The nappy wrap

Mention cloth nappies and most people imagine buckets overflowing with Napisan, endless washing, plastic pilchers, pin pricks and nappy rash. This is certainly what came to my mind before I saw for myself the revolution that is the modern cloth nappy.

Modern cloth nappies (MCNs) are easy to use, perform better than even the premium disposables, look great and, best of all, save you thousands of dollars. And there’s a good case that they’re a better choice for the environment. Plus, MCNs are actually better than disposables at protecting bub’s clothes and bum. After six hours in our first MCN, my baby’s bottom and clothes were bone dry.

MCNs are really easy to use, too. Even my eight-year-old has no trouble putting one on her baby brother. Washing is easy. It’s really no big deal to tip the contents of a cloth nappy into the toilet, give it a quick rinse and throw it in the wash.

Disposable nappies are said to account for roughly 5 per cent of landfill. An average baby uses around 2190 nappies a year. Over two-and-a-half years, that’s a whopping 5500 nappies. Picture that piled up in your backyard!

The bottom line is, all nappies impact on the environment but, after extensive research, I believe that using cloth nappies is the better choice. The environmental impact from the manufacture, transport, sale and disposal of a nappy occurs just once for a cloth nappy and you are replacing thousands of nappies with 15-25.

You can minimise how much your cloth nappies impact on the environment by washing in cold water, using energy-efficient appliances, line drying, using eco-friendly washing powders and recycling for multiple children. The financial savings, at least, are indisputable. Premium disposable nappies cost roughly $3200-$3800 per child. A good stash of quality MCNs will cost between $400 and $800 and can be used for multiple children.

There are three types of MCNs to choose from: the all-in-one, the pocket nappy and the fitted nappy with cover. Each has advantages and disadvantages. All-in-ones are easy to use (both Dad and daycare preferred the AIO) but take longer to dry on the line, while pocket nappies are easier to wash and dry but require stuffing before use. Fitteds are great if you are happy to use a cover and prefer natural fabrics. Wool covers are fantastic but take time and effort to care for.

MCNs are available as either OSFA or sm/med/lg. There are also a few almost all-in-ones, which are essentially a cover with a snap-in absorbent insert.

Fabrics used for MCNs include bamboo and hemp, both ultra-absorbent and from eco-friendly crops. Organic cotton and microfibre are also used for absorption. Polyester fleece, wool and PUL (polyurethane laminated cotton, or polyester) are all used for outer layers and covers. PUL is waterproof and both wool and fleece will repel water. Microfleece or suedecloth used in liners wick moisture away from baby’s skin and into the inner layers of absorbent fabric, keeping bums dry and free of nappy rash.

For me, the hardest thing in converting to cloth was choosing which nappy to use, so I have road-tested a bunch for you. In the end, your choice of nappy will come down to what features are most important to you. I like AIOs for childcare, pockets for long car trips and out and about, and soft, natural fitteds when we’re at home.