Should We Use Cloth or Disposable Nappies (Diapers For American Friends)?
When Bert was very little, I had some towelling nappies that I used constantly. They were fitted nappies, so looked a little like disposables and were very easy to use. Just velcro it on, add pilchers for external dryness and there you go. I kept the 4 we had of these, with the clothes that were put into storage. Just in case.
I’ve been really starting to stress about the cost of disposables, especially when I consider that I’ll be on half wage for the long service leave period of my time off work. That’s quite some time and I really dislike the idea of buying double the amount of disposables (the twin thing), so I’ve been looking into getting more of these fitted towelling nappies.
I’ve done some figures and with my adding the difference in the numbers is quite huge, course with cloth nappies coming out way in front. Way way in front. My numbers took in the 3 different sizes of disposables that you’d use in the first year, broken up into kg weights that were equivilent to Bert’s weight at any given time, ie 40 days in newborn, 80 days in infant and the rest of the 365 days in crawler. That’s from newborn to 11kgs. Going on a box size given on the baby love site and knowing that Big W has boxes for approximately $35 each. With the fitted towelling nappies, I estimated a basis of 24 nappies bought in total, along with 24 pairs of pilchers and 24 fabric nappy liners.
In total, for a single baby over a 365 day period, I came out with $1099.26 for disposable and $360 for cloth. That’s a difference of $739.26. Don’t forget to double these numbers for twins.
Of course, you also have to factor in washing of the nappies, but when I think about that, I acknowledge that I’m going to be washing clothes pretty much daily too, so I estimate it will be an additional 2-3 washes per week only. It’s advisable now that with changes in washing powder, nappies don’t need to be soaked, so it’s a straight forward wash, with half the washing powder you’d use in a normal wash. Anyway, the washing will be additional time and expenditure, but I’m not quite convinced that this cost will outweigh that $700 difference.
Anyway the point of this post is to see if anyone out there has done similar sums and gotten similar or completely different results, or if someone has done the figures, only to find it’s complete bunkum in reality. Would be really good to get some opinions on the findings of someone else that’s gone through this.
Please; no comments on the time that it will take to wash and hang out the nappies, I’m quite aware of that sort of thing. I’m going to have 3 under 2 for the first month or so. I’m never leaving the house. I acknowledge time will be tight, but that is something I’ll be dealing with.
Help us internet folk; you’re our only hope!
April 15th, 2007 at 7:07 pm
Rae,
Long time no comment … wow twins!!! You go girl.
We went with cloth nappies for about a month. Then we woke up and went disposable. Sure it costs a little more but with three under 2 in the house you will need every second you can spare!
Hope it all goes well, I’m subscribed again and look forward to reading more.
Richard
April 15th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
We used cloth initially with both Patrick and Angus but ended up using disposable after varying lengths of time. We have used only disposable with Owen. Our decision was so much easier because we used to use the MyPlanet disposable nappy recycling service - this appealed to our green side. This service has been withdrawn (temporarily, for about 6 months now) due to some processing difficulties. Besides that, disposable are much simpler and the nappies from Aldi represent excellent value (better than Baby Love from Big W) and quality (mamia brand)
April 15th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Well done for doing the right thing and at least thinking ahead instead of saying “cloth” is too much work. For both my daughters, we went cloth only, for everything except trips out of the house. It does save a ton of money especially in the first couple of weeks when they seem to squiret out constant little “gifts”. :P Sorry, can’t think of another way to put it.
Yes, clothes washing is drudge work, but good for you for thinking about it, and honestly it’s better for the planet, in the long run, is my thought. That is simply my opinion, to the peanut gallery.
For breast-feeding, if you’re thinking of that, there are some great double nursing pillows available, if you look on the web. A friend, who had twins used one, and she said it was great! Does up with velcro around you, and both babies can lie comfortably with minimal support needed. I did use one for both girls, and loved it. Very worth the $60 price, considering the health benefits for mum and daughter, and the saving on the cost of formula.
Any way you cut it, kids are expensive. May as well go with what you feel is the “right” choice for you. (((((hugs))))) and sending best wishes.
April 15th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Even using a Nappy Wash service (where they bring the clean naps each week and take away the dirties for you … oh, the heaven), we still worked it out to cost-neutral or slightly better with cloth than disposables, so financially, I think your maths must be dead right.
We used Nappy Wash with Alia for the first 6 months (the first 3 months were a baby gift from my workplace - very nice) then used home-washed cloth until she was about 1 or a bit older, moved into disposable around the time I fell pregnant with Beth. Nappy Wash 0-3 months with Beth, then home-washed cloth until about 9 or 10 months, then disposable. That was more a matter of energy and time than anything (it coincided with a period where I was working a lot of hours at home without a baysitter, so doing a lot of work hours when the kids slept, cutting into my nappy-washing time!)
