Recommendations for biodegradable nappies?

[Newtoallthis20]

I'm expecting my first baby soon and am wondering if anyone has recommendations for biodegradable nappies? We'll be in the middle of building work when baby comes so washing machine might be out of action and so cloth nappies are a no at least for first few months!
Interested in thoughts on which ones people have found work well and advice on whether to buy a selection of types to try or just go for a bulk lot of one type (likely cheaper) Thanks in advance!

@Newtoallthis20 think we are going to go for reusable nappies and give Little Lamb a go. This is my first though so no previous experience!

So I have looked into this a lot as feeling very guilty that I'm not planning on using reusable nappies (well, at least not right away - didn't want to put too much pressure on myself when things are difficult enough with a newborn). But I'm a person who likes to reuse and recycle as much as I can so I thought well biodegradable is the answer then! Unfortunately, it isn't.

Many companies claim to make biodegradable nappies but they aren't. I will try to find the link but I had read that, unless you have a compost heat or other facility, they will not break down in a wheelie bin unfortunately .

I think some nappies are more eco friendly (eg use less plastic etc) but essentially you may be paying more for something that will still take as long to break down as normal nappies.

Something to think about! I really wish someone would come up with a truly biodegradable version...

@mintgreenlife I'd love to do the same but sadly not realistic in my circumstances, I'm worried enough about getting clothes washed (and staying sane)! Good luck though and would be interested in hearing your experience for when we do have proper washing facilities 😀

I always think most biodegradable stuff is green washing. These nappies will be going to landfill probably in biodegradable nappy bags. Where it’ll struggle to break down. I get it sounds better but in the absence of industrial composting of these things there’s little point.

OK can't find the exact article I read previously but this Which? article says the same thing. If you Google it, you'll find lots of articles and research on seemingly biodegradable nappies.

www.which.co.uk/news/2021/02/why-biodegradable-nappies-might-not-be-as-eco-friendly-as-you-think/

There isn't really such a thing as Biodegradable nappies.

@Wanderlust20 @Woeismethischristmas Yep I was also wondering if it was worth it, so really interesting to hear your views. Did you go for normal nappies then or is it worth going for the more eco-friendly ones at least for their use of materials/no nasties etc as at least better to some extent? The cost is a concern though too.

@Newtoallthis20 haha I might end up having an absolute nightmare and massively regretting the decision 😆 safe to say I’ll have some biodegradable disposables on hand just in case! X

Well this is disappointing. I'd also been planning on using biodegradable disposables. Suppose I'll have to get used to the idea of flicking poo off of cloth nappies.

I’m sure I saw somewhere a brand that does biodegradables that are good for at home composting 🤔 could be wrong though!

Baby is not here yet @newtoallthis20 so like you, I'm still struggling with a decision! Will watch this thread with interest

Although I feel guilty, I have a massive jumbo pack from Aldi stashed in the nursery... For now!

If you want to be really waste-free you could look into EC (elimination communication)? :) That's no nappies from birth.

If that doesn't sound like it's for you, I would probably just use normal disposables or maybe the less bleached types.

It's hard and I agree with many comments. However I still use: kit and kin, Eco Naty. Also tried Bambo Nature, Beaming Baby, Moltex. The first two and Beaming Baby had best performance for us. Bambi nature the gel used to come out a lot and stick to baby's bum. Tried reusables (Bambino mio and others) and the cloth you do yourself (hemp) but they were too involving.

Also looking to get little lamb reusable; if the upfront cost is an issue fro anyone you can rent packages from a nappy exchange (they have lots of good things to rent) but you need to book them in advance for your due date.

You can also get a trial (starter?) pack from little lamb to see how you get on with them if you're worried whether you could... I personally am not looking forward to disposing of the poop at all but it is what it is :)

I used the Naty ones for both my boys. I used to be a maternity nanny and these were also the ones I recommended to my clients. Two reasons, one that they are biodegradable (not totally but more than 90% better than normal nappies) and two, because in my experience babies who I have looked after when using the Naty nappies and wipes, have much less nappy rash and soreness. I think they are brilliant, they also do nappy bags and other stuff too.

We use Mama Bamboo nappies as at least then we’re reducing our environmental impact compared to nappies made from other materials. Plus the packaging is compostable.

[quote Newtoallthis20]**@Wanderlust20* @Woeismethischristmas* Yep I was also wondering if it was worth it, so really interesting to hear your views. Did you go for normal nappies then or is it worth going for the more eco-friendly ones at least for their use of materials/no nasties etc as at least better to some extent? The cost is a concern though too.[/quote]
I did a mix of disposables when out and about and reusables at home. Worked for me.

Are nappy laundering services still a thing? I was a re-useable nappy user in the early 2000s. Some mums I knew used a laundering service where your dirty nappys are collected regularly and replaced with nice clean ones. Might work if use of a washing machine is an issue. I LOVED my reuseables. Motherease Sandys and wraps - I still have a cute little newborn one I just can't part with. Once it becomes part of your routine the whole process becomes much easier.

Thanks all - this has been both interesting to hear different perspectives and helpful to clarify my own. I think that whilst biodegradable or partially so/more eco-friendly brands of disposable nappies certainly aren't perfect, it seems they are better at least in some ways than the 'standard' disposables so I think I will still look at trying some of those initially.

@GingerScallop, @Swifey40 and @NavaniKholinRocks - thanks for the specific recommendations, really helpful. The point about being more friendly to sensitive baby skin also resonates especially as an eczema sufferer myself.

Once building work chaos is over with and things settle down, I will then review and look again at reusables. @Hellvelyn a nappy laundering service is not something I knew existed but I am definitely going to look that up now as that would be brilliant!

I have a 6 month old dd and I had the same hope for nappies as you do.

After lots of research I also discovered that the most eco friendly type of nappy was one where it was made from more sustainable sources, namely bamboo. Unfortunately I don't think it gets any more environmentally friendly than that. I bought a couple of packs of mama bamboo and kit and kin. I preferred kit and kin so used that brand for the first 10-12 weeks.

I was very keen to at least try reusables and bought a trial pack from totsbots. They have very helpful videos to help show the different types of nappy. Now, to put this in context, I am the kind of woman that doesn't sit on public toilets and gags at emptying jars of sauce that have the tiniest bit of mould on the surface so I wasn't sure how I would get on with reusables. Since November though I haven't bought a pack of disposable nappies and we have gone 100% cloth. It's one more wash cycle every other day and I feel good for using them. Once they get to around 2-3 months the amount of poo lessens considerably which has helped too. My DH was sceptical but even he's on board now too. When the poo does come they are pretty bomb proof so that helps with protecting clothes (even in disposables you'll be putting poo in the wash as there will be leaks and explosions in the early weeks!).

If you're not sure I would recommend buying a trial pack from a cloth company to try. The Nappy Lady website has all of the brands listed and is very helpful.

Finally, I recommend Cheeky Wipes. They are reusable wipes. I've used them since my dd two weeks old and I've bought a separate set now I'm weaning her. It gave me a good chance to get used to adding in an extra wash before trying out reusable nappies and it meant I felt eco friendly for not using wet wipes for very long. It might be something you want to look into.

@liquoricecravings Thanks so much for taking the time for this lovely reply - what a great story. I will definitely look into Cheeky Wipes as that feels like a good way to start and then hopefully by 2-3 months we'll have a kitchen and washing machine again which will make moving to cloth nappies much more manageable.