Reusable Nappies: Are They Worth The Effort?
Are you expecting a baby and wondering about using reusable nappies – are they really worth the effort? Or maybe your little one has already arrived, and you are fed up of your bin being full to overflowing with dirty disposable nappies? If you would like to find out about our experience with reusables, then read on!
Let’s start with some maths
Did you know that babies need their nappy changed 8-12 times per day on average? That’s 56-84 nappies per week. Currently a box of 80 Pampers newborn nappies will set you back £15. FIFTEEN POUNDS PER WEEK ON NAPPIES! That’s £780 per year, which is a lot of money for a mother on maternity leave!
Did you know that in the UK, 3 billion nappies are sent to landfill every year? Can you even imagine what a pile of 3 billion disposable nappies would look like? Disposable nappies are a huge environmental problem.
There is a better way.
Why We Chose Reusable Nappies
As I explained in my post Our Eco-Friendly Approach to Child-Raising, George and I went back and forth for quite some time over whether or not to have a child. We are both environmentally conscious and do as much as we can to minimise harm to the environment.
Many studies have concluded that the worst thing that couples in Western nations can do, in terms of environmental impact, is to procreate. This is largely due to two factors. The first is the volume of “baby gear” that most expectant parents buy, which is generally purchased brand new and is therefore associated with a significant environmental cost. The second is the assumption that these new little humans will grow up with typical Western values, and will live a typical Western lifestyle, including: a diet heavy in animal products, frequent travel and a consumerist mindset.
Having considered the evidence, George and I came to realise that these assumptions did not, and still do not, apply to us at all.
We are committed to living a low-carbon life, and are determined to impress upon our little one the importance of making good choices and taking care of the planet. Since I found out that I was pregnant, every choice we have made about how we would care for our new baby was viewed through the lens of being sustainable and environmentally conscious.
So reusable nappies really were the only acceptable option for us.
Yes, one still has to take into account the manufacturing process, and the emissions associated with doing an extra load in the washing machine every other day. But even taking these factors into account, the emissions and amount of waste going to landfill is significantly less with reusables than disposable nappies.
How Do Reusable Nappies Work?
There are many different styles of reusable nappy; all-in-one, pocket and two-part nappies are the most common variants. But they all boil down to a few key ingredients; a waterproof outer wrap, an absorbent inner with the option to add additional “boosters”, and a reusable or disposable liner to catch any solids and wick wetness away from the skin.
Most nappies are “birth to potty” with plenty of adjustment in their height and around the waistband. But there are also newborn size reusables available, as the birth to potty nappies can be a little too big for smaller newborns.
Once the nappies have been used, you simply need to tip out any solids, wash and dry the nappies, and they can be used again and again.
The advice is to wash a load of nappies at least every 2-3 days. Based on the assumption of 8-12 nappies per day, most families have a collection of 20-25 nappies. This gives a bit of a buffer and allows for washing and drying time.
I purchased most of our stash of nappies, boosters and liners second hand in a bundle from eBay for £25. We have several different brands and styles in our collection, which has not been an issue for us at all.
Getting into a Routine with Reusable Nappies
Finding a routine that works for you takes a lot of the “effort” out of reusable nappies.
I try to put the nappies away in a “ready to use” state; that is, stuffed with sufficient boosters, with a nappy liner in place (I generally opt for a disposable liner), and the riser poppers set to the right height. This makes nappy changes much easier!
We have a bucket in the nursery with a net wash bag inside. I sprinkle a few drops of essential oil in the bucket to make it smell a little better!
After a nappy change, the liner goes in the bin, I undo all the riser poppers and remove any inserts. And then put the used nappy and inserts in the bucket.
We also use reusable wipes, and these all go in the bucket as well to be washed with the nappies.
When the bucket is full, usually every other day, I take the net wash bag full of nappies out of the bucket and put it in the washing machine. I run a 400C cycle with my usual laundry detergent as well as Bambino Mio nappy cleanser.
I hang our nappies to air dry (we don’t own a tumble drier). Once they have fully dried out, I reassemble them and place them back in the nursery ready to be used again.
