Why Cloth Nappies are Better for Family Day Carers

Today, we had a chat with Anna, an educator from a Family Day Care in the Northern Beaches of Sydney. We discussed her experiences with modern cloth nappies. Anna herself, has used reusable nappies on her daughters for many years, and runs a Family Day Care, where parents have provided her with their own modern cloth nappies to use.

The first question I asked Anna was: ‘How did you find out about cloth nappies?’

And she replied enthusiastically with: ‘Well, one of my sensitive daughters was getting rashes from the tape on the disposable nappies and we desperately needed to find something else to use. Another Mother who had been using cloth nappies for a while suggested I try using them for a change. So, we decided to buy a small trial pack and started with them to see if it fixed the rashes. Then I found Hippybottomus and became an instant fan and used them with both my children.’

I asked her: ‘What did you like/dislike about cloth nappies?’

Anna responded: ‘I like cloth nappies because they are more cost effective, chemical free and children transition better to toilet-training with cloth nappies. There aren’t many dislikes I have for cloth nappies, apart from the fact they can be harder to dry in humid environments. But the Hippybottomus ones actually dry really fast.  All in all cloth nappies are prettier, better for the environment and the child than disposable nappies.’

Next I asked, ‘Have you always allowed cloth nappies in your Family Day Care?’

Anna told me that she has always advertised that she is happy to use cloth nappies. But what Anna likes the most about using cloth nappies is the reduction in waste. After a week of toddlers, she has bags and bags of disposable nappies overflowing in her bins. Whereas with cloth nappies, she finds it is easier to dispose of the waste in the toilet, roll up and bag the cloth nappy and hand it back to the parents each day to wash.

Anna said there is a subtle difference between a Family Day Care and a Day Care Centre. In Family Day Care, it is more of a partnership between the carer and the parents. The parents will need to discuss with the carer to ensure they are happy to use coth nappies.  Even though it is important to replicate what the parents would like, you would want the carer to be happy about using cloth nappies otherwise you may want to find someone else.

Before I go here are some tips and advice Anna told me about approaching Family Day Care about the use of Cloth- :

• Find a Family Day Care that fits with your lifestyle first; then explain or even provide written instructions on how to use the cloth nappies for your carer.
• Usually if you do ask the Family Day Care about the use of cloth nappies and they don’t believe in them, don’t go into further detail. Just find a different Family Day Care.
• If you do find a Family Day Care that fits with your liking, make sure, you and your carer form a good relationship, so in the future, it will be easy discussing any issues with them that arise.
• It is ideal if you provide a wet bag for the used cloth nappies.