Nappy basics?

[ItWasThePenguins]

Hi,
We've always used disposible nappies for DS1, and never considered anything else.
However, for next DC, am trying to think about other options. We're hoping to have a large family, so think reusables might work out better for us. But I'm a complete novice, and have no idea.
How do they work?
What brands are best?
How many nappies do you need?
Do you need anything else?
How often do they need changing?

Basically any information to help me make a decision would be great, thanks =)

I used cloth, Bum Genius. 15 were enough, and I used disposables at night and full-time for the first six weeks.

They need changing more often than in disposable naps, but I didn't use any other special equipment... £3 bin from Wilkos!

Check to see if your local council offers incentives... We got a £50 voucher.

It's great that you're thinking about using reusable nappies.
Do give them a try. You might love them as much as I did!

Everyone you speak to about them will give different answers to your questions. This is a very personal topic and everyone deals with such matters in their own way.
I will start the ball rolling:

There are various types of nappies and they all have pros and cons.

Whatever you choose, you will need an absorbent part to hold the wee and a waterproof part to stop it wicking into the baby's clothes.

All-in-ones are nappies which have both parts together as one.
These are easy to use in the same way as a disposable, but they have the disadvantage of being slower to dry because the waterproof part cannot be detached from the absorbent part.

Pocket Nappies and Stuffables are ones with a waterproof cover which can then be filled with absorbent material and boosters. Once stuffed and ready they are the same as the all-in-ones, but they have the advantage of being separatable so that they dry more quickly in separate pieces.

It is also possible to buy nappies with separate covers.
These are slightly (very slightly) more time consuming to put on because you need to put two layers on separately, but they dry more quickly because the waterproof cover is not attached to the absorbent part.

Personally I used separates.
One reason was for easy drying. The other reason is that I used 'Birth to Potty' nappies. This meant that I could use the same ones right through from birth until my DCs stopped needing them. It is the cheap option as I didn't need to buy a whole set for each size.
I did have to buy covers of each size, but I only needed about 3 of each size so it still worked out really cheap.

I used Tots Bots and Easy Peasy Nappies with Mother Ease covers.
I was really happy with all of these.

The number of nappies you need depends on how often you plan to wash them.
The average baby will go through up to 10 per 24 hours in the beginning. I washed mine everyday, so I could manage with 20 nappies. I had one set to use and one set to wash and dry each day.
Some people have many more and only wash a couple of times a week.
You'll need about 3 wraps if you choose to use separates.

Do you need anything else?
You'll need a bucket with a lid to keep them in.
Some people put a liner in the bucket so that they can easily transfer the nappies to the washing machine from the bucket. I never used one and never felt the need.

You might also want to consider liners.
These allow you to remove any poo very easily and put it straight in the loo.
Liners can be reusable or disposable. The disposable ones can also be flushable or non-flushable. I have used all three types.
Flusable ones are easier than non-flushable, but I got frustrated by the wastage of disposables and changed to reusables, which I prefered.

You can also buy resuable wipes. (I used Easy Peasy Nappies wipes.)
These are soft, kind and also eco-friendly because I simply washed them with the nappies.

Some people use special detergent. I never did. I simply washed them all in the same detergent as my usual clothes, but without using much of it. Less is better to prevent them getting hard.

Drying them on the line really helps them to stay white rather than going grey.

When you ask how often they need changing, do you mean how often do you change the baby or how often to do buy new nappies? I assume you mean the former...
Probably more often than disposables do. People tend to leave their babies in wet nappies for longer than they should because they feel dry to the touch. With reusables you can feel more accurately how wet they are. Also, you know that you'll be using it again in a couple of days so it feels like less of a waste to change them more often.
How often you change them will depend on your baby and on the age of your baby so it's a difficult question to answer.

I'd say, take a look at
www.thenappylady.co.uk/index.asp
www.kittykins.co.uk/
etc.
Buy one of their trial packs and give the nappies a try.
You can gradually increase your collection and try different types to see what suits you before buying a whole set.

Hi Penguins. I use good old terry squares for my DS so I can't advise about any newfangled types, but I love my terries and recommend them to everyone.

They are just towelling squares that you fold into shape and pin in place or I use nappy nippas which are plastic grip things. Then you put a waterproof wrap over the top, there are loads of types but I use Motherease. I line mine with flushable liners in the daytime and flush any that get pooed on. At night I double up on nappies and use a fleece liner which keeps DS drier and more comfy. I change about every four hours in the day if just wet, and DS is perfectly happy in them for 12 hours at night and has never had nappy rash (aged 2.5).

I rinse any really foul ones, chuck them in a bucket and wash every three days. I have about 40 nappies which allows me lots of flexibility about how often to wash! To me this is the best thing about terries- they are cheap and one size fits all so I can buy plenty instead of running out or washing every day. I have about six wraps in each size. I wash everything at 40 with a bit of detergent and vinegar to soften them (a tip I got off here).

