you’ll be reducing your contribution to landfill, plus you won’t have disposable nappies lurking in your bin for up to two weeks between collections!

Other parents are concerned about the financial cost of disposable nappies – there are considerable financial savings to be had from using washable nappies. Estimates range from £400-900, depending upon which nappies you buy, how you wash and dry them, whether you use paper or fleece liners. And of course you can even use your cloth nappies for a second child or sell them on to another parent, which gives even greater savings.

If you are interested in using cloth nappies, then it’s worth getting in touch with your local council – many operate incentive schemes offering cash back off your initial outlay, discounted nappy laundering, or starter trial kits. If you have a local Real Nappy Network or Project, then they are also a useful point of contact. Many organise events where you will be able to see the different brands of nappies and ask for advice.

Some common concerns from parents considering changing over to cloth are worries about choosing the right nappy, and how many nappies they will need.

I tend to reckon on around 8-12 nappy changes per day for a newborn, going down to around 6 a day when your baby starts on solids and then decreasing further as potty training approaches.

You don’t need one waterproof cover per nappy, however, and around 4 covers should be fine assuming that you’ll wash every other day. You’ll also need either fleece or disposable nappy liners, and if you want to use cloth nappies overnight then a booster pad is great for adding absorbency to the nappy.

When it comes to choosing the right nappy for your baby, there are several factors to take into consideration including:

How often do you intend to wash?
What drying facilities do you have?
Is your baby breastfed or bottle fed?
Is your baby likely to be taller than average?
Are you planning to have any further children, and if so, are you likely to have two in nappies at the same time?
Is your baby going to spend any time in childcare?

Most nappy retailers will be happy to recommend brands for you based upon your answers to these and other questions, but I would always recommend you then go and ask other parents about their experiences with the nappies – if you don’t know any cloth nappy users locally to you, then you could ask on parenting forums on the internet. In my experience, cloth nappy users are generally very passionate about the subject and are keen to talk about their opinions of the different brands.

Once you’ve made your choice, then I’d recommend buying just one cover, and maybe two or three different nappies to try out, plus some liners. This will allow you to trial the nappies and find out which brand suits your baby best before investing in a full nappy system – second-hand nappies in good condition can retain up to 90% of their value if you decide you want to sell them on, so it’s worth trying a few out first. I’d also avoid the ‘birth-to-potty’ type packs as your baby’s shape and requirements will change over time and a nappy which suits your newborn might not be suitable for your toddler.

More and more parents are finding out that cloth nappies are a real alternative to disposables so go on, why not make the change!

Useful Links

Visit TreeHugger Mums at www.treehuggermums.co.uk or telephone 0845 644 3684 for advice on choosing and using cloth nappies, plus savings of 10% on cloth nappies during Real Nappy Week.

For more information on Real Nappy Week, Real Nappy Networks, and details of events in your area, visit www.wen.org.uk/rnw

To find your local nappy stockists, laundry service or details of the many online retailers, visit www.realnappycampaign.com/nappyfinder