The Mummy Diaries 1.3
The nappy divide is real.
I only ever knew about Pampers from that famous cute-kid-funny-face poo-nami advertisements on television, so Pampers it was. I bought the new born pack, and then a size one and a size two. and that was it. Someone told me that once the baby is born, I’ll know what size to get more of, which I ultimately did … end of nappy story. (or so I thought)
So for the first year or so of my daughters life, she wore Pampers nappies (I now say with guilt), moving from size two to three, and finally sticking with size four, which she is on now.
Until I was lectured by a mom-friend that Pampers are primarily made of cellulose, polypropylene, polyethylene and a super absorbent polymer, as well as minor amounts of tapes, elastics and adhesive materials. In short, they are not organic, they are not natural, they are not kind to the planet, and therefore, how can they possibly be kind to our babies?!
I’m aware Pampers are clinically and dermatologically tested, so are definitely not harmful to babies- but they aren’t great either. As Pampers nappies are partially made of plastic, they are non-biodegradable, which means that they lay in landfills for too long of a time- 500 years long of a time, to be exact!
So, queue my nappy journey to find organic, natural alternatives for my daughter.
I’ve landed on Eco by Naty nappies, which have been a truly positive change.
They definitely are soft and made from 100% bio-based materials which are super fluffy, and almost sponge like, and gentle on baby's skin.
The nappies are crafted with eco-certified, plant-based materials and no oil-based plastic touching the skin, they are also free from any harmful chemicals, flexible in fit, super absorbent with breathable materials for comfort and dryness and come in fully recyclable packaging.
They feel like a cloud, which sounds weird but is true- they are super soft and really cushioned, which has been cosy and nice both day time and night. We’ve tried both the regular and the pull-up options.
I would say the only negative is that they do leak if you’re not totally on the nappy change every two hours or so. So mornings we’ve woken a few times with a wet pyjama, and we’ve also had some wet leggings at play group. Something I could probably work with, but it made me look for more options to compare;
Peachies have been better in terms of the leakage situ, but not as cushiony soft - not a terrible thing, but maybe a little bit more like Pampers in the feel of the actual nappy.
I like that they are more of an independent brand, and you buy direct from their website.
Peachies offer a monthly subscription, which is hassle free and easy to use. I love not having to worry about re-ordering nappies, and there is nothing worse than running out of nappies in the house. Three times more absorbent than other nappy brands, I believe them when they claim they have 70% more liquid capacity. These nappies engineered to be the highest performing, fastest absorbing and soft as cashmere. Also they save the CO2 equivalent of 12 trips around the world per year, which is really important in a world where climate change is so pressing. I feel that these are the highest quality of eco friendly nappies that I have tried, and my next month box is due to arrive on Tuesday!
Bambo Nature nappies were purchased during a midnight Amazon splurge, along with pumpkin spice coffee syrup and a barista style pump (‘tis the Season).
To be completely honest, I thought I was ordering Peachies, but these came up instead, and I just bought them, fairly unknowingly.
These are sort of an in between Eco by Naty and Peachies, in that they have more cushioning than Peachies, but not as much as Naty. I’d say the only downside with these is that I have this very bizarre feeling that because they are so natural, my daughters nappies smell a little bit more intense than with any other brand. Could totally be my imagination though…
All of a sudden, nappy brands are creeping into main character territory of my life. Amongst those mom’s that know, nappy brands can almost be compared to the quiet luxury of fashion; you’re wearing Loro Piana Summer Walks, not high street loafers.
Now everything I see and hear are eco-friendly nappy brands. A mom friend uses Kit & Kin, and I can’t help but notice the smug look on her face when a mother, not yet converted, uses the Aldi version provided at play group (what a total faux-pas).
It’s become an eco-cult, where those who know would never dream of leaving, and those who don’t know- well, don’t know.
Like the Margaux by The Row, women who recognise the quality and ultimately the recently highly-invested-in brand, gravitate towards it; coming from someone still on the waitlist, because my ready-to-wear-spend at The Row isn’t high enough.
For those who choose fast fashion, their leather dupe purchase is a significant contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for as much as 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
As are the nappies on their babies butts.