I have 4 children close in age, and did not had a nappy free day from the birth of my eldest in January 1998 until the youngest toilet trained in August 2004! In that time I reckon I must have changed at least 18,000 nappies! I started out as a disposable user, and switched to washable cloth nappies with my second child, after trying the Plush Pants cloth nappy trial scheme. I have learned a lot about cloth nappies along the way, nothing beats personal experience. So please, feel free to email your question to me (christine@plushpants.com): the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask (trust me: I've asked a fair few simple questions in my time!)

The following pages contain some general ideas and rules of thumb you might find useful: everybody has concerns when they first start thinking about using washable cloth nappies - how to choose the right washable nappy from a bewildering array of alternatives; how on earth to cope with the laundry; how much will it cost - and how much money will you save by using cloth nappies, and so on. However, your individual concerns are best addressed by contacting me for personal advice.

These articles were written to attempt help parents answer some of their questions about cloth nappies. Click on the links on the left to view the articles - and keep returning to this page! More articles are added from time to time.

Nappy News October 2008

Real nappies are up to 40% better for the environment than disposables; a new report from the government has stated!

The key finding of the new updated Life Cycle Assessment Report 2008 shows that the environmental benefits are achieved by following simple washing guidelines like:

- avoiding tumble drying nappies;

- using A-rated appliances; and

- washing in full loads at no more than 60 degrees.

These are all measures recommended by nappy manufacturers and commonly used by parents. The report highlights that unlike disposables, washable nappies put parents in control of the impact they have on the environment.

Parents using real nappies will also be financially better off. It has long been known that real nappies save parents hundreds of pounds and now this advice on washing methods, which are supported and promoted by the Real Nappy Campaign, will help reduce fuel bills too. The savings in costs and for the environment are even better when real nappies are used on a second child, as many families do.

For further information about this report visit the Real Nappy Campaign website.