How many nappies

[Inpira]

Hello
I am on my 26th week and starting to think about all the items that I am going to need.
I feel completly overwhelmed about all the products and decisions to make around them and specially about NAPPIES.
I would like to use reusable ones and have few questions about it:

1. How many to get to start with? I have calculated between 64 and 70 but not sure whether it is a realistic number.
2. Are there different sizes and if so which range of sizes to get and how many of them?
3. Is it a good idea to get half disposabe half reusable to start with and top up with reusable later

I would really appreciate some shared experiences.
Many thanks in advance
Inma

1. About 20. You can get started part time with as few as 5, about 20 will do for a wash every 1 to 2 days, 25 would certainly not be overkill.
2. Yes but it depends on your choice of nappy.
3. Possibly, something similar to this, but it is optional.

Extra notes....

Babies have meconium (tar like poo) for the first week-ish. You might not want this on your lovely new nappies!

Some babies fit one nappy brand better than another. Some mums prefer one type to another. You can buy a full set of nappies while pregnant and never have a problem, or you might decide it is safer to buy a few and see how you go.

There are birth-to-potty nappies and there are sized nappies. Obviously the sized nappies you would buy the first size now, and a larger size later. Birth to potty can fit literally from birth, or from around 9lbs.

For newborn babies, a nappy option can be a muslin cloth with a size 0 nappy wrap (and generally a fleece liner). Cheap, and you can always come up with other uses for the muslin later.

Do you have a nappy network near you who could show you some and do a demo? It is best to be hands-on with nappies! If not and you want more advise, just ask!

You can save serious amounts of money by getting your nappies on eBay - there are an awful lot of people out there selling their old ones (I know it sounds a bit yucky buying second hand nappies, but they'll all have been well washed!) There are loads of different types out there - we're currently using pocket nappies (an all-in-one sort which you stuff with absorbent pads) which I rather like as they seem to be very quick to dry; but we had the sort with a separate wrap for dd1 which were fine as well.

I've always used disposables as well, but plenty of people out there don't. I use a disposable at night and if I'm likely to be out all day, and reusables when we're based at home. But that's just my preference.

Oh yes, and on the subject of the items you are going to need - don't feel you have to go overboard, unless you actually want to. Babies grow and change so quickly - there are loads of products out there on the market costing significant sums of money which are really really useful for, ooh, about 2 weeks and then you'll never ever need them again. You'll need somewhere for them to sleep and something (sling or pram) to carry them in and nappies and sleepsuits (and bottles etc if you're bottle feeding), but that's honestly about it in terms of essentials.

4yonid, Thank you very much for the very informative answer.
I would like to as few more questions:

1. How can I manage with 5 nappies, I have been told that babies need changing about 16 times a day...have I got the wrong information?
2. what is a nappy wrap, fleece liner and a muslin cloth?

Thanks

Januarysnowdrop, thank you for your answer! much appreciated.
Inma

1. 5 nappies would just be for part of the day, for you to try them out and decide if you like them!

1. ALL nappies have the same parts - an absorbent part which holds wee, an outer-layer which stops the wee getting out and getting the clothes wet, and - optionally but normal - an inner layer which goes next to the baby to keep them a bit more dry.

A muslin cloth is like a big, thin tea-towel. They sell them at Boots, mothercare, most baby places. This would be the bit that absorbs wee. A nappy wrap is a plastic cover which goes around the muslin, to keep the clothes dry. A fleece liner is a small rectangle of fleece which will keep the baby dry from the wee.

You can either fold the muslin into a rectangle and put it in the wrap - then put on baby - or you can use other folds like the kite fold (not as hard as it looks, promise!)

picture of 2 part nappy (this uses a shaped nappy instead of a muslin)
www.twinkleontheweb.co.uk/acatalog/nappy_types.htm

Nappy wrap: www.kittykins.co.uk/wraps/type/2/brand/blueberry
Kite fold: www.kittykins.co.uk/advice/id/23

or...
picture of 2 part nappy (this uses a shaped nappy instead of a muslin)
www.twinkleontheweb.co.uk/acatalog/nappy_types.htm

Nappy wrap: www.kittykins.co.uk/wraps/type/2/brand/blueberry
Kite fold: www.kittykins.co.uk/advice/id/23

Thanks!! 4yoniD

You may find this useful to understand the different parts of a reusable nappy

HTH :)

I have 30 gdiapers for each twin and about 30 cloth inserts per twin, and crap loads of disposable inserts.