Nappies...disposable vs reusable

[chillisbopper]

Hi all,

Just had a text from the MIL with a link to a "premium nappy set" at Debenhams.

It contains:
15x miosolo (all-in-one) nappies
160x mioliners (nappy liners)
750g miofresh (nappy cleaner)
1 nappy bucket
2 laundry bags
1 miowipes
3 mioboost (nappy boosters)
1 reusable plastic tub

MIL is telling me it's from birth until potty training and you never have to buy a nappy again. Surely you'd have to buy more liners though? Or do they go in the washing machine as well??

I'm really confused by these reusable all in one nappies to be honest. I've worked with kids professionally and changed countless nappies but always the disposable type and none of my nieces or nephews have had the reusable either. So I wouldn't know how to do it to be honest.

Also I understand that the reusable ones are better for the planet etc and I know this will sound really bad but I kinda hate the idea of putting that kind of thing through the washing machine ...or is that the purpose of the plastic bucket? Are you supposed to hand wash them? Because I thought that the bucket was for storage of the stuff lol!

To be honest DH and I had decided to use disposable nappies, I just feel more comfortable and confident with them as I know what I'm doing.

But MIL is saying how great this set is. I thought at first well it's quite expensive so I will use that as a polite excuse but apparently her sister wants to buy us something useful and it's "very generous" of her...it is generous I agree but I feel like I'm in a corner and can't say no. DH is at work so it's been left as I'll show him and see what he thinks as well but honestly I don't know what else to say to them...

I feel like I want to use disposables, although I see the positives in the reusable but I am worried as I don't know how they work I don't want anybody (MIL) trying to show me like I'm stupid. Also we're due in november so it's not like i'll have the washing line as an option so i'll be running the washing machine and tumble dryer even more if i have to wash these which could be financially draining, though perhaps no more so financially draining than disposables.

I've never had a great relationship with MIL (DHs an only child...nobody is good enough etc) and her sister caused a fair bit of upset on my wedding day so I've never really gotten on with her. But one of the first things MIL said when I said i was pregnant was about which nappies will we use and she said she used the "proper" nappies with DH and he "never had nappy rash...but of course it's up to you two and you'll do it your way" and I felt like that was as if to say that if I use disposable I'm a bad mum as my son will get nappy rash (I know that's not necessarily true and I've worked with children with nappy rash so it's not a huge concern to me...lots and lots of cream at the ready just incase ). And due to not getting on too well with DHs aunt I feel like if I even politely decline the gift then she will take it as an insult and it will look like it's me not trying to make effort to get along.

I don't know, perhaps I'm being a bit daft, pregnancy hormones lol . But I really don't know what to do...it might be easier to accept the gift for family diplomacy but I don't feel confident with them and I know this sounds stupid but because I'm having a son I know MIL will compare everything DH and I do to how she and FIL raised DH. Expect DH is at work really reeeeaally long hours so it will be me getting it and I know it will get to me (example of this...she said my dog looked "so thin, is he stressed after moving house and not eating?!" And I've been paranoid about it since, but I was reading the back of the sack of food yesterday and confirmed I am feeding him the right amount. So if a comment was made about something to do with my son/parenting I think it would get to me and even if I know I'm doing things right I'd worry unnecessarily).

But personal feelings aside, when it comes to reusable nappies what are your views? And how exactly does the whole cleaning thing work, washing machine or bucket? And liners, if you buy more of those are they expensive? Oh and is there a way the liners fit into the nappy securely so it's not moving out of position as baby wriggles around etc? And how can they be suitable from birth to potty training, babies grow so much between then that's why disposables come in sizes by weight?!

I'm confused

I use reusable nappies. Just because it saves a fortune. They are a viable alternative. My Mum and MIL were both in agreement because they used them in the old days. But reusable nappies are allot better and easier to use now. Personally I have never used those types of nappies. And all in one nappies are easy to use but are not very good to use through the night. I use all in ones during the day and a three part system during the night.

Some reuseables come in two sizes. Size one till about 20lbs and size two afterwards. You can also get size 0 for prem babies and size 3 if your baby is massive.

All in one nappies have poppers down the front to shorten them and velco to go round the waist. If you go on the nappy lady website she has youtube videos to explain how they work.

