Nappy economics

Most parents spend around $30-40 on a pack of disposable nappies that will last for about 1 week-10 days.

Assuming that you spend $25 per week, in one year you will be spending $1300 on nappies.

As the average child toilet trains between 2-3 years old, this means $2600-$3900 will be literally thrown in the bin over this time!

And this does not include the cost of wipes and nappy rash creams, nor the countless laundry from all the leakage in some disposables.

A full-time modern cloth nappy package costs around $300-$1000 depending on the needs of the child and how frequently you wish to wash them.

The nappies should last the child from birth to toddlerhood, and if you look after them well, you could even use them on your subsequent child.

If you choose to use cloth nappies part-time you will still save money from paying for disposables full-time, though to a lesser extent than full-time cloth use.

Colourful Bubba J Basic PUL Pocket nappy all in a row

4 reusable nappy buying tips

1. Buy in bulk - most nappy sellers are willing to give you a discount if you buy a lot of nappies at once. At Bean Sprout Bubba, you can buy Basic Pocket Nappies in lots of 6 or 12 at a discount, or bulk microfibre superboosters in lots of 3, 6 and 12.

2. Use one-size inserts for sized pockets - all the inserts used in Bubba J pocket nappies can be used for all nappy sizes. All you need to do is purchase empty nappy shells in next size up, reusing the inserts from the previous size.

3. Buy extra inserts - Although each insert is only 2-3 layers thick and should dry quickly anyway, each pocket nappy shell dries a lot quicker than the inserts. If you want to stretch your dollar further you can buy additional inserts, to be used with the dry shell while the previous inserts are still drying.

4. Use the same inserts in different combinations for day and night - Just add on extra layers for overnight nappies, long car trips or long naps. No need to buy totally separate day and night inserts.

5 ways to make your nappies last longer

1. Be gentle on them - follow the recommended washing and care instructions, wash in as cool a temperature as you are comfortable with and line dry whenever possible. Use the dryer only on rare occasions.

2. Pre-rinse before drypail - after removing the nappy, run some water over the absorbent material before storing in the nappy bucket. Some mums swear by this, especially if they have a bub whose wee reacts and corrodes the fabric.

3. Own many nappies - this actually works in many cases where there is a large number of nappies on rotation. Each nappy gets washed less frequently and so tend not to wear out as quickly. It still costs less to invest in a few more reusable nappies than to pay for disposables, even less if the same nappy collection gets used by the second child.

4. No bleach or soaking - Bleaching reduces the lifespan of the rubber in elastics.

5. Use sized nappies instead of one-size nappies - Each small, medium or large size nappy gets laundered for however long the baby fits into them, so they don't wear out as quickly as one-size nappies. One-size nappies get a lot of wear and tear from birth to toilet training (between 2-3 years). By the time a baby toilet trains the nappies would have been washed on average 400+ times each (average size of nappy collection), and it may not last for the second or third child.

On average, the small size lasts the longest, followed by the large size, and medium sizes are usually the most used as babies fit into them the longest.

Alright, let's go shopping for Bubba J nappies

Fun cotton prints for showing off your baby's nappies!