Why are we sharing a film of a disposable nappy being changed in Real Nappy Week?

This beautiful film 'Dance of the Nappy' is a small section of Suzanne Zeedyk's film 'The Connected Baby.'  It shows how important nappy changing is.  It's not just a routine hygiene procedure/chore.  It's actually a really important time for your baby to connect with you.

Normal nappies ie disposables are marketed as convenient nappies that can last up to 12 hours and stay dry.  We hear that babies are being changed less and less frequently but over a longer and longer period resulting in more and more children starting school still in nappies.  We want to encourage parents and carers to change nappies frequently and really enjoy this contact time, to make it quality time.  We also want to encourage parents to enjoy potty time and help their toddlers start wearing pants/knickers around their second birthday rather than their third or fourth!

We believe that changing babies frequently will actually motivate parents to switch to reusable nappies.  They will see the amount of waste produced and also how much money they are wasting and thus the advantage of reusables.

Sharing this film also shows that at Real Nappies for London we prioritise the health of baby and parents in the early weeks.  If parents choose single-use nappies during the first few weeks because they feel it makes their lives easier we support this choice.  Of course we hope they will soon come to the conclusion that they want to switch to reusables so they can have the luxury of changing baby frequently without worrying about the cost and also reduce the environmental impacts of the nappy phase.

Please continue to share this film.  It's important.  You may also want to read and share Suzanne Zeedyk's blog on why nappy changing is good for babies' brains.

It's really important that we stop the idea that babies/toddlers should spend longer and longer in a clean and dry nappy that is changed infrequently.  Disposable nappies appear to become thinner and more absorbent every year.  In a way this seems good on an environmental level because it reduces the bulk of the clean nappies, thus reducing transportation and packaging impacts.  But what is in the super absorbent polymers (SAPs) that enables this?  And what are the long-term health and environmental impacts when the SAPs are buried or burned?

Surely, if we are seeking to become a truly circular economy, the aim should be to make single-use nappies compostable; the aim should be to reduce the SAPs in single-use nappies as these chemicals are unlikely to be good for the soil.

Making nappies even more absorbent raises questions about  the business model of the disposable nappy manufacturers.  Surely the less frequently babies and children are changed the fewer nappies are sold.  The only way to ensure they sell the same number or more nappies is if children come out of nappies later and later.

Surely this is not what parents want?  Surely children staying in nappies longer is more work and expense for parents.  Therefore if parents realise this and stop wanting nappies that stay dry longer and longer, stop wanting to change babies infrequently, then the manufacturers of single-use nappies will be able to reduce the amount of SAPs in the nappies, making composting disposables more feasible?

If you are a scientist and can shed more light on the viability of composting single-use nappies please post a comment.  We are keen to learn more.  There is of course the issue of the water that is in the SAPs when they are incinerated or buried that we don't understand and no one seems to talk about.

The NLWA (North London Waste Authority) is a big supporter of the Real Nappies for London incentive scheme, indeed had an influential role in establishing real nappy incentives in London.  You can read more about the NLWA's support for real nappies here.

Real Nappy Week Mythbuster #3 | Washing nappies is just as bad for the environment as disposables

At RNfL we are asked this question all the time, "Isn't washing nappies, what with all the laundry powder, carbon and water used, just as bad for the environment as single-use nappies?"  No, we say.  Depending on how you wash and dry them they can have up to 40% lower carbon impacts plus they are virtually zero waste.  (See link to report 'Using Science to Create a Better Place' below.) The impacts can be even lower if your child is out of nappies before s/he is two and a half years old.  Impacts are also smaller if some or all of your nappy stash is pre-loved!

So where did this myth come from?  When single-use nappies first came to the market they were largely paper pulp and so  mostly bio-degradable.  They were also very expensive and not very absorbent so most UK parents didn't use them.  They preferred terry nappies and laundry services.   It was only in the the 1980s  when manufacturers started using  Superabsorbent polymers (SAPS) in nappies that sales really took off.  By the mid '90s the disposable nappy had about 90% of the UK nappy market - probably more in London.

