Mariana's experience: There is nothing more adorable than a baby in cute cloth nappies!

Mariana and her husband are parents to a gorgeous baby girl and of course they wanted to choose the best for her. Here's what they had to say on their cloth nappy journey.

How did you hear about cloth nappies?

I was six months pregnant and was attending a parentcraft class at Mater Dei Hospital. Whilst talking about babies' hygiene, one of the attendees mentioned that she had already bought reusable nappies and mentioned some of their benefits. It perked out interest and here we are now!

When did you decide to go for it?

While I was pregnant, there were several articles related to cloth nappies popping up on my browser. I never looked into it seriously until I heard that these cloth nappies are now available Malta as well. I did my research to gain more knowledge about the pros and cons of cloth nappies. I also sent a number of questions to Brenda in relation to the products she provides. Eventually, when the due date was fast approaching, we decided to go for it.

What were the main reasons for deciding to give cloth nappies a go?

The combination of four important features:
1. Health: They are much better for the baby’s skin as they have no chemicals and mainly made out of natural materials.
2. Environment: They are eco-friendly and definitely beat the disposable nappies on this matter. Yes, there is the trade-off of higher water and electricity consumption, but that burden is much smaller compared to the damage that disposable nappies cause to the environment. If you use a bio washing powder, then you can completely eliminate chemicals during their use.
3. Economic reasons: They are basically cheaper than disposable nappies, considering how many you need to use until your toddler is potty trained, and they can be used for other children you may have in the future or sold as second hand to other parents. You will have a one-time payment which may seem a lot at first but if you do your maths you will realise that they are much more economical.
4. Aesthetic reasons: There is nothing more adorable than a baby in cute cloth nappies, especially in the summer period! The colours and the patterns are beautiful.

Was your partner/family supportive of your decision?

Both my partner and I were sceptical at first, mainly due to the practical aspect of it in terms of the washing routine and how comfortable they may be for a newborn. Nevertheless, we read a lot about it and we decided that it was worth giving it a go.

What were your main concerns before you started using cloth nappies?

As a new mother, my only concern was how I could fit the washing routine into a whole new experience, while expecting that we would be too busy and tired with the little one. Eventually it took us only a few days to get used to the new washing routine, so I am happy that we didn’t hold back because of those initial doubts.

Do you use them full time?

Until our baby girl was six weeks old, we were using disposable nappies as we wanted to first understand her “nappy routine”. Since then we have been using cloth nappies during the day. At night we are still using disposable nappies. The only reason for this is that we received several gifts which included a number of disposable nappies suitable for baby’s wet nights. In fact we received so many disposable nappies that we are going to donate some. We will soon be using the cloth nappies full time by inserting an extra layer during the night.

What’s your washing routine like?

We got the Charlie Banana bundle with 20 cloth nappies. We wash the nappies once there are about five clean nappies left, that would be every 2-3 days. We first rinse them with cold water and then wash them at 60 degrees using the cotton program. We recently bought natural washing powder and the Miofresh cleanser which we are also using to wash the baby clothes.

Do you think cloth nappies are reliable?

Yes, they definitely are, and I have no regrets of choosing cloth nappies.

What is your advice to fellow parents considering using the cloth nappies?

I would highly recommend cloth nappies to fellow parents. There are so many advantages regarding your baby’s health, leaving a positive impact on the environment while also saving some money. Do not hesitate to choose cloth due to the washing routine, that is easy to do.