Having a baby is a life-changing experience for any parent. The new arrival brings joy, but with a new baby comes endless dirty nappies and little sleep. From the beginning we make choices for our children as what is best for them. The nappy debate over disposable or reusable nappies has been around for decades and is one that will continue for many to come.

Disposables:

Average disposable nappies are made from super-absorbent chemicals, paper pulp, and a range of plastics and adhesives. In Australia, most parents choose the disposable nappy as a method of convenience and low cost. According to a data survey, 89 percent of nappies changed are disposables, making the disposable nappy the current king.

The bad thing is majority of them end up in landfill and take years to fully decompose. The cost of these nappies is millions of dollars and now, there have been initiatives put in place top find ways to ‘recycle’ the disposable nappy.

One of the most effective innovations is the UR-3R operation. This plan aims to increase the amount of materials recovered from waste, reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill, whilst cutting costs of recycling. This process mixes wastes from houses and produces glass, aluminum, steel and paper. The UR-3R aims to remove the pieces of plastic so that they do not end up in the compost stream.

Reusables:

Reusable nappies have changed a lot since the days of the plain white cloth. From the old constant soaking, folding and fiddly safety pins reusable nappies have changed into user-friendly nappies. Now, they come in a variety of colours, fabrics and pop up or Velcro attachments. You can get three types of cloth nappies: flat nappies, shaped nappies and all in one nappies.

Reusable nappies are better for the environment, and in the long run will save you money. It may be a messy task, but there are also inner liners you can to keep your baby’s mess in the nappy. Simply wash and reuse, rather then throw away.

The cost of these nappies are fairly expensive if you get the more advances products. Basic cloth nappies are around $5 if you want to get started for a reasonable price. You can purchase them from supermarkets or baby retail outlets.