Nappy rash doesn't exist in 95% of the baby population who wear disposables.... except we know it does. No matter if in cloth or disposables if your baby is teething chances are a dirty pooey nappy will give them nappy rash (in my experience). The big drawback is that to use rash creams you need to use a liner either fleece, or degradable liner to protect your nappy from the cream.

 

Cloth nappies are emptied down the toilet before storage - do you do the same with your disposables? All poo smells!! But with fortnightly waste collections a reality poo flushed down the toilet smells less.

 

There have been reports that look at the environmental cost of both types of nappy. Let's be clear with disposables the envrionmental cost is landfill and manufacture. For cloth nappies the costs are energy/water to wash them. Some disposables are 'degradable' but whether this happens in a landfill site is hotly debated. The biggest problem is methane production by landfill sites - the more we throw away, the decomposition in landfill, the more methane is produced which has a major impact on climate change.

 

Although cloth is as easy to use it is bulkier and you'll find if out for the day carrying 3 or 4 reusable nappies takes up most of your bag and disposables don't. Plus you are carrying them all home again.

 

My son is 18 months and he's aware when he is weeing - hasn't a clue what to do about it but he's on the first step to potty training. For me, that's a good thing. Disposables are made to keep baby a lot drier, which is why they may take longer to potty train. It probably limits their awareness.