What could be better next to your baby's skin than a soft cloth nappy or a fleecey liner? Disposable nappies are made of plastics and wood pulp. Their absorbency comes from sodium polyacrylate powder or crystals. When wet this swells into a gel. It has been known for the crystals to come into contact with the baby's skin. Also, since the disposables absorb so much they are often left on longer than they should be providing ideal breeding conditions for bacteria. Nappies, regardless of type, should be changed as soon as they are soiled - it is easier to tell when cloth nappies have been soiled and so they are likely to be changed sooner.
Nappy rash is less likely to occur in cloth nappies than in disposables. Although there have been suggestions that there is no difference between the two, the statistics show that there has been an increase in nappy rash since the introduction of disposables. In 1955, 100% of American babies wore cloth nappies (diapers) and 7.1% of American babies experienced nappy rash. In 1991, only 10% were in cloth nappies and 90% were in disposable nappies and 78% of babies suffered from nappy rash.1
There has also been some research that has shown higher temperatures inside disposable nappies2. There is currently debate as to whether this could adversely affect male fertility.
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1. Journal of Pediatrics, 1959, Vol 54 pp. 793-800 "Relationship of Peri-Anal Dermititis to Fecel pH" by Drs. Tamio, Steiner, Benjamin
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Newborn Chemical Exposure from over-the-counter Skin-Care Products" by Drs. Cetta, Lambert, & Ross published in Clinical Pediatrics, May 1991, Vol 30 Department of Internal Medicine & Pediatrics, Loyola University Medical Ctr.
2. Scrotal temperature is increased in disposable plastic lined nappies. Partsch CJ, Aukamp M, Sippell WG.
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