Our experience with nappies started at the NCT sessions where we were given a doll and a nappy. At exactly that point, my husband said that he had to nip to the loo. He came back 10 minutes later with a coffee and an explanation that he didn’t think he’d be able to do nappies.
I reassured him that he would be doing nappies and that no he wouldn’t enjoy it, but he would be making me and his child happy.
As a geriatric mummy, I come from a generation before disposable nappies and grew up in a house with a cupboard full of terry towelling squares that my mother had used on all four of us. I loved the idea of not contributing to the millions of used disposable nappies so I informed my husband, that not only would he be changing nappies, but he would be washing them too.
A friend informed me that I wouldn’t keep it up. I laughed and smugly said that he might have struggled, but we would be fine. Unfortunately, he was right! We were defeated by the fact that it was impossible to get them dry quick enough. I had nappies on every radiator in the winter but in the end I gave up. I felt very guilt and still very aware of our environmental footprint. We were fortunate enough to be able to afford a brand that were biodegradable.
I still stand by the fact that financially and environmentally, real nappies are the way to go. Check your local area for nappy libraries as well. This is the website for the UK Nappy Network: Find a library – UK Nappy Network Since we have stopped using nappies, I’ve since discovered you can buy heated drying racks which would have solved our problem.
My husband (who I have just realised has never been referred to as a ‘Geriatric Daddy’) was a pro within a week.
