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Changing a nappy

By Giulia Draycott

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Choosing a reusable nappy

If you've decided against using disposable nappies for environmental or cost reasons, you'll find an even bigger and more bewildering range of cloth nappies available.

To confuse you even further, they also sometimes referred to washable or reusable nappies, real nappies, cotton nappies etc. Essentially there are two main choices of nappy and liner available:

Two-part nappies

• Most nappies are in two parts - an absorbent nappy and a breathable, waterproof cover known as a wrap
• Two-part nappies can be flat (like old fashioned terry-towelling nappies) or shaped with elastic at the legs for a snugger fit
• Outer wraps are available in wealth of bright and funky designs
• Nappies can be used with (or come with) a variety of fixings to get a snug fit, such as poppers, Velcro or plastic grips.

All-in-one nappies

• You can also choose an all-in-one nappy with an integral waterproof wrap
• These are shaped to fit your baby (more like a disposable)
• Most designs fasten with either Velcro or poppers
• However all-in-one nappies take longer to dry and are more expensive than other nappy types.

Liners

• Both two-part and all-in-one nappies should be used in conjunction with an inner liner
• Two types of liner are available: washable or a biodegradable, flushable liner
• Washable fleece liners feel soft next to the skin and dry very quickly
• They also act as a one way barrier, to keep your baby's skin drier
• Flushable paper liners have the advantage that they can simply be flushed down the toilet, so you needn't deal with washing out the poo
• A booster pad can also be used either inside the nappy, or between the nappy and the wrap, to soak up wee-useful at night time or for an older baby.
• Reusable nappies should be washed at 60ºC
• Waterproof wraps should be washed separately, following the manufacturer's instructions
• If you simply can't face the extra laundry load every day, local nappy laundries are also available offering weekly services that collect used nappies and provide a freshly laundered supply
• Many reusable nappy providers offer a nappy system trial pack, so you can see whether reusable nappies works for you, before investing in a full range of nappies
• Once you're confident that you'll be using reusable nappies, you can then buy a 'birth to potty' pack with all the different sizes of nappies and wraps to take your baby up to toddlerhood.

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