Guest Blogger Jorgiana from A Real Mum NZ, shares here experience of Little Genie Pocket Nappy and how they saved her family and stomach…
If you were looking for a sign to start building your cloth nappy collection or start your cloth nappy journey (same but different right)... Here is your sign! Right from the very start, I was set on cloth nappies. This was for a multitude of reasons – The biggest reason was saving money as it was scarce. Any nappies we may have to buy would come out of the money we had for food. I knew we had to get smart or get hungry. Our cloth nappy journey quickly led me to my favorite brand and almost 90% of our collection is Little Genie.
What Makes A Good Cloth Nappy? I could go on and on all day about the features of a good cloth nappy. So I won't. I am going to tell you the five main features of a great cloth nappy and the things you should be looking for when purchasing.
1. What I like to call the old double-leg flap! Having the leg element of your cloth nappy fit perfect is essential. Without that element fitting your life is going to be full of leaks and poo explosions. The double-leg flaps on the Little Genie nappies are essential and my favorite feature that I am yet to find in another nappy brand! We haven't had one explosion out of the sides!
2. Perfect fitting inserts it is all well and good to have an insanely absorbent insert but if they aren't in the right place, if they don't fit well... what's the point? Well-fitting inserts in cloth nappies are another important feature that we love that Little Genie has. Checking the insert in your pocket nappy goes right from front to back is important, even with a wee gap at the back or front you can enter into leakage land!
3. Bamboo Charcoal fabric is our favorite. I have tried suede cloth, bamboo (my second fave), microfleece, and bamboo charcoal. The bamboo charcoal is super absorbent, soft, doesn't stain, and wicks moisture away... there is nothing more you could want! Bamboo charcoal is a great material to use in reusable nappies. It is highly absorbent and can hold up to three times its weight in liquid, making it an ideal choice for nappies.
4. Bamboo charcoal also has anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic properties. This help to keep babies' skin free from irritation and infection. Bamboo charcoal is also lightweight and breathable, allowing air to circulate and keep babies' bottoms cool and comfortable.
5. Finally, bamboo charcoal is naturally odor-resistant, helping to keep reusable nappies smelling fresh. There is nothing more you could want from a reusable nappy!
Why We Went For Cloth
There are endless reasons why we decided cloth was right for us. Minimizing our rubbish output was one of them. This not only benefits the earth but also benefits us. It ensures we don't overflow our rubbish bin too quickly. Which, if you have ever done that, leads to a multitude of yucky situations!
Cloth nappies are reusable which means you can wash them again and again. This makes them a far more sustainable option than disposable nappies. Where every day in the newborn phase you could be putting up to 14 nappies in the bin!
Cloth nappies also provide a more comfortable fit for babies, as they are made of natural materials that are gentle on the skin. I have really sensitive skin so had concerns that my daughter may be the same. Prevention is better than cure, so cloth nappies were always on my radar. Additionally, cloth nappies are often more affordable than disposable nappies, as they can be used multiple times and do not need to be replaced often at all!
Finally, cloth nappies are available in a variety of styles and colors, allowing parents to choose the best option for their baby. This means size-wise, and design-wise (extra leg flaps or no extra leg flaps).
How much do you really save?
So that brings us to the million-dollar question. How much do you save?
As I talked about in my blog post over at A Real Mum NZ..."The average kid will use 7000 nappies in their lifetime. This is from newborn to potty trained…
The average parent using modern cloth nappies full time will need 18-25 nappies from newborn to potty, so you won’t be washing all the time! A singular disposable nappy costs an average of 0.70 cents. Not much eh? Now let's times that by 7000… 0.70 x 7000= $4900!
Modern reusable cloth nappies cost more per nappy, around $15. So at glance, your looking at $250 for a setup cost! If you were to look at it like you need a new set of reusables per year your set-up cost goes down as they don’t use as many as they get older! At a guestimate, you might be looking at $500 max for your entire nappy journey. Big difference! You are looking at a $4400 difference in using cloth nappies and using disposables. There are a lot of things you can do with that sort of money…
The Importance Of Cloth In Our World
Look I am no expert on crashing stock markets, what the pandemic has done to our economy, or any other complex economic situation. But what I can tell you is having something you can rely on;
- If you were to get cut off from the shops
- If you had no money
- If you simply just wanted to rely more on yourself
- Minimizing our rubbish output
- Minimizing your costs
There is a large number of reasons that cloth is becoming important in our world. The biggest is minimizing costs for ourselves. Having children isn't cheap. There is no denying that cutting costs in such a simple way is a huge win. The great thing is there isn't too much extra admin to worry about when you just make it into a part of your day. I maybe spend 15 minutes a day popping the nappies into the wash and hanging the one from the day before. Plus stuffing the pocket nappies is great as I can turn on some Youtube, have a coffee, and just do a mindless task! Our world is constantly changing and you know that growing your own veggies, really taking care of the things you have, and minimizing what you throw out and waste is so important. Cloth nappies fit right into that lifestyle.
So Why Little Genie
Remember when I talked about the points you need to look for in a GREAT cloth nappy?
Well, Little Genie hits every one of those points spot on in their cloth nappies. The double-leg flap ensures there are no leakages! It is my favorite feature and I haven't found it on another brand yet.
They use bamboo charcoal which has SO many benefits! Antibacterial Non-staining Hypoallergenic Super Absorbent
It is hands down my favorite fabric that I have found in cloth nappies. Plus these nappies are so versatile with their sizing. Great sizing offers a great fit for everyone and a great fit means NO LEAKS! There is not a lot more you could ask for in a great cloth nappy. This is why Little Genie is our nappy of choice.
To Finish
Really there isn't a better nappy option out there! I have discussed all the pros and honestly, I have found no cons so far. The benefits of Little Genie and how much money they could save you are amazing. So save yourself that money now! $4400 is a lot of money no matter how fast you say it and saving that money will save your stomach too!