Cloth nappies & environment
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Product Reviews
Forum Name: Cloth Nappy Discussion
Forum Description: Are you new to cloth nappies? Looking for washing tips? Want to rave about a great new nappy you've tried? By popular request a board especially for all our cloth Mums!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31517
Printed Date: 29 July 2025 at 10:03am
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Topic: Cloth nappies & environment
Posted By: squoggs
Subject: Cloth nappies & environment
Date Posted: 09 February 2010 at 2:15pm
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Hi,
I (and I know this is quite controversial, so please bear with my opinions!) hate the idea of disposables taking up to 100 years to break down, I keep thinking about how they will out survive the wearer, and that there must be a huge problems in landfills etc. My husband just thinks Im a hippy, but i am really concerned. I'm looking to hear what those of you who are staunch cloth nappy supporters for environmental reasons have done in situations where sposies would be easier - for example when traveling and the first few days after birth (in a maternity unit). I plan to use cloth nappies from the start, but realise the first few days I may be forced into using disposables...what did you do? Also, has anyone used the 'eco' disposables? Or tried composting at home? Hope that makes sense! Thanks in advance :-) ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 09 February 2010 at 2:30pm
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i used cloth at auckland hospital after i had my first. it was great. i just put the dirty nappies in the laundry bag and it was someone elses job to clean them. They were the hospital nappies of course and i had to ask what to do with them. we had quite a discussion one day in the hospital with various nurses who couldnt remember how to fold a flat nappy. I did use some of my own as well tho and my husband took them home and washed them for me... no hassle whatsoever.
Once when my 2nd child was a baby we went away and i took disposables and it was horrible , they leaked and smelt and i really regretted it. This xmas we went away and i took my cloth for my daughter and it was fine. i had to wash our clothes anyway so it was no hassle adding in nappies. The only time i wished i had a disposable was the day we travelled down and she did a yucky pooh and i was stupdily unprepared with no wet bag or anything handy... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 09 February 2010 at 4:08pm
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I hated the idea of my baby's first contribution to the world being a few tonnes of waste in a landfill, not to mention the cute factor and the cost advantages of cloth.
I planned to use cloth from birth, but when our homr birth turned into a transfer to hospital in mid-labour I never thought to pack any. So we used hospital disposables for the 24 hours we were in hospital and changed back to cloth when we got home. I haven't been away yet, but I use cloth when out and about too, just take a wetbag. The only thing I would add is I recommend using prefolds or similar on a wee bub because most of the small sized nappies were too big for my girl to begin with. She was also too small for the small covers so next time I'll get a couple of newborn ones. She was 3.5 kg at birth but lost weight in the first week. Ittis and the like fitted properly from about a month old. By the way, I'm a scientist by trade, and far from a hippy, but I did my research and decided on cloth nappies, breastfeeding and homebirthing! I've also recently become a baby wearer to get my girl to sleep in the days. So it's not all "hippies" that do these things  ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: rachelsea
Date Posted: 09 February 2010 at 4:10pm
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You'll be fine to use cloth straight away! I didn't because I was told you have to take disposables to the hospital (didn't realise they had flats there, duh! turns out they meant "if you don't want to use flats" you have to take disposables to the hospital). We'd been given quite a few packets of disposables too so we used those till DD was 3weeks old and she's been in cloth since then.
When we have our next baby I would like to never use a disposable on him/her so will use the hospital ones while there and then our own ones straight away at home 
Oh and we went camping this summer and also took the cloth nappies. Just put our clothes and the nappies in the wash together and dried them from a rope tied between the tent and a tree. No problems! ------------- DD 4yrs DS 2yrs http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 09 February 2010 at 9:03pm
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I fully intended to use Cloth from the moment Cooper was born, I was quite surprised when I had him that PN hospital used disposables!!
Cloth nappys are much better cause apart from the breaking down of the plastic, you actually dispose of the poo correctly. Mostly for traveling I just use cloth, never crossed my mind to not. Except where I know I will not be able to wash the next day. We are going to Oz in Sept, I am 95% sure that I will be using cloth the whole time. We will have access to a washing machine. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: gypsynita
Date Posted: 09 February 2010 at 9:21pm
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same here - used them from birth (well 3 days old) and when travelling. When travelling my only concern was having enough to survive a 12 hour flight and then the time it would take before we could get to a machine, but that worked out fine... and then with the newborn thing all i would say is maybe look into the likes of swaddlebees, who have a little fold down bit in front to allow for the umbilical peg before it falls off. ------------- Anita Mum to Cian (Aug 08), Josh (Jun 10) http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Mamma2N
Date Posted: 09 February 2010 at 10:36pm
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I always intended to use cloth from birth - well I never got my act together so actually started when she was 2 weeks old parttime and fulltime from about 6weeks.
