Did you know that each baby uses approximately 6000 nappies (diapers) in total during their nappy-wearing years and all of these end up in landfill. Although parts of a disposable nappy can biodegrade, how long it takes depends on the type of landfill – it could take up to 500 years.
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So I recently tried one of the many brands from a new generation of “real” nappies on the market – Bum Genius. Bum Genius nappies come in a variety of types – I tried the One Size and All in One designs. Both are made of a nylon/polyester “outer” and use a cotton microfiber “inner” and come in a variety of cool colours.
The One Size is designed to overcome the issue of having to buy nappies in multiple sizes as your baby grows. The outer features a simple popper system which allows you to adjust the length of the nappy to best fit your baby, and fastens with velcro. The inners are removable and their length can also be adjusted to fit the outer using a popper system. There is no need for a waterproof pant to be worn over the top, so the design is really very neat and not too bulky.
According to Bum Genius, these nappies should see your baby through from 7lbs to 35lbs. Eva weighed 21lbs when we started using them and needed the nappies to be opened out as long as possible; I can’t imagine that she will still fit into them much beyond 25lbs. That said, right now, the fit is very good and the only leakage we’ve experienced was when I simply left the nappy on for too long (approx four hours).
The All in One design follows the same basic principles, but without the adjustable popper system and with the inner stitched into the nappy. The outer has a pocket in which a booster inner can be fitted for extra absorbency. The All in One comes in multiple sizes and is very easy to use. The only negative is that because you cannot remove the inner, it takes an extremely long time to dry.
I don’t have a tumble dryer, and in my view to use one would negate some of the environmental benefits of these nappies, so I am reliant on sunny days or radiators to get Eva’s nappies washed and dried. Unfortunately the All in One can take some time to dry. The One Size, however, dries very quickly once the outers and inners are separated.
It is because of the way I dry the nappies, that I don’t use them all day, every day; I would have to increase the number of loads of washing I do per week significantly and my house would be constantly littered with laundry. It is also fair to say that disposables are by far and away best option for night-times. However, I am using about three washable nappies a day, and find that no hardship whatsoever.
What’s great to know is that in doing this, I am saving around £200 per year and reducing the number of nappies I throw away by about 1000 every year. And I’m pretty pleased with that.
For stockists of Bum Genius nappies/diapers in the UK, US and Europe visit www.bumgenius.co.uk