This month, we have a guest 'blogger' Polly Delany, from Superior Posteriors, writing about the benefits of cloth nappies:
When I was pregnant with our first child, I was horrified at the suggested cost of $250 000 to raise a child to 18. Realising that using disposable nappies would cost us upwards of $7000 per child, I started to investigate reusable nappies. I was thrilled to find that cloth nappies have moved on from bulky cotton terry squares with plastic pilchers, and now come in shapes and styles that are as easy to use as disposable nappies, are much cuter, and could cost me as little as $350 from birth to toilet training, and could be used with subsequent children. Cloth nappies are also better for the environment. Disposable nappies make up approximately 1% of urban landfill waste. That’s a staggering 800 million single-use nappies that are delivered to landfill sites for disposal annually (1) or 2 Tonnes of landfill created by each baby in disposable nappies full time (2). These nappies can take literally 100’s of years to break down. Cloth nappies are now made with PUL (polyurethane laminate) which is a coating on the material of the cover which allows air to pass through while keeping the wetness inside the nappy. This keeps the temperature inside the nappy around one degree cooler. The absorbent material can be made from cotton, bamboo or hemp. The environmental advantage of the last two materials is that they are faster to grow and need less water and land than cotton. The nappy advantage is that they are much more absorbent and so are a lot less bulky than the same absorbency level in cotton. Styles range from ‘All In One’s which are the closest to disposables, to ‘All In Two’s which are quicker to dry, but stay together for easy nappy changes, to prefolds which are folded separately to the cover and are similar to terry squares. There are also different closure options of snaps or velcro, positioning around the side of the nappy or at the front; and come in a range of sizes or ‘one size’ which are designed to fit your newborn as well as your toddler. As there were very few shops in Perth that sold Modern Cloth Nappies, and limited knowledge of cloth nappy varieties, I started Superior Posteriors. Our mission is to show people how easy it is to use Modern Cloth Nappies, and help them choose the right style for their baby and budget. We have a free consultation service where we come to you and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each style. Nappies are also available to hire for a few weeks so that you can discover how easy they are to use. To make using Modern Cloth Nappies even easier, we have a great range of accessories including wet bags (for dirty nappies and for wet clothes or bathers), change mats, cloth wipes, deodorisers, and swim nappies. Most of these are very useful, even if you decide to stay with disposable nappies, so make great baby shower gifts. We offer a lay buy option, as well as gift certificates and gift registries. For further information, visit our website at www.supereiorposteriors.com.au, email info@superiorposteriors.com.au, or call 0401 940 223. We are also on Facebook, where we have competitions, giveaways and specials for Facebook fans! We will also be at the Conscious Living Expo 27-31 October most mornings, so come over to the Green Life Organics stall to have a chat or set up a convenient time for a free consultation. Polly, Superior Posteriors