Something that has always amazed me is many peoples' insistance on using sposies in the first month or two - because ''it's far too hard to use cloth''  I figure our mother's did and grandmothers and they certainly had a much harder deal than we do (MCNs are fab!) With any subsequent children we will use from birth.
DD hasn't been in a sposie since we went fulltime and we have travelled lots throughout the country - generally Chch to Northland. I just can't bear to waste the $$ on sposies and also think of all that crap going into the landfill. The only time she will definetly be going into sposies is when we travel back to Europe in 6mths. I'm really dreading it and wish we could do cloth but it's simply not convenient. I wouldn't class myself as a hippy either - going cloth is just a good decision all round I think. You save a crapload of $$, it's better for bubs and the environment! Way to go you for considering cloth. Just give him the figures - That was what got my DH, he loves that we're saving $$$
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Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 12:42pm
I found using cloth from day 1 fine too. I actually think it would be easier than switching at 6 weeks or whatever, because right from the start, washing nappies every couple of days has just become part of my routine. By 6 weeks (and still now at 7 weeks) I'm absolutely exhausted, and think I'd struggle to be adding to my routine and figuring out new nappies. As it is, they are just second nature to me and no added stress at all. In fact, they are so cute, I love choosing which nappy she's going to wear next 
Just wanted to add too, that I move in circles with pretty highly educated people, and every new baby I've visited recently has been wearing cloth so its definitely not just a hippy thing ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 1:03pm
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I've found that it's often highly educated people who use cloth. They tend to research everything well and cand 'afford' the high outlay.
I worked out that even if you 'couldn't' afford the outlay buying a cloth nappy or 2 a week to use part time wouldn't cost that much more than just using sposies. I've had a few people say to me I'm just going to save up a bit more then buy some. DD has been in cloth since about 2-3 weeks next bubs we will put in full time since we know which type of cloth I like now and will have full sets of them We travel heaps and I just take enough cloth with me to last a day and a bit and wash everyday instead of every second like I do at home. Any dirty naps get washed before we leave and left on the clothes horse which means they are clean and dry to come home to. It just means you have a bit more luggage.
Good luck with everything ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 1:33pm
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Hehe, my initial outlay was $38 on TM for a full set of prefolds and covers. Now that I'm after a full set of itti's, it's going to be a little bit more ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: noisybaby
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 2:08pm
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We have occasionally used the Moltex Eco disposable nappies and they are great. They only take a couple of weeks to break down and aren't plastic. A bit more expensive but we only used them as a back up. We use cloth 99% of the time. We had to use Huggies for the first month or so when DD was born as we had already bought a full set of Baby Cheeks and she was too small in the waist to use them but as soon as she was big enough she was in them.
------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: squoggs
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 2:55pm
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Thanks everyone, you have been really helpful :-) Glad I'm not the only one out there with these thoughts!
Mamma2N - completely agree with you - hate hearing 'its too hard', grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I have been given 12 fuzzibunz, and bought 18 flats, so hopefully covered. But have heard that the maternity centre automatically chuck them in sposies, so might be prepared with a pack of moltex ones, just in case, and can send them home with hubby to add to the compost. Noisybaby, did you compost yours? If so, how? I was thinking of shredding them to make it easier, Dh is now concerned with them blocking up our compost bin...I can't win! Im thinking I might get away with using moltex for the first few nights if im forced to use sposies, and cloth during the day - send them home with hubby to wash. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 3:48pm
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No one can force you to use disposables! It's your baby, after all. The birth centre may only provide disposables, but if you provide cloth and take them home for washing, they aren't going to stop you using them. Just take a wetbag to put them in. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Hopes
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 4:03pm
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Chiming in with my two cents - I'm by no means a hippy (probably the furtherest thing from it!) and I think I'll use cloth nappies. They seem to make a lot of sense for a few different reasons. I'll be interested to know how I go with keeping up with the washing (don't seem to manage it when there's just the two of us!) but I think I'll give it a shot.
I'm also totally planning on getting a sling too - my SIL had one, and it looked great. -------------   
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Posted By: gypsynita
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 4:25pm
same!! this really bugs me!! actually, i've had a few friends who have been really keen to use cloth "after the first few weeks" but then never got around to switching. i think it's far easier to pick what you want to use and just go with it. on the cost thing - we worked out we'd paid off our stash by the time Cian hit 6 months and that's what talked my DH around. Now he tells all new expecting fathers he meets that cloth is the way to go!! lol 
sounds like you're pretty well set up though. If you're worried about what they'll do at the hospital I'd just get your DH to have a word at the time - you'll find most people are pretty accommodating once they realise how easy it is. ------------- Anita Mum to Cian (Aug 08), Josh (Jun 10) http://lilypie.com">
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Mamma2N wrote:Posted By: squoggs
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 4:42pm
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thanks, and the other thing I meant to ask was what exactly is a 'wet bag', is that just a bag for the dirties? Is it something I can buy or make? I was sort of thinking about using a large snap-lock bag when we travel, and just washing it until it falls apart, then recycling it (don't want to be a hypocrite and throw out a plastic bag!). ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 5:12pm
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Yep, its a bag for the dirties. I've got a reusable, washable one made of the same stuff (PUL) as some of the nappies. I just chuck it in the wash with them. Have a look on trademe or lots of the nappy retailers sell them too. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: squoggs
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 5:39pm
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hmmm..the fuzzibunz came in a kind of squishy, plasticy looking bag, but wasn't sure this would be waterproof enough to hold wet nappies. Does this PUL stuff contain the nasties long enough if you are traveling? Obviously I would be using liners too
I also got given a smaller version of this bag, and wondered what is was for! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: rachelsea
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 6:45pm
Oh good point re the wet bag. I used to have one but it's completely disappeared off the face of the earth  but I do have some PUL so will just make my own one!
