Deciding at what age you should start using cloth nappies for your baby can be tricky especially if you haven’t used cloth nappies before! What works for one family might not be the best way for another; and we all know that too much advice can end up being overwhelming rather than helpful! The truth is that there is no right or wrong answer to the question. It depends entirely on your situation and what you feel comfortable with. The great thing is that it is never too late to start using cloth nappies. Even using just one cloth nappy a day will save around 900 disposable nappies from going to waste!
Here are some things to consider when thinking about when to start cloth diapering.
A large amount of parents that decide to use cloth nappies decide to do so from the moment their baby is born. There are a lot of advantages when choosing to do so. One of the main benefits is, of course, that it is unlikely for cloth nappies to cause irritation to delicate newborn skin. Cloth nappies are made out of natural materials and contain no chemicals. In addition, newborn babies go through the most nappy changes per day varying between 8 to 12 nappy changes a day. That’s around 600 nappies in the first 2 months! Keeping these numbers in mind, it is clear that using cloth nappies from the start has not only huge environmental benefits but also makes huge economic sense.
Although some parents can see the advantages of using cloth nappies from birth, it might not be the best choice for them. Firstly, having a baby brings with it a lot of changes to your life and this can take some getting used to. Some parents simply don’t want to add extra pressure in the first few weeks after having a baby. Completely understandable! Secondly, one-size nappies, despite of being referred to as birth-to-potty, might be a little big for brand new babies. Newborn nappies are available. Some parents prefer to get a set of newborn nappies initially as these fit more snugly on small babies. This will be a good investment if you are planning to have more children later on. In any case, you can always sell your nappies second hand when you have moved on to one-size nappies. If you do not want to invest in a newborn stash, give it a month or two until your baby is big enough to fit one-size nappies thus decreasing the initial expense.
Modern cloth nappies are still quite a new trend in Malta and some parents might only come across them when their baby is a bit older and nearing potty-training age. The great thing is that it’s never too late to give cloth a go. Changing to cloth nappies just before your little one potty trains has great benefits too as cloth nappies could help babies understand and associate the idea of being wet and needing to use the toilet.
So whether you are an expectant parent, a new parent or already have a toddler that you’re hoping to potty train soon, consider giving cloth a go. It doesn’t matter whether you start using cloth diapers from the very start, or make the change later on. What matters is finding what works for you and your family in order to maintain a sustainable lifestyle.
If you’re interested to give cloth a go, check out our starter bundles here or contact us for a free consultation.
