Nappies

Graces7

Please excuse a question from an old lady...Who has no children nor grandchildren but who worked in a children;s home way back. And who has family working in third world countries where they have no choices such as we have.
And who is concerned about children, families, in these hard times money-wise and about the world we live in and how we treat it.

Last week I was behind a young couple at the supermarket, with a wee baby.

Of course I never go down the baby goods aisles so had no idea re prices etc.

I was totally shocked at the costs of the disposable nappies.

Added to that is the awareness of waste disposal for them. As they do not degrade. landfills are a huge issue and more and more so.

We always used cloth nappies for the babies. It was no great burden of work even hand washing.

Liners were washed and reused too.

And the cost of of hot water and detergent set against the cost of the disposals is no contest.

Is it just habit now? Reading threads I see a few who use cloth nappies but so very few.

Blessings and thanks.

3DataModem

Nowadays disposable nappies do degrade.

pwurple

We have a baby with exema, so even though I had the cloth ones, she reacted badly to the detergents. We went to disposable, but got a compacter which squishes them right down.

I don't find them that expensive... It is a box of 70 or 80 for ten euro... 10 to 15 cent each. We let her run around without nappy in the evenings, so it's only 5 or 6 per day usually. A tenner every two weeks isn't mad money.

Hannibal Smith

I'd never dream of using cloth nappies...unless I lived in an area where the bin collections were charged by weight. What about the chemicals used to clean the cloth nappies...my mum told me she used to have to steep them in some concoction before washing them....why put yourself through that when you can wrap it, bag it and bin it. Plus there are always sales on for nappies...you can get a huge box for between 11 and 16 euro.

wmpdd3

My sister in law used cloth nappies for 1 of her 4 kids! She gave up when she had 2 under 2!
Also they had a little liner, that was plastic with those beads in it, so it looked like you were putting a little nappy inside the cloth nappy!

Nappies are alot cheaper than they were in 2008.

Squiggler

Not all disposable nappies are biodegradable, and anyone who lives in the countryside will tell you that some of them would survive a nuclear explosion (people who dump their household rubbish on the side of the road should be made to eat it in my opinion).

A good washing machine will get cloth nappies clean without having to use any "harsh" chemical detergents - simple 60 degree wash (along with the babygros etc).

There are amazing washable nappies out there and biodegradable flushable liners used to collect solids are thin membranes.

At the end of the day everyone has to make up their own mind, but I have many friends who have used re-usable nappies and who hated having to use disposables on holidays etc as they found them not as good and irritating to baby.

Little My

I use cloth nappies and disposables depending on what's going on, disposables if we are away and for night, cloth for days generally.

Firstly, many disposables are not biodegradable. Those that say they are take years to degrade.

Cloth nappies do not need chemicals to be washed. You can use cloth or disposable liners, the disposable ones we have are like a thick sheet of kitchenroll, (but much softer) and can be flushed.

I find the regular nappy bin stinks way worse than the cloth nappies and has to be changed far more often. Cloth nappies get washed every 2 days.

I got my nappies second hand on ebay, so paid about €5 each for nappies that fit from birth to potty. I think I have about 17 or so, which is more than enough for me. Not sure how many you are advised to have.

I'm a little sceptical at this stage how well they will fit my son when is he is bigger, but I will just have to wait and see.

littlemissfixit

I used cloth nappies for my daughter until she was 15 months, and now with my son. Paid around 200 euro for the whole kit, so they paid for themselves nearly before they passed the newborn stage where you change them 10 times a day in average!

I lived in a flat with a simple washing machine, no dryer, just hang to dry, you can get chemical free detergent which wash them perfectly, my two never even had a nappy rash.
I dont find the washing any trouble at all, after all its only throwing them in and then hanging them to dry, hardly hardship!
But I must say the main reason I use cloth nappies is that it brakes my heart every time I have to throw one of them disposable ones in the trash knowing where its going and for how long when there is such an easy alternative.
I also used washable swim nappies instead of little swimmers type. Everything we can do for our environment makes a difference.

Paddy De Plasterer

Yes I am appalled at the amount of disposables going into landfill. We used cloth nappies for our children and it was no great problem.

Vanderlay Industries

We use the bambino mio re-usable nappies for our two and disposables at night and when we are away. I am used to them now but with two in nappies it does create a lot of washing and as I work, it can be hard to keep up with. Have to confess I love going to the in-laws down the country for the weekend just so I can have a break from them! I am the only mother I know who uses them though - everyone thinks I am mad and secretly they think we are just miserly - but I would say we have spent about €350 on the whole set and only that much because we have two kids still in them and we have saved about a tonne of waste from going to landfill. I try to think of that when I am scraping faeces into a bucket but some days it is hard to do! There are pros and cons to them.

wmpdd3

It seems like the liners makes the difference... How much are the liners?

littlemissfixit

I got first liners online along with the nappy kit, i think about 3£ for 100. This time got them from boots, around 3€for 100, but got them when they have the 3 for 2 and got enough for the next year at least for about 35 €. the nappies rarely get dirty at all.

iguana

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

What about the chemicals used to clean the cloth nappies...my mum told me she used to have to steep them in some concoction before washing them....