April 16th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
I’m doing the opposite to a few of the previous commentors (is that a word??)… I started out with disposables for my DD as I thought “no way - too much work for cloth” and now that she is older and using a few less nappies a day I’m moving to cloth. I started to get sick of the sight of the sposies in the bin, plus my daughter seems to be allergic to some of the cheaper brands.
I’m thinking next bub I’ll do a similar thing though I might move to cloth a bit sooner. I’m using Pea Pods which are a modern cloth nappy and don’t need pilchers… so far they seem quite good.
April 16th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
We started with modern fandangled hemp nappies that fitted like disposibles, easy to use but just had to be washed. We had a heap and lasted for some timedoing this but in the end just did not justify wasting or time rinsing,washing,hanging, folding and putting away when we could buy several boxes of disposibles at once (on sale every now and then in which we loaded up and still do) which would last us months. The Question is land fill which new housing estates will be built on in 10 years or water……When we get a bigger hous we want A grouse Veggie Garden(we can water )…..Go disposables!!!!!
April 18th, 2007 at 9:48 am
Good on you for working the maths out. I started with the cloth for 6 months and It was fine. Then Stephen couldnot cope with the washing etc and kept running out.
Of all household chores I think the washing is the easiest - chuck in the clothes and then hey presto hang on the line 1 hour later. Word of warning though with the fitted nappies - they do take longer to dry. Cause we have the November baby easy during summer - but come May and the glorious Melbourne autumn days - all sun no wind they simply would not dry. I ended up using the dryer on them to finish them off.
The other thing to consider is that you probably give the babies more free nappy time with cloth - its easier sometimes to leave them lying there in nonthing than quicklky putting on another dispoable that may last 5 minutes. And that is excellent for nappy rash.
Veronica
April 19th, 2007 at 11:11 am
Wow! This whole discussion has opened up the world of nappy options to me… I hope to remember it, at least in part, when the day comes for me to make the same decision myself.
Anywho, all I was going to say was that a colleague of mine swears by the Aldi brand nappies, which I see another commenter has mentioned…
April 19th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Thanks all. We currently use disposables for Bert, and the Mamia ones from Aldi are definitely the way to go. I agree with that completely!
I’m hoping to start with toilet training Bert next summer. He’ll be over 2 then. But it will all depend on him wanting to. Apparently boys are more difficult (typical! :D) to loo train. Phee wasn’t a problem, but again, I waited til she was ready. No point in starting anything til the kid is wanting to co-operate. Same with adults really….
Well, it would appear that no one really has any idea on the cost. I have a friend with twins (they are around 10 months old now) and she thinks I’m mad for even contemplating cloth, but when I think of the cost, I know that I’m doing the right thing. Even if I’m only able to stick it out for the time I’m home (Like you Veronica, I did fabric with Bert at home, then when Tony took over, we went to disposables full time, but I acknowledge he was working from home too - makes a difference in the free time available for nappy washing/hanging/folding) and then we go disposables again, at least that’s almost a full year of cloth and occasional disposable use. I figure that should save us some money.
But I thank you all for the time you took to respond to my query. It’s so funny to see just how many agree that the Mamia (Aldi) disposables are the best. The cheapest and the best. I know Huggies are fabulous too, but they are too exp for most of us.
Thanks again!
April 19th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Go the cloth nappies. I am a happy, responsible, well adjusted adult even though my mother toiled with cloth nappies for my bum. (And if you don’t think I am a happym responsible, well adjusted adult you can feel free to BLAME my mother for toiling with cloth nappies for my bum. It’s obviously all her fault.)
Obviously, I have no advice to offer because I am just an aunty and I seem to be able to get away with changing nappies hardly ever. However my common sense side had a thought about the warm/cold weather and drying options. One person said they saved money even when using a cleaning service for their clothies. Well, how about you wash/dry everything yourself during the warmer months and get them cleaned by a cleaning co. during winter. Good idea? You still save dosh and perhaps a little bit of stress.
April 24th, 2007 at 11:04 am
i’m not a mum yet (soon though i hope!) but i’m voting for cloth. disposable seem easier but they smell, take up space in your bin and are expensive… and i can never seem to put them on “just right” they’re always too tight or too loose for some reason. with those nappy claws or velcro on the cloth nappies i’m always happy with the fit.
i’d also suggest a “buy me a nappy service” button for the first few months :)
oh, long time reader, first time commenter… congrats on the twin news!!!
April 25th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Apparently about half our landfill is nappies and sanitary products, all stuff which takes so many years to break down. Also consider how you’d feel spending the first 3ish years living in chemical filled plastic undies, yuk. Whilst the cost difference is obvious, for me the environmental and health aspects outweigh a bit of extra washing and drying time. Just dry pail the nappies and throw it all in the wash at night, set and forget, and it is done in the morning, no time wasted.
From a cloth mum!
April 25th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
OK, thanks again all for your comments. I’m going to close off the comments on this post now, as we’ve come to our decision, with a little help from you all.
Cheers!
Rae