They are infinitely recyclable- some of mine were worn by DH and his bro and sis. The very worn ones are perfect for newborns because they aren't so bulky, or you can cut them up to make boosters as your baby grows. I have got my new stuff from terrynappies.co.uk and I have found them very good.

Maybe you could get a trial pack from one of the websites, or buy a selection of secondhand ones and see what suits.

Good grief I have gone on I didn't realise I was quite so excited about them!

It's a while ago, but I used reusables for DD until she got such bad nappy rash that I had to switch to disposables to clear it up (fucking stupid HV told me it was thrush - I felt terrible when Dr told me it was bad nappy rash). Things I remember - they are very, very bulky on a tiny baby, though I used the terry squares and there are other types; you need to be able to dry them easily; you need a liner - kind of like a papery sheet that goes next to the baby's skin; you need an outer layer - like rubber pants; there are many ways to fold the nappy, all of which you can find online; they are a little bit more work than disposables and you really need to be organised with washing, drying etc.

I would recommend Natural Collection to buy from. They are a truly ethical company and I have used them for years with no problems.

HTH and good luck.

Also, the terry squares last for years (I still have some that I use as cleaning cloths and dusters and DD is nearly 7) so are good value.

hi, i used cloth nappies with both of mine, both old fashions terry nappies and the newer shaped ones.
When using terry nappies, just fold into thirds long ways (when they were tiny i used muslins instead), I had about 20, and pin, then cover with a waterproof outer like this www.lizziesrealnappies.co.uk/index.cfm/product/mother-ease-airflow-wrap-oceans-56

You can put a disposible paper liner in to catch the poo which then gets flushed.

The shaped ones are less bulky but most follow the same idea, inner cloth bit and waterproof cover.

with terries you dont need to change the outer as often, so I only had 4, but they do come in different sizes according to the weight of baby.

You change baby when wet, every 3-4hrs, but mine were heavy wetters so yours might need less.

You'll need at least one bucket with a lid to store the nappies, some people soak in water with tea tree oil but others don't soak at all. I personally love a bit of napisan

And I did a wash every other day at 60.

It can be an expensive inital outlay if you chose shaped nappies, but some companies will let you trial them at home.

I personally loved them but I know that they are not for everybody.

Also, some councils run cashback schemes on real nappies, and there may be events near you where you can have a look at them and talk with advisors.

Thanks ladies!
Correct me if I've got anything wrong here-
I like the sound of all in ones, got plenty of drying space, not an issue. I have vague memories of wearing plastic overpants at some point and they were really uncomfortable, so that's putting me off those, and stuffable sound a bit messy.
Am thinking disposable liners. Are these expensive?
So we'd need a new set for each size? That's nudging me back to terry and cover, lol. Are they a bit bulky on little ones? Much worse than disposable would you say?

Thanks again everyone x

You can get birth to potty nappies... Have a look at Bumgenius etc on the web.

They are definitely more bulky than disposable nappies, but I didn't find that a problem.

Liners aren't always necessary... I never used them as I found DD had bad nappy rash with them, none without.

Okay, so out of the Bumgenius ones, which look good, I'm thinking abuot BG Freetime or the Organic AIO.
Is it better to have snaps or velcro? I guess velcro wears out abit, and I'm thinking about 2+ children in these, so probably snaps, though can imagine being hard to do up if baby is anywhere near as wriggly as DS1.
Anyone used these nappies?
Thanks very much everyone!

What ruthchan said. I've just started using the Bumgenius Flip system for DD and they're fab - very slim fitting for a reusable. Poppers are better IMHO.

The modern nappies are less bulky than they were a few years ago.
They are certainly more bulky than disposables, but that's not a big problem. You simply have to put them in slightly larger clothes.
The bulky bottom looks cute and it's lovely having nappies with bright colours and patterns rather than boring white disposables. They're much more fun.
Disposable liners are not particularly expensive no. (And I used to wash them and use them again if they were poo-free!)

I do the same with my disposable liners ruthchan, they are good for at least a couple of wears.

Penguins the waterproof wraps for over terries are a million miles away from ye olde scratchy plastic pants. And they have cute patterns on. [sucker emoticon]

Oh and I bought liners today, £5.25 for 160.

I am using Bumgenius and really liking them so far. Have just ordered some Tots Bots Easyfit to try (also a complete all-in-one). Went for these on the basis of good reviews and not at all because I was seduced by the cute designs

Thanks everyone. I've come down to the BG freetime, organic or the totsbots easyfit. Pros and cons anyone?
Thanks very much for your help, definitely going to give them a go.