Why use cloth nappies from birth?

The truth is that many people who end up using cloth nappies don't use them for the first few weeks - after all, there are some very important things to concentrate on, like bonding with your new baby and establishing breastfeeding, and we don't all have a mum who'll come over and do our washing for us! Disposable nappies are convenient and easy, and can be a helpful tool to get you through the first exhausting weeks - it's very important to look after yourself.

There are some definite advantages to using cloth from birth, though, including

• Making it easier to record how many wet nappies your newborn is having - which is reassuring when you're establishing breastfeeding. Here's a timeline from the Australian Breastfeeding Association which includes how many wet nappies you should have over the first week.

• Saving money and waste. Newborns are changed up to 10-12 times a day - that's a lot of nappies if you use disposables. Mind you, it can also be a lot of washing, so if you have someone happy to do your washing for you, it can help!

• Reducing exposure of your newborn to chemicals - especially if you have sensitivities in your family.

• Starting the way you mean to continue. It can be hard to switch back to cloth after using disposables for a while. If you really want to use cloth nappies from birth, are prepared and have support and help, you can do it!

Don't put too much pressure on yourself to cloth nappy exclusively from birth, though, especially if it's your first baby. It can be done, and it's not that difficult, but it is something extra to keep on top of. Remember that you can mix cloth and disposables to suit you.

But the ultimate reason for using cloth nappies from birth?

There's nothing like a cuddly bummed newborn!