to think reusable nappies are a lot of faffing about...?

[Wigglewoo]

Hmmm. Willing to be converted...

My ds is 5 weeks old and I decided to buy a range of reusable nappies to give them a go... Tots bots, little lambs, fuzz bunz, smartiepants....

So far they have sat unused on the side. I am tempted to return them.

I love the look of them and I'm not bothered about getting closely aquainted with ds's poop but I just find myself reaching for the disposables everytime I change his nappy as it just seems somehow easier.

I'm not even sure its cheaper... The little lambs took ages to tumble dry when I pre washhed them so that has to cost a fair bit... And the actual nappies themselves cost quite a bit now esp the all in ones!!! But then I guess you do buy them once ...

What do others think? Just being nosey really.

Wiggle I'm using reusables on ds who is 22 months, never really had an issue with clothes fitting. Ds was in babygros for the first six months and it was fine. After that dungarees and trousers from next, Asda, Sainsburys, M & S and Mothercare. I will say you tend to size up on dungarees about two months earlier than the age range but its fine. I never ever bought special clothing ever. I would also try just doing part time whilst you get your head round it. I've done that and it was a sanity saver.

Also, I don't find it a faff, I do two extra washes a week.

I was a definate nappy hun, total addict, and once I got into wool it was certainly a million times less faff, and so so many gorgeous ones.......

but that said it sometimes takes a bit to find the system and nappies which work best for you. I never got on with prefolds, it was the wool interlock covers which really swung it for me, poo dealt with with liners - fleece liners as a keep dry layer prevented any kind of rash.

had a dry bucket to put them in. Liners with poo into the toilet. you can get those toilet spray things which had I known I would have had, but by the time I knew it was too late. Wash on a hot wash. line or radiator dry, quick tumble at the end to soften up. Huge stash of them to resell once done.

Wool was the best though. Lanolised interlock looked just like his normal trousers and kept any wet in - also made it very simple for nursery, they just changed his wet nappy at set times and didnt need to have any kind of complicated explaination. Never had any leaks with wool, it didnt need washing much, and because the interlock had already been felted to death, it could go in the washing machine when it did need a go. And scrumptious delicious smelling flavours of wooly wash too.

A well stuffed fitted specific night nappy with a chunky knit felted wool shorties or longies were bombproof at night, and also doubled up as pajamas.

The washing seemed less in my opinion, so long as you have enough nappies to rotate. On the odd times we used disposibles (which, once DS could express an opinion about, he HATED and point blank refused to wear) they leaked and I had to wash his clothes anyway. so clothes or nappies, prior to pt there is always alot of washing!

also if you turn to the dark side with wool you dont need to buy clothes to fit over them, as the covers are themselves clothing.

Not talking about the knitted ones (though iMO they are lovely, but many they are a step too far on the road to hippy heaven) but interlock is a heavy weight thick stretchy wool fabric a bit like a heavy sweatshirt/heavy jersey. There are shorts and trousers available.

I loved cloth so much I even started my own WAHM business (and was 1st to make stuff in interlock in the UK)

All this is really helpful :) thanks...

What's this "toilet spray"? Not heard of that!

And the "wool" - I am going to sound dim but is that a sort of nappy?? As opposed to bamboo etc?? (I've got a couple of the little lamb fitted bamboo ones)...

I'm going to join the fb group in a min. :)

I'm amazed so many of you worked full time and did cloth- I'm a sahm and I'm struggling to get anything done yet alone put washing away!!!! But then in my defence ds has just been diagnosed with reflux... So its a hellish time at the moment... :(

Just marking my place as I'd love to read this again when I'm not falling asleep.

Happy cloth nappy user here, we use washable wipes too. We have enough of a stash to never run out, our bin is never overflowing, we use a flip lidded kitchen bin and dry pail and wash every few days or so. The fact it saves us a lot of money makes me feel good too.

You could wait till DD is a bit older as at 5 weeks its constant changes?

We never tumble dry, just put them on an airer if its wet out (ie last three months!).
Stick at it if you can. Once you are in a routine with them you'll be happy you did.

Flip lidded kitchen bin instead of a bucket that should say.

The toilet 'sprayer' is a bit like one of those trigger sprays which is plumbed into the loo, and you can spray off any nasties and flush them so that nappy is pretty clean when it goes into the nappy bin before washing. I think they sell them as 'hygenic washing' attachments for people who want the bidet experience!!
Wool is an alternative material to make a nappy cover out of, instead of the waterproof covers which can leak or need washing quite alot. It sounds mental but wool was my saving grace in the whole cloth nappy business, especially once DS got a bit bigger. Wool is breathable and is self cleaning, so even if the inside of the cover is a little damp, once its aired it can be used again and again. Sometimes my covers were only washed after a couple of months. Once washed they are soaked overnight in a mix of a teensy bit of detergent and liquid/melted lanolin (Lanisoh nipple treatment is good) and then can be spun dried or squeezed.
The interlock type are like these so they can pass as 'proper' trousers. Once DS got to nursery and was grubbing about in the much I found them excellent, as they not only prevented the wet nappy damp getting out, but they often seemed to stop the mud and wet getting in!
Wool does seem to be the point where people consider that you have turned the corner from nappy user to nappy addict. The proof of how dangerous this an be can be found here and here

I can totally vouch for everything NetteTea says - i've had lots of lovely nappies and woolies from her

I've used cloth since we came out of hospital and wouldn't dream of using disposables. They are funky, cheap, environmentally friendly and (not sure if this has been mentioned yet) my baby is 8.5months now and has NEVER had nappy rash. Never. Happy bum. Happy baby. Do it! Enjoy your baby and congratulations.

