Wet bags/wipes/liners, how do I choose?!

[MatriarchalDreams]

I'm expecting my first baby, 34 weeks and have bought some second hand tots bots size ones with wraps to use, so far so good. I now need to get everything else and this is where I'm stuck! I think I need liners (am planning to get fleece), reusable wipes (probably not fleece, from what I've read) a wet bag to go in my main changing bag, some sort of nappy bucket/pail and a fold up changing mat for out and about. But is that everything I need and how do I choose which ones to get?! I have seen cheeky wipes www.cheekywipes.com/baby-wipes-kit.html , has anyone had any experience using this system? There are two types of wet bags I'm considering, one is the monkey foot www.cheekywipes.com/Monkey-Foot-Wet-Bag and the other is the Keep it together kit www.babykind.co.uk/nappyessentials.html I just can't decide between the two and as I haven't got any experience with babies I don't really know what I'll need. I'm just getting myself more and more confused and feel less able to make any sort of decision now. Oh, and it's all slightly complicated by the fact I'd like to get most things from the same website as I can claim a voucher from the council towards real nappies/accessories but need to spend £45 to claim it. If anyone can help at all, it would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

For liners - I bought a piece of fleece from the local fabric shop and cut it to liner size - just make sure you don't need to fold it once in the nappy as 2 layers of fleece form a waterproof layer. I used flannels as wipes, I kept them in a clip lid box with a little chamomile tea to use at home and took dry ones out with chamomile tea in a little spray bottle I got from Superdrug. As for wetbags, I have the big Monkeyfoot for dry pailing at home and a one that takes 2 nappies for in my change bag.

The small wetbag (or a ziplock plastic bag) for carrying the dry flannels and the spray bottle.

Thanks for the reply, flannels sound good and cheap! And I have heard that the monkey foot bags are very good.

Yup chop up some fleece for liners. I use terry squares so fold differently as they get bigger, I have teeny little liners for teeny babies and big ones for toddlers to cover the whole bum area :).

Poundland so packs of baby flannels which are the perfect size for wipes. I have one of those plastic wipes boxes you can get and I fold the wipes into it so I can pull them out like tissues with the next one poking out ready to grab. If you keep and eye on baby magazines you can often get a little wipes box as a free gift. I love mine, holds just enough wipes for a day out and of course is made for disposable wipes so if going on holiday and not taking cloth it is also the perfect size for sticking some wipes in rather than having to lug a big pack around.

I have a tots bots wet bag that came with the nappies, you can often get packs with stuff like that in, mesh bag to line your nappy bucket etc. People often use swimming wet bags.

A nappy bucket is a nappy bucket really. I have 2 because I have lots of nappies and I find the standard size bucket doesn't hold a full washing machine load.

Change mats etc I'd hang fire, you get travel mats with every bloody thing so if you buy a change bag (or pick up the boots free one) you will get a mat. Quite nice though is the Minki grab and go. It has a nice mat and the little bag thing is great. I pop a change of clothes in one side and couple of spare nappies in the other. It has a little spray bottle that fixes in the middle so you can take your cloth wipes dry (so no bulky container) and spray them/you baby's bum when you need them.

I've got the cheeky wipes and I love them, I'm sure I probably could have made something but I'm not handy like that and I think they're great. Also love the monkey foot bags, they do exactly what they're supposed to and look very cute! I use cut up fleece for liners but now she's weaned I use flushable liners during the day. You'll definately need a couple of net innards for your bin, makes it dead easy to fling them in the washing machine. Have fun!

Liners - chop up an old fleece blanket. Good idea to make different sizes as your baby will grow.

Wet bag - I would get a nice big one with a zip rather than a drawstring for when you are out - have found that the drawstrings often tend to stop closing perfectly after a while. Big is better, then if you have wet/dirty clothes you can easily chuck them in there as well.

I use an old pillowcase inside my nappy bucket to put the nappies in, then chuck the whole thing in the machine. Mesh bag also good, I used to do this, but then the drawstring came unraveled and caught round everything (obviously drawstrings just hate me )

Nappy bucket - it can just be anything with a tight fitting lid. I use a plastic kitchen bin with a lid, I find it's a better size.

Change mats - agree, you always get them free with stuff. But tbh I use an old hand towel (I have several) and then chuck it in the wash with the nappies. Nice and soft and not cold for bare skin to lie on.

I wouldn't bother with a changing mat - a large flat terry nappy works brilliantly instead, can be chucked in the washing machine, and it doubles as a towel when you find a water play area/something to stand on after swimming, and goes on long after its original use.

Out and about, I used a ziploc bag for wet/dirty nappies as much more compact, and never used a changing bag tbh