My Stash of Cloth Nappies

Nappies

Not everyone gets excited about this kind of picture. I'm trying to decide if I need more cloth nappies for the new baby. This is what I have in my stash.

I guess some people think it's crazy to use cloth in this age of disposable. But I like to use them for a number of reasons.

Firstly, there is the waste aspect. If I use disposables, the number of garbage bags I put out each Monday increases. I also find it mildly disgusting that I'm putting such stuff into the local Refuse Transfer Station instead of the sewerage system. I like to keep the amount of waste our household produces to a minimum, so doing things like composting our vege waste and using cloth nappies makes me feel virtuous.

Secondly, there is the cost factor. It costs me around $20.00 a week to buy disposable nappies. The initial outlay to buy cloth seems a little daunting, but if you work out how much you spend per year for disposables it does work out cheaper. Admittedly, you do have to factor in the washing costs. I use EcoStore washing powder which is possibly the most expensive one, but in my defense, it lasts me a lot longer than when I used Persil Sensitive because the scoop is smaller. When DS was a baby, I washed one load of washing every other day. That consisted of nappies, baby clothes and a few adult clothes, towels etc. I still think that cloth is cheaper even when the washing factor is added in.

Thirdly, there is the cute factor! I find it fun to make them out of funky fabrics. I've used blue stars, aeroplanes and even strawberry fabrics for the nappies I've sewn. Snazzipants produce some very cute prints (the cow print for example).

I'm not a disposable Nazi though. I intend to use them for the first week or so until the baby finishes passing meconium. I will probably use them at night for a while, because newborns are such heavy wetters. DS is still not potty trained and daycare is not keen on cloth, so he's mainly in 'sposies. This is a problem I am keen to resolve before the new baby comes. I shall have to take a week off in order to concentrate on that project!