By the time your baby is toilet trained you will potentially have made between 4,000 and 6,000 nappy changes. Even if you use just one modern cloth nappy per day you will save yourself about 730 nappies over the time your child is in nappies. Your choice of nappy really can make a difference. Our five favourite reasons to consider reusable cloth nappies for your baby are;
At first the cost of a modern cloth nappy compared to a disposable nappy seems expensive. $25 - $35 for one nappy compared to $20 for a whole pack! However;
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The average parent spends between $2,500 and $5,000, per child on disposable nappies and wipes from birth to toilet training.
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The average amount spent on a stash of reusable nappies for the same period is between $600 and $1,000 (depending on the style and brand of nappies you use and how often you choose to wash).
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With cloth nappies you're not throwing your money away - they can be used again for your next child or sold or passed on for use by other children.
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More savings can be made by using washable bamboo or cotton wipes, PUL changing mats and wet bags.
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Buying one modern cloth nappy at a time enables you to try before you commit. If you don’t like that particular nappy you can generally reuse ‘bits’ of it to boost, stuff or cover a different type or brand of reusable nappy. To try a particular brand of disposables you have to buy an entire pack and hope for the best.
A recent study from the UK states modern cloth nappies are 40% less damaging to the environment. Approximately 800 million disposable nappies are used in Australia every year. The majority of these end up in landfill whilst the rest litter our beaches, road sides and parks. The environmental impact of cloth Vs disposables debate has raged for a long time, with the primary focus being on the amount of water used in each type of nappy. However the environmental impacts of the nappy you choose are far greater than only one aspect of our environment.
READ MORE (CLICK to CLOSE)- It takes as much energy to produce one disposable as it does to wash a cloth nappy 200 times
- It takes twice the amount of water to produce one disposable nappy than is used to wash one modern cloth nappy for a year.
- It takes a full cup of crude oil to make the plastic for each disposable nappy.
- Disposable nappies use over 8 times more non renewable raw materials (different kinds of plastics made from non-renewable crude oil) and 90 times more renewable materials (paper pulp from wood) than modern cloth nappies.
- Modern cloth nappies are made from environmentally sustainable materials, like bamboo, hemp, wool & organic cotton, all of which use less water and energy to produce than traditional cotton.
- Bamboo and Hemp do not require chemical pesticides, are quick to grow and are produced on sustainable plantations.
- Disposable nappies account for approximately 1/3rd of household rubbish in a family with a child under two years, this has a huge impact on the cost of waste removal and landfill management (which are passed onto us by our local councils).
No-one knows exactly how long the plastic part of a disposable nappy takes to break down, but it is not biodegradable. It’s estimated each nappy takes between 300 and 500 years to breakdown, including all solid matter and urine produced by the baby and left in the disposable. That means that part of every disposable ever put into a landfill site is presumably still there.
Even 100% biodegradable ‘eco disposables’ take decades to break down in landfill as they are only biodegradable when composted under stringent conditions.
- More than 100 enteric viruses are excreted in human faeces which can live for months in landfill potentially contaminating groundwater along with the leaching of chemicals into our water and soil.
A potentially serious problem associated with disposable nappies is the ease of disease transmission via faeces left on the nappy and then disposed of in regular household waste. More than 100 enteric viruses are excreted in human faeces, including hepatitis and polio (the live vaccine is used for immunization). Viruses can live for months creating risks to both sanitation workers and contamination of groundwater in landfills. **
Modern cloth nappies do not require soaking, bleaching (or ironing!), or any of the other outdated practices that were quoted in old studies. They can be washed in cold or warm water and can easily be dried using the suns energy. New technology means our washing machines and dryers are more efficient which further lowers the impact on the environment when using reusable nappies.
References:
* Link, A (2003) Disposable nappies: a case study in waste prevention. Women's Environment Network
** Primomo Jetal (1990) The high environmental cost of disposable diapers, Journal of Maternal and Child Nursing, 15 (5) 279-84)
By using modern cloth nappies and fabric wipes you have considerably more control over the chemicals that come in contact with your child's delicate skin. Disposable nappies are full of chemicals such as Sodium Polyacrylate Crystals which are used to absorb liquid.
Despite much propaganda from disposable companies, cloth nappies do not cause nappy rash. Independent research has found that as long as a nappy is changed frequently, the type of nappy worn is not a significant factor in causing nappy rash.
READ MORE (CLICK to CLOSE)- Sodium Polyacrylate has long been banned in women's hygiene products due to its known link to Toxic Shock. *
- The WHO (World Health Organisation) has found levels over 3 times the estimated tolerable daily intake of Tributyl Tin (a highly toxic chemical) in some nappy brands. *
- Many disposable wipes contain chlorine, alcohol, synthetic perfumes and other toxic chemicals such as propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), cocoamide DEA and sodium fluoride.
- A possible link between disposable nappies and the increasing prevalence of childhood asthma, due to airborne emissions from the nappies.
- Disposable nappies keep boy's genitalia at a slightly higher than normal temperature, possibly affecting their future fertility. **
Nappy Rash
There is NO research to say that cloth will give your child nappy rash and absolutely no research to show that using disposables will mean you avoid it. Nappy rash is most likely to be caused by things such as teething, food intolerance's, infrequent changing and fungal infections. Many parents will anecdotally say modern cloth nappies, which are made from breathable natural fabrics and are less likely to result in nappy rash. ***
References:
*Costello A et al 1989 The Sanitary Protection Scandal. The Women's Environment Network
**http://adc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/83/4/364
*** Getting to the bottom of diaper rash (1996) Medical Post. Toronto , 32 (10), 53)
Perhaps the greatest concern for families looking to use cloth nappies is the perception that it takes a lot of time or that disposables are more convenient. That simply isn’t true.
Modern cloth nappies are shaped like a disposable and do up in the same way with poppers or velcro. Made from fabrics such as hemp, bamboo, micro fibre, wool, fleece & polyurethane laminate (pul), modern cloth nappies are extremely absorbent and allow air to circulate around the nappy. Modern cloth nappies don’t require changing more regularly than disposable nappies.
READ MORE (CLICK to CLOSE)Modern cloth nappies are designed to be easy to use, easy to launder and above all easy to wear. Once you have a system in place your choice to use cloth will be fast, easy and efficient. A study undertaken in Victoria in 2006 showed the cloth nappy users spent on average 5 minutes more per day “nappying” than disposable users (this includes changing, washing, folding & rubbish removal).
More information on caring for your nappies is available here
Disposable nappies are designed to contain a set amount of liquid. For many babies this is enough, however if you have a 'heavy wetter' there is no where else in the nappy for the wee to go. With cloth nappies this problem is easily solved with adding a booster (or two if necessary) to increase the absorbency. Boosters can also be added to extend the amount of time a nappy can be worn, for example over night or during a long car trip.
Disposable nappies are notorious for 'blow outs' - when they can't contain the runny explosive poos especially common to young babies. The superior elasticised waist and legs in modern cloth nappies put an end to this problem.
Forget saggy, bulky cotton squares and plastic pants. Modern cloth nappies are seriously stylish and trim fitting.
Whilst disposable nappies are generally white with a small patterned tab or covered with cartoon characters or (even worse, advertising), modern cloth nappies come in a jaw dropping range of colours, prints & fabrics.
Organic wool in soft pastels, oh-so-fluffy gelato coloured minky, shaggy animal prints, spots, dots, stripes and beautiful fabrics from designers such as Amy Butler cover the bottoms of cloth wearing bubs. Teamed with a t-shirt, singlet or dress modern cloth nappies are their very own fashion statement.
