Obviously using grandma's old flats and $2 PVC covers is going to save you a lot of money, but how do fancy modern cloth nappies stack up against disposables?

Most disposable users claim they spend about $25 a week on nappies and more if they use top brands. That's at least $100 a month - and in four months $400, more than the average price for a full set of 12 modern cloth nappies. How about the total? When you remember most babies in disposables toilet train, on average, 5 months later than those in cloth you will probably find yourself throwing away $3,500 - $5,500 on disposables over the next three years, and you can times that by the number of babies you have.

Don't forget that your modern cloth nappies can be used on multiple children (sometimes four or more!) Or even sold for $20 - $25 each, recouping up to $300 for every $360 you spent buying new. So, if you're using a one size system on one child and selling afterwards you could very well calculate the cost of the nappies as being $60 - that's less than three weeks worth of disposables, for a full three years worth of nappies a saving of more than 98.5%.

Sure running a washing machine and perhaps having to use the dryer on the odd occasion is going to cost a little bit as well, but not as much as rubbish bags (on average 1 whole extra bag a week!), petrol for those midnight nappy-dashes to the supermarket, the extra bits you don't need but still manage pick up on those dashes, nappy rash creams, expensive nappy disposal units and their refills.

We're all aware that the week old festering pile of human waste in your rubbish bags is unhygienic, but did you know there's a lot more nasties in your disposable nappies than just old poo!?

Perhaps the most frightening part of a disposable nappy's composition is sodium polyacrylate - the super absorbent gel in the core which sucks the nappy, and the baby, dry. Have you ever noticed little crystals on your baby's bottom at a nappy change, usually in the morning after sleeping? That's sodium polyacrylate. What's so bad about it? Not only does it suck all the moisture and oils out of sensitive baby skin, promoting rashes, but it has a much sinister background. Previously used in feminine hygiene products sodium polyacrylate caused Toxic Shock Syndrome - or TSS - which can result in death and was banned from use in such products in a bid to prevent unnecessary illness and deaths. Too dangerous for mummy? Why put it on baby!?

Recent studies on the effects of disposables have unturned even more alarming links - such as increasing the risk of asthma (in a study of disposables, mice developed asthma like symptoms from the emissions from disposable nappies) or rendering men infertile. How? An adult male can become sterile due to a high fever, but baby males in disposables are subject to constant temperatures 1 - 2 degrees Celsius higher than those in cloth nappies, which German scientists believe can have a negative effect on testicular development. It would certainly explain the 25% increase in male infertility since 1980 when the use of disposables became prolific. I don't know about you - but I sure want to be a grandma.

How about nappy rash? You probably think cloth nappies mean bad rashes, but I beg to differ. Pre disposables, 1955 7.1% of mothers in the USA reported that their babies had nappy rash, despite babies being in 100% cloth. However in 1991, with 90% of USA babies in disposables an overwhelming 78% of mothers reported nappy rash. Why? Disposable nappies don't breathe, and those that claim to don't breathe very well, which causes heat, a buildup of ammonia and bacterial growth. To add to the irritation Sodium Polyacrylate, now found in most brands, is so absorbent it pulls away moisture from baby's skin - leaving it defenseless against the ammonia, heat and bacteria.

This is the most important factor as far as baby will be concerned. How would you like to wear a giant maternity pad all day everyday for three years? That's what disposables are like. They're scratchy plastic - what could be comfortable about that?

Granted they are trim, but many of our modern cloth nappies are too. Only they're made from soft materials which can be easily scrunched by baby legs and have no scratchy bits. They're cooler and breathable, and less likely to cause irritation. Many even have a staydry liner or inner which keeps baby's skin dry and free from urine.

It's important to have a comfy baby, especially at night, not just for them but - for the sake of your sleep as well.

Sure one disposable nappy giant briefly (it was found to be false and has been retracted) put out information claiming that disposables and cloth nappies are on an even par when it comes to the environment. But take a closer look at the manufacture of disposables verses the procedures you use in cleaning cloth, and read studies done independently of disposable nappy giants and you'll soon see who wins this round.

One baby in disposables will use 4.5 trees and 8760 cups of crude oil over their nappy career. While the trees may be replenishable the crude oil certainly isn't.

A baby in cloth will use approx 12kg of eco-friendly detergent and the same amount of water their mother will use when flushing the toilet over the same period of time.

And how about landfill? The Zero Waste Trust calculates 575 million disposables are thrown into New Zealand landfill every year! And because each disposable nappy takes 500 years to decompose every single disposable nappy ever discarded in New Zealand can be found with the billions of others in our landfills.

Don't think your baby can make a difference? One baby can make a tonne of difference - literally! In fact if your baby wears cloth for three years you'll have prevented up to two tonnes of waste from entering our landfills.

Sure the cute colours and gorgeous prints will be a conversation starter at the mall, but there's a lot more to be gained socially by using cloth.

Children in cloth nappies toilet train on average 5 months earlier than those in disposables. Why? Because they can tell when they 'go'! Is this really a social benefit? You betcha! There's a trend on the rise of children toilet training later and later. In fact in some countries it is not all that uncommon for children to attend kindergarten in nappies. That can't be good for a four year old's self esteem!

There's also no upsets when deciding what to do with a used nappy - you take it home! No more wondering whether or not you should throw your used disposable in your friend's kitchen bin or if it's ok to leave it in a waste basket at the park.