You barely use any anymore. You are never, ever supposed to steep modern cloth nappies in anything more than an optional drop of tea tree oil per load, no water, certainly no chemicals. In the wash you mainly wash at 40˚c with an occasional 60˚c wash if you feel it's necessary. And you are supposed to use the absolute minimum of detergent, maybe half a capfull per load. On average people do an extra 2-3 washes per week. On an environmental scale there is no comparison whatsoever between reusables and disposables.


I'll be using reusables. I got a full 3 stage stash* and all extras that should last me through this baby and any future babies for €135. Which is an awful lot cheaper than buying disposables for even one kid. I only ever put my black bin out 3-4 times a year right now. With nappies in it I'd have to do it fortnightly, so the extra waste costs a year would come to quite a bit more than my whole outlay for nappies.

And if I find that it's getting to be a bit much for me, I've calculated that for less than the cost of nappies and waste I could have a cleaner come around and do my vacuuming, floor washing, kitchen and bathroom surfaces for what I'll be saving on nappies and waste. Which is a lot more work than 3 loads of washing in an automatic washing machine.


I'll be using reusables. I got a full 3 stage stash* and all extras that should last me through this baby and any future babies for €135. Which is an awful lot cheaper than buying disposables for even one kid. I only ever put my black bin out 3-4 times a year right now. With nappies in it I'd have to do it fortnightly, so the extra waste costs a year would come to quite a bit more than my whole outlay for nappies.

And if I find that it's getting to be a bit much for me, I've calculated that for less than the cost of nappies and waste I could have a cleaner come around and do my vacuuming, floor washing, kitchen and bathroom surfaces for what I'll be saving on nappies and waste. Which is a lot more work than 3 loads of washing in an automatic washing machine.

*newborn
prefolds 24 nappies
6 Wraps
200 flushable bio-liners.

Size 1
20 cotton nappies,
10 covers,
20 cotton booster liners,
20 fleece liners.

Size 2
20 fitted nappies with cotton liner attached,
10 covers,
20 fleece liners,

4 bamboo booster liners,
2 white laundry pails,
2 merino night time covers,
lanolin conditioning liquid.

How Strange

If/when we have no.2 I intend to use reusable. I feel a little guilty that I didn't use them on my son. I know a few mums who use them, all work full time and some have 2 kids, and they all say it's no more work really. I guess people just think its more hassle.

Hannibal Smith

I read online before that you either need napisan to wash at 30 degrees, or you need to wash at 60 degrees without napisan, which is higher energy costs. There's the separate loads needed for nappies, the drier, because let's face it how are you going to dry 10 nappies every few days otherwise?

I also read there's a chance of getting 'stinky nappies' to combat this you put the nappies through the wash 5 times by themselves....all these costs ad up and have a drain on energy.

My mother used cloth nappies on us, two of us were twins and when I mentioned this thread to her you could see the terror come back to her eyes

I have done no research on it....other than a bit of online reading, but I would love to see a proper comparison on environmental effects, if anyone has it? Just because you can't see the effects of energy use as you can with landfill, doesnt mean its not there. Is it as big a drain I wonder?

I'm not putting anyone off by the way, its very commendable...but not for me.

How Strange

Yep Hannibal I think a lot of us have the memory of the stinky nappy bin and assume its still the same. I've no direct experience of what you need to wash them with but I'd be very surprised if the mums I know would use napisan. They're all very eco aware which is why they chose the reusables over disposables. I'll ask them over the weekend.

Hannibal Smith

I think if I lived in an area where bin charges were calculated by weight i'd consider it....but that's it lol.

Joey the lips

look.... please forgive me.

I am a parent of a disabled child. I am up to my oxters in ****. Its very hard having to change the nappy of an 8 year old that ****s constantly. I also have a 2 year old who ****s and its strong.

I will never use terry towels or washable nappies. I dont expect my wife to use washable sanitary towels. I dont expect my kids to carry a cloth hanky rather than a tissue.

My mother will never use a recycled or transferable urine bag.

Why... because the technology is there to make sure i take as litte **** as possible,

I remember as a child the whole line was taken up with terry towels. With the way we clean clothes these days i would need 3 clothes lines or what i save on nappies i would use in dryer time.

Little My

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

I read online before that you either need napisan to wash at 30 degrees, or you need to wash at 60 degrees without napisan, which is higher energy costs. There's the separate loads needed for nappies, the drier, because let's face it how are you going to dry 10 nappies every few days otherwise?

I also read there's a chance of getting 'stinky nappies' to combat this you put the nappies through the wash 5 times by themselves....all these costs ad up and have a drain on energy.

My mother used cloth nappies on us, two of us were twins and when I mentioned this thread to her you could see the terror come back to her eyes

I have done no research on it....other than a bit of online reading, but I would love to see a proper comparison on environmental effects, if anyone has it? Just because you can't see the effects of energy use as you can with landfill, doesnt mean its not there. Is it as big a drain I wonder?

