To be surprised that washable nappies aren't that green - and haven't been for years?

[ScaredyDog]

Here

Yes it's the Daily Fail, but according to the article the green credentials of washable nappies were discounted by the Environment Agency in 2007.

Apparently there is "no significant difference between the environmental impacts of disposable, home use reusable and commercial laundry systems."

I'll be honest - it's always puzzled me how washable nappies could be considered to be friendlier to the environment because of the use of washing machines and chemicals to clean them.

Well I thought I was actually being generous with my estimates - a lot of the washes I would be doing whether I was bunging the nappies in or not.
Babies who wear either type of nappy can get nappy rash. DS has excema and is prone to rashes all over but the only time he has had it in the nappy area is on the rare occasion I've used wipes.
You seem fairly defensive about your decision to use disposables which is entirely up to you. Most people will disagree with you on here, though, that there is no difference in price.

I bought a pack of lovely birdseye cotton washables in the US but ended up using disposables as we were in an apartment with no washing machine/dryer, just a shared pair of machines for the whole building in the basement down two outside flights of stairs, and it was too much to carry heavy, wet buckets and hope there wasn't a queue.

I recommend birdseye over terry as it is extremely absorbent and very soft. And they last for years even as kitchen cloths.

Also Mila did you use disposable liners?

mila -my dd has very sensitive skin too.

tbh the last thing I would use is Ecover (vey expensive, and didn't do that great a job, imo)

I used Ecoballs, or soda crystals.

I had 16 nappies for dd1. total cost (then) of about £150. Even as a newborn she never used more than 10 a day - wash at night (usually with her other bits and bobs - muslins, clothes if leaked on - stuff that would have been washed anyway, iyswim), hang out (no tumbling here) on an airer in bathroom next to open window, bobs your uncle.

since dd1 was still in nappies when dd2 came along, I had to get some more. another 10 (pre-owned this time; a mix of small for dd2, and toddler+ for dd1). another £40 or so.

negligible detergent costs (ecoballs are a one-off outlay).

and once past the newborn bit, I was using more like 4 a day - so washed about every third day.

by your costing of 50p a load (really? I'm not sure it was this much, but haven't really researched this) that's about £1.50/week.

so, all in for £250 or so for the first year with dd1. and much reduced (obviously, ince I didn't have to buy nappies) for the following 2 years - washing costs estimated at £78/year, going by your figures.

then, another £40 when dd2 came along, for more nappies. and still running costs of £78/year.

overall (I did use reusable wipes - old bits of facecloth, old tea towels etc, so no extra cost), for the 5 years I had my 2 in nappies, costs were:

drum role........

£602.

for 5 years worth of real nappy use. add on a few extras, if you want - I am sure I must have used some detergent over that time, and maybe even the odd emergency tumble dry.

going by the current cost of disposables, I would have spent considerably more if I hadn't used cloth nappies.

and then the nappies were used by my SIL for 2.5 years, for DN - again, she uses ecoballs, so a running cost to her of £78/year.

and the nappies are back and awaiting dc3 here (or dc2 for SIL).

there is no way you can compare these totals to using disposables. no way at all.

I'm only defensive because I've tried both and for me there was no contest.I know others who have tried both and also came to the same conclusion particularly those that buy the cheaper nappies ie Lidl etc.

I think also there people like to pretend they're greener than they are,sorry if that offends but I think there is a lot of unmerited smuggery(if there is such a word).We should be trying to cut down the use of both types of nappies not pretending washables are good for the environment when they're not.

I don't think anyone is saying that washables are good for the planet, just that they are better for it if used sensibly.

There is no question that they are greener than disposables if you look at the recent research and the reasons mentioned above.
If you are saying the cost is the same for both including disposable liners then had you not used disposable liners cloth nappying would have been cheaper.
I think you are actually pretending they are less green/more expensive than they are for whatever reason. If it makes you happy to think that then feel free to continue.

Also I've never seen the point of disposable liners myself. They using terrys a lot more expensive and ALL the poo never stays in the liner anyway so if you're soaking the terry why not soak a liner as well?

Electricity/ detergent/ oil obviously the jury is still out on that one.

My son had excema,I tried everything,have to say it may not be perfect but environmentally and cleaning aside it's the only detergent I can use on ds's clothes(and mine).I periodically try other green detergents(in the hope of finding a cheaper one) but always come back.

Also how exactly do you cut down on the use of nappies? Implement a one child policy? Potty train kids at 6 months? Leave babies in soiled nappies? Genuine question btw.

Pumpkin my nappy days are thankfully over .

Pumpkin I think kids are left in nappies far too long these days.Kids often start school in them.Too many mums bleat about kids potty training when they're ready and said kids are then in nappies for years.

Yes it can be stressful but seriously I think mums just need to get on with it. All of mine were done at 2.In the old days there were none of these excuses,you just potty trained asap and kids survived undamaged. Said mums weren't using huge amounts of electricity or landfill whilst consuming mountains of nappies up to the age of 4(or more).

I don't think kids OFTEN start school in nappies. I trained DD at 2 as well - she is 3 now and NONE of her friends of the same age are still in nappies and she has a lot of friends. There will be the occasional child still in nappies at school but some of these kids might have sn. I can't imagine anyone thinking it is easier to change a 4 year olds soiled nappy than potty train them - particularly when schools won't often do it and it will necessitate the parent taking a trip to the school to change them.

whilst I agree with you in part, Mila, I don't think you are being entirely fair.

"kids often start school in them" - really? often (SN aside) children are in nappies when they go to school? I have never known one. at all.

if that were the case, then more schools woudl actually have the facilities and poicies in place to deal with those children with SN who are still in nappies when they start school. I know (form experience) that this is not the case.

whilst some parents may put off potty training for a while, there really aren't hoards of families still changing nappies for their 4 year olds (non-SN)

"All of mine were done at 2"

So were 2 of mine. Others around 2.5y in the day. Latest daytime was 3y4m, latest dry at night at almost 12 (no nappies to wash, just sheets)

Always possible you were lucky with all yours, milamae.

Some people are not.

x-posts Pumpkin.

Our local pre school is changing at least 5 a day of 3 year olds. With the new Sep intake there will be more in school in nappies. Sorry but I think 4 year olds in nappies(SEN aside is down to laziness)is not that uncommon and on the increase.

pre-school a different issue.

you said school.

and how many 4 year olds (with no SN) still in nappies do you know?

Either way getting kids out of nappies asap is better for the environment.

until a month ago i knew 1 canyoubehappy

he has potty trained in the past few weeks though, but at 4 years old he was in nappies and not potty trained at all (and no real attempts either)

I haven't read this whole thread, but I am not at all surprised. The washing of them alone is a huge carbon footprint.

Lots of things that people harp on about being 'green' aren't.

Take those 'green' boilers, for example. the inherent carbon (ie: carbon utilised in their manufacture and transportation) means they don't become 'green' until they've been in use a hundred years!

sure, it happens, nannyl.

but Mila was implying it was a regular, standard occurrence for children to start school still in nappies.

I don't think it is, on the whole (SN aside)

While it might be better to have a child out of nappies as soon as is possible (can't force them), I'm not sure what that has to do with cloth nappies not be more environmentally friendly than disposables.

I know a fair few actually.

Mila I can honestly say it's a lot less hassle now that dd can take herself to the toilet then when I had to change her so why would parents hold off toilet training through laziness? If the child is ready they are generally eager to do things for themselves.
And unless you have statistics to back you up I don't know how you can say it is a regular thing.
Saying it's down to laziness is just going to pee off parents who's kids were ready later.