Sustainable BABY

If eco-friendly parenting is your thing, Tiffany Brown has some wonderful tips for raising your baby in a sustainable way, and being kinder to our planet.

"Nappy-free time is the best, Mum! Now put me down and let me play." Every little bit counts. The idea that small changes can and do add up is resonant when it comes to your parenting journey, when the arrival of a little ones brings along a whole set of fresh challenges in terms of treading lightly on our precious earth.

If you're thinking about implementing some planet-friendly parenting practices, here are some ideas to get you started.

NAPPIES

Estimates suggest the average child uses between 4,000 and 6,000 nappies before they are toilet-trained, which makes their ecological consideration perhaps the most significant for new parents.

ONE-USE WONDERS

It’s claimed a single disposable nappy takes upwards from 200 years to break down in landfill. But the convenience of disposable nappies can’t be underestimated, particularly when you’re on the go. Traditional-style disposables consume energy when produced and contain plastic and chemicals to absorb waste. But newer alternatives are appearing all the time, such as recycled and chemical-free nappies, and we can expect nappy technology to keep on improving.

MODERN CLOTH NAPPIES (MCNS)

The old-school type of traditional flat nappies (along with overnaps, pins, liners, and a soaking bucket) are still an option, but most families now prefer to invest in a set of modern reusable nappy designs that mimic the ease of use of the modern disposable. In bright, colourful prints and styles, these two- or three-piece nappies offer fabric manipulation and layered technology with outer covers, all of which snap, pop, or velcro to fit your baby and can be used with an optional liner for further protection. The impact of soaking, washing, and drying these nappies is not to be ignored, but on balance it is usually kinder to the environment to opt for reusable-style nappies... BUY BUMP&baby ISSUE 9 FOR THE FULL STORY