Can you help me make reusables work?!

[blushingmare]

I've been thinking about switching to reusable nappies for ages, but have been put off by the price and not knowing if it would work out for us. But my friend just very kindly gave me all her reusables (Tots Bots Easyfit), so excitingly I can now try them out without the expense. Tried them for the first time today and have encountered two main problems.

The first is that they smell very strongly of ammonia when used only for an hour. I googled this and am currently on my 3rd wash of "stripping" them, so hoping this will sort it out - fingers crossed. I also bought some Miofresh nappy cleanser, but haven't used it yet as was worried about whether it is ok for the nappies - I know you're not supposed to used lots of different chemicals on them - this says it's bleach free and biodegradable - anyone know if it's ok to use on Easyfits, which have some bamboo in them?

The second problem is the liner (using the Tots Bots disposable liners) just ends up being a wrinkled mess in the nappy! It goes in fine, but when I take the nappy off it's very wet (obviously!) and has wrinkled up and gathered itself into the middle so lots of the nappy is uncovered. We haven't had a poo in them yet, but if we had the liner would have been completely useless. In fact I think it's worse than useless at the moment because it looks like it would be uncomfortable.

I'd really like to make this work for us, but feel really disappointed by having encountered problems. Can anyone offer any advice?

Miofresh - I wouldn't use religiously but occasionally will be fine.

Ammonia - either too much washing powder/liquid or too little. Either will cause it. It will be made worse by the current heat. I don't know what stripping method you are using but I'd suggest lots of water/washing without powder (possibly with a little soda crystals if hard water) and then routinely wash at 50 or 60, with a quarter measure of washing powder and a quater of soda crystals, use prewash (cold prewash if you have the option) and an extra rinse. The cold prewash will get rid of poo, the extra rinse will get rid of excess powder.

Wrinkled liner - liners are optional. Especially if your baby happens to poop fairly solid (it will roll off down the loo) or if you have an exclusively breastfed (just wash, poo and all). Failing which just scrape off what you can and then wash. The prewash will help keep things hygenic, and sun will get any stains out, whenever there is sun.

HTH.

You are right about the stripping. The liner - you could try a thicker one. We use Bambino paper ones I think. They're so strong you can wash them.

I got all my advice from The nappy Lady and her website/ answers. I don't know if I'm allowed to say that - I'm not in her pay or anything!!

Ammonia - from previous research there are a number of causes. As you've been given these nappies it's hard to know if it's likely to be too much/too little detergent. Keep an eye when you are rinsing them to be sure there are no bubbles in the water. People have various ways to strip diapers too. I have used Rockin Green detergent for stripping in the past and it worked well.

Liners - I don't use. Nappies always seems to come out clean without.

Sadly reusables aren't totally hassle free and it can take a bit of trial and error to work out your own washing routine, but just keep looking at how much money you'd otherwise be spending on disposables, and then you'll feel better for persevering

I also find the liners to be a bit of a problem as we have started the dreaded weaning stage now and no longer have nice bf poos to deal with! I like the bambino mio liners, usually don't wrinkle as much. There are also ultra liners which are thicker and stronger but feel a bit stiff to me and I do get concerned they might block the loo.

I use bamboo boosters in my V2s and hemp in my V3s otherwise i find them sopping after an hour! I love mine but they don't work as a stand-alone for us :)

I have been using Easyfits with DD since she was a few weeks old. She is now nearly 2 and very big for her age and is growing out of them. They are the most trouble free reusables I have ever used ( also.have an older child)

The smell - leave them to dry in the sun !
Miofresh - fine. Tots Bots do their own version called Potion, and there is Bio-D soak too.

Liner - they will all wrinkle as your baby gets more mobile. I consider them to be more for damage limitation than anything else. I find holding the nappy dangling in the loo and flushing works well at poo removal.

Washing - I do a rinse cycle, then wash on a mixed cycle. The bamboo bit could wash hotter, but need ti be careful of outer. I only use 1 washing tab too, as too much detergent can rot the outer.

Line drying in the sun deals with most smells and stains.

I had bad ammonia smell on my prefolds also and nothing was getting rid of it. Then I tried the Rockn' Green detergent. I put all my nappies in the bath and let them soak in teh detergent and water overnight. Swished it around a few times. Did a detergent free hot wash and they came out smelling fresh as can be! Its really amazing stuff!

Fleece liners work much better than paper liners. They usually stay put, the poo comes off very easily and they're washable!

I have used washable nappies with both of my children, for nearly 5 years all in all. Only used disposables for the 1st month with DS1 and for a few days with DS2 - they leaked terribly, so I did not even finish the pack with DS2. Motherease birth to potty is my preferred re-usable nappy.

It is worth using washable nappies as they do save you heaps of money, especially if you go on using them with subsequent children or sell them the nappies after you finished with them - there is a buoyant second-hand market.

What I liked with washables, you can change them 3 times a hour if you like - it does not cost you any extra. It felt disheartened that sometimes you put a disposable on and by the time you fasten it, the baby has done a poo, so the nappy goes in the bin having been used for 30 seconds - it is my money down the drain!

Re. washing nappies, the key is go easy on the detergent. Less is more here. Detergent can build up in the fibers, make the fabric hard and reduce absorbency. I wash wet nappies at 40 degrees and soiled nappies at 60 and higher ( waterproof covers cannot be washed at more that 40 degrees though)

Personally, I do not use any chemical sanitisers - i soak soiled nappies in a bucket of water with a few drops of lavender oil. I do give the soiled nappies a quick rinse before though. Wet nappies are just put in a bucket.

Also, i do not bother with disposable liners - i see little point, they wrinkle and can irritate baby's bottom.

After having used both disposables and re-usables, i find that re-usables have a much better containment and absorbency. They leak a lot less and they are great for your wallet!