I'm not putting anyone off by the way, its very commendable...but not for me.

I wash nappies at 40 degrees, with about half the amount of normal non-bio detergent you would usually use, with an extra rinse. They mostly come out perfect.

We have microfibre inserts, mainly because of the drying time. I'd have preferred a natural fibre but the microfibre ones dry pretty much overnight on an airer, so it works out better for me.

Joeythelips, no one is expecting you to use cloth nappies. I don't *expect* anyone to use them..... what works for some families just will not work for others. And there are other issues too, my sister-in-law was using cloth nappies but had to use disposable nappies for the creche. So its not the right choice for everyone.

They really aren't as much work as everyone thinks, but no matter how much you say this no one seems to believe it.

iguana

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

I read online before that you either need napisan to wash at 30 degrees, or you need to wash at 60 degrees without napisan, which is higher energy costs. There's the separate loads needed for nappies, the drier, because let's face it how are you going to dry 10 nappies every few days otherwise?

Modern nappies are never soaked. It's unnecessary and harmful to the nappy. You are never supposed to use anything like Napisan, ever. It's highly destructive to the fibers and reduces absorbency. If you are using a shaped nappies soaking will destroy the elastic and velcro. A 40˚c wash is generally recommended, with a 60˚c wash if you find it necessary if it's heavily soiled. You use a tiny amount of detergent as otherwise the nappy, being designed for maximum absorbency, will hold on to the detergent in the wash and that's what makes them stinky.

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

I also read there's a chance of getting 'stinky nappies' to combat this you put the nappies through the wash 5 times by themselves....all these costs ad up and have a drain on energy.

If they are stinky this is because the detergent build up reduces the absorbency so you do what's called a strip wash. To do this you do a 60˚wash but instead of laundry detergent you throw in a dishwasher tablet. And at the end you programme 1 or 2 extra rinse cycles. That will take out all the detergent and the nappies won't smell any more.

My mother used cloth nappies on us, two of us were twins and when I mentioned this thread to her you could see the terror come back to her eyes

My mum used cloth on all of us and she could never understand why disposables were so popular. During the 90s she was a childminder and all the kids she had wore disposables and she hated them so much. They smell more due to the chemicals that turn the urine to gel, they sit around in the bin for a week stinking it up. And when I and the older of my brothers were babies my mum had a twin tub washing machine that was only semi-automatic so washing was a lot more work than it is now. That said none of us ever wore a nappy beyond 13 months, and only wore then at night from 10-11 months, so my mum barely had 3 years of nappy washes between the lot of us.

I have done no research on it....other than a bit of online reading, but I would love to see a proper comparison on environmental effects, if anyone has it? Just because you can't see the effects of energy use as you can with landfill, doesnt mean its not there. Is it as big a drain I wonder?

No where near as much. Just the energy used in the manufacture of one pack of disposable nappies is significantly higher than several weeks of washing disposables and that's calculated at 60˚c washes and a full tumble drying for every wash, which few people do. That's before you get to the transport and packaging costs of the disposable nappies, the transport costs in particular are massive. So long before you ever get to the issue of landfill, cloth nappies are significantly better in terms of pollution. Once you add in landfill the environmental costs just stop being comparable, they are so far apart.

Ms2011

iguana wrote: »

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

What about the chemicals used to clean the cloth nappies...my mum told me she used to have to steep them in some concoction before washing them....

I only ever put my black bin out 3-4 times a year right now. With nappies in it I'd have to do it fortnightly, so the extra waste costs a year would come to quite a bit more than my whole outlay for nappies.

I think this is a bit excessive. My son is almost 11 weeks old & I've only put my black bin out once since he was born & that had been mostly filled before he was even born. I will get about another month & a half before I will have to put the black bin out again at a cost of €7.50.
Gardening fills my bin quicker than nappies do. I'm not saying disposables are cheaper overall but just as far as the financial cost of disposing of them goes it doesn't cost me too much.

dublinlady

I would never use cloth nappies personally - I think it is vile. My opinion only obvs! I think it is unnecessary and not of any benefit hugely to the environment. I think I like the efficiency and ease of use of disposables - I also don't want to touch poo when it's totally unnecessary.
No one will ever convince be that washing and drying nappies is easier than throwing them in the bin.
I personally feel some ppl need to be martyrs as mothers - I would rather keep life easy and simple.
I think each to their own regardless of the reasons - its just really not for me!

Hannibal Smith

iguana wrote: »

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

I read online before that you either need napisan to wash at 30 degrees, or you need to wash at 60 degrees without napisan, which is higher energy costs. There's the separate loads needed for nappies, the drier, because let's face it how are you going to dry 10 nappies every few days otherwise?

Modern nappies are never soaked. It's unnecessary and harmful to the nappy. You are never supposed to use anything like Napisan, ever. It's highly destructive to the fibers and reduces absorbency. If you are using a shaped nappies soaking will destroy the elastic and velcro. A 40˚c wash is generally recommended, with a 60˚c wash if you find it necessary if it's heavily soiled. You use a tiny amount of detergent as otherwise the nappy, being designed for maximum absorbency, will hold on to the detergent in the wash and that's what makes them stinky.

