Ten ways to succeed using Cloth Nappies - #1 Believe in your reasons for using cloth nappies

I’ve made this the first and foremost, because without it, you have to wonder what you are doing here. No amount of marketing can truly get you to believe that cloth is the easiest choice. It isn’t (but its not a difficult choice). But, if you are a parent who is choosing to use cloth nappies, you are making the decision that it is the best choice for you. What ever reasons you have found to lead you to that decision, you need to reassure yourself with them and believe in them. Without this, I honestly believe you will fail in your endeavours to cloth nappy your child(ren).

If you are convinced on budget reasons, you need to stand by that. You need to believe that cloth nappies will be cheaper, that you can invest your money elsewhere and not throw it out with the trash (literally). You need to believe it is worth the little bit of extra effort ,and your savings justify the initial layout, washing and care. Within months you will have paid off your stash and nappying will basically be free. Start thinking about what your family is doing with the extra $30 odd a week.

If your reasons are for your child, you need to be passionate about them. The health of their skin, the natural aspect of cloth rather than chemicals and plastics, breathability of their nappy etc need to be important enough to you to commit to this.

You may have chosen, or are contemplating cloth nappies because of the environment, because of the cute look of them, because of the nostalgic feeling of doing what generations before us have done. Everyone will have different reasons for choosing to use cloth nappies. Where it comes undone is where you forget along the way why you started. What you wanted to achieve - for your wallet or your child.

Many parents give up because they come to believe that none of their previous reasons for cloth can be justified by the effort of washing them and dealing with ‘mess’. What I say to many parents is(mainly friends who seek my honest opinion), there are times you will hit a wall. You won’t want to wash them, you wont want to fold them etc. But, if you persevere, you accept that cloth is what you want to do, those feelings will quickly fade. After a couple of months, using cloth nappies will become like wearing clothes. They need to be washed and folded. They are just one small job. Don’t dwell on it, don’t analyse it, just do it! In my experience the majority of parents who give up, do so around the 6-8 week mark. The novelty wears off and they give up. If you stick with it past that turning point, you will most likely succeed because it becomes your routine.

To parents who are not convinced that cloth is for them, but would really like it to be. I urge you to try it out. Buy a few nappies. Put them on your child. Wash them and see how you go. Your investment is small. You will either fall in love (almost certainly), or you will quickly decide you want to use disposables.