| Nappy Tips & folds |
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How much time have you spent researching equipment for your baby? Nappies are the most used piece of equipment and the closest thing to your babies skin. So - they are worth the most research. How to get the most out of this page. If you have the time, it is worth reading the complete version of this page. Or click on the subheadings below and go strait to the section that most interests you. Bookmark this page or send to a friend.
Okay I admit it, I am a nappy fiend. Some people love baby fashion, well I love nappies and I enjoy testing different designs. Change time is rarely a chore, always a joy being a special time for chatting and play with my babies and folding nappies and trying out new styles. The dominant belief is that nappies are a chore. They don't have to be! Our society currently has an unhealthy imbalance towards using disposables and I would love to see a revival of a healthy cloth nappy culture for our children's children sake.
When you are well organised and set up with a great cloth nappy system, it is really easy and efficient. Many parents start out using cloth but without proper support and advice find the system unsustainable. Your friends will watch you just can't wait to see you fail! Prove them wrong. If you are in a social circle where few mothers use cloth, you may feel isolated. We hope this page helps you spread the news about why cloth nappies can be easy and are good for all of us. Parents used cloth nappies successfully for centuries because they supported each other with tips and advice, this advice is getting harder to find. If you use cloth now, you probably notice that a lot of people express their guilt about using disposables but don't know where to go for help about cloth options nor how convenient they are. If you know how to use cloth well, you can help others. • Cloth nappies are much cheaper than disposables. I have estimated that parents spend about AUS$3500-4000 on nappies for one child from birth. See below for detailed cost comparisons • Cloth nappies can be a healthier option for your baby. Many parents find that babies have less nappy rash. Considering the advertising campaigns from disposable companies you may find this hard to believe! I deal with customers all the time who cannot use disposables due the rash they cause in babies. Cotton nappies mean your babies skin can breathe. • Cloth nappies are a responsible environmental choice. You can make your own detergents or purchase earth-friendly brands to wash them in, thereby not contributing bleaches or chemicals to our water table in the washing process. • It takes thousands of gallons of water, paper from our trees and bleach and chemical absorbers to make disposables look white, clean and fresh when you pull them out of a packet. What Are Your Cloth Nappy Options? 1. Fitted Cloth-nappies: These nappies look like disposables; they have gathered elastic at the legs and use Velcro or snap closures. Velcro, 2. Square Terry towelling nappies have been used successfully for centuries - You just need to know how to fold it effectively! They don't need to restrict babies legs or leak as some people think. I am still grateful to my midwife who showed me some great tips which I now pass on to other parents. see folding tips below. If you are a midwife involved in pre-natal and post-natal education , let your customers know about these great tips. 3 - Flannelette Square nappies, folded the same as terry nappies and need pins or a quality nappy cover to hold them in place. Great for newborns when they are tiny as they are not bulky. 4 - Muslin Nappies: Same benefits as flannelette and they make great nappy liners or wipe cloths when you know longer use them as nappies. Some nappy covers are now designed to hold a terry towelling, muslin or flannelette nappies in a rectangle pad shape, reducing the need for folding or using clips. This is a really convenient way to use cloth nappies. 4 - If you can't stand the idea of washing pooey nappies, nappy liners are wonderful! Cloth ones are cheaper and keep babies bum really dry and help prevent nappy rash. Disposable ones cannot be thrown down the toilet, they will clog your system, unless you get a biodegradable brand, and then they are brilliant and mean you never have to scrape the poo. 5 - Nappy covers need to be breathable and not bulky. Try a few out until you find one you like. Avoid PVC and plastic, babies skin will not breathe in these fabrics.