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

I also read there's a chance of getting 'stinky nappies' to combat this you put the nappies through the wash 5 times by themselves....all these costs ad up and have a drain on energy.

If they are stinky this is because the detergent build up reduces the absorbency so you do what's called a strip wash. To do this you do a 60˚wash but instead of laundry detergent you throw in a dishwasher tablet. And at the end you programme 1 or 2 extra rinse cycles. That will take out all the detergent and the nappies won't smell any more.

My mother used cloth nappies on us, two of us were twins and when I mentioned this thread to her you could see the terror come back to her eyes

My mum used cloth on all of us and she could never understand why disposables were so popular. During the 90s she was a childminder and all the kids she had wore disposables and she hated them so much. They smell more due to the chemicals that turn the urine to gel, they sit around in the bin for a week stinking it up. And when I and the older of my brothers were babies my mum had a twin tub washing machine that was only semi-automatic so washing was a lot more work than it is now. That said none of us ever wore a nappy beyond 13 months, and only wore then at night from 10-11 months, so my mum barely had 3 years of nappy washes between the lot of us.

I have done no research on it....other than a bit of online reading, but I would love to see a proper comparison on environmental effects, if anyone has it? Just because you can't see the effects of energy use as you can with landfill, doesnt mean its not there. Is it as big a drain I wonder?

No where near as much. Just the energy used in the manufacture of one pack of disposable nappies is significantly higher than several weeks of washing disposables and that's calculated at 60˚c washes and a full tumble drying for every wash, which few people do. That's before you get to the transport and packaging costs of the disposable nappies, the transport costs in particular are massive. So long before you ever get to the issue of landfill, cloth nappies are significantly better in terms of pollution. Once you add in landfill the environmental costs just stop being comparable, they are so far apart.

They must be different sites we were reading....I'm on my phone so can't link at the moment...but the side I read...was bumglee or something and it said you can either wash the nappies with napisan at 30 degrees or wash with non at 60 degrees. No steeping...the napisan goes into your washing machine.

What about the transport and manufacturing costs of the cloth nappies, liners and outer layer, they have environmental impacts to.

I'm not an environmental expert, but do they stop being comparable? Is it that we can't see the effects energy draining has on the environment that stops it being comparable? As it is my bin goes out once every 2 to 3 weeks...I recycle everything I can...I compost and all my washes go on after 7pm.

You've separate washes for the clothes, separate for the nappies, starter washes, strip washes, and how to you dry them? You've extra washing detergent going into the environment on top of all that. Is it enough to discard all those environmental effects?

What bin was stinking with urine? The outside bin? Is that a major issue? Having said that....my bin doesn't stink of wee?

Little My

If you are interested in the environmental comparison, this is a good place to start...

http://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/PDF/SCHO0808BOIR-E-E.pdf

"Conclusions:
The study has estimated, using a 2006 reference point, the environmental impacts of a child using disposable nappies for the first two and a half years of its life and a child using shaped cloth nappies for the same period.
The study demonstrates the environmental effects of:
• Disposable nappy design and manufacturing.
• Disposable nappy disposal choices.
• Laundry choices for shaped nappy use.

The average 2006 disposable nappy would result in a global warming impact of approximately 550kg of carbon dioxide equivalents used over the two and a half years a child is typically in nappies. The global warming impact from disposable nappies use has decreased since the previous study due to manufacturing changes and a 13.5 per cent reduction in the weight of nappies.

The report highlights that the manufacture of disposable nappies has greater environmental impact in the UK than their waste management by landfill. For reusable nappies, the baseline scenario based on average washer and drier use produced a global warming impact of approximately 570kg of carbon dioxide equivalents. However, the study showed that the impacts for reusable nappies are highly dependent on the way they are laundered.

Washing the nappies in fuller loads or line-drying them outdoors all the time (ignoring UK climatic conditions for the purposes of illustration) was found to reduce this figure by 16 per cent. Combining three of the beneficial scenarios (washing nappies in a fuller load, outdoor line drying all of the time, and reusing nappies on a second child) would lower the global warming impact by 40 per cent from the baseline scenario, or some 200kg of carbon dioxide equivalents over the two and a half years, equal to driving a car approximately 1,000 km.

In contrast, the study indicated that if a consumer tumble-dried all their reusable nappies, it would produce a global warming impact 43 per cent higher than the baseline scenario. Similarly, washing nappies at 90°C instead of at 60°C would increase global warming impact by 31 per cent over the baseline. Combining these two energy intensive scenarios would increase the global warming impact by 75 per cent over the baseline scenario, or some 420kg of carbon dioxide equivalent over the two and a half years.

The environmental impacts of using shaped reusable nappies can be higher or lower than using disposables, depending on how they are laundered. The report shows that, in contrast to the use of disposable nappies, it is consumers’ behaviour after purchase that determines most of the impacts from reusable nappies.

