Every year at Seder, we giggle at the variant translations in different editions of the Haggadah. One example guaranteed to set us off is "he lifts the needy from the... dust/trash/refuse heap/dungheap*. This year, the chuckle made me think about... nappies! A crude link, I know, but nappies were on my mind as we were spending Pesach in Israel and had packed a suitcase full of disposable nappies - I was struggling to come to terms with this as we use washable nappies at home and I felt bad about the switch, albeit temporary.

In my experience, the 'nappy question' elicits a great range of feelings for parents across all shades of the green spectrum. I have encountered parents feeling guilty, or even that they have failed if they are not using washable nappies. And I have encountered surprise, disgust, incredulity, ridicule and even (once), admiration, when people have learnt that we use washable nappies.

We decided before Eden was born that we were going to use washable nappies and wipes. Most of our friends reacted with horror at the mere thought. Very few people make an effort to hide the fact that they think we are crazy, and that using washable nappies is an extreme parenting choice. We were warned variously that it would be disgusting/time-consuming/too difficult to organise when getting used to a new baby. We decided we'd have so much to get used to, that one more thing would hardly be an issue, especially if we started as we meant to go on, we wouldn't know any different...

Why is this nappy different from other nappies?

Our primary motivation for this choice was the amount of waste we'd be sending to landfill. A baby can go through 2000 or so nappies in their first year. Even 'eco-disposable' nappies which have degradable content are unable to break down efficiently in compacted, covered landfill conditions. What's more, there is an argument that because biodegradable waste produces methane (a greenhouse gas), it's actually worse for the climate than non-biodegradable waste.

There is a cost implication too, you can save a lot of money by using washable nappies and wipes (can be £1500 over the nappy-use of one child) - and if you use the same nappies for subsequent children, they become even more cost-efficient.

On the down side...

Despite having bought the washable nappies two months before Eden was born (they were on offer as it was Real Nappy Week, an annual real nappy awareness campaign in mid-May), we did use eco-disposables for the first two months. The nappies we chose could be cleverly adjusted to fit a newborn, but the wraps were enormous so we waited until Eden grew into them. I have since found out that a smaller (size 0) wrap is now available.

Once we started using the washables, we were faced with a wet babygro and grobag every morning for the first couple of months of real-nappying... no matter how much we boosted the nappies for night-time, Eden always woke up wet. We changed to a larger size nappy (on smallest size adjustment) and the problem was solved. We still use these same nappies (now on biggest size setting) and Eden is still always dry in the morning.

We do occasionally use eco-disposables, for example if we're going on holiday. Despite the limitations of degrading mentioned above, we choose eco-disposables over mainstream brands because of manufacturing processes and materials, lack of chemicals/bleaching agents, and other ethical concerns such as treatment of workers, animal testing etc. 

On the up side...

In practical terms, I don't find it difficult at all. I have never bottle-fed, so to me, the thought of sterilising bottles and mixing formula is incredibly daunting, in fact I think it must be really difficult and a logistical nightmare. I think perhaps this is the equivalent fear that many parents have about using washable nappies. 

I can reassure any doubters that washable nappies are very different from the terry-toweling cloths our mothers had to endlessly fold and soak... I find it so easy to pop a load in the wash, I don't have to handle poo, the wipes go in the same wash (with an eco-detergent, anti-bacterial for nappies even at lower temperatures). It's easy to forget that it was only one generation ago that disposable nappies were a 'revolution'. Washable nappies are so well designed now that they are great-fitting, reliable, comfortable, even stylish.

Choosing which washable nappies to use can be bamboozling as there are so many styles and types available. Fortunately, there is also a wealth of information available to help you navigate the choices and find the best product for you. You can arrange trials of different nappies to compare, you can speak to a nappy advisor, visit websites and online forums for reviews and opinions. There are even council grants and incentive schemes available in many areas to help with the initial outlay, for example at Real Nappies for London.

I've decided to keep our disposable use in perspective - I have come to terms with occasionally using disposables on holidays because over Eden's nappy-filling career, I will do my best to minimise the waste I send to landfill, so for every nappy I wash, that's one less on the 'dung heap'.

* opening of Hallel, Psalms 113

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