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Home » Re Usable Nappies

Re-usable Nappies

Disposable nappies are filling up our landfill sites at a staggering rate of 2 billion a year.  By the time they reach two and a half, an average child will have used approximately 6,500 nappies – which equates to over 10 tonnes of waste, 40 black sacks per child per year or if you prefer a colourful image, as many as 70,000 double-decker buses stretching end to end from Edinburgh to London.

Local councils are under pressure to reduce their tonnage of waste to landfill due to new landfill restrictions as well as a reduction of available space. The disposal of nappies alone can account for up to a million pounds of an average-sized local authority budget and so new alternatives to waste disposal are being sought by them as well as environmentalists and responsible citizens.

The Problem to the Environment

Disposable nappies are made of plastics, elastics, adhesives, paper pulp, and chemicals which do not readily degrade and could also leack toxins into the ground. In fact it’s estimated that it could take hundreds of years (some guess at more than 500 years) before nappies begin to break down.

In addition to this, the soiling in them means that as they rot, methane, a greenhouse gas about twice as bad as Co2, is released contributing to global warming. In fact the number of disposable nappies used in a child’s life accounts for as much as 630kg of methane – which is as much as a car would use over 1800 miles.

What’s The Alternative?

The best alternatives to disposable nappies and the landfill problem they cause are to turn back the clock and return to re-useable nappies.

However before you run in the opposite direction, times have changed since our grandmother’s day and contrary to the pins on our lovely new website the Huggababy All-in-One Nappy does not mean pins and nappy rash.

Cloth nappies will also save you money (estimated it to be around £500 over the course of a child’s nappy-wearing life – a significant saving) and they will also do less harm to your babies’ health as they don’t contain the damaging chemicals of disposables.

Huggababy reusable all in one birth to potty nappy

It is an all in one adjustable re-usable nappy designed for your convenience saving time and money, otherwise spent on disposables.

The outer nappy is made of a fluffy polyester fleece and fastens using Velcro across the waist. It is an all in one nappy which is designed to take your baby from birth to potty, therefore having three by three poppers across the front which can be fastened to their fullest at birth and adjusted as baby grows for comfort and convenience.    

Each component can be pulled apart for washing The inner bamboo cotton and polyester pads are attached to the inside of the nappy via Velcro strips and can be pulled out to be washed and replaced. This also means that the nappies can be quickly assembled and ready to use for baby’s change in advance.

Using the Huggababy Nappy

The nappy is made up of three different pieces, the outer nappy and two inner pads. The top layer is against baby’s skin and the bottom layer works to absorb any liquid away from the skin.

The inner pads are made from polyester and bamboo cotton, the bamboo cotton has healing properties, which will work wonders for sensitive bottoms that are ordinarily irritated by nappies. Both of these layers are attached using Velcro and can easily be taken out for washing and changing.

 The size can be adjusted using the three by three press studs simply close or undo to fit your baby.

How many Huggababy nappies will I need

As the nappy is an all in one and adjustable you will only need the one size to take your baby from birth to potty. We recommend that you buy a set of 20 nappies; the more that you have the less you will need to wash. In newborn stages you will probably be using around 8 nappies per day but as baby gets older this will reduce to 5-6, therefore with the set of 20 this, means only washing every few days and you will always have a clean nappy ready. We also advice the use of the Huggababy Nappy sack to store your nappies in after use and before wash.

Washing your Nappies

We recommend that you wash your nappies on a cool or warm machine wash. Do not dry clean and do not use bleach or borax. We also recommend that you do not use fabric softener because it coats the fibres and therefore reduces the absorbency of the nappy.

Treating stains

One of the most renowned way of getting rid of nappy stains is to hang them to dry in the SUN. And in the winter we suggest leaving them on a window ledge. Obviously there are the usual stain removal products (Do not bleach or borax) but the sun is the most natural and effective way to do so.

Soaking your nappies

It is not necessary to soak your nappies however you may feel you want to due to staining or smells. Soaking is a good way to prevent staining (read further for more advice on staining), however modern washing machines are equally good at stain removal.

If you do wish to soak them a good product to use in the water is tea tree oil (about 3 tea spoons), which prevents bacteria and smells developing. After soaking continue to wash as instructed on a cold/warm wash.

Drying your nappies

The best way to dry your nappies is to hang them on the line in the sun, or if this is not possible on an inside line near a radiator. To prompt fast drying it also helps to disassemble the different pieces and dry separately. And of course it is possible to tumble dry them, however on a low heat.

Other products you will need

As mentioned previously we recommend the use of the Huggababy Nappy sack to store nappies in after use and before wash, for convenience and hygiene. It is also water proof and therefore perfect for storing used nappies when out and about.

You will need paper liners which can easily be removed containing any solids and thrown away before popping the rest of the nappy into the wash. If you choose to soak your nappies you will also need a Huggababy baby bucket, which is also convenient to keep the nappies in whilst waiting to load a wash.

The Huggababy Reusable All-in-One Birth-to-Potty Nappy and Nappy Rash

The Huggababy nappy is made using the softest of fabrics which are kind to baby's skin, the insert is made using bamboo cotton which has anti bacterial, healing properties and  is super absorbent therefore ensuring baby's bottom is dry and perfect for your baby' sensitive bottom!

Research has also shown that it is not the type of nappy worn which affects the cause of nappy rash but in fact the individual baby. The best way to avoid uncomfortable nappy rash is to keep baby clean and changed regularly with a Huggababy nappy!