Cloth nappy users can reduce their environmental impacts by:
• Line drying outside whenever possible.
• Tumble drying as little as possible.
• When replacing appliances, choosing more energy efficient appliances (A+
rated machines are preferred).
• Not washing above 60°C.
• Washing fuller loads.
• Reusing nappies on other children. "

iguana

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

What about the transport and manufacturing costs of the cloth nappies, liners and outer layer, they have environmental impacts to. I'm not an environmental expert, but do they stop being comparable? Is it that we can't see the effects energy draining has on the environment that stops it being comparable? As it is my bin goes out once every 2 to 3 weeks...I recycle everything I can...I compost and all my washes go on after 7pm.

You've separate washes for the clothes, separate for the nappies, starter washes, strip washes, and how to you dry them? You've extra washing detergent going into the environment on top of all that. Is it enough to discard all those environmental effects?

I'm not discarding those environmental effects, I'm comparing them and they never even start to compare. From manufacture to use, disposable nappies use 3.5 times as much energy, 8 times as much non-renewable raw materials and 90 times as much renewable material as reuseable nappies. They produce 2.3 times as much waste water and 60 times as much solid waste. In this country alone 2,200,000 go into landfill annually. The environmental impact is massively negative.

iguana

Little My, I think what you've quoted is part one of a two part study conducted by the UK EA in 2006 with a 2008 addendum. Both parts of the study have been widely discredited due to their use of factually incorrect data with regards to the maintenance of cloth nappies, such as the assumption that each washing load is done at 90˚c and their use of the lowest impact predictions for manufacture of disposal nappies rather than actual data. The study also concentrates on manufacture of disposables and doesn't calculate waste issues.

The most comprehensive study done to date is that conducted by Landbank Consultancy which provided the following findings;

Hannibal Smith

Okay Little My, I'll go have a look at that link and come back, thanks for that.

From a quick scan of the internet, it doesn't seem that clear cut, and infact appears to be a wide open debate between environmentalists. Some saying it's impossible to compare the impact they both have. There is waste on both sides in the manufacturing of supplying of both types of nappies, not to mention the liners and other paraphenalia that goes with reusable nappies. There's the carbon dioxide used not only in manufacturing but in washing and drying them. Presumably the impact on the environment of cloth nappies would depend on how you wash and dry them and whether you use detergents such as napisan, and even the extra use (albeit very odd time) of dishwasher tablets, it all adds to water waste and detergents going into the water and whether you use a tumble dryer.

On that chart that you have referred to in your last post Iguana, I'm wondering regarding the 'waste water', I presume that refers to waste water in manufacturing? Because I'm wondering what domestic waste water disposable nappies produce.

Anyhow...sorry for the waffle...I'll go have a look at that link now

dublinlady

Poo on ur hands.... Vs.... No poo on ur hands......
Just to lighten the mood

Hannibal Smith

dublinlady wrote: »

Poo on ur hands.... Vs.... No poo on ur hands......
Just to lighten the mood

You should have heard the way my mother phrased it

TooManyDogs

We debated long and hard on what nappies to use when I was pregnant, my sister was using cloth on her baby who's only 10 months older than mine so we were asking her about it and also trying to be honest with ourselves about our own limitations. Here's the things we considered -

- We live down a hill by the sea, so there's a lot of sea mist which massively reduces effectiveness of line drying.
- My sister used to depend on using her spare room to put up clothes dryers for the nappies but would always have the heating on while we barely use the heating at all, use a wood stove and don't have room in the sitting room for an air dryer.
- We're rubbish at doing the washing, as it is we often have an overflowing wash basket so realistically adding 3 extra washes a week was going to be a disaster.
- Like a lot of people said, we couldn't find conclusive unbiased proof about environmental benefits, so found it difficult to make a decision that way.

In the end we decided to change to a waste provider that uses mechanical and biological treatment so the waste would be broken down into gases to be used for energy and compacted solid waste that would be used as a coal substitute, so it doesn't go to landfill.

My sister and her little girl also moved in with us for 9 months so we had a side by side comparison which was interesting. What we found was that the tumble dryer was on for 4 hours at least 3 days a week for nappies which it never had been before or since. She could hang the same nappy wash on the line for 2 sunny days running and it still not be dry, it drove her nuts, she didn't have those problems in her last house. The bathroom where the dirty nappy bin was stored would often smell of stale urine, and there would be a faint stale urine smell off the clean nappies too. My niece could go through at least 2 pairs of trousers a day because the nappies would leak. The extra washing and tumble drying drove our electricity bill up.

So I think on balance using disposable nappies and changing waste provider was the best option for us.

PBroderick

dublinlady wrote: »

I would never use cloth nappies personally - I think it is vile. My opinion only obvs! I think it is unnecessary and not of any benefit hugely to the environment. I think I like the efficiency and ease of use of disposables - I also don't want to touch poo when it's totally unnecessary.
No one will ever convince be that washing and drying nappies is easier than throwing them in the bin.
I personally feel some ppl need to be martyrs as mothers - I would rather keep life easy and simple.
I think each to their own regardless of the reasons - its just really not for me!