A safe nappy change area is one where the baby is comfortable. Your back support is also a major factor - have your change table at the appropriate height for you so it is user-friendly. You will visit this area many times daily so make it a well organised and attractive area to visit and use. A change table is essential. Don't get into the habit of changing nappies on the lounge or bed. You will need to stoop low for this method which is harmful for your back and potentially messy on your bed/lounge. It also makes nappy changes seem like a chore. A well organised and attractive change area will make your day flow smoothly. Baby Change tables have traditionally been designed to take up little space with shelves below for you to access. A flat dining table raised to your body height can also be efficient if you have the space. This table will have other uses once the nappy years have passed. Place a waterproof change mat in the middle of the table and have your nappies and accessories to your left and right. Place large nappy bins for washing under the table and small nappy bins next to your change area for small re-usable or throw away items. Thanks to our customer Jane Little and her photo of her change area at home shown here What you need in your change area Preparing your nursery and nappy change area is an important part of nesting and is loads of fun. After reading our suggestions below, think carefully about the type of change area that will suit you and your home best. 1 x table: A baby change table. When looking at designs in baby stores, consider how sturdy it seems, how much room it will take up in your nursery or bedroom, the height for you, how practical it is to access what you need. A long flat table that can be adapted for other uses in later years is also a great option. 1 x nappy hanger, shelf or basket to store nappies. Avoid cupboards with doors as these become cumbersome. Easy access is what you need most. 1 x small shelf or basket to store creams and accessories, placed close by the change mat but not within reach of your growing baby. 1pkt x cotton wool for wiping bottoms (healthy and inexpensive disposable option - no preservatives, just add water) 1 x re-usable nappy wipes 1 x talc-free baby powder 2 small buckets on table top for easy disposal of dirty wipes. One for nappy wipes to wash and one for cotton wool for composting. A couple of changes of clothes handy. Ideally, your baby wardrobe stored nearby your change table if you can for ease and efficiency. 1 x small toy or mobile for play (4 months onwards) Apart from the practical basics, include attractive wall and play features and make this an enjoyable area for you and your baby. It also makes life easier for friends and family to change nappies with no fuss. 1 x earth-friendly disinfectant for wiping and cleaning change table area once a week. You can make your own Ti-tree or Lavender disinfectant by adding a few drops to warm water then wipe down the area. Do not use commercial brand disinfectants, these are highly toxic. 1 x chemical-free moisturiser for your hands after nappy changing. > back to topWhat you need to buy Full-time Square Cloth Nappies Full-time Fitted-Cloth Cloth Nappies Nappy Wipes Full-time Disposable Nappy System
It's fun to experiment with different ways of folding nappies. After all, you have 2 - 3 years of nappying ahead of you, have some fun by trying different methods. You will soon find one that suits you the best. Before disposables became so common, mothers would often create new designs and share ideas. Nowadays, we need to print pages like this. You can help spread the word and support nappy culture by sharing these ideas with you friends. Have fun, and let us know if you come up with an new useful folds. With all these folds, remember to tuck the nappy up under the baby's thigh. This eliminates leg restriction and leakage. Here are a few to get you started. 1. The Traditional Kite
KITE NITE KITE
Fold nappy in half away from you. 3. The Cone
Fold all four points to the centre. 4. Corners
5. PARALLEL
Fold bottom corner up and top corner down to overlap. (Amount of overlap depends on the size of the baby.) 6. TRIANGLE
TRIANGLE VARIATION MAKE YOUR OWN NAPPY INSERTS Nappy inserts are a great to put in all styles of fitted baby pants, or as doublers in an type of nappy fold. Especially nighttimes. How Do I Store and Wash Cloth Nappies and Covers? 2. Dry Method: This may be preferable if you have an inquisitive toddler in the house. Also great if you are the one doing the washing and may find a wet bucket too heavy to lift into the machine. The Dry method is back friendly as there is little weight when you need to carry the bucket. BETTER DURING THE DROUGHT or if you are on land relying on tank water. Sprinkle some baking soda in your nappy bucket. It is optional to add a few drops of lavender or tea tree as well. If you are using a disposable liner, throw soiled biodegradable liner in toilet and toss wet nappy into the bucket. If the nappy is soiled, scrape the poop into the toilet, run cold water over the nappy, spray some stain remover on the diaper, and throw it into the bucket. Keep lid closed. When you are ready to wash, put nappies in machine with a half cup of baking soda or your favourite earth-friendly detergent and pre-soak in cold water for about up to an hour. Wash with detergent on longest cycle HOT/COLD. Put vinegar in fabric softener dispenser or rinse cycle if you feel it is necessary. Put your nappies in dryer for at least 60 minutes or hang in sun to dry. Toddlers love to help hang out nappies! 