Reusable nappies: is it rocket science or can even sleep deprived folk use 'em? And other questions...

[purrpurr]

I've been using disposables since my DD was born but our council will be changing rubbish collection from weekly to fortnightly in September, and as I already do a lot of recycling without thinking about it, it really brought home to me that I am chucking disposable nappies in the bin mainly because it's all I know and it gets taken away every week. I only have one child, don't have any commitments at present so it seems like a great time (in theory) to get going with reusables.

But for some reason I'm convinced it's difficult, expensive to start with and only for the middle classes who weave lentils and go visiting the poor and that.

I've just tried to do some reading on it and got as far as wraps, fleece liners, something else which sounds like an inner nappy, and I'm a bit more scared than I was :/

Could anyone offer some straightforward advice? Preferably a list of what I would need to buy / do for this to work? I have quite stubborn family and DH so I would need to be rock solid confident in this or they'll just buy disposables.

It's all a bit baffling in theory but easy in practice!

We use bumgenius Flip. DD is 18 months now and we've used them since she was 4 weeks. We now have 10 outers (wraps), and 16 inserts (a mix of organic cotton squares and StayDry). We use totsbots disposable liners, and washable wipes.

We store used nappies in a lidded bucket in the bathroom - you can reuse the outers most of the time. We wash every 2-3 days and line dry or use the heated airer in winter. We add a cup of bleach to the wash every now and again. You can't use fabric softener.

Nappies are much whiter looking in summer as UV disinfects and bleaches the nappies.

Bumgenius Flip are expensive but hardly ever leak for us and are birth to potty - they fit all sizes. We occasionally use Nati disposables if we're travelling or don't want nappies lying around (while we have viewings on the house we're selling, for example).

Good luck!

You could ask the nappy lady for advice. They have a form to fill out which asks you questions about size and age of your dd, how often you would wash them, if you would use a drier or just line dry etc and they'll e-mail you some recommendations.
Cloth can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. You could buy an all-in-one nappy to try out. I think Tots Bots Easyfit is an all-in-one so no extra wrap needed. They are as simple as disposables and won't scare dubious family members.
Each type has its pros and cons and there isn't really a best type as all babies are different but the two part system (a fluffy nappy like Little Lamb or Tots Bot Bamboozle with a separate waterproof wrap like Motherease) has never failed me. The fleece liners are just thin liners which creates a barrier between baby and damp nappy and keeps the skin dry. Some nappies have the fleece liner included or are part of the nappy itself.

I second the recommendation of The Nappy Lady - fill in the questionnaire and she'll recommend a few brands that might suit you.

We used them for 2 years (just potty trained, yay!) and they weren't that tricky or gross or anything. And have probably saved us a fortune.

If I were you, I'd see if I could find some second hand ones on a local selling site or eBay. Especially the first size, they're not used for long.

OP, we have alocal lady employed byt the council who will explain all the options - have a quick look round your council website to see if there is something in your area. She also has some loan kits which have a variety of options so you can find out what type suits.

It all looks confusing because there is a huge variety of options now. We use a type which goes on and off the same as a disposable, and adjusts in size "birth to potty". Again we have a lidded bucket by the change mat and wash every 2-3 days. Once I started with washable nappies, I wondered why we were throwing out wipes, so now have cloth wipes at home also.

I'm no lentil weaver (for example I switch to disposables when on holiday), I've just found that these suit us better than the other options. If it helps, DH is the SAHP, and has no problems with washable nappies and wipes.

The theory sounds a lot harder than the reality is. We use two-parters which also have separate boosters and liners - it wasn't long before myself and DH could put them together and put them on DD in a pitch black room.

Agree with other posters that the Nappy Lady would be a good place for you to start. Your council may also have trial kits or incentives - we got a £25 cheque when we sent them the receipt from our nappies purchase.