Five Reasons You Should Consider Reusable Nappies

When my husband first suggested using reusable nappies on Little Miss, I thought he was crazy. But the idea took hold and once we had done some research, we realised it was actually the right move for us. It's not a choice that will suit everyone, but we're really pleased we decided to give it a try and here's my top five reasons why everyone should at least think about using reusable nappies. 

1) They are a lot easier to use than you think, particularly if you get the all-in-ones. The bumGenius Freetime nappies don't even need to have inserts stuffed into them, you just flip the absorbent pads over and the nappy is ready to use. Then you just velcro or popper them up, like you would a normal nappy. 

2) They look adorable. Reusable nappies come in a variety of cute colours and patterns and look a lot more cheerful than disposable nappies. I love these designs from Bambino Mio:

3) They are cheaper in the long run. In fact, it has been suggested that using reusable nappies could save you around £500 (and that's if you're only using them on one child). Plus, quite a few councils in England now offer financial incentives to get you started. 

4) You don't have to just use reusables. If you think they are too much of a faff when you're out, you could just use them at home, or you might choose to still you disposables overnight. There's nothing wrong with combining different options, in the same way that you probably wouldn't use the same style of disposable nappy overnight as you would during the day. I do use them when I'm out, with the help of these very handy washbags, but I use disposables overnight as they last longer.

5) It goes without saying, really, but they are much better for the environment, even when you take into account the extra washing and drying you have to do. It's a small change that can make a big difference.  

Because we weren't sure which style of nappy we would prefer, we bought starter packs of three different types: Bambino Mio Solo; bumGenius Freetime; bumGenius Elemental. The Freetimes are the easiest to prepare, the Mios are the quickest to put on Little Miss (since they're a bit bigger) and the Elementals are the best ones to take out in the changing bag because they are smallest. We have 16 nappies in total and I put a nappy wash on every other day.