Real Nappies
By new mum Chris from Yeadon.
Are real nappies for you?
There are lots of reasons why mums choose to use real nappies over disposables, such as cost, comfort, and environmental impact. There are also many mums who choose not to, and this is perfectly valid too. This is not a crusade against disposable nappies, it is hard enough being a mum in the first place without giving yourself extra guilt. The aim of this guide is to bust some myths and to provide a few pointers to those who are genuinely interested enough to find out more.
There are so many negative stories about how real nappies are no better for the environment than disposables. A lot of these stories are based on somewhat questionable research which assumes a rather strict regime of fold-it-yourself terry nappies, washing at 90degs and tumble drying for hours (and even ironing them in one case!). This just isn’t necessary or recommended with most modern nappies, and tumble drying can actually reduce the lifetime of some designs. They also don’t consider the impact on the environment of all those disposables going into landfill.
Little Lamb - Bamboo
In general, real nappies do work out cheaper than disposables, but if you did a strict cost comparison the answer you come up with will probably be the one you were looking for in the first place! It is true that the upfront cost of a set of real nappies is quite a lot compared to a few packs of disposables, so if this is a real issue you can always buy second hand, or ask relatives and friends to buy you some as a gift for the birth or Christmas etc. One real nappy is likely to be less expensive and a whole lot more useful than an expensive outfit which will only fit for a few weeks at the most.
Nothing beats seeing real nappies in action so if you have a friend who uses them then ask her for a demo. Likewise, if you see another mum using real nappies at a clinic or baby group do ask about them, just don’t start with a negative such as “Are you mad?” or “I couldn’t do that, far too much work”.
Decisions, decisions
There are basically four different nappy systems to choose from.
Little Lamb - white (shaped two part)
Shaped two-part nappies – shaped absorbent inner with separate waterproof cover
Pocket (or stuffable) nappies – a one piece nappy with a fleecy inner sewn onto a waterproof outer forming a pocket into which you stuff your absorbent material
All-in-ones – similar to the pocket nappy but with the absorbent material attached
Flat nappies – proper old school terry squares with a waterproof wrap.
Fastenings are usually poppers, Velcro or Nappy Nippers (modern take on the old nappy pins). There are pros and cons for each of these systems which are described beautifully on the Babykind website which also has a very well written section on choosing which system is best for you. The Totnes Nappy Company is also a great site with lots of useful information about different kinds of nappies to help you choose.
If you’re not sure, or if you want to try some nappies out without spending too much up front, you can buy some second hand, or else have a go at a nappy trial. For buying second hand there are several dedicated auction sites such as www.usednappies.co.uk and www.thenappysite.co.uk, or you can also pick them up such places as nearly new sales – local sales are listed in the events section.
Motherease - patterned wrap
Several companies offer a trial service where you can buy a starter set at a discount price, e.g. Little Lamb, Mothercare, Nappy Trial Service. Babykind offers a more extensive trial service with hire and money back options.
Leeds, Bradford and North Yorkshire Councils have incentive schemes to encourage real nappy use. Leeds currently offers £30 cash back when you spend £50 or more on real nappies, or a free trial kit which includes 2 nappies with liners (you need a MAT B1 form or a child under 1yr). Bradford operates its real nappy service via the Bradford Environmental Action Trust which offers a free trial kit to anyone expecting, or with a baby under 6 months. York runs its scheme through the York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership, and offers £30 cash back when you spend £50 or more on nappies. These schemes aren’t all that well advertised, and in reality £30 towards a full set of nappies isn’t going to go far, but it is free money after all.
Download Bradford real nappy project claim form here.
Download the North Yorkshire claim form here.
Information on real nappies is also available on the real nappies website. Some local mums have also found that the customer service available from the soft bots website to be excellent. Go Real has advice and a postcode finder of real nappy retailers and other services.
Real Nappies in Real Life
Firstly, make sure you get proper instructions from whoever you buy your nappies from and don’t be afraid to go back to them if there is anything you don’t understand. Most sellers of real nappies are not big faceless commercial organisations (yet!) and are very keen to help with any problems. You can also try internet forums or discussion boards – there are a lot of users and enthusiasts out there who are only too willing to help.
This may sound obvious, but don’t make life hard for yourself by starting to use nappies during difficult times, such as at Christmas, if you are going away, or when baby is ill. There is also nothing wrong with waiting until your little one has settled into something of a routine, as it can take a little while to get into the swing of real nappies, and those first few weeks as a new parent are not the time to put extra pressure on yourself. It’s also worth using both real nappies and disposables for a week or so until you get the hang of it – just don’t leave poopy nappies hanging around for too long before you wash as that way stains lie!