What a load of drivel that was....martyrs and poo on your hands

What are you talking about ffs?

How Strange

After 17 months of motherhood I'm no longer bothered by a bit of poo on my hands. I've had poo on different parts of me so many times I barely notice anymore!

For me the one consideration on the reusable nappies would have to be drying them. I work fulltime so we really only get to hang clothes outside at the weekend and that's dependent on the weather. We got a tumble dryer this year which I felt very conflicted about but has been a godsend at times. I really wouldn't want to have it turned on every second night to dry nappies.

I think in theory they're a great idea and is really want to get them for no.2 but we'd have to think properly about the practicalities of drying them during the week. We have a small apartment so we don't want clothes hanging around and we've also got problems with damp so drying clothes indoors isn't a good a good idea.

yellow hen

PBroderick wrote: »

dublinlady wrote: »

I would never use cloth nappies personally - I think it is vile. My opinion only obvs! I think it is unnecessary and not of any benefit hugely to the environment. I think I like the efficiency and ease of use of disposables - I also don't want to touch poo when it's totally unnecessary.
No one will ever convince be that washing and drying nappies is easier than throwing them in the bin.
I personally feel some ppl need to be martyrs as mothers - I would rather keep life easy and simple.
I think each to their own regardless of the reasons - its just really not for me!

What a load of drivel that was....martyrs and poo on your hands

What are you talking about ffs?

I'm not a mum but have experience with children and to be honest I agree with dublinlady. For many people trying to dry cotyon nappies can be difficult and time comsuming. Do you currently use them?

dublinlady

PBroderick wrote: »

dublinlady wrote: »

I would never use cloth nappies personally - I think it is vile. My opinion only obvs! I think it is unnecessary and not of any benefit hugely to the environment. I think I like the efficiency and ease of use of disposables - I also don't want to touch poo when it's totally unnecessary.
No one will ever convince be that washing and drying nappies is easier than throwing them in the bin.
I personally feel some ppl need to be martyrs as mothers - I would rather keep life easy and simple.
I think each to their own regardless of the reasons - its just really not for me!

What a load of drivel that was....martyrs and poo on your hands

What are you talking about ffs?

I'm talking about martyrs and poo clearly

PBroderick

dublinlady wrote: »

I'm talking about martyrs and poo clearly

I have used both disposable nappies and resuable nappies and I haven't an idea what you're talking about.

And to claim some mothers are "martyrs" to justify your own ignorant stance on this is shameful.

Your "each to their own" comment at the end, after slating the practice as "vile" is laughable too.

aviendha

comparing the modern cloth nappies (fuzzibunz, bumgenius are what I use) to the old terry towel cloth nappies is comparing apples and oranges.. a completely different animal to the ordeals that our parents would have endured back in the day
I use FB and BG at home, and a disposable when out and about
I have 28 one-size nappies, so they will go from newborn to potty, and only have one extra load a week, they dry in no-time atall, overnight hanging on a clothes horse and there's not really any extra work
I find them convenient and very kind to baby sensitive skin

as for the comment about poo on your hand.. I find I get more baby poo on my person when using disposables as I find the poo seems to skim off the nappy and go straight up baby's back...the explosive nappies that have poo up to the baby's shoulder... very hard to deal with a wriggling baby covered in poo and NOT get any on your hand!!

dublinlady

PBroderick wrote: »

dublinlady wrote: »

I'm talking about martyrs and poo clearly

I have used both disposable nappies and resuable nappies and I haven't an idea what you're talking about.

And to claim some mothers are "martyrs" to justify your own ignorant stance on this is shameful.

Your "each to their own" comment at the end, after slating the practice as "vile" is laughable too.

That's your opinion which I respect as I wish you would mine! That's the point of a conversation! You can't claim I'm ignorant on the matter as you have no clue of my experience , regardless I still stand by and maintain my stance - I never said you have to agree!

dublinlady

aviendha wrote: »

comparing the modern cloth nappies (fuzzibunz, bumgenius are what I use) to the old terry towel cloth nappies is comparing apples and oranges.. a completely different animal to the ordeals that our parents would have endured back in the day
I use FB and BG at home, and a disposable when out and about
I have 28 one-size nappies, so they will go from newborn to potty, and only have one extra load a week, they dry in no-time atall, overnight hanging on a clothes horse and there's not really any extra work
I find them convenient and very kind to baby sensitive skin

as for the comment about poo on your hand.. I find I get more baby poo on my person when using disposables as I find the poo seems to skim off the nappy and go straight up baby's back...the explosive nappies that have poo up to the baby's shoulder... very hard to deal with a wriggling baby covered in poo and NOT get any on your hand!!

And yes - I agree as a mother it's impossible not to get some poo on your hands!!
Just for me - washing it isnt for me! That's all!

PBroderick

dublinlady wrote: »

And yes - I agree as a mother it's impossible not to get some poo on your hands!!
Just for me - washing it isnt for me! That's all!

That's not all. You said it was "vile", that mothers who use them are "martyrs" and that you end up with poo on your hands using them.

