At HelloBaby we unashamedly support the environment and believe that one reusable nappy saves 365 disposable nappies from going into landfill each year. On current consumption this amounts to 5000 per child up to potty trained or 8 million per day in the UK. As concerned parents we will be educating our children to take care of what is left of our world and this is one of the ways we can positively help.
That is the soap box bit out of the way, now into the world of reusable nappies!
This HelloBaby Guide covers the types of non-disposable nappies available and gives details of a support scheme available in London. There are similar schemes in other counties and this Guide will cover these as information becomes available.
Nappy Types
All-in-one-shaped nappy
This type is ideal for a quick change and consists of a shaped cloth nappy sewn inside a waterproof cover. The legs are elasticated and the waist has either poppers or Velcro fastenings. They come in various sizes.
Advantages
- Easy and fast to fit
- Good for childcare and also babysitters
Disadvantages
- Not as long lasting as shaped 2 piece nappies.
- Require extra time to dry.
- Limited life due to sizing.
- The most expensive option (but still cheaper than disposables!)
Shaped 2 piece nappy
These are shaped cloth nappies with elasticated legs and poppers or Velcro fastenings; they have a separate waterproof cover. Drying is much faster than the all-in-one. They usually come in 3 sizes, small, medium and large, or a general purpose design which fits baby sizes as stated on the package. They are about 25% cheaper than the all-in-one design.
Advantages
- Easy to fit
- Drying is faster than the all-in-one
- The poppers or Velcro allow the size to be adjusted for different sizes
- Potentially suitable from birth to potty
- Longer lasting with the potential to be used for a second baby
Disadvantages
- Can be too bulky for the new born
- Might need to buy larger sizes as baby grows
Flat nappy squares
Included in this category are the traditional terry cloth, pre-folds and muslins.
Terry squares require a level of skill to fit onto baby using a plastic 3 point clip. Pre-folds (often known as stuffables) are stitched to assist in folding into a pad which is then inserted into a waterproof wrap/cover.
Advantages
- Low cost option
- Longer lasting
- Very absorbent
- Fast drying
- Widely available
- Versatile fitting, especially with the terry square
Disadvantages
- Requires skill but once mastered putting on the terry square becomes easy!
Nappy Accessories
Booster pads
Basically these are shaped cloth pads which are fitted into the regular nappy system. They are great for long journeys or where additional absorbency is needed overnight.
Wraps
Wraps are waterproof covers pulled over the nappy to prevent leakage and damp patches on the carpet. They are usually fixed with poppers or Velcro to allow for size adjustment and manufactured from soft, breathable materials to permit air to circulate. Sizes are small, medium and large.
Liners
These come in two types i.e.
- Paper liners which subdivide into flushable and non-flushable.
- Washable liners.
All liners are designed to allow urine to pass through into the nappy, but not in the reverse direction, to keep baby’s bottom drier. They also prevent poo from soiling the nappy and make it easier to flush the package down the loo (providing you use the flushable type!)
There are additional techniques to handle the really runny poo; fleece liners can be useful in this situation.
How many nappies will you need?
After exhaustive analysis of our friends’ nappy decisions and our experience, HelloBaby can confidently state that the minimum number is 15 and the highest is 24 with 4 wraps/waterproof covers.
Why the variation? It is caused by lifestyle choices,, frequency of washing and also by what drying method is used. Tumble dryers speed up the drying and could lower the number of nappies but manufacturers suggest that absorbency is reduced by using this drying method.
Nappy schemes in London
- There is a London wide scheme to allow parents-to-be to receive the following:
- An information pack
- Invitation to informal sessions and events
- A voucher to be exchanged for non-disposal nappies and accessories as listed by retailers who support the scheme. There is also a help line available.
To apply online visit www.realnappiesforlondon.org.uk/apply/
HelloBaby is proud to be part of this scheme and offers a range of non-disposal nappies and environment friendly cleaning solutions.