Do have a plan for nighttimes once your little one is sleeping through, as this is when babies need more absorbency. There are lots of ways to boost absorbency, such as using an extra flannel or folded muslin, a specially made booster pad, or even cheap microfibre dishcloths. Your little one can end up looking slightly like a teletubby (or should that be a tombliboo in modern parlance?) around the bottom area, but that doesn’t really bother them in the night. If worst comes to the worst and you just can’t get on with them at night then using a disposable may be the best option.
You should also bear in mind that real nappies are generally a bit bulkier than disposables so you might need to use bigger vests, sleepsuits and trousers etc. Specially cut clothes are available, e.g. Cut4Cloth, but just going up a size can help.
The Laundry Challenge
Drying nappies
The exact washing process will depend on the type of nappies you buy, but in most cases you just store them dry in a lidded bucket until wash day, put them through a rinse cycle, then wash them on a 60 or 40 deg cycle with about a third to half of your normal washing powder (gentle non-bio of course) and make sure they get a good rinse at the end. A top tip is to get to know your washing machine. Having just read the instruction manual that came with mine nearly 6 years ago I’ve realised I’ve never used the machine at its full spin capacity. Since I’ve figured this out, the nappies and everything else come out almost dry to the touch! And don’t forget to wash your washing machine regularly to keep all the pipes nice and clean. The easiest way to do this is to wash the machine with an empty drum on its hottest cycle with a dose of biological washing powder. You can also use washing soda or white vinegar.
One of the biggest questions, and myths, about washable nappies is that they take forever to dry and you have to have nappies hanging round your house all the time. If you choose pocket nappies with microterry inserts then they can by dry within a few hours of coming out of the washer, even without the use of a tumble dryer. The best way to get them dry is to hang them on the line, but this is rather unreliable thanks to the great British weather, so a means of drying inside is essential. An airer next to a radiator is a good bet, or one of those old fashioned wooden hoisted airers in the kitchen would be perfect. When it comes to that tricky time of year when you’ve got no chance of getting stuff dry outside but it’s too warm indoors to have the heating on then it is worth considering this heated airer I found at that mecca of all household goodies, Lakeland. It’s not very powerful so won’t melt the nappies or be a danger to inquisitive hands, costs pennies to run, and doesn’t take up loads of room like most airers. It’s also very good for knitwear and other things that should be dried flat. Ok, so using more electricity to dry nappies isn’t exactly as environmentally friendly as drying on the line, but it is much better than putting the heating on, or using a tumble dryer.
Wiping up
Do have a go at washable wipes too. They are really no extra trouble to wash as you just chuck them in with the nappies, and are much more gentle than disposable wipes. They are very handy for all kinds of situations, such as boosters for night time nappies, in the bath, or for wiping mucky faces and hands while out and about. You can buy them or just cut up some old towels or flannels. You can dampen them with warm water, use a readymade wipe solution such as that from Northern Essence available from lots of washable nappy places in the UK or you can have lots of fun making up your own solution too. My current favourite is cooled camomile tea – which not only smells nice but helps prevent nappy rash – with a small amount of olive oil and a squirt of baby wash, and a drop of tea tree oil (don’t go overboard on the oils as these can build up on your nappies and stop them working as well by reducing their absorbency).
On the move
Real nappies are no less portable than disposables, but it is worth remembering that you need a way of carrying them home without the contents leaking all over your change bag. The best solution here is to buy, or make if you are handy with a sewing machine, a washable waterproof tote bag which you can stuff into your change bag. It is worth using washable wipes in this situation, as you then just chuck the whole lot into the washing machine rather than having to fish out the disposable wipes when you get home. You can buy these and other accessories from most real nappy retailers.
My story
Mommy's Touch Easy Clean one-size pocket nappy
I have always been a keen recycler, and having seen a friend use real nappies on her daughters I decided to take the plunge myself. I spent a lot of time researching while I was pregnant and after being paralysed by indecision for a while, plumped for the Mommy’s Touch Easy Clean one-size pocket nappy with microfibre inserts. The main reason I chose them was that they are designed to separate in the wash, so there’s no fiddling with soiled nappies, they dry quickly, and I didn’t have to think about getting different sizes. It was a bit of a gamble buying before my daughter had arrived, but they have worked out really well and I would recommend anyone to give it a go. The best evidence that real nappies can work is that my husband, not generally known for his patience, can change the baby and wash the nappies without complaint. Now that is an endorsement!
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