3. Washing Nappy Covers: Covers can be washed with your nappies as above. Or you can prolong their life by washing them separately in a smaller bucket. If you soak them for a couple of hours, they are easy to hand wash when you are ready. If using machine wash, use a WARM/GENTLE cycle. Always consult washing instructions on your covers and decide which will work best for you. Covers should not go in the dryer; after washing, be sure to remove from washer and hang to dry. STORING NAPPIES Wet nappies and rinsed soiled ones can be placed in a dry lidded bucket while waiting to be washed. Alternatively use one of the soaking solutions below. Fill your nappy bucket (approximately 9 litres) OR Some of these soaking and washing methods may not be suitable for some nappies - if in doubt consult your retailer. We accept no responsibility for damage caused by the use or misuse of this. If you prefer a pre-mixed soak for your nappies, contact us at Nature's Child. We sell Tri-Nature products for washing & soaking made from organic ingredients that get great results. WASHING Boiling washing is the traditional way of washing and sterilizing traditional nappies e.g. terries. Done regularly it may reduce the life of the nappy so is not generally recommended by manufacturers. A hot wash cycle at 60oC will adequately cleanse nappies and prolong the life of the fabric. DRYING Sunshine will deodorize, sanitize and naturally bleach nappies OR line dry indoors. The sun will also bleach out any minor stains left on nappies after washing. Most nappies can also be tumble dried. USEFUL TIPS A small plastic bin (about 20 Litres) with secure lid may be more convenient than a conventional nappy bucket, just double the solution. Biological detergent's as well as perfumes, optical whiteners and other ingredients in ordinary washing detergents may cause skin irritation so these are best avoided. Adding 1/2 - 3/4 cup of vinegar in the last rinse cycle will keep nappies soft. BEWARE: commercial fabric conditioner will reduce the absorbency of nappies. If you would like your nappies to be softer, give them a flick before hanging them on the line, this helps fluff the fabric. If your nappy still seems a bit rough, try reducing the amount of detergent you use. Customer Tip Disposable Nappies: Use and disposal Every mainstream parenting magazine is full of disposable companies with big budgets telling you how great their nappies are with cute photos of babies looking very clean and happy. Even front cover shots of babies have them wearing disposables. Dolls you buy in toy shops now come with disposable nappies included. We don't have the big budgets that these nappy companies have but we do have got a great network of people who are keen to share this information. Please use this information as a discussion point amongst friends, parenting groups, midwives and on-line at your chat rooms. Please note that much of our statistical information comes from the USA or Britain as these are the only countries that have completed studies on the issue of nappies that we are aware of. If you know of an Australian study, please let us know. * Many hospitals offer disposables to parents now for new babies. Mothers are not being trained in the benefits of cloth from the beginning. It is optional not compulsory to be shown how to use cloth nappies. Ask your midwife to cover nappy folding as part of your pre-natal education. * Disposable Swimmers were introduced in 1997. I remember because I had just had my first baby. I didn't think they would be popular, it seemed like such a ridiculous idea to me. Looking at the financial cost, one summer swimming every day could cost you $70 and all the waste. One pair of washable swimmers will cost you $19.95 and last for one full year. Cute colours and great advertising campaigns make them popular. * The "Less nappy changes" theory is often dangerous as there is more likely that children will be carrying a heavy load around with a very wet nappy and gels can break through and touch their skin quicker. The effect of these gels on skin is still unknown. * Disposables have only been used on such a wide scale for 8 - 10 years now. They started to take off in the 1980's but only became widespread with massive advertising campaigns in the nineties. We haven't used them long enough as a society to fully understand their impact on our environment. But after 40 years, we have worked out that it is a major problem coming - let's not wait until it gets to that point!