It was the Women's Environmental Network (WEN) and Best Foot Forward (link to WEN briefing below)  that drew attention to the problem of landfilling 4-6,000 single-use nappies stuffed with SAPS per baby.  The consensus was reached that washable nappies were more environmentally friendly than single-use nappies.  By then very few parents in the UK knew about modern washable nappies (they thought the choice was between terries, Pampers and Huggies) so WEN initiated Real Nappy Week (1998) and later the Real Nappies for London voucher scheme to help London boroughs inform parents about the latest alternatives to 'disposable' nappies.  

Then in May 2005 the Environment Agency published a very long, detailed and expensive nappy life cycle analysis (link to large pdf file) that said washing nappies was just as bad for the environment as 'disposables'. Environmentalists were astonished and disappointed.  The report omitted the impacts of landfill. It also assumed the reusable nappies (terries) were boiled, tumble-dried and ironed.  Clearly the researchers were very out of touch with the modern reusable nappy market.  It was later also revealed that the data on disposable nappy waste was underestimated.  In short it was biased, as are most life cycles because of intense lobbying pressure from industry.

However the myth had been born.  This life-cycle analysis had huge media coverage with most media claiming that reusable nappies were just as bad for the environment as disposables, neither could claim environmental superiority.  "Parents don't need to feel guilty" crowed the press release put out by AHPMA the (Absorbent Hygiene Product Manufacturers Association.) "Parents should just choose the nappy that best suits their lifestyle" it said.

In October 2008 the Environment Agency published an updated report (see link below) reassessing the impacts of washing nappies and some of the data.  The conclusion was that washing nappies could have up to 40% lower carbon impacts than single-use nappies if they were line-dried and washed at low-temperatures.  There was virtually no coverage of the report in the media. 

Please help expose the myth - washing nappies is much better for the environment if you wash nappies at 60 degrees or below and don't tumble-dry and iron them! 


Link to  Using Science to Create a Better Place: An updated lifecycle assessment study for disposable and reusable nappies

Link to WEN Briefing:  Nappies and the Environment

Real Nappy Week 2014

 28 April - 4 May

Why are more and more parents opting for washable nappies? 

• Disposable liners help keep the nappies clean so most of the time you're just loading damp cloths into your washing machine. 
• An increasing number of cloth nappy parents are giving their babies the opportunity to pee or poo on the pot at changing time from an early age.  This makes washing nappies even easier. It also usually means the transition from pants to nappies happens earlier, more easily with less stress for toddlers and carers!  (See the link at the bottom of this page to a wonderful blog about it, if you are interested in learning more.)
• Parents tell us it's not that much extra work.  You're doing so much washing when you have a new baby, what's the problem with an extra wash every other day?  And it saves bringing back big bulky packages from the supermarket.
• But there's an even bigger reason.  Parents just can't bear the idea of all those disposable nappies 4,500-6,000 per baby, sitting in landfill for hundreds of years.

Come and celebrate using real nappies on Saturday 26 April at St Mary's Centre, Upper Street.  Book your free place here and be part of the Big Cloth Nappy Change 2014.  NB You only need to book if you are participating in the Guinness nappy change at 11am.

Please arrive at 10.30am to register.  One adult per baby and baby must be changed into a cloth nappy. 

Link to Lulastic's blog post Get Started with Elimination Communication

Part 3: How did people react? - Guest post

Having plunged into the world of cloth nappies armed with little more than a (nappy) bucket full of enthusiasm and the words of a couple of wise mums ringing in my ears, I encountered a few challenges and differing opinions.

My husband wanted me to try the nappies out properly first before he had a go, even though he was keen on using them (for the record, he’s now happily using them and even helps me stuff the pockets once they’re washed and dried).

