Heart Reflections Live

I love cloth nappies!- the kind my Mum used on us when we were babes in arms. Yes, I use terry towelling fold-them-yourself nappies (diapers) on our dear little twinnies and love them!

While I've always liked doing things the old-fashioned way, there's a bit more to it when it comes to things like baby care for me. I'm no New-Age Greenie, just a Bible-believing Christian Mama, whose been thinking a lot more about Christian Stewardship and what it entails the past few years. As I become more aware of something, then it becomes my duty to act on it, especially when it comes to the welfare of my children.

Did you know that on average, a single disposable nappy takes 6 months to decompose! We do buy disposables to use while I recover from my Ceaserseans, and I'm always shocked by how quickly the rubbish mounts up- double that for twins! After my 6 week recovery we use cloth at home, saving disposables for going out, and the rubbish pile reduces dramatically! This time round we are allowing disposables for night-time changes as well, but it's a good feeling knowing that each cloth one you use saves landfill.

Now, you may ask, is this a justifiable point for a Christian who believes that God will make new Heaven and a new Earth? I believe it is. As much as we'd all like to believe that we'll be the generation to see Christ's return, we may not be, for no man knows the time nor hour, and if Christ delays His Coming, I'd like to leave as little landfill as possible for my Grandchildren.

As well as the environmental issues, I've become more aware of the issues involving the chemicals used in many baby products and paper products , including disposable nappies. This is something I'm still looking into.

Financially cloth nappies save heaps of dollars. The disposables the boys currently use cost about 35 cents ea (AUD) That quickly multiplies with 2 babies. We buy generic brand nappy liners and nappy soak, we're on tank water- God provides-it's free, and unless it's raining we don't need to use the dryer. I still have to do a cost comparison of disposables verses using the dryer for those weeks when it's raining non- stop.

We were blessed to be given 2 big bags of cloth nappies before we had the twins- lovely thick soft ones! The old ones from Talitha and Zara have become burp cloths, or hand cleaning cloths for hubby when he checks the engine- they keep on keeping on! I fold my nappies in whatI believe is called the Scottish fold- a triangle shape with very thick padding between the legs. I've never ventured into the world of prefolds or modern cloth diapers. Having to upgrade nappies to bigger sizes seems a bit of a waste to me, when I'm 41 years old and up to babies 3 and 4! The beauty of the terry-towelling squares is that when they get a bit snug, just change the fold!

I find there is minimal time difference between changing a disposable or a cloth. The only difference really is adding a pilcher or nappy cover over the nappy, and that takes seconds! I use a snappy nappy fastener ( a plastic claw)- much quicker and safer than than a pin!

Have I whet your appetite for trying cloth nappies? You could start a college or private school fund for your child with the money you save buying disposables! Try it- you might just like it- and there's nothing like a line full of nappies happily waving in the wind. Satisfaction of a happy baby in soft white fluff...

Here are some links for you: http://www.punkinbutt.com/ Scroll down the left hand side to articles and read the whole or parts of Cloth Diapering 101. This is a great study on environmental damage, health issues, saving money, laundry tips and more!

Labels: keeper at home, my favourite things, parenthood, twins