By the 1500s, the nappy was changed around once every three days! By the 19th century, babies were wearing the nappies similar to modern nappies, but boiling nappies to clean them and reduce nappy rash didn’t become commonplace until the beginning of the 20th century. Goodness know what our ancestors’ bums looked like – undoubtedly red and raw!!! Waterproof covers made their appearance in the late 1940’s with the first disposable being launched onto the market in 1956. Progress was rapid with absorbency and fit being improved with absorbent polymers being added in 1987. Around this time, the vast majority of babies were in disposable nappies. However since the turn of the century, the impact of disposable nappies on our limited landfill sites has resulted in one in five babies now using washable nappies. Throwing nappies into the rubbish bin poses a major problem to Local Councils who have responded by offering incentives to encourage parents with up to £30 refunds commonplace. Bambino Mio have launched a new Nappy Incentive Finder with details of what incentives are on offer.

The funding for the Real Nappy Campaign is coming to an end but this doesn’t mean the end of campaigning as moves are afoot for it to continue as a separate entity. One initiative is for the website to list stockists of real nappies for a small fee. Real Nappy week was held on March 11th to 18th this year – just as we went to press – and the various activities have had a noticeable effect on sales especially where retailers made the most of the opportunity. Other news from the Nappy Alliance is that they are holding a dinner with several MP’s to promote the use of real nappies and to illustrate the environmental consequences of disposable nappies.

As for the nappies themselves, these continue to improve. Sales of nappies made from organic cotton have continued to increase and sales nappies made from bamboo are set to rise as Motherease introduce bamboo into their range joining the Bamboozle nappies from Tots Bots which won the Gold Award from Mother & Baby for the best reusable nappy award 2006/7.