GECCO asked Abbie Hine, Founder and Managing Director of marine conservation organisation, WiseOceans, for her experience using reusable nappies:
Abbie’s young daughter is regularly in real nappies
Q1. Why did you decide to use reusable nappies?
Before my daughter arrived I was very keen to use reusables and bought a few to be prepared. I was always keen to use them as the extent of disposable nappies we’d use and subsequently throw away was a horrifying thought! I felt a strong moral duty to use them especially running a marine conservation organisations.
Q2. When do use reusable versus disposable nappies?
Even though I would have loved to have used reusables 100% of the time as a new mum and a working one too I struggled and ended up using both. Initially my little daughter found the disposables quite bulky and I found them less easy when going out and about. So we have ended up using reusables as much as possible when at home but used disposables when out and about. I found reusables a lot easier once my daughter moved onto solids! I’m planning on using reusables pants more as we work towards potty training, wish me luck!
Q3. What advice would you give to first-time parents on using reusables?
I would say don’t buy too many in advance, maybe just one or two. There are ways to get trial kits to see which ones suit you and your baby best, these are a great idea. I would also say even trying to use one reusable a day or every few days is better than nothing and not to beat yourself up if you aren’t finding it easy to go 100% reusable.
Earlier this year WiseOceans launched Wise Choices, a bi-monthly newsletter offering advice for making sustainable choices and changes that help protect our oceans
Abbie Hine
Founder and Managing Director, WiseOceans
Abbie is a marine educator and coral researcher with an MSc in Tropical Coastal Management. She founded WiseOceans in 2011 following many years absorbed in research and educational projects in overseas warm-water marine environments, including the Maldives, and in the Seychelles and Saudi Arabia with the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF). WiseOceans is a marine conservation and education company, and a leading resource for marine conservation jobs, opportunities, news and advice.
