Rule #4 - Buy a good nappy that suits YOU & YOUR child

It goes without saying you get what you pay for - well in most circumstances.

In the nappy world I find this is very true of the cheapest nappies, otherwise known as the China Cheepie.

My fourth rule of cloth nappying is to buy a good nappy. So many parents buy $3 nappies off ebay, only to have them leak, fall apart and unsurprisingly they quit cloth nappies for good. Excellent intentions ruined by the wrong purchase.

If you want to succeed in cloth nappies, you need to buy a good nappy. This means a nappy that will work for you. Which nappy is this you ask? It's the nappy that is well reviewed by the public, comes with excellent absorbency options, a warranty and is a good fit for your child. A nappy that doesn't meet those criteria will probably not help you succeed in using cloth. Why?

There are many nappies on the market. All offer something different. Some of those features work for some and not others. For example, many parents want a nappy that dries very quickly. For them, a slow drying all in one design will not be suitable. Likewise, a parent who wants an easy to use, no assembly nappy may also find an all in one design is perfect.

There is one nappy on the Aussie market that is extremely popular. But, it seems most either love it or hate it. For everyone who swears by it there is an opponent who argues its faults. How is this possible? For starters some children need more absorbency options then this nappy can provide. Others find the fit way too trim for their chubby baby. Others have their child grow out of it way before toilet training. My point is, it comes down to the individual child (and this point emphasises that just because a nappy is popular or perfect for one child, will not make it so for you).

Our Baby Bare nappy design is generally a good fit on most babies from birth until toilet training. It has received great reviews. It can double as a pocket nappy, or an all in two with the detachable inserts. The absorbency can be easily boosted with our trifold booster (and for some very exciting news: we have a new night booster currently in production & on its way, which has been specifically designed to sit in the nappy without adding excess bulk, but plenty of absorbency!). We have a trial pack so parents can try before buying a full set of our nappies.

You do not need to pay a fortune for a good nappy. There are plenty of fantastic nappies on the lower price scale. Many at the top end cost more for a pretty print or the expensive branding associated with the brand. So shop around, read lots of reviews and ask questions. But be careful, a lot of the $3 nappies are being rebranded and sold for prices as ridiculous as $30 a nappy (a dead giveaway is a pocket design, with rectangular microfibre inserts).

When buying your nappy stash, set yourself a budget that is realistic. Buying good nappies will save you in the long run from switching to disposables or having to throw out all those $3 nappies that fell apart.