To wonder why more people don't use reusable nappies?

[GinGeum]

I know this will be controversial and I know there will always be some circumstances when they are not suitable, but since becoming a parent, I've not come across a single other parent using reusable nappies.

Everyone I know has also said they were never mentioned to them at all by antenatal classes/midwife/anyone. In the hospital, none of the staff we encountered had any idea what our baby was wearing.

Surely now we are all thinking about reducing plastic, disposable nappies should be fairly high on the list of things to cut down on? Programmes like the war on plastic on BBC barely mentioned disposable nappies. Even switching to reusable wipes would make a huge difference.

AIBU to wonder why reusable nappies aren't promoted more?

[OrangeSwoosh]

For us it was cost. We couldn't afford the £200+ starter kit never mind the additional extras

[Lucafritz]

Baffles me too OP im on a low income so have chosen washable nappies as the cost difference alone is astronomical! I worked out my model of washer costs 15p per wash to run yet a disposable nappy costs 15p per nappy yes the initial outlay seems expensive but there are grants and things to help with the cost to encourage people to use them

[OpportunityKnocks]

Initial costs are quite high and then you might end up with a brand that leaks

A very reluctant husband

Bit scared of getting them washed

We have changed to reuseable wipes though and haven't looked back

[CoughSplutter]

Because I don’t want poo in my washing machine.

[Lucafritz]

But you wash your underwear in a washing machine

[user1473878824]

Genuinely don’t mean this in a goady way, I just don’t really get it. Without being a poo troll, how do the work? I’m hoping we will start trying for a baby next year and I would love to be more conscious about plastics but... if a baby has shit in a reusable nappy... you just put it in the washing machine?

[AmIThough]

@Lucafritz how often do you have explosive poo in your underwear?

[user1473878824]

@Lucafritz tbf none of our family regularly shits themselves so?

[ScotsinOz]

9 years ago they weren’t as common, they weren’t particularly reliable and with twins - I had enough to do already! I’ve never heard of reusuable wipes either (surely it’s just a soft cloth with a higher price tag?).

If you want to use them great - but it’s not particularly controversial.

[bouncingraindrops]

But you wash your underwear in a washing machine

I don't shit in my underwear.

HTH.

[Lucafritz]

Baby poo is the same as pee untill they are fed solids so it just washes away with the pee you also take the solids out and flush them down the loo before washing the nappy you don't just throw the whole lot in the machine. You can also get liners for them which can be flushed with the poo so the poo doesn't actually get on the nappy
There's nappy libraries to try out brands and types before you buy a lot of them all at once too
Fyi your underwear will contain way more feces particles you just don't see them

[gonewiththerain]

I tried them but thankfully didn’t buy many as they just leak. In fairness all disposable nappies except Lidl’s leak.
I think if people could try them before buying it would encourage more people to use them, not sure how that could be achieved though.

[HalleLouja]

You put a liner in and the poo gets flushed down the toilet. So not really any poo in the washing machine.

We got loads of second hand nappies. So that reduced the money outlay and mixed with disposables.

[PriestessModwena]

Obviously the country goes through different phases. When DC1 was born, BF wasn't a thing, I knew I really waI nted to do it, even MW were shocked.

Then after 2010 everyone wanted to do it the old fashioned way.

I was puzzled as people going mad on cloth nappies, slings & BF etc, usually had 2 kids or more, that had none of that & weren't worse off. There was a couple of friends in particular, they had pretty much every brand, you did get a grant towards them, it became a bit like the pushchair obsession some mothers get.

For me, even though I'm way past it, if I did use cloth nappies they would be plain. The most basic & eco friendly. I think I would end up using disposables too though. For me the cloth nappies would be functional over pretty. Although some I've seen are pretty awesome.

I'm always intrigued what the next fashionable baby thing there'll be.

[Greeborising]

Oh for goodness sake!
People are reluctant to use reusable nappies because it’s so much easier to use disposable ones!
Who on earth wants to wash/launder a shitty nappy ?

[bouncingraindrops]

Baby poo is the same as pee untill they are fed solids

It's definitely not the same.

[Toneitdown]

I think it's the lack of awareness/education on them. I use resuables and I'm so glad I do, it's saved me an absolute shed load of money as well as being good for he environment, and it's much kinder on sensitive skin which is an issue for our baby. I find them really easy to use and would never go back to disposables.

But I found the process very daunting initially - I didn't know many other people who used them, I'd heard negative things about them such as they are a nightmare to wash and are more likely to leak (all of which turned out to be untrue) and learning how to wash them properly was tricky too. I had to do lots of research into all of this before we started. That, coupled with the big initial cost, is surely enough to put a lot of people off. They are only cheaper if you stick with them!

I think if they were normalised and there was more information readily available then more people would do it.

[PriestessModwena]

If I think about it seriously, having a new born, having a cloth nappy with all its components, plus having to wash, it seems like a lot of added pressure. Especially if your BF too.

[Sobeyondthehills]

Because we couldn't afford the initial outlay

[WishingILivedOnAnIsland]

Who on earth wants to wash/launder a shitty nappy ?

Umm... someone who wants their children to inherit a planet that hasn't been destroyed by landfill?

Cloth nappies are a lot more economical overall and not nearly as much hassle as people here are making out.

There's no poo in my washing machine. I don't have to handle poo either. If you google it you will find incredibly simple and hygienic methods of washing nappies.

I find them far more convenient because we never run out, no need to store boxes of nappies or cart them home from the shops, they look cuter, they've never leaked (only ever had problems with disposables doing that). It's a couple more loads of washing a week, which I honestly don't notice in amongst all the extra work that comes with a baby in general.

I think if you're going to have children you need to take some responsibility for the planet you're leaving behind for them. Really annoys me when people use 'I'm a busy mum!' as an excuse to leave protecting the environment to others.

[gracepoolesrum]

Reusables just aren't as good as disposables. I use both and reusables often leak after less than 2 hours. Disposables need much less frequent changes. I can't use my reusables overnight or if we're out of the house. Very disappointed considering the expense.

[Ginandgingers92]

I think and can clearly see a squeamishness about the poo side of things, but if people actually gave them a go, they would see that it's not a case of putting multiple logs in the washing machine and hoping for the best 😂
Cost wise, yes some brands are expensive but they're not all! I got my whole stash for about £50; 30 odd nappies. I genuinely love them and wish more people would give them a go! Plus.... they're so damn pretty!!

[RangerLady]

Because people are squeamish and don't care about the environment enough to cause themselves about an hours extra work a week (in switching on their modern washing machine and hanging laundry). The fact disposables will be in landfill 500 plus years leaching toxic chemicals is WAY less important than someone's convenience obv.
(I do use cloth nappies and so do many of my friends)

[Ginandgingers92]

@RangerLady 🙌🏼
The fact that the 'disposable' nappies used on our parents as a child are still in tact in landfill sites makes my skin crawl.

Fun fact: using just one cloth a day for the duration of your child's nappy life saves around 1000 going to landfill! 👌🏼

[Misty999]

Disposable Nappies are recycled where i live we put them in a big bag and they r collected once a week. So the technology must be available to recycle them ?

As to not using reusable it's a bit grim, I don't have the time, my child has cmpa so lots of poops. I also found the early months so difficult reusable nappies would have pushed me over the edge. I'm not sure about 15p per disposable nappy either it's about a fiver for 78 nappies in Aldi.