Nappy options

Loud groaning. That’s the first response any talk about nappies is bound to elicit. As an expectant mom, you probably have other things on your mind, like the birth and getting your baby’s nursery ready. But now is also the time to think about your options when it comes to nappies. Many of us now choose cloth nappies, not least because they help preserve the planet but also because they can work out as the cheaper option.

the 21st-century cloth nappy:
Cloth, reusable or real nappies have come a long way since we were babies and are not as cumbersome to use as they were back then. Although you can still get the square terry nappies, most of the modern reusables are shaped and have poppers or Velcro fasteners, which means there’s not a safety pin in sight.

There are three kinds of cloth nappy “systems”.

• The first are all-in-ones – shaped or fitted (meaning no folding) nappies that include a waterproof cover (see Bio Baba).

They’re comfortable for your baby and easy to use. However, because the waterproof gets washed as often as the nappy, the efficacy of the waterproof may falter before the nappy’s lifespan is actually over.

• Your second option is a two-part nappy – a nappy plus a separate waterproof.

These dry quicker and are often more cost-effective. When fitted properly (which is sometimes tricky, remembering your wriggling baby), these are virtually leak-proof. (See Mother Nature, Bimble and Flexitots.)

• The third kind of reusable is called a prefold because you have to fold it prior to using it.

You’ll also need a separate waterproof; here it performs the double duty of keeping your baby’s clothes dry and holding the absorbent part of the nappy on your baby’s bottom (see Bambino Mio and Stegi Eco Nappies; although Stegi do not need folding, the waterproof is what keeps the nappy on). These dry the quickest but are the trickiest to use.

What all these systems have in common is the vital nappy liner. These are rectangles of paper, fleece or silk, which prevent the nappy from getting too “soiled”. You can flush the liner down the loo or you can even wash the fabric liners and reuse them. This brings us rather neatly to the crux of the matter.

the real issue
The horrified “but what do you do with the poo?” is normally the first question out of new mothers’ mouths. Initially, while your baby is only fed on breast milk or formula (up to the age of about six months, depending on your paediatrician’s recommendations), her poos will generally be liquid. As a result, this is the time when leaks are most problematic, regardless of whether you’re using cloth or disposable nappies. This leaky time also coincides with the time that your baby is super-tiny, making a perfect-fitting nappy a daily goal. It’s almost pointless using a nappy liner during this phase as they barely “catch” anything. But it’s easy to deal with the poo if you have a loo with a strong flush.

Hang onto the corner of the nappy, dangle the rest into the loo and flush. Squeeze out the nappy and chuck it into your nappy bucket, which can be dry or contain a sterilising solution. Strictly speaking, all poo should go into the sewerage system for treatment. Similarly, disposable nappies are meant to be rinsed before being thrown in to general household refuse (who knew?), otherwise they can end up contaminating ground water. If you don’t have an industrial strength flusher on your loo, skip this step and just sterilise your nappies – either by washing them at 60ºC or by soaking them in one of the traditional or eco-friendly products on the market, in which case a cold wash will suffice.

When your baby moves onto solids, her poos will become more substantial and the liner usually catches everything. Simply peel the liner off the nappy and flush it down the loo with its contents. The nappy that you’ll be left with will almost be clean. Toss this into your bucket ready for the next wash. Now you understand how to use cloth nappies, please have a look at three very good reasons why you might want to consider investing in them.

3 good reasons

your environment
According to the October 2008 Life Cycle Assessment Report, reusable nappies are up to 40 per cent better for the environment than disposable nappies. This study takes into account the manufacture, use and disposal of cloth and disposable nappies.

Bear in mind though that to maintain this low impact on the earth, cloth-nappy users need to wash full loads (or use the half-load button), at temperatures of not more than 60ºC, avoid tumble-drying (easy in sunny South Africa) and use energy-efficient A-rated appliances, which most new washing machines are.

Conservative calculations by the UK’s Environment Agency indicate that in two and a half years, from birth to potty training, a baby gets through 146.5 kilos of disposable nappies made from plastic and wood pulp. (The total weight of cloth nappies from birth through to potty training adds up to less than 10kg.) Since they’ve only been around for about 50 years, we can only guess at how long plastic nappies take to biodegrade – estimates range from 200 to 500 years.

If you’ve already committed to cloth nappies and don’t need any more persuasion, remember that environmentally-harmful bleach-based cleaning products are also a no-go if you’re on a green mission. Look for a biodegradable, natural product like Enchantrix’s Germ Buster, Bio Baba Nappy Soak or Mio Fresh.

your budget
It’s this simple: if your baby wore a cheap disposable, costing R1.50 per nappy, and wore an average of six nappies a day until the time you potty train her at the average age of two and a half, the calculation will look like this:

6 nappies x 365 days x 2.5 years = 5 475 nappies
5 475 nappies x R1.50 = R8 212.5 spent on disposable nappies per child.

