Now here’s a topic I really believe in – re-usable cloth nappies/diapers.

Liam models the Petite Pocket Nappy in ivory, by Bumwear. You can see he is a natural for the catwalk.

With my first son, I was idealistically opposed to disposable nappies. We went with foldable cotton nappies/diapers with huge safety pins, and plastic cover pants. The nappies were huge in size, and the plastic covers often ripped. And there were often leaks as our nappy origami and pinning technique had to adapt to Callum’s changing size.

It was quite a lot of work, and we did gradually end up using some disposables – especially when we were out and about. And I did prick my finger with the pins, and the sheer bulk of cloth that has to be washed is amazing – lots of water.

Of course, disposable nappies are much, much more convenient – but they cost money, which adds up when a baby needs changing so often, and the dirty nappies fill up the bin and smell bad. Not to mention the environmental impact once they get thrown out.

So after Sean was born, I got into re-usable cloth nappies/diapers, and I became a fan of Bumwear.

I admit that I was initially drawn particularly to Bumwear as a brand because of the fun, vibrant colours – and the name.

But after one child in Bumwear, I am now convinced of their long term functionality as well. It really shows that they were designed by a mother who actually developed them on her kid’s bums!

So I absolutely can recommend re-usable nappies. Much cheaper than disposables, and they are much easier to wash and hang out than old style nappies/diapers. You can even use liners to make dealing with the chunky bits easier.

These are Petite Pocket Nappies, for newborns until they weigh 9 – 10kgs.

These are Bumwear’s best selling One Size Pocket Nappies. They can be worn by babies, from newborns until they are toilet trained. My second son was still able to fit these when he was 3 years old.

Bumwear’s range of colours, patterns, button placements, texture of outer cover, and stretchy-fitted designs have made me happy.

Liam, my newborn is now 8 weeks old and I’m using both cloth and disposables. The basic rule is: re-usable at home, and disposable when we go out for long periods of time, so that when a change happens, I can just dump the offending nappy in a bin, rather than carrying around a dirty one all day.

That’s my workable compromise, and I’m happy with it!