Making climate conscious decisions as a new parent

Reusable nappies

This month sees Reusable Nappy Week from 28 April – 4 May. 

Reusable nappies are washable nappies that can be used again and again. They consist of an absorbent layer, a waterproof layer and an optional biodegradable or washable liner. Modern designs make using, washing and drying easy. Reusable nappies are made up of either bamboo, hemp, cotton or microfibre. 

A baby only needs around 20 to 30 reusable nappies, and these can also be used by any siblings that come along.  Reusable nappies can save parents around £200 to £500 with their first baby and even more if re-used for subsequent children, according to WRAP.

They come in various styles and are easy to use. They are almost identical to using disposables. The nappy change is the same, but instead of putting a disposable into a rubbish bin, you put the nappy into your washing machine.

The Reusable Nappy Week website  has a great guide on sizes, materials and how to get started.

You could try the Oxon Cloth Nappy Library. OCNL is a non-profit community-based group, organised by volunteers.  It lends out kits to those living in Oxfordshire interested in trialling cloth nappies.  All kits come with a written how to use guide and a volunteer will be happy to do a demo and explain how to use the nappies when you come collect the kit. They meet once a month usually on the last Saturday of the month at the Florence Park Community Centre (along with the Oxford Maternity Clothes Library). 

Oxfordshire County council has a dedicated page for reusable nappies and where you can get them. The county council also runs a real nappy loan scheme.

Maternity Clothes Libraries

The fashion industry is responsible for 10 per cent of global carbon emissions (according to the Carbon Literacy Project). As maternity clothing is only used for a limited period of time by the owner, it contributes to the problem of textile waste generated by this industry. 

A new maternity clothes library has just started in Berinsfield in South Oxfordshire. At its monthly events it offers lots of maternity wear including swimwear which can be borrowed for a voluntary donation of £1-£3 per item. They also have a range of slings and carriers that can be hired from £5. 

Lin Williams from The Berin Centre said: "We run two baby groups at the centre, and it became obvious that people were looking for help when it came to baby carriers and slings, making sure they fit well. We started offering help with slings and then hiring them out. 

“At the groups people were also offering maternity clothes when they no longer needed them. And the maternity library grew from there. We’ve got a stock of lightly used or new clothes and other useful items for families to hire at our monthly maternity library events in Berinsfield.”

These are held at The Berin Centre on the second Saturday of each month 10am-midday and are drop-in events. Any sling consultations need to be booked in. More information is available on the library’s Facebook page.

Oxford also has Maternity Clothes Library, which loans out good quality pregnancy and breastfeeding clothing at £3 per item, £6 for coats. These are held at Florence Park Community Centre the end of each month. Visit their site to book a slot or email oxmatlibrary@gmail.com 

Hire baby carriers and slings

You can hire carry slings for your baby from a variety of sources including the two maternity libraries above. There is also the Oxford Sling Library, which is a social enterprise run by Lucy Hawkins. She offers pre-booked appointments at home, online or can visit you. Click here for home visits or group sessions. There are also pre-loved slings available from her online.

Preloved baby gear

While new parents are often gifted new or second-hand items for their children from friends and family. There is also a huge availability of pre-owned baby equipment and clothes at a fraction of the cost of new products, which reduces the environmental cost as well as the financial one. These are available at several online retailers e.g. eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Vinted, gumtree, preloved, mum2mum market which holds local nearly new sales.