Ps wiggle. I only have one bamboo and i find it rough and it takes days to dry. We use close parent at night and wee pickles in the day.

Wiggle when ds was 5 weeks some days I didn't get dressed! It's early days yet

In the olden days, when disposables had just been invented, didnt work effectively and cost the same as they do today (ie unaffordable for most at comparative prices) we used terry nappies with liners and plastic over pants.

Fascinating to read a thread where there is such a debate over something we had no real choice about not so long ago. Agree you might not have to worry about running out of nappies at a difficult moment, but trying finding a giant safety pin while holding down a wriggler in the middle of the night . I think I spent 18 months with a pin fastened to my front .

Well, yes, they are a little faffy...but for us they are so so worth it!

DD wee's all. the. time: we went through 12-15 disposable nappies a day - cost about £3 A DAY if not bought on special offer!

Got lots of pre-loved nappies on Freecycle & Ebay bundles, have spent about £40 in total for a sizeable stash.

Means I'm making minimum wage just hanging the resuables up (although drying them can drive me mad at the moment).

Also you have my sympathy re the reflux; the amount of washing it creates really is in a league of its own!

NettleTea love the pic links. Does it make me a bit addicted that I can name the brands of a lot of those nappies by sight

Pomtastic I would say that you probably are......
Its just made me a little bit sad looking at them actually, but Im a bit emotional today anyway as DD just left primary school, so its been tears and goodbyes all day....

our shower line reaches the loo, so 'toilet spray' thing not needed..

makes it much easier to rinse nappies down the loo.

the current weather has been rubbish for drying them in, and i'd welcome returning to separate washer/ dryer (have built under washer/dryer for space reasons..)

it does save cash though, it would save more if line drying was on for the summer!

Depends what you consider a faff [shrug]

An extra load of washing every 2-3 days isn't a faff to me. I'm mostly a SAHM so I have time to do it, and the money I save by spending that time on washing/stuffing nappies can buy more gin [hic]

And when I waver, I remember that our bins are emptied fortnightly, and due to living in the stupid countryside up a stupid big hill that the binvan can't fit up, we have to keep our rubbish here and then drive it to the bins on the main road on bin night. The thought of the mile-long car journey with 2 weeks worth of nappies in the boot makes me heave.

plus of course you can keep them to use for your next kids or re sell them and get at least some of the money back. Cant see anyone wanting to buy secondhand disposibles

or Holly bull paper nappies as DS used to call them

what swung it for me was spemding less than £110 on nappies in 19 years and 14 children.

i dont have 14 kids but i did foster a few.

i work ft and never found it a faff,19 years ago i was given a bundle of old fashioned terries they are so old now they feel like a cloud and could probally soak up the sea i use those at night they are kinda a faff with all the folding but day time i use dudeybaba cotton pocket nappies,i dont own a tumble drier i use a ceiling classic airer thing they dry quickly indoors if the suns not out.
with the pocket (stuffer) ones i dont use any liner i cant see the point and i dont like them.i also have almost no experance of nappy rash.

to the poster earlyer who said they thought it was gross restuffing weed in pockets,your not surposed to its change everything each change. its the pop ins (like mother care smart system or flip) types that you can just change the soaker.

i have no idea what spemding is lets hope its something nice

yes they are a lot of faff. Unless you are very broke I'd just stick with the disposables. My sister passed on her shaped nappies to me and I never used them. She later admitted to me she only used them for the first of her three kids. life is too short...

So, you never used them at all, yet you know they are a lot of faff?

O...kay...

Give yourself a "trial day" and actually try LO in them...

The main thing with reusables (now on our third DC in cloth)
Is: a) dry pail (no water or soaking stuff in the bucket)
B) wash at 40 degrees with small amount sanitiser powder, sprinkle of washing powder and never use fabric conditioner. If you don't use sanitiser (or the load is a stinky one) wash at 60.
C) never get a huge pack of birth-to-potty: try one of several types, to find the make/style of nappy that fits your baby's shape and your lifestyle/budget.

Look at clothnappytree , they have both loads of info and a good classified section.

My faves as a non tumble dryer owner are Motherease Onesize Dry with Motherease airflow wraps, and Itti Tuttos for trips out.

I'm a bit of a geek but Ilove watching my nappies drying on the line!