| Nappies - Choosing your nappy system |
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Choosing your nappy system This article includes information on: Determining factors in choosing your nappy system Types of cloth nappies and covers What you need to start - how many nappies you will need & what else you will need to get started Caring for and washing cloth nappies Top tips in cloth nappy care Remember to visit the Baby Shop for cloth & disposable nappies and accessories Choosing the nappy system for you depends on a number of factors:1) convenience 2) cost3) health of baby’s skin 4) environmental factors5) care of nappies 1) Convenience – disposable nappies certainly are very convenient but with the advent of the modern fitted cloth nappies cloth can be pretty convenient too. There are two types of disposable, the standard ‘supermarket’ variety and the more eco-friendly compostable variety. The standard disposable is made up of plastics and paper with super-absorbent chemical gels, no-one is really sure how long these take to decompose but some researchers have upped the timescale from 150 to 400 years. A good comprise is the more eco-friendly option, they have generally been manufactured under more environmentally friendly practices, don’t contain chemical gels and can be composted. Biodegradable nappy bags also help to speed up decomposition. In both cases though untreated faeces shouldn’t actually go into landfills and it is a health hazard – raw sewage should go down the toilet. There are a range of modern cloth nappies available now that make using cloth nappies a much easier choice. With Velcro or snap closures they can be as easy to fit as a disposable, booster pads can help to make life easy as they are sometimes the only part of the nappy that needs to be changed. Caring for them is so much easier than the soaking and boiling image traditional terry towelling nappies have, just chuck them in the wash and hang them out, modern cloth nappies are a breeze. 2) Cost – ultimately there is very little argument that cloth nappies are cheaper in the long term. Take for example a baby using disposables for 2.5 years with an average of 7 nappy changes a day, take a premium brand nappy at 50c per nappy that equals a cost of $3,193 over the 2.5 years. Whereas 25 cloth nappies at $22 each and 6 covers at $18 is $658. Plus the bonus is that you will be able to reuse the cloth nappies on subsequent babies (although with wear and tear you may need to buy an extra 10 nappies for number 2) 3) Health of baby’s skin, there is little evidence that one type of nappy is better for nappy rash than another, nappy rash is primarily caused by the skin’s prolonged exposure to urine and so frequent nappy changes should help to keep nappy rash down to a minimum. However there are some other factors that need to be taken into account. The more breathable a nappy the better it is for baby’s skin – the natural fibres used in cotton, hemp and bamboo cloth nappies are much more breathable than the paper and plastic of disposables. The super absorbent chemicals used in disposable nappies can leak onto baby’s skin once the nappy becomes saturated – there is no research into the long term health effects these chemicals may have. Chemicals, alcohol and chlorine bleach contained in disposable nappies and commercial nappy wipes, combined with the chemicals (namely petrochemicals and synthetic preservatives) in nappy creams can actually burn baby’s delicate skin. So look out for natural nappy creams and chemical free wipes (you can get these here). 4) Environmental factors. There has long been an argument about impact of cloth verus disposable nappies on the environment. Many disposables are made of plastics and contain chemical crystals (which make them super-absorbent) dumped in a landfill, and generally still containing faeces, these disposables can take up to 400 years to degrade – this surely has to have an environmental impact. There are some who argue that the water used to grow cotton (although hemp and bamboo need less) for the cloth nappies and the water needed to wash them has just as a significant impact. But lets face it disposable nappies use resources (water and energy) to make them also. Also, with the use of dry-pailing, eco-friendly detergents and drying the sun cloth nappies can be even more eco-friendly. Of course, with the advent of eco-friendly biodegradable disposables that are compostable a more eco-friendly alternative is available to disposable users. 5) Care of Nappies. Obviously disposable nappies don’t need to be cared for. As for cloth the majority of modern cloth nappies are easy to care for – just put them in the washing machine! For more information see below.What types of Modern Cloth Nappies are available? There are a number of modern cloth nappies available in a range of fabrics. They are shaped around the legs and waist and have snap or Velcro type closures for easy fitting. Some require covers and some don’t, choice is down to personal preference and what works well for one baby might not work as well for another and can depend on baby’s age, build and toilet habits. Often a mix and match approach can work well.There are four types of cloth nappy Prefolds and Flat Nappies The traditional terry toweling square nappy fits into this category, other materials also include flannettte and muslin. They can be a great choice for newborns if a one-size only cloth nappy seems too big at the start.
