當馬克遇上莎莉

Liz, 26, is from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and is mum to three-month-old Joseph.
Liz's verdict: "I have used reusable nappies before so I knew what to expect when testing them. Although it's extra work washing and drying reusable nappies, particularly when it's not warm enough to dry them outside, I'm happy to do it if it saves money and the environment. If I had a tumble drier, it would definitely make life easier. The prices were similar for all the reusable nappies, so that wouldn't be an issue for me when choosing one brand over another."


Sarah, 27, lives in Spalding, Lincolnshire, and is mum to four-month-old Tyler.
Sarah's verdict: "I have never used reusable nappies before, and it wasn't as difficult as I expected, although I think you need a tumble dryer to cope with all the extra washing and drying. It's definitely cheaper in the long run to use reusables and they are all around the same price to buy, too. I might consider using them again, but maybe not all the time." 

STAR BUY

Cloth nappies from Onelife
Price: £9.99 for one, including liner.
Sizes: One size

Features: These shaped cloth nappies are soft cotton combed terry and have poppers for adjusting the size, which means the nappy can be used from birth through to potty training. Made from unbleached cotton, the nappy has soft binding around the legs and waistband and an attachable booster to ensure total comfort and maximum performance for your baby.
Sarah says, "These nappies are easy to put on. I like the fact that they are one size and they are easy to adjust. They are very absorbent, and are great for bedtime use, too. They are gentle on Tyler's bottom and they feel lovely and soft. They are economical because they are one size so you don't have to keep buying different sizes. I would definitely buy them and recommend them to others, too."
Sarah's rating: 9/10
Liz says, "These nappies are very easy to put on Joseph, once you have decided which poppers to use for a best fit and whether to use the booster or not. They are absorbent and gentle on Joseph's bottom. I like these and I would buy them."
Liz's rating: 9/10
Stockists: 01736 799512 www.onelifeworld.com 

Also on test

Reusable nappies from TotsBots
Price: from £6.50
Sizes: 8lbs to 40lbs
Features: This nappy is a shaped two-piece nappy system. Your baby wears a nappy and a waterproof wrap over it to stay dry. The outer wrap is elasticated at the waist and legs to prevent leaks and to offer a neat fit. Made from GM-free terry towelling, the Tots Bots nappy has Velcro waist tabs so it fastens just like a disposable. It's machine washable at 60 degrees C, and is available in three sizes and a range of funky colours.

Sarah says, "These nappies are easy to put on and I really like the funky style of them. They look so cute on Tyler. They are absorbent but they are slightly bulky. They're a good price and I would definitely buy them and recommend them too."
Sarah's rating: 8/10
Liz says, "These nappies are easy to use, mainly because they are so adjustable, due to the Velcro. The white ones are thicker and therefore more absorbent than the rainbow coloured ones, so it's nice to have the option of having different ones to buy. The attached fleece liner is very soft. These were my favourite of all the reusable nappies I tried."
Liz's rating: 9/10
Stockists: 0141 550 1514 www.totsbots.com

Kushies ultra reusable nappies from The Baby Catalogue and Mothercare
Price: £39.50 for 5 nappies.
Sizes: 4-10kg (10-22lbs)

Features: An all-in-one machine washable nappy with a 100 per cent cotton flannel with waterproof outer barrier and a built-in waterproof layer. The nappies also have a Velcro fastening, a built-in flap for boy/girl design, maximum leak protection and an adjustable waistband.
Sarah says, "I think these are very funky looking nappies that are easy to put on. They do leak occasionally but they are gentle on Tyler's bottom. Once they're on they look very snug and comfy. They take quite a while to dry unless I put them in the tumble dryer. They are a good price and using them would obviously work out cheaper in the long run. I'd buy them and I would recommend them to others, too."
Sarah's rating: 8/10
Liz says, "This nappy is very easy to put on Joseph. The absorbency isn't bad, but I have had a few leaks with them. They are gentle on Joseph's bottom, though, and don't cause a rash. My only problem with them is that they take far too long to dry, particularly as I don't have a tumble dryer. And even when I use my friend's tumble drier they still take ages to dry so I'm not sure I'd buy them."
Liz's rating: 7/10
Stockists: 0870 120 2018 www.thebabycatalogue.com

Nappy Set from Bambino Mio
Price: £42.95-£49.95 (pack includes 12 pre-fold nappies, 3 nappy covers and a user guide).
Sizes: Newborn, up to 5kgs (6-11lbs); Small, 5-7kgs (11-16lbs); Medium, 7-9kgs (16-21lbs); Large, 9-12kgs (21-27lbs)