Why don't you defend these statements you made then, instead of being a coward.

dublinlady

PBroderick wrote: »

dublinlady wrote: »

And yes - I agree as a mother it's impossible not to get some poo on your hands!!
Just for me - washing it isnt for me! That's all!

That's not all. You said it was "vile", that mothers who use them are "martyrs" and that you end up with poo on your hands using them.

Why don't you defend these statements you made then, instead of being a coward.

Wow...

So I said I think it's vile - my opinion - I don't need to defend that I already have..

You have to wash poo... In my opinion women who feel the need to do this rather than use disposables for no reason other than to validate themselves as mothers are martyrs - this has been my experience - which I've already stated you have no insight to and so no right to take such offense to! I, like you am entitled to my opinion - I think it's vile to wash poo and so won't - you don't - that's grand - off you go!

Some women like to use reusables as they really do believe that it's better for the environment - I don't - but that's up to them - as I said - each to their own!
I dont think you can be irritated by the fact that I don't insist my opinions are the only answer... I certainly don't - thus they are my opinions... Which is why wish u would agree your opinion is just that... You have no right to slight mine... Your not right... It's your opinion...

PBroderick

dublinlady wrote: »

Wow...

So I said I think it's vile - my opinion - I don't need to defend that I already have..

You have to wash poo... In my opinion women who feel the need to do this rather than use disposables for no reason other than to validate themselves as mothers are martyrs - this has been my experience - which I've already stated you have no insight to and so no right to take such offense to! I, like you am entitled to my opinion - I think it's vile to wash poo and so won't - you don't - that's grand - off you go!

Some women like to use reusables as they really do believe that it's better for the environment - I don't - but that's up to them - as I said - each to their own!
I dont think you can be irritated by the fact that I don't insist my opinions are the only answer... I certainly don't - thus they are my opinions... Which is why wish u would agree your opinion is just that... You have no right to slight mine... Your not right... It's your opinion...

First up, you are insulting parents who use reusable nappies, as you think that their concern for the environment is to draw attention to themselves as martyrs. You fail to realise that the environment we create is where our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will live. You do realise that 1/3 of landfill is nappies, which do not biodegrade completely for 500 years.

You then insult me for saying I have no experience in this matter, despite the fact my son has used reusable nappies since birth, which is over a year's experience. You, on the other hand, have never used them and have neither experience nor knowledge.

Believe me this - I have every right to slight your opinion because it is ignorant, it is ill-informed and if I thought for one second a first-time parent would choose not to use reusable nappies based on your incoherent, dumbfounded opinions, I would have failed my own child.

pwurple

Holy poo on a stick PBroderick... You've called dublinlady ignorant, shameful and a coward over being a bit quesy around excrement. It is in our nature to be repulsed by our waste products. Nothing weird there. Some people get past the inbuilt disgust for their principles, and others think that's a waste of time.

Both valid.

Want to back off a tiny bit?

Ps, betcha pbroderick is a bloke and the wifey does the washing!

PBroderick

pwurple wrote: »

Holy poo on a stick PBroderick... You've called dublinlady ignorant, shameful and a coward over being a bit quesy around excrement. It is in our nature to be repulsed by our waste products. Nothing weird there. Some people get past the inbuilt disgust for their principles, and others think that's a waste of time.

Both valid.

Want to back off a tiny bit?

Not really, no.

Her facts are totally wrong and saying "that's just my opinion" is not a get-out clause...her opinions are factually wrong.

(And that is leaving out the fact that she cannot bear her own child's "vile" poo, god help them)

Orion

PBroderick wrote: »

What a load of drivel that was

PBroderick wrote: »

your own ignorant stance on this is shameful.

PBroderick wrote: »

instead of being a coward.

Keep a civil tone or stop posting. Next personal attack will not end well.

[edit]obvious sitewide troll is obvious. Banned from Parenting.

dublinlady

PBroderick wrote: »

dublinlady wrote: »

Wow...

So I said I think it's vile - my opinion - I don't need to defend that I already have..

You have to wash poo... In my opinion women who feel the need to do this rather than use disposables for no reason other than to validate themselves as mothers are martyrs - this has been my experience - which I've already stated you have no insight to and so no right to take such offense to! I, like you am entitled to my opinion - I think it's vile to wash poo and so won't - you don't - that's grand - off you go!

Some women like to use reusables as they really do believe that it's better for the environment - I don't - but that's up to them - as I said - each to their own!
I dont think you can be irritated by the fact that I don't insist my opinions are the only answer... I certainly don't - thus they are my opinions... Which is why wish u would agree your opinion is just that... You have no right to slight mine... Your not right... It's your opinion...

First up, you are insulting parents who use reusable nappies, as you think that their concern for the environment is to draw attention to themselves as martyrs. You fail to realise that the environment we create is where our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will live. You do realise that 1/3 of landfill is nappies, which do not biodegrade completely for 500 years.

You then insult me for saying I have no experience in this matter, despite the fact my son has used reusable nappies since birth, which is over a year's experience. You, on the other hand, have never used them and have neither experience nor knowledge.