Personally I prefer them. I use disposables when I go away for convenience. As long as you put them on properly they leak less often. When babies do explosive poo the nappy contain them. Largely because of the elastic on the back.

The bucket thing is easy. You put a bag in, lid on and when it's full you stick them in the machine. I do it on an intentive wash with a few drops of tea tree oil, very little powder and NO FABRIC CONDITIONER. There is no need ot soak anymore because washing machines are so much better then they were in the old days. Liners just lie in place and work fine (I use bambinex you can wash them if they are wet and bin them if soiled). The elastic holds the legs and waist clear.

You realise soon that quite a few people use them and you won't be alone

We use reuseables too (except when on holiday, as you do need regular washing machine access). I actually prefer them to disposables. I have some all-in-ones that are birth to potty, and some pocket nappies. I prefer the latter, which have a waterproof shell which you stuff with a towelling liner. The shells dry faster than the liners, and I bout double the number of liners to nappies, so I always have a nappy available.

I second the recommendation to go on the Nappy Lady site to watch the videos showing how to use them.

For washing: I have two buckets - one for pooey nappies, one for just wet. If a nappy is just wet, it just gets separated out in to nappy plus towelling liner, then goes in the washing machine with the next wash. Pooey nappies (until baby is on solids) have to be soaked with Vanish first (and given a scrub to get the worst off) or I find they won't clean properly first time.

BUT ... you need to do whatever works best for you. It's your baby and you need to be confident and just say no to your MIL if you don't want to go down that route. If your MIL is prone to making comments, just remember that you have experience with children and you are entitled to do as you please. If your relative really wants to buy something - send a list (maybe she could but the car seat? or a high chair?).

I wouldn't buy any vast quantities of nappies reusable or disposable until your baby is born. Not all nappies suit all babies.
I was given loads of Huggies when pregnant with DS2 only to find he would wee straight out of them, my SIL however finds them best for her DD and is gutted they have stopped making them.
You can hire packs of different reusables to try so you can see what suits you best, or you can get unused or barely washed ones on Ebay etc very cheaply, try them and sell them again if they don't work for you.

I am currently using a mixture of both reusable and disposable. I have two in nappies DS2 2.7 yrs and DS1 1.3 yrs. I use a few different types of washables and disposables on my 2.7 yo at night, sometimes when out for a long day trip.
I rinse the dirty nappies in the sink, then I have a couple of wet bags I use to put them in, then the whole lot goes in the wash. I prefer wet bags because they are zipped so no smells or chance of spills and they are easy to store.
Sometimes I do find myself scraping poo off a reusable and think " yuck why am I doing this?" but then I think to all the times my DC have poo'd straight out the back or side of a reusable and I've had to scrape poo off them, their vests and in some cases their tops and trousers too!

I would suggest to look into washable wipes whatever type of nappies you use, even if you just use them for wiping hand and faces. You can buy them ready made or just use a cut up fleece or some cheap face cloths and keep them in a wash bag or tupperware. They are much more effective than baby wipes or cotton wool and water and less harsh especially on newborns.

We use Bambino Mio nappies which is the brand your MIL has found, but we use a two part system rather than the all in ones.

As far as the technical stuff goes, it's almost as Zia describes... once a nappy is used, you chuck the Mio liner in the loo and flush it away (so getting rid of the poop) then throw the nappy in the bucket, lined with one of the nets. We pop a few drops of tea tree in the bucket to keep smells uncheck. When you're ready, chuck the net in the machine with your usual baby detergent (supermarket brand non bio for us) with a scoop of the Mio fresh to make sure they're not stained. Then dry and start again!

I really like them - we don't have problems with Nappy Rash and I'm not keen on a bin full of dirty nappies that are up to two weeks old. But they're not for everyone, and I do worry about drying them in the winter!

Along with online videos it might be worth seeing if you have any shops nearby selling them so that you can have a look - there's a shop near us which has a handy practice doll!

Ooh, should also have said - we buy replacement liners on Amazon. Cost is minimal when compared with buying a pack of disposables!

Disposables here. We use biodegradable nappies, wipes and nappy sacks. Although I have gone against principle and use pampers 12 hour ones at night.

