talk to me about cloth wraps...

[blackcurrants]

Those of you who use cloth wraps/covers - how do they work? Does wee get on their/your clothes and sheets and things? What're the benefits?

I'm using Bambinex teddies and sometimes bamboo (only have a couple of these). DS is 9 weeks old, 24 inches long, around 14lbs and chubby! [proud new mum emoticon] I like using real nappies but definitely don't know enough.

Thanks!

Congratulations on the birth of your DS!!!

Cloth nappies are fantastic once you get used to them. They are a little more complex and more work than disposables, but I think they are definitely worth it.

In answer to your first questions, no wee should not get anywhere other than in the nappy. I personally have found them much more reliable and less likely to leak than disposables. The cloth part of the nappy is covered with the waterproof cover, so the wee and poo are contained by two layers, not just one.

There are lots of benefits;
They are better for your DS as they have less nasty chemicals in the and you can tell when they need changing more easily and are therefore more likely to change them often enough.
They are better for the environment because one set can be used for two or even three children. The energy used in making and washing them is far less than in making disposables.
They are also much much cheaper in the long run. Especially if you use them for more than one child.

I have one set of nappies. I use Tots Bots, Easy Peasy Nappies and Motherease wraps.
I have used them on DD and DS and they have been absolutely brilliant.

:) Thank you!
I'm using cloth nappies with a waterproof cover, which are definitely not leaking. It's just that I'd heard about some people using wool or fleece covers, and I was wondering how they worked.

And yes - after a month or so in disposables, we're definitely changing more often, but DS is a happy, rash-free boy, and that's ok with me. Today was my first day out with the wet bag, changing reusables all day. And it went fine!

Fleece works by the wee evaporating and leaving everything on the outside compleatly dry. These work best for older babies as they move around more allowing air to circulate, not good on new borns or small babies as they just lay still on their backs and the wetness seeps through.

Wool is a natural waterpoof fabric which used with lanolin keeps baby dry, you dont have to wash these as often and they dont seem to smell either, they take a bit more extra care than fleece and are more expensive but very affective.

We use a mixture of motherease, nature babies and little lamb. We have one tots bots wrap and a bambinex onsize (which i dont really rate as its always leaking) The best wrap i think is my motherease rikki followed by my little lamb.

I have never used wool or fleece wraps, but I have friends who swear by them, especially at night.
I have used a variety of PUL wraps, and definitely have found the motherease ones the best.
I used velcro when DCs were small, but changed to poppers when they got big enough to undo the velcro on their own.

Thanks ladies, that's great information :)