When we’re out and about, I pack as many nappies as I think I will need in my changing bag, along with a wet bag for any used nappies. Again, I ensure that I have removed the liner, undone the poppers and removed any inserts or boosters before putting the used nappy into the wet bag. This saves handling soiled nappies more than is absolutely necessary. I then just need to unzip the wet bag and throw it in the washing machine when I next do a load of nappies.
Positives
1) Cost – I paid approximately £100 for the 25 nappies in our stash, including all the boosters and reusable wipes. I was able to reduce the upfront cost significantly by purchasing most of these items second hand. We also had a voucher in our Baby Box for a free reusable nappy. There has been a recurring cost for disposable liners and the nappy cleansing detergent. But all of that pales in comparison to the cost of purchasing disposable nappies.
2) Environmental Impact – As I have discussed already, reusables are associated with significantly less waste, and up to 25% fewer carbon emissions than disposables. This assumes that nappies are being tumble dried; air-drying nappies instead further reduces carbon emissions and financial cost.
3) Adjustable absorption – Unlike disposable nappies, you are completely in control of the amount of absorption each nappy will provide by adding more or fewer boosters. This is great for nap times, longer journeys and overnight.
4) No nasty chemicals – Disposable nappies may contain harmful chemicals which can contribute to nappy rash. Reusable nappies are free from these toxins and most are certified Oeko-Tex safe!
5) Fewer leaks – Leaks have been a fairly rare occurrence for us, especially once I learned how to replace some of the leg elastics which had relaxed as a result of wash and wear. It is so easy to customise the nappies to fit your baby’s unique size and shape.
6) One nappy fits all – Once you have your stash, you literally will not need to buy another nappy.
7) Never run out – We’ve all done it. We thought there was another box of tea, pack of toilet rolls or bag of flour at the back of the cupboard, but we were mistaken. And so we have to dash to the shop to restock. Imagine if you found that you had run out of nappies when your little one was due a change. Not ideal! This just won’t happen with reusables. Your full bucket is your cue to run a load of nappies in the washing machine, and you should always have a few more ready to use.
8) Reusable – You can use your stash of nappies for multiple children of your own, and then sell them on to another family. They may need a little TLC from time to time, but reusable nappies can have a very long life.
9) Potty Training – Toddlers who wear reusable nappies are typically potty training up to 6 months earlier than their peers wearing disposable nappies. It may be that the parents and child are all more motivated to succeed at potty training. I suspect elimination communication is practiced more widely in families that use cloth nappies, which can ease the transition to potty training.
Negatives
1) Maintenance – You do need to get into a routine of washing, drying and reassembling your reusables. And if you have purchased some or all of your stash second hand, you may find that some of the elastics, poppers or Velcro needs to be replaced. If you’re a dab hand with your sewing machine, this will be fairly straightforward. Or there are plenty of people on Etsy, for example, who offer to do this work for you.
2) Bulky – Because reusables rely on absorbent materials rather than chemicals, they are more bulky than disposables. They therefore take up a bit more space when storing them at home and carrying them in your changing bag.
3) Fit – Many high street and supermarket clothing brands assume their customers use disposable nappies, and their baby clothes therefore do not fit well over cloth nappies. Clothing brands with better eco credentials, such as Frugi, Kite and Maxomorra, produce clothing items that are all “cut for cloth” nappies. I look for these brands when scouring Vinted for our little one’s clothes.
4) Upfront cost – There is a higher initial investment required to get set up with reusable nappies, but this can be reduced significantly by shopping second hand. And the cost offset over time compared with disposables is definitely worth it.
5) Dealing with Waste – There is no getting around the fact that working with reusable nappies and wipes is a bit more involved than with disposables. However, I think most parents fairly quickly become desensitised to bodily fluids! It’s really not that bad.
Bottom Line
I highly recommend giving reusable nappies a try. Even if you only use them in the house and stick with disposables when you’re out and about, you’re still preventing a lot of disposable nappies going to landfill and saving yourself some money!
If you’re unsure, see if your local area has a Nappy Library or perhaps borrow a few nappies from a friend.
Or if you have any questions, feel free to send me a message and I would be only too happy to help.
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