They can be made of a range of fabrics from cotton, hemp, mircofleece and bamboo. Bamboo is new on the scene and is an environmentally friendly material that is beautifully soft and super absorbent. Most types of fitted nappies have a closure system such as a Velcro type called Aplix or a snap closure
All in Ones (AIO)
Pockets These can work really well as absorbency can be adjusted and boosters can be dried separately and therefore help to reduce drying time
Covers Modern cloth nappy covers tend to be made of fleece, PUL (polyurethane laminated fabric), or wool. Waterproof materials such as PVC should be avoided as these do not allow the skin to breath and trap moisture in the nappy and therefore next to baby’s skin. Covers can either be fastened or pull on.
PUL can come in a variety of patterns. PUL is the fabric of choice for most cloth nappy users, it is soft, stretchy, breathable and very, very slim. Fleece covers are one of the most breathable and coolest option. Fleece works differently to PUL in that it allows the moisture to evaporate rather than contain it. It is superb overnight with very wet nappies. Fleece is also a good option during summer because of its coolness (the process of evaporation results in cooling), and it is very, very hardwearing which makes it an excellent choice for babies and toddlers who spend much of their day in just a nappy and singlet. Wool covers are lovely and soft and totally breathable many people swear by them and they are fabulous for night time use. Wool covers work by allowing the moisture in the nappy to evaporate. Wool covers do need to be looked after – i.e., lanolised. Lanolin is the natural oil found in wool that keeps the sheep dry in the rain. Lanolised nappy covers are naturally antibacterial and neutralise urine and so do not need to be washed after every change – just hung out to dry. For more information about looking after wool covers see – Caring for your covers.
Both wool and fleece covers are bulkier than PUL and due to the fact they rely on evaporation to work effectively they may not be the best choice for long periods of time in the car seat or pram and you may see ‘compression wicking’ whereby the nappy sweats.
What do I need to get started? If you are planning to use cloth nappies full time you need enough to enable you to do a wash every second day (washing every day is tiresome!). You’ll need a bucket with a lid to store soiled nappies and some (preferably) eco-friendly detergent.
How many nappies and covers will I need? A newborn will need somewhere between 10-15 nappy changes a day and an older baby about 6-8 so you’ll need about 25 nappies really (now remember that you can use these on subsequent babies) for washing every second day with a couple of spares.
How many nappies you buy also depends on the type of nappy i.e., if the nappies are a one size fits all or are sized. If you want to minimise the cost then for sized nappies you could get about 6 -8 size 1 and the rest in size 2. The size 2 will be bulky but will be perfectly fine for around the house. You may also want to consider muslin, flannel or terry towelling squares with nappies for the early days. Whether you are using a one size fits all or a size 2 nappy on a newborn some size 1 nappy covers will help ensure a leakproof fit.
You would probably need 6 covers but ideally 8 would give you a couple spare. 3-4 PUL, 1-2 fleece, 1-2 wool is a pretty good mix of covers that should work on a fulltime cloth nappy baby.
What else do I need?
Boosters – these can be added to the nappies to increase absorbancy, it’s a bit of trial and error to see what works for you and your baby but if you are experiencing leaking try folding one booster in half and placing that at the front for boys and in the middle for girls and then placing another booster flat over the top.
Liners – you can get cloth liners and disposable liners. My recommendation is to use flushable liners – they make life so simple, just dispose of the soiled liner down the toilet and then you’ve only got a wet nappy to deal with!