And yup a PUL bag should definitely hold wet nappies for quite a while ------------- DD 4yrs DS 2yrs http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 7:29pm
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I started out using flat nappies & when we started to get dairy poo-splosions & I asked DH if we could get MCN's rather than the sposies, his reaction was quite interesting. He was not into it at all UNTIL I said about how much I wouldn't spend....money definitely talks! ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: noisybaby
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 9:39pm
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Nah sorry we didnt compost them but can't see why you couldn't shred them or just cut them up with scissors. It does say on the packet you can compost them(i think) It amazes me that other hospitals have sposies for newborns. At Queen Mary in Dunedin we had flats. You could take your own sposies with you but why would you waste your own money when they supply and clean the flats for you. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: noisybaby
Date Posted: 10 February 2010 at 9:40pm
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Oh yeah and Trade Me have the Moltex nappies in bulk on there for not too bad a price ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Emmecat
Date Posted: 16 February 2010 at 9:55pm
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You're flash Rachel...I just use a plastic bag lol We have about 400 nappies ha just kidding about 50 incl the ones Clodagh's outgrown and they're awesome! Very very occasionall we use eco disposables but its pretty rare. Cloth is no bother. the hardest thing is finding which ones best suit your bubba. When I was pg I just bought heaps of differnet kinds off TM and we went from there! -------------   http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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It's all trial and error.Posted By: rachelsea
Date Posted: 17 February 2010 at 9:52pm
Haha Emmecat, I've been using plastic bags too but now I have my homemade PUL bag I use that hehehe  ------------- DD 4yrs DS 2yrs http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: jano1
Date Posted: 20 February 2010 at 9:40am
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We used moltex from birth to 6 weeks as I bought a bunch on TM at a great price, I didn't compost them but know someone that tried and they didn't break down. I think shredding them would be a good idea. We use cloth during the day but have had to go back to sposies overnight as Ava has had 2 bouts of very serious nappy rash (2 weeks antibiotics and quite bad scars). I am hoping to go back to cloth overnight but 12 hours is a long time for her sensitive bum in a wet nappy.
I can't see any reason you wouldn't want to start with cloth from birth, it's good to try a few different brands before buying a set so you can see what style suits your bubs. Oh and I too am a scientist but also a greenie and am so happy when my friends choose to use cloth! |
Posted By: myonlineself
Date Posted: 22 February 2010 at 5:44pm
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We used disposables in hospital (I didn't even think about cloth in hospital and to be fair I was useless at trying to fold a flat), from the first day we got home we used prefolds and covers. I'd also been told that should wait at least a month cause its too hard using cloth during that time, but I didn't want to in case I got to used to disposables, and also DH was home in the initial period and he washed lots of nappies!
I got lots of bits and pieces of trademe, but would highly recommend prefolds and covers for the first maybe 6-8 weeks... I'm looking to 'upgrade' now to some more exciting ones. I have a couple of peapod pockets that I actually really like although they aren't all that popular. I also have Kushies fitted which I don't like ... anyway - upshot is MCNs are becoming very popular and more and more people are using them, lets face it they are super cute, and there is no reason not to go with them from the start - just don't buy too many of one type until you figure out what you like, and I do recommend prefolds and covers when baby is really little as others don't fit so well! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 25 February 2010 at 6:54pm
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My only thing with cloth is when travelling back to nz I won't be using as they would take up half the suitcase...so sorry environment but you lose out then (lose out anyway since am travelling on a plane....) ------------- 
 Oct 11
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Posted By: Gracie22
Date Posted: 03 March 2010 at 1:43pm
I was really lucky I was given some Real Nappies cloth nappies at Waitakere Hospital! Yay! So as soon as my son was born he got put in them, then I was given some when we left too. I really liked them so we've been lucky and actually have never used a disposable! Go for it your be a nappy nerd like me before you know it! Lol! 
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Posted By: lisame
Date Posted: 19 March 2010 at 3:57pm
| I'm curious - what are all of you who are using the Moltex nappies, but not composting them, doing with them instead? |