Cloth Nappies aka Real Nappies

My baby's bum is bigger than yours

I don't pretend to be an eco warrior, but at some point during my pregnancy with Lil T, I became obsessed with cloth nappies or 'real nappies' as we, the converted, like to call them. I shared my thoughts on nappies with everyone around me and sought advice, but no one I knew had any experience with cloth. To be honest, most people looked at me as though I was slightly deranged and were convinced that I would fail in my cloth endeavour.

I researched all the different systems (prefold, all-in-one, pocket, fitted with wrap, etc.), the different fabrics (bamboo, cotton, synthetic) and all of the pros and cons of each. I just knew that cloth was going to be better for Lil T's bum, the environment and my purse. There were plenty of write-ups that calculated both the environmental and economic benefits, which gave me confidence in my choice. And it just made sense to use natural fabrics on a baby bottom – no surprise that I opted for a mixture of bamboo and cotton nappies.

When Lil T was born, she was tiny, for cloth nappies anyway, so I waited a couple of months until she had gained a bit of weight. I knew I couldn't wait much longer than that or I would never get started. Honestly, it was a bit daunting in the beginning, but now it has become second nature.

Yes, I have to do loads of laundry. Yes, I have to deal with dirty nappies. Yes, Lil T's bum is bigger than most of her contemporaries'.

But... There are no chemicals on Lil T's bum. Lil T has not suffered from nappy rash. We don't fill bins (and land fill) with nappies. We don't run out of nappies and have to run to the shop. We don't even use disposable wipes. (I made my own from old towels and they go in the washing machine with the nappies.)

Overall, I would recommend cloth to anyone! If you are interested and have any questions, let me know, because I would love for more people to get involved.

Nappy wash day in the Bishop household