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Traditional Washable Nappies

What sort of nappies will you choose? Disposable, terry, shaped terry, laundry service? What are the pros and cons?

You need to give some thought to the amazing quantity of poo, pee and puke your baby is going to (sometimes literally) throw at you over the next couple of years.

I don't mean you should obsess over this (though it's not unknown.), but you do need to consider the bewildering variety of options available to you. If you make the decision now, it's one less thing to think about after the birth.

DISPOSABLE NAPPIES

Disposable nappies are convenient, and keep babies very dry. Your baby will use 6,000-8,000 nappies before you've got him potty trained. (Did I say uses? I mean fills!) If you multiply that by the number of babies worldwide using disposable nappies, that's a lot of waste! Eighty tons of nappies per hour are thrown away in Britain. You don't even want to think about why they are so heavy.

Disposable nappies have been estimated to take up to 500 years to decompose in landfill sites. In addition to the environmental impact, they are expensive. You are literally throwing money away.

On the plus side, disposables are incredibly absorbent. It's hard to beat that, with breastfed babies in particular, who have incredibly liquid poos. Disposables usually contain superabsorbent gel that soaks up the wee and keeps your baby's skin dry, reducing the risk of nappy rash. Some of them even have a wetness indicator - a picture - that disappears when the nappy is wet. If you are going to use disposables, buy them in bulk: it's much cheaper. Some manufacturers even sell the largest packs in plastic storage bins, which are very useful for toy storage.

TRADITIONAL TERRIES

Cloth nappies are an alternative to disposables. Despite their 'green' image, they also have a human and environmental cost. There are more choices for you here. Has the cotton been 'fairly traded'? You could chose organic - not as squeaky clean as its proponents would like you to think, but probably better than the alternatives. And how are you going to clean your terries? Don't forget that this takes water, chemicals and energy. One major plus, however, is that terries don't clog up landfill sites.

If you use traditional nappies, you may find them bulky and leaky for newborns. You need fasteners and nappy liners, which may be disposable or fabric. These are used inside cloth nappies to catch poo. You also need plastic pants. They keep clothes and bedding dry - but can keep babies wet so be wary of nappy rash. Be sure to choose your washing powder carefully and rinse well too, or you may find your baby's sensitive skin getting a rash.

Even if you don't use terry nappies, buy a pack of the muslin sheets used as nappy liners. They are great for draping over your shoulder after feeds to save your clothes from milk dribbles and baby vomit.

SHAPED TERRIES

You can also buy fitted cloth nappies, which look and act very much like a disposable. They are not bulky and are fitted with Velcro or similar fasteners. They are more expensive than the traditional nappies, and take longer to dry due to their thick wadding. You buy liners to go inside and an outer casing. This may be made from plastic, fleece or even wool.

If you use fabric nappies, apart from liners and wraps you'll also need a nappy bucket with a lid, as well as tongs and a nappy sanitizer. The initial outlay is expensive, but you'll save money over time - particularly if you use the nappies for more than one baby.

One problem with shaped nappies is which size to buy. Some companies sell 'one size fits all'. This may be cheaper but inevitably they will be too bulky for a newborn and may leak. Other companies sell a variety of sizes. This will cost more, but the nappies will fit better. You do not have to buy all the sizes at once, so you can spread the cost. It may also be worth just buying nappies a few at a time to find the make that suits you best. This way you will avoid expensive mistakes.

NAPPY SERVICES

From an environmental point of view, a nappy service - using fabric nappies that are collected from you and washed before returning - may be the best option as they are washing many nappies at once. This makes for energy-efficient laundering. These services do not come cheap, but you may find they suit your family..


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