Ditto on the HUGE chest freezer at the new place ishop ... argh all this waiting!! Was also going to mention PT work but got to it first as I read down :) Also I THINK that they can lower the screen so you don't see the big hole but JUST above it and baby emerging
Photos sound great needles :) I always planned on doing like each month pics of the pregnancy and then til 1 year of the LO but MS came and blew that right out the water so never followed through!!
Hope everything is going ok picture and LO continues to stay put!
Back from the cloth nappy meet today. Upshot is there are lots of options. I think the best thing seems to be to get a few different types at first to try out in the early days and see what you like, using disposables until you get the full stock. They can fit from 7lbs though. There seem to be two main types - all in ones, and ones with layers, i.e. fitted nappy with separate cover.
The all in ones are all sewn together with towelling nappy on inside, waterproof cover on outside and inserts that slide in/out. Has velcro or poppers on outside only to secure. Pros= all in one so no hassle, bits etc. Cons= take ages to dry, more likely to leak than fitted. These come in one size fits all with poppers and elastic that expands as baby grows, but hence will not be a totally perfect fit all the time. You can also get different sizes.
The other is a soft formed towelling nappy with poppers or velcro. In this there is a pouch to add in other booster pads for more absorption. This then goes in a "wrap" which is a waterproof cover which goes over/around the nappy hence being less likely to leak. Pros= less likely to leak, dry quicker as in bits. Cons=more bits/hassle. These come in size 1 and size 2, size 1 will fit from birth to 6 months. Size 2 6 months on to a certain weight (see the nappy).
There is also the option to use the wrap covers with a towelling or bamboo flat nappy olden days style with nappy pins OR these things called nappi nippas which do the same job. You make up the nappy for baby and then just put it inside the wrap. So you could use a mix of flat nappies and fitted formed ones with a universal wrap. This will provide the most flexible situation in terms of the nappies fitting your baby as it gets bigger.
With both there are the benefits of adding extra layers/booster pads inside. In terms of practicality you basically get a nappy bin with a mesh bag that sits in it. You put the dirty ones in there and then chuck the mesh bag in the washing machine. If you are washing lots of baby clothes anyway it makes little difference to the number of washes a week, prob only one more. You can put a little water with tea tree oil into the bottom of the nappy bin too which takes away smells. When out and about you just put the used nappy in a waterproof zip/toggle bag and then into nappy bin or washing machine at home.
To be totally using disposables (once you have picked the kind you want to use) you will need at a minimum 12 nappies, better 15-20. If using layers then you will also need wrap covers probably about 6. You can rinse and dry these quicker you see as are waterproof. You will also want to buy a stash of booster pads for inside, probably around 10.
Another two things that help are fleece inserts which are just pieces of fleece making an extra layer right next to baby's skin which takes water away from the baby and also catches any poo. These can be washed too though recommended that you flush the poo first once baby is on solids. If that is a bit hands on with the poo then you can buy biodegradable flushable liners that go in which catch the poo and you just put down the toilet, they dissolve in the sewer water in 8 hours so don't end up in landfill.
Cloth nappies are less likely to cause nappy rash. Also there is less likelihood of a poo explosion scenario.
Final thing to mention apparently you get biodegradable disposable nappies. However what the don't tell you is that these are only going to biodegrade in certain situations i.e. a compost bin, NOT in landfill, in a nappy sack, in a black bag, on top of rubbish and nowhere near things that will degrade them. So for the environment-minded that's a heads up that you may think you are doing the right thing but are not. However those nappies use less chemicals in the making process/ are better for baby's skin in general so still better than regular disposables in that sense!
PHEW. Sorry it's so long but put up incase anyone wanted the info. Feel free to ask me if there is anything else I may have learned and can pass on. I think I am going to get a few different types of layered ones (so some fitted and some wrap covers) and start off with trying out these along with disposables at the very beginning, probably buy 3 different kinds and one wrap cover (the GEN-Y as it will fit any nappy inside it and is the softest outer) and see how it goes.