Believe me this - I have every right to slight your opinion because it is ignorant, it is ill-informed and if I thought for one second a first-time parent would choose not to use reusable nappies based on your incoherent, dumbfounded opinions, I would have failed my own child.

Hmmm

Where did i say u have no experience with disposable nappies?

Where did I say I have no experience with disposable nappies??! I said I don't personally use them... That does not insinuate that I have no experience with them!

Yes yes landfill sites blah blah... If you have being paying any attention to the previous posts you will see that there is clear valid debate over the environmental benefits of both methods! I never claimed to prove either side! I stated that there is inefficient evidence for me to decide that it's beneficial to use reusables!

If other peoples opinions on whether or not they use reusable nappies reflect on whether or not you have failed your own child or not then god bless ya.. A little extreme no??!

Oh and I find it funny you dislike my dislike of touching poo so much...

I don't want to argue - I respect people's views to use reusables hugely - I respect their opinion of my using of disposables as wasteful. I reiterate - I would find dealing with reusables vile - I don't think other people do - clearly - and good for them! I'm me... And you should not take such offense to my opinion. It is just that... As your comments are purely your opinion... No better than mine..

dublinlady

P.s just as a side... I love my own gorgeous babas vile poo....

littlemissfixit

I dont know why this is getting so heated, live and let live I suppose. I dont really like being called a martyr though, thats not the reason anybody I know using reusable nappies actually use them. In fact evryone I know who use them find them better than disposable on many aspects, and very little inconvenience. And we dont go about bragging the fact that we use them, although people will soon notice the unusual size of my child's backside hopefully wont scar him permanently!

Must defo research the environment impacts, because I honnestly cant imagine that my 3 small load of washing chemical free in an A-rated machine can be as bad as disposables in landfil, but will look it up, since its been my motivation all along (and money just as much of course!)

caprilicious

I did try reusables when my daughter was born. I had experience of using them previously when I worked in childcare & thought the concept was genius - saved money & simple to use.

That was until I had a little girl that had the most ferocious explosive nappies that no reusable nappy could contain.
We're talking ankle to neck coverage :eek:

It wasn't just the dirty nappies, when she wet her nappy almost every second nappy leaked.
The amount of washing each day for one tiny person was incredible! As when she wet herself, it was a nappy, liner, vest, babygro & sheet that got wet. Not fun.

I may still have been saving money (though doubt this as the dryer and/or heating was on a lot more than previous), it sapped a lot more of my time laundering clothes.
If I put a reusable at night, she was guaranteed to wake at night even if she didn't leak, because the absorbency wasn't good & her skin would be damp, thus wake her.

Maybe my daughter just urinated a freakish amount compared to other babies, but it just didn't work for me.

I tried two types of nappy, pocket fold one's with a removable liner & other wool ones that were awkward to tie & came with overshorts which made baby look like a stuffed turkey wearing them

I wouldn't knock them altogether, they definitely have their benefits. Not for me though!
Money is certainly not something in abundance in this house, but I'd sooner forgo any luxuries than the €10 I spend a week on nappies/wipes

Little My

I had leaks when my boy was a newborn, I think the one-size Bumgenius I have were too big for him, and I didn't know how to use them properly!

Bumgenius come with the regular insert and then an additional one for extra absorbancy, I hadn't realised that for newborns you are supposed to use them both. Plus, if you buy them new it does take a good few washes to build up the absorbancy.

Since he was around six months and started on solids no leaks at all.

As I said already, the ones we have are microfibre liners, so they dry really quickly. Overnight in the house, or a few hours on the line or beside a radiator.

€10 a week isn't much, but for us that's almost a month's rent over the year.

I'm no "martyr", I'm just skint. And whatever about the environmental benefits, I do think the amount of nappies that does into the landfill is unnecessary.

On a side note, my brother is an organic gardener and has given out to me for years for everything.... using bleach in the toilet, using aerosol sprays, using antibacterial soap, using perfume.....

But he has just had a baby and is using pampers! He can't deal with the yuck factor.

P.S I never have poo on my hands... what do you think we do, scrape them with our fingers or something?

LegacyUser

Hi there,

My baby is gonna be born this week (hopefully!). Can anyone recommend some re-usable nappies, with inserts or whatever... or biodegradables even. Price is a big issue but prepared to spend to get a set. What are you using Iguana? Anyone else?

No matter what, I can't get my head around 500 yrs in landfill...

Thanks

littlemissfixit

Mine are easy peasy nappies, i think their site is easypeasynappies.co.uk, but got my set from lizziesrealnappies.co.uk for a bit less than £200 I think. 16 nappies, in first couple weeks I was washing every second day, but when baby is a bit older twice a week does it, but you can always buy extra nappies. Came with inserts, only needed them when baby was few months old, liners, nappy bin and wraps. Never had any leak, the liners are just flushed in toilet. Had to buy the next size wraps then for about 15€ each. Used with my first until she was 18mths because now using them for my second, but would have done her until potty, so it was well worth the investment!