Features: These nappies are made with tightly woven cotton and a three-panel construction; the centre panel has six to eight layers of cotton while the outer panels each have four. They can be folded in various ways to suit the individual needs of your baby.
Sarah says, "These nappies are a bit fiddly to put on, especially folding the wraps. They are not particularly absorbent. They do leak a fair bit, and they are definitely no good for Tyler to wear at bedtime. They look a bit uncomfortable to wear, too. They're a good price and the handy pack they come in is a good idea. I don't think I'd buy them, though, because the folding bit is so awkward."
Sarah's rating: 5/10
Liz says, "These nappies take a lot of practice to get on correctly and might be harder on a wriggly toddler. You can fold them differently to suit girls, boys, newborns or older babies, which is a good idea. I find the best fold for me is slightly more complicated to put on but catches the poo better. The poo tends to go onto the liner and the nappy (and sometimes the wrap too), which is not so good. The nappy changes aren't very quick because I can't get a new nappy ready to put on before I take the old one off, as I need to use the same wrap. They are fairly absorbent and gentle on Joseph's bottom, though and they are a good price. I don't know if I'd buy them, though, because it takes too long to fold and change, and would probably be even harder for grandparents and babysitters to learn how to do it."
Liz's rating: 6/10
Stockists: 01604 883777 www.bambino.co.uk 

Eco-friendly disposable nappies

There's no doubt that using disposable nappies is convenient, particularly when you are out and about. However, many parents have concerns about the use of chemicals in ordinary disposables, although there is no hard evidence that there is a risk to the health of babies who wear disposables. Cut open an ordinary disposable nappy and you will see white granules contained inside - these are acrylic acid polymer salts, which turn to gel in water. Most disposable nappies contain artificial chemical absorbents such as sodium polyacrylate. These chemical granules are used to increase absorbency, but the gel they form can end up on your baby's skin.

Eco-friendly nappies have no bleaching agents to pollute the environment during manufacture or decomposition, and fewer chemicals are used so harmful waste products are considerably reduced. Gel-free disposable nappies are made of a cotton blend and are perfume, dye and latex-free. 

Eco-disposables on test 

Tushies nappies from Green Baby
Price: £8.50 for 40 nappies (small); 30 (medium); 22 (large); 20 (toddler).
Sizes: Small 2.7-6.3kg (6lbs-14lbs); Medium 5.4kg-10.8kg (12lbs-24lbs); Large 9.9kg-15.8kg (22lbs-35lbs); Toddler 12.2kg+ (27lbs+).
Features: These nappies are free of chemical absorbents. They contain non-chlorine-bleached wood pulp and are also gel, perfume, dye and latex free.

Sarah says, "These disposables are easy to put on and are fairly absorbent, but they look quite bulky. They do the job but I'm not that impressed. I have to change them more frequently than with other leading brands of disposable nappy. Tyler's bottom has also been sore after wearing them. They are not cheap to buy and I don't really rate them, so I wouldn't buy them, even though I know they are better for the environment."
Sarah's rating: 5/10
Liz says, "I haven't seen these disposable nappies sold locally so I would need to get them mail order or order them from the internet, which is fine as long as I remember to order more before I run out. This may put other parents off buying them, though. These are very easy to put on Joseph, but the clear tabs are a little hard to see when removing the nappy. They have had a couple of leaks but they are gentle on Joseph's bum. They are a good price and I would buy them."
Liz's rating: 8/10
Stockists: 0870 240 6894 www.greenbaby.co.uk

Moltex un-bleached disposable nappies from The Natural Baby Company
Price: Mini £8.99 (52 nappies); Midi £10.99 (48 nappies); Maxi £10.99 (44 nappies); Junior £10.99 (38 nappies).

Sizes: Mini 3-6kg (6.5-13lbs); Midi 4-9kg (8.5-20lbs); Maxi 7-18kg (17-39lbs); Junior 12-25kg (26-55lbs).
Features: These disposable nappies are unscented with no unnecessary deodorants or chemical dyes. Like normal disposables they are shaped anatomically and designed to direct moisture into the middle of the nappy. Velcro closing tape makes it easy to fit and re-close, and offers variable adjustment. These nappies have an ultra-powerful absorption cushion to absorb wetness quickly, and seal it in reliably, with a cloth-like, breathable back-sheet for improved comfort.
Sarah says, "These nappies are easy to put on Tyler, but I think they look quite unattractive in terms of style. I'm impressed with the absorbency but they are very heavy when they are wet. They are gentle on Tyler's bottom, though. They are more expensive than other leading brands, but they are environmentally friendly so that is justified. I would buy them."
Sarah's rating: 8/10
Liz says, "I can't buy these locally. I have to make a special trip to a bigger supermarket or pharmacy, so I would rather get them via mail order or the Internet, which is fine as long as I remember to order before I run out. If I go away I use Moltex disposable nappies, as it's more convenient to use disposables when travelling. They are very easy to put on Joseph. They are fairly absorbent, but they don't keep Joseph dry as long as some of the 'premium' disposable nappies do, but I'm happy with this, knowing they are better for the environment. They are a fairly reasonable price and I would buy them."
Liz's rating: 8/10
Stockists: 01983 810925 www.naturalbabycompany.com

Compiled by Alex Antoniou
Alex lives in north London and is married with two children, Theo, 10, and Grace, six. She has worked in the parenting market since 1996 when she worked on Parents magazine as a sub editor. Since then she has been features editor on Pregnancy & Birth magazine and consumer editor on the Pregnancy & Birth sister title, Mother & Baby

Prices and descriptions of products are correct as of April 2007