I am a busy mum of two who discovered the world of washable nappies after the birth of my son whilst trying to find a solution to the amount of money and waste that disposables were about to bring me, not to mention trying to minimise my baby's exposure to anything unnatural next to his skin.

After having a trial bucket from the Cornish Real Nappy Project and kitting Finlay out with a whole set of funky nappies, I decided to try and spread the word amongst other parents and parents-to-be about how easy it is to use real nappies and all the benefits they offer. I became an advisor for Lollipop and now cover Wadebridge / Bodmin / St Austell and all surrounding areas.

I run my business alongside my main job in a language school, as well as being a busy mum and volunteering for the CRNP. Believe me, if using washables wasn't easy-peasy I wouldn't be using them!

Cost - A set of washable nappies will cost you in the region of £200 - £300. Using disposables can cost up to £1884, so even adding the cost of washing, you can still save well over £1200. Even more if you use the nappies on the next child or sell them on!

Environment - The UK sends over 8 million nappies per day to landfill and each nappy can take over 100 years to biodegrade.

Your baby's skin - By using reusable nappies, you know exactly what you are putting next to your baby's skin. Modern cloth nappies come in a variety of soft and breathable fabrics from traditional cotton to cooling microfleece, supersoft bamboo and even ultra-absorbent hemp!

Modern nappies are easy to use!! They do not require boiling, ironing or even soaking and are as simple as pressing a button on your washing machine! And no more bins of smelly disposables that have to wait for up to 2 weeks for the binman!

There are 3 main types of nappy that I can advise you on / sell:

Flat nappies - These are the traditional terry squares, although they no longer require pins, boiling or ironing, just a waterproof cover and a Nappi Nippa. Quick-drying, long-lasting and cheap!

Shaped nappies - Come in a variety of fabrics and require a waterproof cover.

All-in-one - Do not require a cover as the waterproofing is part of the nappy itself. These are often the most expensive option but also the most convenient; no different to changing a disposable except you put the nappy in a bucket not your bin!

Washable nappies......

Fasten with either Velcro or poppers......

Come in 2 or 3 sizes OR others are cleverly designed to fit right through from newborn to toddler by adjusting the size......

Do NOT leak! They are a much better fit than a disposable and most have elastic at the backs to contain those newborn explosions......

Can be washed at 40 or 60, in with your normal washing or separately......

Can very often be tumble-dried on low......

Are often very quick drying......

Can be used with flushable paper liners so no need to deal with any nasties......

Can be stored when dirty/wet in a lidded bucket with some tea-tree/lavender oil......

No smell and no soaking required......

LOOK FABULOUS AND SUPER-CUTE!

The full Lollipop range including Organic Cotton, Bamboo, Microfleece, Softee and the Rainbow.

Onelife, Fuzzi Bunz, Bumgenius, Motherease.

All accessories including liners, boosters and wipes.

Lollipop World - A new range of other baby products including funky bibs, beach shoes, nursing pillows and baby carriers.

Choosing a nappy system that is right for you can be daunting with all the choice available today. The best way to get your head around them is to book a free, no-obligation demonstration in the comfort of your own home (or mine if you prefer!). Here you will get to see, and more importantly feel, the wide range of nappies, ask any questions at all and narrow down the choice tailored to your budget, lifestyle or green principles!

All the nappies that I sell I have trialled on my own baby so I can advise you from a mum's perspective, not as a retailer! I am not paid for my time, I just receive a small commission on the nappies that I sell but I am passionate about letting more parents know about the benefits of cloth nappies. And as I am part of a team of nearly 200 Lollipop advisors, I have access to all their wealth of experience too so if you have a question that I can't answer, I will certainly be able to get the information from another source very quickly! I am convinced that there is a nappy system to suit every baby.

The best time to purchase your washable nappies is before your baby is born so that you can get started straight away. However, it's never too late to switch! Even switching when your baby is over a year can save you a substantial amount of money and divert plenty of disposable nappies from landfill!

The Cornish Real Nappy Project offer trial kits for a small fee of £10 for a month; you will receive a bucket with several types of nappy to trial.

A volunteer from CRNP will deliver the bucket and talk you through how to use the nappies and you can contact them at anytime with any questions.

As a trained volunteer with the CRNP, I am an accredited retailer and can offer these loans for up to £250. They are interest-free and can be paid off with a minimum of £20 per month, less than the cost of disposables per month!

This scheme is open to all over 18's resident in Cornwall and is an effective way of spreading the cost of your nappies. More info at: www.crnp.org.uk/campaigns/nappiesforall

Telephone: 01208 816401   Mobile: 07779 891029   Email: frosts@chyangwel.fsnet.co.uk

NeilLawlerDesign