"we decided to try to compost the standard disposable nappies she wore each night, rather than just bin them. We would rip them open and dump them in the compost bin, and each time we turned the compost, I turned the nappies too. We found that we had huge numbers of worms attacking the nappies, but even when they had been in there for a year, there was still a lot left over. You can see from this pile that you end up with lots of bits of dirty plastic, but we did manage to generate a lot of good compost (note garden in background). The biggest problem is making sure the nappy contents have broken down completely--the water/air exposure has to be just right. Which it most likely never will be at the local garbage tip. Too dry, it does nothing, to wet, anaerobic decomposition, not pleasant. We estimated that this pile of plastic is one year of one nappy per night. Why use Disposables? The ease, the convenience … no one can dispute it. They are only as popular as they are because they have filled a need for parents. But a little bit of thought and education (as we hopefully demonstrate on this page) can change this situation around. • They are convenient If you are using disposables, here are some things you can do to reduce waste & health hazards. 1 - Use a cloth liner next to their skin to prevent contact with gels in the nappy
Independent test by the University of Tasmania show the difference in degradation between Weenees Disposable Pads and typical 'plastic'
Some Facts: courtesy of Mothering Magazine (USA) and Nature's Child (AUS) Nappies are contributing to a major environmental and health disaster. Here's Why: * The first disposable hit the market in the USA in 1961 * In 1971, Highway clean up programs found that nappies were the largest source of litter on highways. (USA study) * 1975 The environmental protection authority in the USA warns that rainwater washing through tips carry live intestinal and vaccine viruses due to risk of open sewerage at tips from disposable nappies * Between 16 - 32% of waste at tips has been assessed as disposable nappy waster in the USA * 1988 Big disposable nappy companies paid researchers to investigate whether disposable nappies are environmentally safe and concluded that they were - on what basis? * 2000 A German study links plastic to male infertility, suggesting scrotal temperature is significantly higher on boys in disposable nappies. ( I have a copy of the preliminary study if you would like one posted to you ) *Disposable nappies are thought by many to be a health hazard due to the potentially dangerous chemicals used to create them. Sodium Polyacrylate, which makes disposable diapers so absorbent, often comes loose from the diaper, appearing as small crystals on your baby's skin. It has also been found in the urinary tract of babies and has caused severe nappy rash and bleeding in perineal and scrotal tissue in some babies. No independent studies have been conducted on the safety of this chemical; consequently, many parents simply do not want it touching their babies' skin and genital areas. In addition to Sodium Polyacrylate, organochlorins (chlorinated toxic chemicals) are also found in disposable diapers, albeit in trace amounts. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), also found in disposables, has been known to cause cancer. * one nappy takes 150 - 300 years to break down, depending on which study you read. *Disposable nappies account for up to 30% of the non-biodegradable waste in landfills. In today's wasteful society, cloth diapering is one large way to reduce the amount of garbage we contribute to the landfills. * Dumping raw sewerage is illegal yet we do it with disposable nappies. If you use a night disposable - please empty the contents in the toilet before you bin the nappy. *Raw Faeces in landfill means live vaccines and intestinal virus floating out there, making there way back to our water tables. What goes around, comes around. To read more about landfill problems, check out these web sites. Australian does not have such factual information available as yet, but we can learn from the UK and US experience. Check out www.realnappy.com or do your own searches on the web. We have provided just a snippet of information here, we encourage you to do your own research and base your conclusions on facts rather than urban myths. Financial comparisons of different nappies There are many ways to view the cost of nappies; health, environment and financial. Here are some financial comparisons to consider. Full-time Disposable Nappy System Total Cost for full time disposables with 1 year of toddler night nappies & biodegradable nappy liners = $3894 Full-time Square Cloth Nappies for 3 years with some fitted nappies for outings using earth-friendly detergents and quality fitted nappy covers 10 Muslin or Flannelette for newborns $70 Most of these items can be re--used on a second child, additional covers and closures and detergents will be required at a cost of $618 per child. This cost is spread over 3 years. $3.96/week Full-time one-size fits all Fitted-Cloth Cloth Nappies Full-time Cloth Nappies on the cheap
• Most of these items can be re--used on a second child, additional covers and closures and detergents will be required at a cost of • Nappy Wipes are an additional cost to all of the above. If you purchase a commercial, disposable brand on a regular basis @ $5 per fortnight, this adds up to an extra $390. Re-usable Nappy Wipes that can be stored easily in your nappy bag and on your change table will cost approximately $65 for the same period. When should your child be out of nappies? • Before 1961, parents used cloth nappies full time and usually had babies out of nappies before two years and often one year. Ask your mum and grandma. Why 1961? Because that's when the first disposable nappy was invented as far as we know! Disposable Nappies are too easy and keep babies in nappies longer than necessary, delaying toilet training. • Australian parents use of disposables are reaching levels similar to those in the USA and UK due to mass marketing campaign in the last ten years. • Toddler toilet training disposables were introduced 10 years ago. These prolong the need for toddlers to be in nappies with cute ideas such as pull-up styles, where usually parents would have trained them by this age. This prolongs the financial cost, waste stress and time for parents • Start actively discussing the toilet with your child from 1 year old. Have a potty or toilet seat adapter for them and make this routine part of your day. Consistency and reward is the key! This information has been compiled by Jannine Barron. |
Pictured: Mathew from Morayfield with their two year old daughter. Mathew and Anita Gray take their nappy composting seriously. This is what they discovered when deciding to be responsible for all their nappy waste.
