Switching to reusable nappies

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My DD is 18mo so will maybe be in nappies for another year and a half (total guess of course). Is it worth switching to reusable nappies now? I want to do this to save too many things going from our house to landfill, but a great bonus would be saving some money in the long run .

What are your thoughts / experiences?

We are hoping to have more DC(s) at some point, so guess we could reuse some of the kit, if we do have more children.

TIA

If it was just for that one child who will be out of nappies possibly in 6-12 months then I'm not sure I would bother, but if for any subsequent kids then I would. They are pretty inconvenient! Not trying to put you off, just to be realistic.

There should be a nappy library near you somewhere so you can hire a few different brands and get the feel of it before you buy. You can also get some money off via your local council.

We use bum genius but would recommend the poppers rather than the Velcro, had ours for 2 years and the Velcro is coming off almost all of them.

They're brilliant, and saved us a fortune :) I used some for DS part time (couldn't afford to buy lots and didn't realise you could buy preloved - this was nearly 10yrs ago!), and used them exclusively for DD (I was more clued up nearly 3yrs ago!). Washable wipes are also great :)

Get a pile of nappies second-hand (sorry, 'pre-loved'...), re-sell after use or if you don't get on with them. Lots of Facebook groups and clothnappytree, and ones that aren't the latest trendy designs can be very cheap.

I found them very convenient, just chuck in the wash with everything else, use paper liners which survive the wash quite a few times after wee, go in the toilet with poo. I gave away all the ones I was given, sold the rest, and having received a council voucher (they don't do them any more), it all cost nothing for 2 kids!

I wouldn't at 18 months, both mine were toilet trained by 18 months, so I can't imagine you having long left

We used them with dc2 once he was about 18 mths. We had bought them to use about a year earlier but circumstances meant we couldn't. I still felt we got use out of them and it did mean we always had a nappy in the house!
Nursery were fine about it all and as it wasn't newborn poo it was easily chucked in the toilet.
We used pocket nappies with liners from boots. Also got a voucher back from the council which is worth looking into

Just to add another perspective to Artandco post my nearly 2.5 year old is not toilet trained and unlikely to be soon. You could have plenty of time. Never used reusables myself but loads of people I know have them and have loved them.

I used teddies nappies and wraps when my boy was smaller ( now 20 wks) and tried bum genius when he grew out of the teddies but haven't got on so well with them. I always planned to use Eco disposables overnight and when we were out and have ended up using them full time. Will have another go with the bum genius, with extra liners or something but last time I tried, I found they leaked a lot.
I like the naty Eco disposable. A fraction cheaper than pampers and just as absorbent but no nasty chemicals etc. Obviously a bit more expensive than own brand.

It is not too late to start, your DD may have around another 12 months in nappies, if not longer, and remember even when potty trained you are going to need a night nappy far longer.
You may not save a significant amount, but will save some, depends if you buy new or pre loved reusable nappies, and if you use premium or budget disposables. But the savings will be significant if you have another child, as you will already have all the nappies, so no up front cost, so it could be around £1,000.
By switching now you could save 2,190 disposable from going into landfill, that is assuming 6 nappies a day over 365 days. If you then reuse the reusable nappies on another child, you would be preventing over a tonne of nappies from going into landfill.

Yes, it will be worth it.
Have a look at The Nappy Lady, you could call her or complete an online questionnaire to help you to make a decision.

We used Charlie banana and smarti pants which seemed to work with a moving toddler rather than a newborn
Dc3 is now on the way so hoping we will get some more use out of them.

One thing I'd consider is that they will feel totally different to your DD. Usually, reusable nappies feel wet when they are, whereas disposables don't. If she is ok with this it could be a big help when you start potty training as she will know when she's having a wee bit if she hates the feeling it might be a waste. Fleece liners may help but will still feel different to her.

Also think about what she wears. If she has a wardrobe of slim fitting trousers and babygrows that fit well now for nighttime, you might need to splurge on some really skinny nappies, like Bumgenius Elementals or she'll need a new wardrobe if you buy bulkier terries/prefolds but if she wears sticky out dresses, dungarees and nighties, that won't matter. My pack of 12 terries cost only a few pounds more than one Bumgenius, so this can make quite a difference.

If there is someone who likes to knit for her and you buy any nappies that have a separate nappy and cover, definitely look into getting her a woollen soaker instead of a plastic cover for nighttime. It's so nice for them to sleep in something breatheable and as the water evaporates through through the knitted fabric, they can go longer without having a change or feeling soggy.

Good luck!

Thanks all! Lots of very useful stuff for me to research.

To be honest I wouldn't for a child of that age. I think by that age we was only using them about half the time anyway as once dd was up and moving around a lot as they were not as comfy for her to run around in as disposables. Also we tended to be out at the park and such for longer periods and I couldn't be bothered with the faff of using them out the house. Then she toilet trained at just over 2.

I love them for babies though so if you're planning more you have nothing to lose really. Our bumgenius are on their second baby and still going strong. Hopefully they'll last the next one too!

I started DS1 in them around that age, but was already pregnant with DS2, so they got more wear. Two in cloth was quite convenient as the same nappies fitted them both. DS1 got over a year out of them, he was 3 when he toilet trained. DS2 was 2.5.

Honestly? You won't save money. Most of the brands on here are expensive. Compared to half a dozen asda little angels nappies per day, at around 50p a day, you would spend around £180 in a year. 12 or so decent ashable nappies (meaning washing every other day) will cost you at least that.

I use Gnappy outers, with a little lambs booster & a fleece layer in the pouch. It works well & is v slim fitting. But 6 nappies outers in each size (18 total) plus the booster pads, has cost me around £300.

Nb I've got a couple of little lamb shaped with tots bots wrap for overnight. These are terrifically bulky and would be useless in the day unless you can afford Frugi etc, plus some of these bulky options take forever to dry

www.babybeehinds.com.au/store/pc/Little-Squirt-Nappy-Sprayer-11p13.htm

Lifesaver.

Hi there
I totally would consider it - go to The Nappy Lady website and fill out her questionnaire (free of charge) for her giving you advice on ones best for your LO depending on height weight etc.
I did the questionnaire before DS was born (very keen) and got a load of preloved. We persevered but they didn't work for us. So went back to her with DS actual measurements (he was a chunky boy) and the brand recommendation changed dramatically. Well worth it. He's now 22 months old and we have been using pretty much since day 10!! She can also recommend on the best ones for your washing and drying situation.
DS is at nursery full time and we send him in with his cloth nappies. I don't have a tumble dryer and we manage just fine. Yes it's a bit of extra work, but it's a few 100kg that aren't going to landfill and sit there for 100 odd years not decomposing. Equally you could sell on or as you say use for another child.