My sister has recently become pregnant (yay, I'm going to be an auntie!) Does anyone have tips for new parents on sustainable parenting? Nappies are pretty obvious... can someone recommend a re-usable nappy system? My Sis lives in an isolated rural area and she and her husband are not wealthy, so as much as I would like to recommend gorgeous organic cotton clothing for their baby, it seems to be so much more expensive than the cheap, mass-produced alternatives. :( Any suggestions?
Submitted by Lindis on 29 January 2008 14:35:58
Comments
Congratulations to you and your sister! I don't have kids of my own so I can't recommend a nappy system but I do know that my best friend gets a lot of the clothes for his daughters off TradeMe and other such sites - perhaps you could keep an eye out there?
Submitted by Sarah on 29 January 2008 15:01:51
My wife is a member of the nappy network, its a bunch of people who share ideals related to reusable nappies. Not only can you get patterns and assistance to make your own, but there is an excellent forum where people trade nappies and good quality clothes, sometimes for free. There seems to be a real focus on sustainability amongst the members and is also an excellent support network for parents.
www.thenappynetwork.org.nz
Submitted by robin on 31 January 2008 15:48:33
Thanks Sarah and Robin. I visited the nappy network site and was very impressed - I have forwarded the link to my Sis. I'm sure she'll have aunties and grannies busy making cloth nappies any minute now!
Submitted by Lindis on 5 February 2008 11:00:05
Some councils run cloth nappy subsidy schemes. Kaikoura District Council and Kawerau District Council are two that I know of.
Submitted by mady on 7 February 2008 17:08:55
Update: My new little nephew is now a week old :)
When my sister went to antenatal classes she was given a free pack of disposable nappies. She asked the woman running the classes about using cloth nappies and was dismissed with a comment like "some people keep a few cloth nappies in case they run out of disposables but I never use them."
Apparently cloth nappies are too much of a nuisance, too messy and too fiddly for most people!
How on earth did the manufacturers of disposable nappies manage to capture the market so thoroughly within a single generation? Sometimes it could drive one to despair...
:(
Submitted by Lindis on 11 September 2008 11:28:55
Congrats!! I used both cloth nappies (exclusively for number one - EVEN while on the go - much to the suprise of many) and biodegradable disposable nappies. These days there are heaps of really easy to use cloth nappies - there are the old fashioned ones that they still have in hospitals (but don't use much) and there are the ones that are many layered cotton which is shaped like a disposable and fantastically easy to use. I got mine from a shop in Auckland (whose name escapes me)they were called Kushies - they are for sale on Trade ME too and I got a lot from my sisters and from grandparents as they are expensive. There are heaps more around now - get hold of a "Little Treasures" magazine (from Baby Factory or the Supermarket) and check out the classified ads in the back. Also there is a website where I get my bio/eco nappies: www.babyonline.co.nz - they also have cloth nappy systems from memory. You can get a good, big nappy soaking bucket with a lid from Farmers - still using mine after 8 years!!! All the best
Submitted by GreenGemini on 19 September 2008 16:43:45
Hi Lindis,
As a mother of two I also wanted to find an alternative to disposible nappies, Friends and family were some what kind enough when our son arrived to provide us with ALOT of disposibles. I found that whatever nappy system your sister chooses she would be best to use it from the very start, that way both baby and your sister know no different. With our first child he would simply pull the re-usables off and with our second she would cry as soon as she had wet in the re-usables (which was a good 'change time' indicator). The re-usables we had were polyester polyurethane coating outer with a bamboo/cotton absorber (www.peapods.com.au) From memory they were about $35 each. We had 10 sets. Asking around is usually the best way to find which has worked best. **Instead of using facecloths we used chux cloths which were softer on the skin & faster to dry **We also buy clothes from trade me, we buy a couple of sizes ahead that way we can catch the 'good stuff' put on when people have seasonal clean outs!
Good luck to your sister !
Submitted by K SARGEANT on 30 November 2008 17:36:53
Hi K SARGEANT. Thanks for your comments and welcome to our site. We'd love to hear any more useful tips or ideas you might have.
Submitted by Andrew on 3 December 2008 11:17:36