10 cloth nappy myths busted

When you tell someone that you use, or are planning on using, cloth nappies, you are met with a while list of reasons why it’s not a good idea. People have a whole range of ideas about cloth and why they don’t like the idea of them, so I thought I might bust some popular cloth nappy myths.

Cloth nappies are hard work

This seems to be the number one reason why people don’t like the idea of using reusable nappies. It all sounds like too much hard work. Of course it is true that there is a bit more washing to do, but, in case you hadn’t realised, babies come with lots of extra washing anyway. A few loads of nappies doesn’t really make that much difference. As for the actual changing, really there’s very little difference to changing a disposable or changing a modern cloth nappy. Really, there’s very little extra work involved.

Reusable nappies leak

I have to admit, when I first started using cloth nappies, I assumed that they’d leak more than disposables. All of those years of watching the adverts for disposable nappies had convinced me that they were somehow better. I soon found out though, that actually cloth nappies are far less likely to leak than cloth. Reusable nappies usually have more layers of elastic and protection for leaks to try and get through. You’re far less likely to get those explosive, up the back leaks that disposable users know all too well.

They’re no better for the environment

Just about every time you mention cloth nappies, someone will tell you that they’d heard that they were no better for the environment than disposables, so what’s the point? This is one of the biggest cloth nappy myths out there. There have been quite a few reports that have discredited that first report (which, by the way, was paid for by one of the manufacturers of disposable nappies). It really comes down to common sense though, is it going to be better for the environment to wash and reuse something, or chuck it away and buy new all the time. If anyone suggested that disposable clothes were better for the environment, most people would, rightly, think that they were crazy.

They delay walking

Many people assume that cloth nappies will hinder development and stop children from walking so soon. In actual fact, cloth nappies hold babies leg in a better position than disposable nappies. Some babies that have hip issues are actually proscribed cloth nappies to hold their legs in the correct position. Reusable nappies certainly don’t slow children down when it comes to walking, all children do this at different times. One of my daughters didn’t walk until she was nearly 18 months, while my other daughter was 10 months, they both were in cloth. Actually I think that life might have been slightly easier if cloth had made my youngest daughter slower to walk.

Cloth causes nappy rash

I can see where this idea comes from. Cloth nappies are wet against the skin, so they must cause rashes, right? It does sound like it might be right, but in actual fact disposables cause more nappy rash. Wet skin in itself doesn’t cause rashes, it’s exposure to bacteria in poo, nappies being left on too long, chemicals and teething that are the main culprits. Of those things, there are far fewer chemicals in cloth nappies, and as you control which washing powders you use, you can eliminate any problem ones. Cloth nappies are far less likely to be left on too long too, as it’s pretty obvious when a nappy is full and needs changing. They are also generally much more breathable, which helps with the rash problem.

They cost too much

Cloth nappies can be very expensive, at least to begin with. There are huge savings to be made by using cloth, as once you’ve bought them, there’s very little in the way of on going cost. There are also ways to make that initial cost less intimidating. If you want some tips, check out our post on great value cloth nappies.

You’ll soon give up

This is one of the common cloth nappy myths. It usually follows a comment about how someone they know tried cloth, but just didn’t get on with it. There are lots of reasons that reusable nappies might not work out for someone. Sometimes they get poor quality cheap nappies that just don’t work or nappies that don’t fit very well and cause leaks. Other times they don’t actually get around to trying cloth nappies, it just gets forgotten about once their baby arrives. There are thousands and thousands of families who use cloth successfully without any issues and just because someone you know didn’t get on with it, doesn’t mean that you won’t. Especially if you do a bit of research and reading before you start.

Cloth nappies smell

I have to be honest here, cloth nappies can sometimes smell, especially those nappies used overnight on older babies. But, they shouldn’t smell, and I find the smell of a used disposable nappy far worse, they can really make your bin stink. If you are having issues with odours then the chances are that it’s fairly easy to fix the problem. Check out our post on dealing with stinky nappies for more tips.

They are too bulky

Reusable nappies are more bulky than clean disposable nappies, but they don’t make the big fat bottoms that nappies of the past used to. It also has to be said that a full disposable nappy isn’t that trim. Modern cloth nappies are made with all kinds of innovative fabrics such as bamboo, hemp and microfibre which are highly absorbent without being too bulky. Totally different to the idea of old fashioned nappies that people often have.

Normal people don’t use them

There is an idea amongst some people that only tree hugging hippy types use cloth nappies. But that just isn’t true. Cloth nappy users come in all shapes and sizes, some who are interested in cloth because of the cost savings, others because of the lack of chemicals or that they are better for the environment, then other people choose them because they like the way that they look or how reliable they are. There are lots of ‘normal’ people (whatever that means) who use cloth.

Cloth nappy myths

So there you have it some popular cloth nappy myths busted. Let me know if there are any others you’d like addressed. If you’re looking to try cloth, then maybe have a look at our modern cloth nappy trial pack.