In our new series, we are chatting with the changemakers who are making a difference to our planet. We always say little things make a huge difference and we want to celebrate those who make those small steps seem that little less daunting to other who want to be a little bit more sustainable.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family
I’m Laurie! A 31 year old wife to Drew and mum of two glorious girls aged 5 and 18 months. We live in rural Perthshire, Scotland and I work as a Personal Assistant to a young woman who has Cerebral Palsy. In the pockets of time I find around being a working mum, I run the cloth nappy library in our area.
How did your journey with cloth nappies begin?
When I was unknowingly pregnant with my first, I visited a friend with a young baby. During a nappy change I noticed the cloth nappies she was using and it seemed so simple so she gave me a quick demo! Later in my pregnancy however, someone convinced me that it would be too much work with a young baby and with the extra washing, was it even more environmentally friendly?!
So I went with the norm of using disposables. When I became pregnant with my youngest, my friend offered me her stash of reusable nappies so I borrowed them at around 8 months pregnant which allowed me a closer look to figure out how they worked, how to wash them and when baby arrived, see which ones suited her best. We started from birth with one a day, but when I consistently got better results with cloth nappies, (no explosive poo leaks, considerably less full clothing changes) we transitioned to full time cloth by 4 weeks.
What do you love most about cloth nappies?
Initially I started using cloth for the environmental impact; I hated the thought that I could be leaving this world for my children which would be burdened by 6000 extra dirty nappies from my one choice not to use cloth. However I received an unexpected gift through the choice to reuse, and that has been the community that has formed around me. A group of parents who support your choice; who seek connection through shared interest; who value your input and who welcome you in. I’ve formed relationships with strangers across the nation and globe who I know will be long lasting friends well beyond the nappy using days.
What's your favourite cloth nappy hack?
Pockets! A stash of pocket nappies will see you well on your way to being able to use cloth for the majority of your nappies. They’re customisable for every eventuality and you can have half as many pockets than inserts because they dry so quickly.
If you could speak to yourself before starting with cloth nappies, what's the one piece of advice you would give yourself?
Take the pressure off. It doesn’t need to be all or nothing, especially when it’s new. Take it at your own pace and there’s a community waiting to help you if you run into problems.
Has your love of reusables transferred to other aspects of your life, if so, what's your best zero-waste swap?
I’ve been a reusable fan for a while, I started with takeaway cups 10 years ago, and have used a Mooncup for nearly 7 years. Since starting to use cloth, reusable wipes have been a great switch but Wetbags have changed my life! We use wetbags for everything now! We have a few in the car to keep toys tidy; a few in the bathrooms; one in the kitchen for towels and cloths; swimming bags; beach bags; snack bags; medicine bags; peg bags...the list goes on! They’re a purchase which keeps on giving!
What do you love most about the Baba+Boo community?
The connections have been a huge part of our cloth journey. I thrive on the community spirit and I’m definitely wired to connect. The Baba+Boo community is more like a family and it’s so special that Eve and her team have such a central part in fostering the ethos from within the group. It’s a special little haven and at a time when the world has been so isolated, the community has held me together.
What's your favourite Baba+Boo print?
This is probably the hardest question because there are too many to love. From my own collection, Origami, Succulents and Northern Lights are the three first used straight off the washing line!
