About Baby Illnesses

Cloth diapers (also known as reusable nappies, washable nappies and cloth nappies) are much easier to use than you think. Here are some common questions asked by parents about using cloth diapers.

What do I do at changing time?

If the diaper is wet, all you need to do is take it off, throw the liner away (if disposable) and place the diaper with the reusable liner in your diaper bucket instead of in the bin.

If the diaper is dirty, the poo can be thrown away down the loo (far more hygienic than putting it in the dustbin) and the diaper placed in the bucket.

Liquid poo can be washed off by holding the diaper under the flush of the toilet before being dealt with in your normal way.

Are they hard to put on?

No, not at all.  Shaped diapers or all-in-ones are the easiest to use and require no folding - simply put them on just as you would a disposable.Flat or terry diapers do have to be folded but the amazing Nappi Nippa means that you don’t have to use a pin.

Will the house smell?

Only if you leave loads of dirty diapers hanging around for days.  Just think of how your bin smells with a couple day’s worth of dirty disposables in it, with real diapers, the poo is flushed down the loo straight away, so you won’t suffer from this problem.If you wish, you can put one or two drops of essential oil on a cloth that you keep on the top of the bucket.

Will I have to do lots of washing?

All families have lots of clothes to wash, so to add in a few diapers isn’t really that much extra work.When you are ready to do a normal wash, just take the diapers out of the bucket and put them in the washing machine, it couldn't be easier.

Putting diapers into a modern washing machine with its fast spin is a far cry from putting them through the twin tub and mangle that your mother may have had.

Diapers are washed at 60c and some people even use 40c with the odd hot wash to keep the stains at bay.

The best way to dry diapers is on the line with the rest of your clothes (or on a radiator during the winter) but I do fluff them by placing them in the tumble dryer for 10 mins with the bath towels after taking them off the clothes line.

Will I get dirty putting them in my washing machine?

No.  The poo will have been disposed of, so you are only dealing with a little wee.  If you wet pail (see below) you can use a mesh bag to store the diapers in, so you just need to pick that up and put it in the machine.Dry pailing is even easier to do.

What is ‘pailing’?

Which means, storing used diapers in a bucket.  Wet pailing involves putting the diapers into a solution of water and diaper soak or similar or just plain water.

Dry pailing is very simple - just drop the used diaper into the bucket and replace the lid.

Won’t all the washing powders damage the environment?

Yes and no. Yes to the extent that all detergents cause some damage (this can be reduced by using non-bio or eco-friendly products) but no to the extent that this is still much better than using disposable diapers.

Will I have to change more diapers?

Not really.  Guidelines state that you should change your baby’s diaper every 4 hours during the day (more often for new borns), so this remains the same.

Won’t my baby get diaper rash?

Rashes are caused by bacteria in the poo reacting to the ammonia in wee.The best way to prevent diaper rash is to change frequently (every 4 hours or so) and let fresh air access the diaper area.

The lock away moisture core in disposable diapers makes parents change less often and their very design stops air from circulating.Most real diapers are breathable, allowing air to circulate, resulting in a healthier butt.

What if I go out?

Many parents use real diapers even when they go out and just take a slightly larger bag with them. Others have eco-disposables to use for day trips or when they go away.

What about overnight?

Again, some parents use eco-disposables overnight or add a booster pad to the cloth diaper.

Are the leaky?

Not if they fit well.A well fitting cloth diaper with a wrap if appropriate is no more likely to leak than a disposable.We recommend that you try out a few sample kits to ensure you buy the best diaper for your baby.

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