As I mentioned way back in one of my first posts, I’m trying to make an effort to go green with this baby. I’m not talking Wondersuit colours, but cloth nappies, exclusive breastfeeding (if we can manage it) second-hand clothes and toys etc.
I’m far from a hippy, but the facts on disposable nappies make me pretty ill. Australians use 800 million disposable nappies per year, which ends up as 145,000 cubic metres of landfill. That’s enough to fill the MCG at least three times over each and every year. A single disposable nappy can take as long as 500 years to decompose in landfill. Gross, huh?
Last time, I had the excuse of living in a flat with no outside drying area for why I couldn’t use cloth nappies. Now I have a clothesline, there’s no reason not to give it a try.
Except, that is, that you practically need a PHD in Modern Cloth Nappy (MCN) lingo to figure out what to buy.
I don’t think I’m particularly dim, but when you’re shopping for nappies and the terms “Fuzzi bunz size small and Bumgenius OSFM” appear, well, I need a Guide for Dummies (this glossary is a good place to start).
You see, cloth nappies have changed since the terry towelling squares our mothers pinned us in to. Modern Cloth Nappies are made from fabrics like hemp or bamboo and are often cut into a ‘fitted’ nappy shape, just like a disposable. Some are all-in-one jobs, others have pockets that can be stuffed with more absorbent materials. Then there are the associated liners, covers, boosters and fasteners. Confusing much?
Most cloth nappy brands have cute, often scatological names like BumGenius, Monkey Doodlez, Happy Heiney’s or Fuzzibunz.
My own ’stash’ so far contains a few Tot Bots Bamboozles, some Mother-ease covers, a Blueberry AIO and a few homemade terry fitted nappies. I’ll probably need many more to have enough for every day of the week: a full time package of one-size, all-in-one cloth nappies (with washing every 2 days) is about $850.
If that sounds like a hell of a lot of money to spend on poo-cloths, consider that disposable nappies will set you back about $20 a week, for at least two years, plus overnight nappies for a year or more after that. We’re talking several thousand bucks, folks, without factoring in the environmental impact.
The environmental savings aren’t actually that incredible — great article on the subject in The Independent — but when combined with the cost savings it’s a pretty compelling option.
For more tips on sustainable parenthood, check out the new book Sustainable Baby by Debbie Hodgson. Billed as ‘A parent’s practical guide for consuming less and living better’, it is full of simple ideas for living a less commercial lifestyle, like how to re-use clothes and make your own baby food.
I’m speaking to Debbie today and hoping to get a few special tips for Babble readers.
Modern cloth nappies are fantastic! I am currently adding to my stash in preparation for having two under two. Best of luck getting your head around it all. They are cheaper, cuter and nice and soft on baby bottoms.
We had cloth for all three – starting with terry flats for the oldest and through to most modern cloth nappies with the youngest. All of the terry flats we had for the first are still in use for the third child. Not quite all of the modern cloth nappies have lasted that long but some have lasted through at least two of the children.
I will point out that you have listed only overseas made cloth nappies. There is a large range of Aussie brand cloth nappies which are available. For details about modern cloth nappies in Australia a good site to check out is http://www.nappynetwork.org.au/. There are also several email groups and discussion forums for people interested in finding out more
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Try my invention: breast wedge to help with comfort while breastfeeding. You wedge it under your bra; or lay it on the mattress.. best use for the early days when you are sore all over. Washable/reusable.
Because we are geeks in this family, I kept a spreadsheet on the expense of keeping Lucy (baby #3) in modern cloth nappies. She has never worn a disposable, we even sent cloth nappies with her to childcare. We always had enough nappies to get through a few days without washing when required. I never was one to get the latest and greatest and fanciest nappy, but we also didn’t scrimp. We made sure we had quality brands that did the job well. In total, over her 20 months in nappies, we spent …. $1816, BUT we also went on to sell those nappies when she outgrew them for $1321. That $1800 was not an initial lump sum, I bought stuff here and there from halfway through my pregnancy and then bought larger ones as I sold off the smaller ones. She has just this week started going to bed with no night nappy on, so if we survive the next couple of weeks okay we will be selling off night nappies and woolen covers, which would see our total expenditure drop well below $500. Pretty good, yeah? And not a skerrick of waste sent to landfill – not even babywipes
Easily doable and you know where to come if you have any questions, Amber!
Thoughts on degradable disposable nappies? They don’t use water, or put harmful chemicals into the earth and of course, they degrade into the earth.
Hi Amber,
I’m glad you’ve discovered the modern cloth nappy – as Di says, there are heaps of Aussie sites that make GORGEOUS cloth nappies – there is a visual directory here: (I got tired of endless link clicking…)
http://www.parttimenappyfree.com.au/buy-your-cloth-nappy-stash.htm (HAs OZ, NZ and UK)
You’ll see the resource is also part of a site about part-time Baby Pottying, or ELimination COmmunication, a cumbersome word to describe an ancient way of helping your baby to use fewer nappies. We have practiced this gentle alternative to regular toilet training since the birth of both our boys. It means they wear nappies and training pants (they are easier than nappies I think) and also use a baby potty – so fewer pooey nappies to wash, throw into the bin and well, it’s just great fun and babies enjoy the special moments.
I’ll be interested to see the book review / interview you are going to cover next!
Thanks for covering cloth nappies. Each cloth nappy out there means hundreds less one-use throwaways festering in dumps!
Charndra
P.S Trent – yes, they are GREAT! We use one eco-disposable each day (for nights as my son wears a brace for his clubfoot correction) and we bury, empty them into the compost or actually pour the contents on the garden and cover with mulch! The contents are the same as the water saving crystals used in the garden shops, we only have wet ones to worry about as he does poops in the potty, and then very little goes in the bin, if any – sometimes I chuck the package. The important thing about the eco nappies is that they will not degrade if just binned to the dump like a regular nappy – the landfil environment does not facilitate decomposition of the waste. When we move to another state in a few weeks (back to our own home after 3 1/2 years in Canberra, I’m planning a worm farm to manage our night nappies – until I decide on a cloth solution.
Charndra
I’ve been using cloth nappies, i bought them off ebay, they are fitted and use velcro tabs, all i need is a liner and pilcher! They cost me $5 each (including postage) and because of the saving i only have to wash weekly if i need to during winter!