I hadn’t really understood the importance of washing the nappies before using them so there were a few leaks. This can be quite frustrating, especially if you’re trying to persuade others that cloth is a good idea. The daft thing is that we had more (and worse) leaks in disposables than we have ever had in cloth, but I suppose you’re more conscious of it when you start with cloth because you really want it to work, and sometimes it can feel like everyone is willing you to fail.

There were a few funny looks from people who thought I would be boiling terry towels on a stove for hours until I explained that things have moved on a bit. The nurses at my GP surgery were very impressed with the nappies when I took my little one for his injections – and agreed to point anyone who asked in my direction.

Luckily for me, my family have been very supportive, mainly because they used cloth themselves – I’m the first of my generation to have a baby so nappies haven’t been on the radar for a while. My mum’s initial reaction on hearing my enthusiastic “I’m going to try cloth nappies” was something along the lines of “as opposed to what?”!

My remarkably eco-conscious great-aunt (90+ years old) interrogated me after William was born about my nappy choices. At the time I was so overwhelmed with becoming a mum that my contribution to the planet extended only to “eco” disposables. My aunt inspired me further with the words “there’s nothing more satisfying than having a row of sparkling white terry towels drying on the line”.

William has recently started nursery and the look of abject horror on his key worker’s face when I mentioned cloth nappies was only topped by the relief when I showed her how easy the pocket nappies are.

I was pleased to discover a few others using cloth nappies when I made a comment about them on Facebook recently. And lots of mums ask me about cloth nappies when they see William wearing them. I’ve done a couple of demos for friends and have spoken to many people who, like me, were considering using them but hadn’t quite got around to it.

I’ve also lent out a few cloth nappies to people who complained that “I just can’t get a night nappy that doesn’t leak” and have been amazed with the results. Others less so, but it’s all individual and depends on the baby.

As you may be able to tell, I’m loving cloth nappies – and there’s always something new to discover. But the key thing is to get support when you need it. Ideally there would be widespread “cloth bum” cafes, just like there are breastfeeding cafes for mums to come together and share experiences. Who knows, this may be where I make my millions (unlikely!).

Have a look at this You Tube video for a quick intro to real nappies.

Tomorrow: Why on earth (pun intended) would we do this? Aren’t disposables so much more convenient? How do the costs stack up?

Helen's First guest post:
My Washable Nappy Journey?

My washable nappy journey - Guest Post

Helen, mum to William aged 8 months

Over the next five days of Real Nappy Week I’ll be writing a series of blog posts to try and give an insight about my journey with real nappies so far. I’m very happy to try and answer questions that anyone may have, but I’m learning too, so I may have to refer you to someone more expert than myself if I don’t know the answer. Myself and another mum will also be available to answer questions at the Coin Street Milk Spot on Wednesday 18th April.

Part 1: Faffing about fluff
Cloth nappies, reuseable nappies, washable nappies, real nappies, fluff. What’s it all about? And why does an apparently sane person ditch the accepted easy option and start washing nappies?

I like to think I was “green” minded when I was younger – as much as you can be when you’re not making the buying decisions in your household. After finishing school, I even volunteered in Ecuador on a conservation project in cloud forest (missing the irony of flying all that way to save the world, ahem).

Fast forward a few years and, beyond recycling everything that sits still for long enough and raging about excessive packaging on groceries, my eco credentials had slipped somewhat. When we found out that we were expecting, I started to think about nappies and became uneasy about the number of bin bags we’d be getting through (apparently it averages out at 130 black bags just of nappies).

One of my NCT class mentioned that she would be using washable nappies, and pointed me in the direction of the London nappy voucher scheme. Aha, I thought, just what I’m looking for. So I applied for my voucher and received it by email. And there it sat, in my inbox.

Having eventually got my head around the whole “I’ve got a tiny baby to look after, what on earth do I do now?” thing, I bought a trial pack of prefold nappies from eBay and when Will was about a month old I steeled myself to try them. They leaked. I chalked this up to experience and tried again. They leaked again. I gave up.

