A MUM-OF-FOUR – known as a cloth nappy “influencer” – has paid £160 for a pair of limited edition reusable nappies in the latest trend dubbed “cloth bumming”.
Midwife Cecilia Leslie, from Edinburgh, has built up a collection of around 500 cloth nappies, revealing she’s addicted to buying the eco-friendly products.
And it’s not just about saving the planet or cutting down on costs – it’s also become a popular fashion trend in the same way some women collect shoes.
“I’ve got a lot of limited editions, which sell out quickly. It became a bit of a game trying to track them down – I used to source them from Canada, Australia and the USA,” 32-year-old Cecilia told the BBC.
“I paid £60 for a limited edition print that TotsBots brought out when Prince George was born.
“And I once paid £160 for a pair of limited edition Bumgenius nappies – there were only 100 made.”
“I think I am [addicted],” the mum continued.
“I feel a sense of pride about how nice it looks and it’s a conversation starter, especially at baby groups.”
When the limited edition nappies – to mark the birth of Prince George – were released, director Fiona Smyth explains she was gobsmacked by how popular the styles were, explaining the nappies not only sold out within 30 minutes, but the website also crashed.
Carly Baillie, head of product at cloth nappy brand Bambino Mio added: “Customers compete, in a sense, over who has the biggest and best collection and who can get their hands on all the different designs… [Collecting them all] is a big investment, but people enjoy it.”
Bambino Mio
While Cecilia says she does receive some negativity over the size and cost of her collection, she reveals she’ll sell the nappies on once her kids grow out of them.
The mum explains “it’s more than just a hobby” – and it seems others agree, after one parent, Zoe Davies, revealed collecting the designs helped her cope with postnatal depression following the birth of her son, Theo.
“It’s something to look forward to, with new prints coming out, and they’re all happy colours. When you see them hanging out on the line it’s pleasure to see – it’s a really wholesome thing,” she explained.
“The online cloth nappy community is so supportive, and the routine and ritual really helped, too.
“It helped me think that, even though I’m suffering with depression, here’s something that I can achieve, something I can do for good.”
Earlier this week, we told you about the bossy mum who tells other women to ‘stop making excuses’ and get rid of the weight they piled on bringing up their kids.
We also revealed you can customise £20 Yankee Candles with a photo of you and your mum for Mother’s Day.
And we showed you how one mum created a jaw-dropping Little Mermaid-inspired hairstyle for daughter’s crazy hair day.
