reusables - which are the best?

[milward]

I would like to give reusables a go. My ds is 5 months. He's big at just over 8 kilos (he's wearing 12-18 month size in vests!!)

But what to buy? They all seem good - but which should I go for? I'll be washing them at home as there is no laundry service in my region. Thank-you xx

there have been quite a few threads on this lately - have a look a the topic lists.

Tots bamboozles are my absolute faves - very absorbent, gorgeously soft and not too bulky. I use them with Motherease Rikki wraps.

Dh prefers Happy Heinys pocket nappies - they have lovely patterns and are very easy to use (do up with velcro just like a disposable. Not as absorbent as the bamboozles though so need to be changed more often.

Thanks bonyM - it's hard to know what to go for.

it is best to get one or two of each type you think might be good, probably second hand, and then try them. What is good for one baby is not so good for another. You can always sell on the ones you don't want.

tots bots ~(take a long time to dry) and motherase one-size are popular. Popolini are the European equivalent of motherease (used to be the same company) and are usually a bit cheaper.

Motherease or popolini wraps are pretty good.

we use tots bots fluffles with motherease wraps - they're brilliant, and the fluffles dry much faster than original tots - we put a wash on at 7pm, stick the nappies on a drier overnight, and at least one will be dry enough to use next morning.

Thanks - there's so much to consider! I don't have a drier but do have a room to dry them in. Towels take a day or more. Would need to be sure on supplies for nappies.

Good idea to try before buy! My ds4 is big around the legs & tum!! so have to check leg comfort.

i like ellas house hemp and bumhuggers
and ecobabies (closing down sale selling them cheap right now) - lovely fit on my chunky ds2

I don't know if you have considered pocket nappies, but your ds could probably go straight into a Medium (nice fit) or a large (grow into) Minki or Slinki Minki.
I think they come up big and may well last until potty.
They dry quickly as they are fleece and you put in separate stuffing. If you use microfibre cloths, like you wash-up with, they dry super-fast as well.
Bumbles are good as well, they popper down for a smaller baby and again, because you stuff them with fabric, you can separate the whole thing for washing and drying.
I recommend a nippa nappy, as you can get the exact fit that way, the settings on poppers are often slightly too big or slightly too small.
Look on Ebay, UKParents buy and sell and the Nappy Lady classifieds for some excellent bargains.

I think it's definitely a good idea to by 1or 2 of each nappy you like the look of so that you can try them out, find which ones suit you best and then stock up on your faves. I like Bamboozles as they are slim but absorbent and I am happy to use them day or night. Some nappies I have are suitable for day use only (not as absorbent) or for night use only (too bulky for daytime, eg Bumbles)

And I agree with Maisiemog, use NappiNippas to give a snug fit. I find velcro or poppers can sometimes leave red marks.

I have just stated experimenting with terry squares too - which is also an option if you're good at origami! The Nappy Lady has a section on different folds to try. Even if you don't want to use these full time they are an excellent back up if you run out of shaped ones as they are cheap and quick to dry.

You can't go wrong with a Motherease AirFlow wrap.

Listen to me, expert already and I haven't even been doing it for a month yet......!!! You'll never look back

Popsycal - where did you find the ecobabies nappies - I'm always up for a bargain and have a chubby thigh-ed dd. Have googled but no luck.

Is it eco-babes.co.uk?

Speaking of terry nappies, I had a major disaster the other day. I stopped using them, because my ds was too wriggly and kept ruining my folds.
I tried to use one again on Tuesday in a kite fold, and it looked good, tight round the legs and waist, nappi nippa etc.
I put a pair of wooly shorts over the top and that was that.
UNTIL, I noticed a funny smell - he had pooped down his leg, all over the leg of the wrap, on his romper suit. I had to run to the bath tub and dump him in.
He had a major blow-out, So the moral is to practice those folds.

Oh lovely Maisiemog!

There's a good deal on Bumbles ending on Ebay just now, it's 14 nappies, plus new wraps, liners, a bucket the lot.
It's £50 for the lot at the moment.

I'm currently using Totsbots size 1 - but thinking about what to get for size 2's. Am considering the bamboozles. I love the absorbency of tots and dont mind the bulkiness of the big-bum.
What does bug me is the bulk between the legs - gives dd a wide-legged look.
Anyone know if the bamboozles are narrower in the ''gusset' (I hate that word!) region? Or fluffles?

I didn't find there was much difference between Bamboozles and regular Tots in the crotch width.
A really slim nappy between the legs is the Bumhugger or any of the Ella's House nappies.
Another is the Diddy Diaper size 2.
Also slim are happy nappy days nappies, which are a bit more than Bamboozles, but worth having a couple of for showing off.
I'm not sure but Button up nappies look slim in that area as well, and you would be looking at the 12 month plus size.

cool thanks maisiemog - was looking at the ella's house nappies on nappylady, but hadnt heard of the diddydiaper.

milward, the motherease wraps are really good.

popsy - are eco-babes closing down? I know the person who runs it, she only bought the business last year.

Thanks everyone xxx am working my way around the websites checking out the nappies. Thanks for the sizing tips

I didn't know eco-babes were taken over, I contacted them ages ago about nappy agent work (which I didn't pursue ) and they didn't get back to me for months.
They'll probably be better at answering emails now.

earthkind babies are closing down yes.....

ecobabies are at www,earthkindbabies.co ,ik
bu hurry - closing down sale - they are fab....but a word of warning, the blue toddler size is much smaller than the green ones....odd

maisiemog - I have had no probs with my terries and dd2 can produce mammoth explosions....

milward - my dd2 is around the 8 kgs mark and she is 15 months - those terries hold well and dry in no time. I just use them with plastic pants.... they seem to hold it all better than the plastic wraps - don't know if you can get the plastic pants in the UK. I also use the fleece liners.

i use the kite fold now for her - but when she was smaller I used the chinese/origami fold.

I don't mind if I can't use terries, I can't really be bothered practising and having leaks. Have lots of gorgeous, leak-proof fitteds, so I'll cut up the terries and make them into wipes, or nappies or something. I love terry fabric.