Nappy wipes – either cloth or disposable which ever works for you.
Caring for your nappies All nappies will need to be washed before use, full absorbancy may not be reached until the nappies have been washed at least 10 times (such as bamboo) although they can be used after only 2 washes.
Remove poo down the toilet before storing used nappies. Flushable nappy liners or the little squirt (see below) are great for making this easy. Store nappies in bucket with lid until wash day. There are 2 methods of storing nappies.
General nappy washing tips: Nappy soaking chemicals are bleaches – both chlorine and oxygen based can cause skin irritation and can affect the function of the nappy or destroy the elastic in covers over time – and are not necessary. Generally there is no need to soak covers, if you do check with manufacturers as vinegar and bleach may affect the elastic in PUL covers. Do NOT use any fabric conditioner as this will affect the function of the nappy and can cause skin irritation Fasten the Aplix on the cover before putting it in the wash. (Turn it inside out if you want.) This will prevent lint and threads getting caught in the hooks of the Aplix.
WET PAIL METHOD (SOAKING) This method allows you to soak your nappies until ready to wash. The ADVANTAGE to this method is easier stain removal, and less frequent laundering. HOW TO DO IT: Fill your bucket ½ full with cold water and 1/4 cup of vinegar, baking soda. After 3-4 days or at about 2 - 3 dozen dirty diapers - empty the contents of your bucket into the washer and spin out the excess liquid. Proceed with washing instructions. NOTE: Please make sure your bucket is securely fastened and inaccessible to curious children.
DRY PAIL METHOD (NO SOAKING) Advantages – not a drowning risk to other children, good for reducing water use. HOW TO DO IT: Sprinkle baking soda at bottom of bucket Put used nappies in bucket Do a quick cold-water rinse cycle before your regular wash cycle so as not to set any stains in the hot water wash. Proceed with washing instructions. If you use this method you will need to wash about every 2 days or your diapers will begin to stink! Check with nappy manufacturer about the temperatures to wash at but cold and warm (40oC) washes will generally be ok for most nappies. Not all nappies can be tumble dried (check with manufacturer) but the majority can be on a low temperature setting.
Washing covers As with nappies don’t use nappy soak chemicals or fabric conditioner, covers can be washed with nappies but covers are best washed at 40oC. Covers shouldn’t really be tumble dried and PUL and Fleece covers dry quickly especially in the sun. Wool can be washed in a gentle wool wash or gentle hand wash using wool detergent. Lanolise wool covers every 4-6 weeks or if heavily soiled or starting to smell. Lanolising is easy. Immerse cover in luke-warm water. Dissolve a pea-sized amount of Lanolin (such as Lansinoh available from most chemists) in very hot water then add to luke-warm water and swish to disperse. Soak for 30 mins (or overnight if preferred). Don’t rinse the cover just squeeze out excess water, roll in a towel and hang out to dry.Top Tips · Only use ¼ to ½ the normal amount of detergent, detergent powder is better than liquid and front loaders are better than top loaders.
· A quick cold water rinse cycle before a full wash can prevent stains · At all costs avoid fabric conditioners they cause a build up of a waxy substance that effects the absorbency of the nappies and some babies can have a reaction to the conditioner· Add distilled vinegar instead of fabric softener · The little squirt is a great Aussie invention, it’s a high pressure spray gun attached to the toilet plumbing and used to spray onto nappies to remove poo.· Soak a cotton wool ball in tea tree oil (and/or lavender) and tape to the underside of the lid of your nappy bucket (this stops all the essential oil being absorbed by the first nappy in the bucket) · Line dry in the sun when possible the sun helps to remove stains and sterlise nappies.· Use an extra spin cycle after washing to reduce the drying time. Put a dry towel in the tumble drier with the nappies – this can dramatically cut down on drying time. · To Strip Nappies, simply wash in hot water 2 - 3 times without any detergent. This should remove the build up of detergent that is causing the nappies not to absorb.
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