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Environmentally friendly cloth nappies are a great way of protecting the environment, your baby's bum and your bank balance but can be a bit daunting! Don't know where to start? Here are some handy tips to get you on your way.
Environmentally friendly nappies
First of all you'll need the most important thing involving using cloth nappies - cloth nappies! There are so many different types to choose from so take your time trying a few and working out what works for you. Read up on different kinds of nappy - from the good old terry cloth nappies to super modern all-in-ones and everything in between. Using a Nappy Library so you can try before you buy is a great place to start.
Reusable nappy liners
Some parents prefer to use nappy liners to prevent too much solids going onto the nappy. These can either be disposable or reusable. Disposable nappy liners can be put in the bin and still create a lot less waste than disposable nappies! Reusable nappy liners are usually made from microfleece which has the added benefit of drawing moisture away from baby's skin. Little Fern nappies are made with an inbuilt microfleece lining which means nappy liners are purely optional!
Storing your cloth nappies
One of the lovely things about modern cloth nappies is that they are so gorgeous they don't need to be hidden away! Many parents who use cloth store the nappies on a bookshelf or even a repurposed CD rack so they can be displayed as a feature in their babies' bedrooms, with some even organising them by colour or pattern.
Used nappies can be stored in a clean bucket or basket ready to be washed.
Using wipes
Like it or not, nappy changing can be a messy business! Why not go the whole hog and use washable wipes as well? They can be washed along with your nappies and are so much more effective than disposable ones.
Washing your cloth nappies
Most households will have a washing machine which is already used pretty regularly! As long as your machine has a long wash cycle it can be used to wash nappies. If you are worried about waste in your machine you can always rinse nappies thoroughly in a bucket under the shower or tap before washing. It is important to remember that modern cloth nappies are damaged by soaking so that's one icky job to take off the list!
Choosing the right washing powder
Washing liquid or liquitabs are not recommended to wash nappies so make sure you have plenty of old-school powder at the ready. You can put the powder in the dispenser drawer or even directly on the nappies in the drum, it's up to you.
And that's it!