We use totsbots easyfits which are all in ones like the mio solos your MIL has emailed.
We didn't start using them until DS was about 3 months old as we had enough to do adjusting to the small person in our house!
As others have said you do save money by using them but you do have to spend a fairly significant amount of money up front.
We use disposable liners for the childminder and fleece ones at home.
If you want to talk nappies here on mumsnet there's a whole section with some very knowledgable posters.

You don't need to soak or scrub pooey nappies. Especially if they are bamboo types. Either use a flushable liner or just wipe it off with a baby wipe. It's up to you. Don't feel pressured into using them. Just know that they are a viable alternative that you should consider (and not just because your MIL as told you too).

I do reuseables, I did them for ds1, a bit with ds2 then gave up and now I have started late at 6 months with ds3 as I didn't know about bamboo ones.

Bamboo stays soft in hard water, and I wish I had known this earlier.

I don't rate bambino mio anyway, I'd recommend Motherease sandys and wraps.

I had never used disposables for a newborn before and they are atrocious. (pampers are Ok, they are the e xception) ALL of ours leaked every bloody time and I got so sick of changing clothes at every nappy change.
Since I swapped to the bamboo, I have had one tiny tiny leak of wee, once. They hold stuff so much better. It's rarely an emergency, to have to change him iyswim - with disposables it just went everywhere.

And they cost a fortune especially if you buy pampers.

SO I'd come down on the reusable side every single time.

Check out the Nappy Lady www.thenappylady.co.uk/ I spoke to her at a baby show and she nearly convinced me to go with reusable ones. I hadn't even given them a thought - didn't know that they even existed and was very close to my due date. I realised that I needed to do a bit more research to find the right ones and just ran out of time.

From what I remember the MioSolo range are designed so that you don't actually have to touch a dirty nappy- hence the 2 bags and the bucket. (Although certainly in the early days a dirty nappy is really not so bad). I also think that you can buy liners and the wash stuff for that range in Waitrose and a few other major supermarkets (although obviously ordering online is also a possibility).

Really research it as I do think that if I had more time I'd have gone with them. The major factor for us is no outdoor drying space (and no tumble dryer) so wet nappies in addition to all the other nappies was just one thing too many for us- although I understand you can get microfibre fleecy ones that dry really, really quickly?

Anyway, good luck and go with what works for you (and your DH).

Yy to the nappy lady - we got our nappies from her and she is v helpful.
She also has lots of informative videos on YouTube, including different types of nappy, how to wash them etc.

I agree. You need advice from The Nappy Lady

I use reuseables but I started with disposables. Being a first time mum is overwhelming enough! I hired a trial kit from my local authority - £10 for 3 weeks. I tried out lots of styles and brands to see what I liked and what fit DD.

I would not buy that pack unless you are certain AIOs work for you and Bambino Mio fits your LO.

I think YOU need to want to use cloth for this to work. I think you may resent it otherwise.

We use them because we save money. The environmental impact is a secondary plus. Tbh, I have found the big savings to be reusable wipes. I use the Cheeky Wipes system but you can easily make them.

Don't be talked into them if you don't want to. I was very pro reusables and a lot of my friends use them. However we only lasted 4 months and are much happier with disposables!

Leaking - never had a leak with reusables. I've seen poo explosions and heard lots of talk about them in the real nappy circles.

Nappy rash -again I've seen some bad urine burn on a child in real ones and lots with nappy rash! Real nappies don't wick away like disposables so again just for convenience I've prefered disposables.

Convenience. We don't have smelly nappies inside for two weeks!! We put them straight in the outside bin. We didn't like having a nappy bin with the real ones but it wasn't as bad as you might think. No more nappy washes.

I agree ideologically real nappies are much better for the environment and can be cheaper if you don't end up buying lots of pretty nappies. However some of the other claims really weren't the case with us!

Thanks for all the replies everybody

The nappy lady is a great site! I can't believe I didn't think to google video reviews before, it's how I chose the pushchair after all!!

They dont look as complicated as i had been worried that they would but there are definitely some pros and cons to consider for this particular brand, and AIOs in general, thank you for your feedback/experiences it's really helped DH and I work out where to start with discussing this option xx