The cheapest cloth-nappy system will cost you in the region of R2 500 (see Mother Nature nappies below). Even if you added an excessive R1 000 for the cost of water, electricity and washing powder, you’re still nowhere near the same expense. And, the clincher, if you think you might have another baby, you can slash this figure in half.

The main drawback is that you need to spend a lump sum up front. Most of the brands sell a trial pack so you can try them out before you make your final decision. Also bear in mind that if you go for a nappy system with different sizes, you will need to purchase another set in the bigger size as your baby grows. You need at least 15 nappies and three or four covers for each size. As a rule, the liners and covers of each brand are interchangeable so you could mix and match, depending on what suits you and your baby best.

your baby’s health
Disposable nappies were invented by a chemical engineer. And there are several question marks over the man-made chemicals that go into disposable nappies and their effects on your baby’s future health. Not least of these is the use of the super-absorbent gel called sodium polyacrylate, which has not been tested for long-term effects on reproductive organs from 24-hour exposure, and has been banned from use in tampons due to its link to toxic-shock syndrome.

According to a study in the Archives of Environmental Health, the chemicals xylene and ethylbenzene (both suspected endocrine, neuro and respiratory toxins); styrene (a suspected carcinogen and respiratory toxin); and isopropylene (a suspected neurotoxin) were all released from disposable nappies. The paper-bleaching process also creates the by-product dioxin – the most potent carcinogen known.

And then there’s the study conducted in 2000 by the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Kiel in Germany that shows that “the physiological testicular cooling mechanism is blunted and often completely abolished during plastic nappy use”, raising concern about baby boys’ future fertility.

Bambino Mio

If you want style: Bambino Mio

We loved the gorgeous fresh designs on these nappy covers. Just as well though, as it’s the cover that keeps this flat, prefold nappy on your baby. Yes, you need to fold these ones, which may require some patience and practise. 100% cotton nappies, Velcro fasteners and very soft-edged waterproofs complete the picture.

The nappies come in two sizes; the covers come in five sizes.
Price: R320 for a pack of eight nappies; R170 per cover; from Wellness Warehouse, Baby Boom and Baby City.

Or go to www.bambinomio.com to buy online.

Stegi Eco Nappies

If you’re socially-aware: Stegi Eco Nappies

The original South African cloth nappy, Stegi Eco Nappies are 100 per cent locally made, the company donates a percentage of its proceeds to the Starfish Foundation and donates its nappies to vulnerable children.

The pure cotton inner is basically a pad and can be tricky to place as there’s nothing to hold it in position except for the Velcro-fastening waterproof.

The nappies come in three sizes, the covers come in five sizes. Price: R400 for a six-pack of nappies; R88 per cover (approximately R6 250 for system from birth to potty); from Stegi Eco Nappy www.stegi.co.za and Wellness Warehouse.

Mother Nature Nappies

If you’re on a budget: Mother Nature Nappies

These proudly South African nappies mean big savings as one size fits from birth through to potty training. This does, however, make them quite bulky but not unmanageable.

Made from 100 per cent natural bamboo-cotton towelling, they’re more absorbent than cotton and the elasticised legs and waist ensure a good leak-proof fit. Good quality, strong plastic poppers fasten the nappy closed.

One-size-fits-all nappy; covers come in three sizes.
Price: R105 per nappy; R90 per cover;
from Mother Nature www.mothernatureproducts.co.za and Wellness Warehouse.

EasyPeasy Bimble

If your baby’s rash-prone: EasyPeasy Bimble

This one-size-fits-all nappy is seriously bulky but the unique selling point is the polyester fleece lining inside the nappy – it draws the wee away from the baby’s skin, keeping your baby’s bum drier than most other cloth nappies. We rate it as a night nappy.

It also has a neat pocket into which you can slip an additional booster pad. Good quality poppers. No waterproof for this one but we used the polyester Popolini wrap that was available on the website, which performed well.

One-size-fits-all nappy; Popolini waterproofs come in four sizes.
Price: R200 per nappy; R180 per Popolini waterproof;
from Natural Nappies www.naturalnappies.co.za

Flexitot

If you want cutting edge: Flexitot
Made from polyester, velour and microfibre, this is a high-tech reusable. Although the synthetic fibres may scare off some of the wholewheat mothers out there, you don’t get more absorbent than this.

Good fit, quick drying and a nifty detachable booster pad for night-time. Again, no particular waterproof recommended but we paired it with the Popolini, which worked well.

Flexitots come in two sizes (Popolinis come in four).

Price: R200 per nappy; R180 per Popolini waterproof;
from Natural Nappies www.naturalnappies.co.za

Bio Baba Super Slim

If you want convenience: Bio Baba Super Slim
These South African all-in-ones give you an unbleached cotton and ultra-absorbent hemp inner, waterproof outer and booster pad in one simple garment for just R160.

It was by far the easiest to use and was one of the nicest looking nappies. Although this product has been refined from its predecessors and is billed as the new streamlined version, it is still quite bulky.

Comes in two sizes.
Price: R160 for nappy including waterproof outer; from Bio Baba www.biobaba.co.za