It was only when, a few weeks later, I met another mum, Sophie, at a breastfeeding support group, that the topic of washable nappies resurfaced. I noticed her daughter was wearing a cloth nappy and asked about it. Sophie was kind enough to talk me through all of the different types of nappies available before recommending a particular type that worked for her.

I also went to see a “nappy guru”, who explained the options and showed me where to buy nappy trial kits – everything you’re ever likely to need to furnish your little one with a “cloth bum”. My trial kit came through and I quickly identified which ones were (a) sufficiently robust for my heavy-wetting, very mobile small person and (b) dad/grandparent/nursery-proof.
So I took the plunge: I bought a birth-to-potty, everything-you-need kit of the chosen nappies (the only dilemmas being Velcro or poppers and what colours to get – I went for a mix of both).

Since you ask, I use mostly BumGenius V4 pocket nappies with both inserts. This is, of course, the expensive way of doing things. If I were starting now, I’d go for a mixture of new and preloved nappies and build up a stash gradually. But I was keen to get started and, besides, the website had loyalty points so I earned myself money off my next purchase…what’s not to like?

Tomorrow: What happened next? Having spent a fair amount of money on my stash I was willing them to work – and had an incentive to do so. What challenges did I encounter?

The Real Nappy Week message this year is Real nappies… Real easy!

At Real Nappies for London we think this is absolutely true and here’s why:

We're all the same, when we think about changing a nappy we imagine the worst! In reality most nappies are simply damp.

You can use disposable bio-degradable liners with real nappies. That means that if a nappy is soiled most of the poo can go down the loo.

Many babies give cues to tell you that they are about to soil. They are born with a natural instinct to be clean. If your baby does this you may find your baby likes you to remove the nappy to enable her/him to poo on a pot. Less washing, real easy.

A laundry bag in a bucket with a lid means you store the nappies – most people don’t soak nappies these days – until you have a machine load. Then you lift out the bag and throw it in the machine. The nappies fall out of the bag during the wash cycle. It’s as clean and simple as that.

Soapnuts and special nappy detergents mean there is no need to wash nappies at more than 60 degrees. Beyond 6 months, 40 degrees is normally fine.

If nappies are not completely clean and fresh when they come out of the washing machine (it does depend on your washing machine) start with a cold rinse cycle before the normal wash cycle.

Shaped nappies in modern light weight materials are available for parents who can’t or don’t like folding flat nappies. For those who do like wrapping baby in a cotton nappy (snug fit for new borns) there is no need for pins. Waterproof wraps hold the nappy in place or you can use a nappy grip.

Fleece liners are available for babies that don’t like feeling wet. Please note that stay dry nappies, whether reusable or disposable don’t give baby the stimulation to experiment with bladder control so try to give baby stimulation some of the time. Our research indicated that wearing cotton nappies before 6 months makes potty training happen earlier, quicker and more easily.

You don’t need to change a real nappy any more often than you should change any nappy ie every 3-4 hours (during waking hours). The incidence of nappy rash has not declined since the dominance of disposable nappies. Nappy rash is caused by teething, illness, change of diet and most of all not changing the nappy frequently enough.

People who use real nappies say they are fantastic and producing less waste makes them feel great about the whole nappy changing business.

Visit http://www.realnappiesforlondon.org.uk/nappytypes/ to help you find out which nappies will be best for you and your baby.

Check out events happening during Real Nappy Week across London where you can get information from a mum who has used real nappies and meet other mums who are using them:
http://www.realnappiesforlondon.org.uk/realnappyweek/

The Great Cloth Diaper Change is an opportunity to watch real parents changing real nappies. It's happening at 5.30pm on Saturday 21 April in Camden, Hackney and Lewisham.

Enjoy real nappies, enjoy your baby.