A Greener Way of Nappying

Tuesday 23 May 2017

There are probably lots of things I’d do differently if I had a parenting do over, but as my third child approaches toilet training, one of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t stick with cloth nappies. I was gifted some but they weren’t a good fit for us and instead of researching and finding local support, I abandoned them and have probably had Momma guilt at every nappy change since! Each baby uses about 4,500 nappies from birth to potty.  Most of these end up in landfills where they take between 200 and 400 years to decompose.  With about 70,000 babies born each year in Ireland, disposable nappies are currently estimated to make up 4% of our household waste.  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 re-usable nappies.  They produce 2.3 times as much waste water and 60 times as much solid waste.  Washing cloth nappies uses less water than making disposable nappies does.  The carbon footprint is minimal with cloth nappies as they do not need to be transported from the maker to a consumer home, more than once. 

Disposable nappies can cost up to a staggering €1,000 per child from birth to potty.  24 cloth nappies, which is enough for full time use, costs between €200 and €500, depending on the particular brand chosen.  Ongoing washing costs approximately €100 for most families.  These same nappies can be used on subsequent children, or sold on to add further savings.  Using cloth wipes can be an extra saving. These can simply be washed with cloth nappies.

Modern designs mean that a cloth nappy change can be very easy and similar to that of a disposable nappy.  Velcro or snaps close the nappy easily so safety pins are not necessary. All-in-one nappies and pocket nappies comes with a water proof layer attached. Cloth nappies are easy to machine wash – an extra wash every 2-3 days using your regular powder.  Cloth nappies can be air dried and some brands are suitable for driers.  

Birth to Potty training is a long stretch, usually 2 to 3 years, so comfortable nappies are important. Cloth nappies are soft, comfortable and chemical free.  Natural fibres such as organic cotton are an option in some brands.  For babies with extra sensitive skin, eczema or when baby’s skin has reacted to disposable nappies, switching to cloth nappies can make a big difference to health and comfort.

Many county councils are specifically encouraging the use of cloth nappies, clearly convinced that cloth nappies are far kinder to the environment than the alternatives. 

Carlow is one of a number of counties around the country that have a Cloth Nappy Library, operated on a voluntary basis, supporting parents who opt to use cloth nappies.  Local meetings and demos give parents a chance to see and feel cloth and to ask questions of other users.  The Cloth Nappy Library also offer low cost nappy loans, which allow parents to try out a variety of cloth nappies before deciding on which nappies to buy.   For more information visit www.clothnappylibrary.ie or search Carlow Cloth Nappy Ireland on Facebook.  (Huge thanks to local baba Charlie Hartley and mum Charelene for the cute pics).