Reusable Wipes & Nappies - A Game Changer!

Reusable nappies, once the norm, are now back in fashion, as are reusable wipes!

The topic of reusable nappies and wipes can be a contentious topic in the online parenting community - there tends to be two very distinct groups of parents. The first group tends to be uncomfortable with the idea and have hygiene concerns, and the second group absolutely raves about reusables! A few parents are on the fence and use both reusable and disposable baby wipes and nappies, for various reasons, but on the whole it seems that reusables are becoming more and more popular.

Here’s a look at why parents are increasingly ditching disposables…

Environmental Reasons

Every disposable nappy you use goes to land fill. Think; how long does each individual nappy take to decompose? ABOUT 500 YEARS.

Yup. 500 years. Your baby will go through 2500-3000 nappies in their first year, so they’re potty trained by, let’s say 3 as an arbitrary average, you’re looking at a whopping near 10,000 nappies sitting rotting and seeping nasty chemicals into the ground for 500 years, polluting the earth.

Bleurgh.

There are approximately 321 million toddlers around the age of 2 and a half on the planet at any one given time; so if, let’s say, half of these toddlers use disposable nappies (the other half being in the developing world), with an average of 4.2 nappy changes a day, we are talking 3000 tonnes of waste A DAY, 3000 tonnes that will take 500 years to decompose, on a planet where we are rapidly running out of space – that’s not even mentioning all the poopy disposable wipes that don’t break down easily, and all the other sources of pollution.

Conversely, water and electricity use is another issue, as reusables need to be washed! However, the huge benefit of ceasing to dump thousands of tonnes of stinky nappies that will take 500 years to decompose arguably mitigates this, and the pros outweigh the cons. It’s not a perfect solution, but better than the current situation, right? What do you think?

Financial Reasons

A no brainer, really. Reusables may seem expensive at first, true. However, when you look at the cost of a pack of nappies, and multiply it until your wee one is fully toilet trained… how much have you actually saved? Think of all the clothes, toys, and wine you could buy!

On the flip side, you should expect to see an increase in water and electricity costs – however, it costs pennies to do an extra wash here and there, and if you make sure you’re on the best energy tariff, you’ll be quids in!

Health benefits

I’ve lost count of how many stories in the media and posts on Facebook I’ve seen from parents warning others about nappies that have caused chemical burns or allergic reactions on their wee one’s poor little bum. Pretty much every brand out there has had an ‘incident’ attached to its name. The same can be said for baby wipes. Granted, these incidents aren’t that common, but when they do happen, they’re worrisome.

Reusable alternatives remove this risk, as long as you use detergent that suits your baby’s skin.

Overall…

Environmentally and financially, going reusable is a game changer. It’s a really good opportunity to save pennies and play your part in saving the planet, so what do you have to lose?! Even if you don’t find it suits you, it’s worth a try.

I’m currently making the swap with my Max, and I’ll definitely be jumping straight into reusable wipes and nappies when I’m lucky enough to have baby number 2 in my arms!

Do you love cloth bums, or are you not a fan? Tell me your thoughts in the comments!

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