The Disposable Nappies Vs Reusable Nappies Debate

Posted on 01. Sep, 2008 by Michelle in Changing




Should you use disposable nappies or reusable nappies?

It’s a question that’s been going on since, well, reusable nappies came into existance.

So what’s the definite answer? Well the reality is there isn’t one. There’s positives and negatives for both disposable nappies and reusable nappies and the decision you make will be based on what are most important to you.

To help make that final decision a little bit easier I’ve put together what I think are the positives and negatives of both and if you think of any others whilst reading this then please feel free to add them below!

Disposable Nappies

The Pluses

  • Disposable nappies make changing nappies quick and easy. You simply take the dirty one off, throw it away and put it on a nice new clean one.
  • Disposable nappies reduce the chance of nappy rash by drawing moisture away from the skin.
  • Disposable nappies are easy to pick up in supermarkets, chemists and even the local corner shop.

The Negatives

  • Disposable nappies aren’t cheap and buying in bulk can be a waste if your baby suddenly has a growth spurt.
  • Disposable nappies aren’t good for the environment - most end up in landfill and take an extremely long time to decompose.

Reusable Nappies

The Positives

  • Reusable nappies work out a lot cheaper in the long run and can be used for the next baby you have, saving even more money.
  • Reusable nappies will help reduce the number of nappies in landfill meaning you not only save money but help the environment too.

The Negatives

  • It’s more costly to begin with as you need to buy all the nappies in one go
  • It’s not so easy to get hold of them locally, (although you can find them online at places such as Mothercare and Kiddicare where it tends to be cheaper anyway)
  • It takes more time - it’s not just a case of throwing away the nappy, you’ll need to wash and launder it before it can be used again.

Can you think of any other positives or negatives of either reusable or disposable nappies? Do you have personal experience of using reusable nappies? If you do share your experiences below!

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