How long did your bum genius last?

[chocolatemartini]

Just wondering if others have had the same problem or if we've done something wrong. We've used our bum genius v4s for nearly 2 years but the waterproofing seems to be going and the Velcro has curled and keeps coming unstuck. We normally wash at 60 as it said on the instructions but I wonder if we should have washed at 40. I was hoping to use them on DC2 but don't think they'll be any use by then :(

I have read that you shouldn't always wash at 60 as it degrades the elastic and waterproofing.

Have you tried tumbling the outers to try and re-seal them?

Mine went the same way, I bought them in 2008 and the elastic and waterproofing went before ds2 arrived 15 months later.

Should say, mine are three years old, still in constant use, and are fine.

Hmm sounds like it's washing at 60 that's the problem. It does say 60 though on the label. Shame, because it isn't that environmentally sound or economical to use them for such a short time.

TheContrast how does tumbling them work? We've got a washer drier so the drier bit gets stupidly hot, I think they'd melt in there. Could take them to the laundrette to a proper dryer.

Also I don't know what to do if they don't last for dc2... Am a bit disillusioned if my best efforts to be green end in me chucking out a load of artificial fibre nappies that presumably won't biodegrade. My sister was in fact telling me recently that artificial fibres are a significant source of ocean pollution

if there are some small holes a tumble can melt the plastic just enough to seal them Iyswim.

Ah I see. Will give it a go, thanks! Am considering stubbornly continuing to use them anyway with DC 2 with a motherease wrap over the top if need be. Can't do that on DS1 as nappy changing is hard enough anyway with only two bits of Velcro to navigate. He won't stop long enough for any extra layers!

Watching with interest as I'm about to invest quite a bit it the v4s...

Msbluesky with hindsight I'm not sure I would. They've been pretty good while they worked, although they didn't fit well round the legs until about 3 months, also we had to boost a lot with bamboo/ hemp boosters from 3 to about 9 months because bf babies do seem to wee a lot. So we've had less than a year using them as they are with just the 2 microfibre soakers, and now the Velcro and waterproofing has gone.

We did try the tumble drying and not sure yet if it's worked as he hasn't worn them all yet. Will report back!

On the other hand my bamboozles are doing well after the same amount of time, just can't use them full time as they take an age to dry.

Oh no, but they are the only nappies we tried that fitted DD and didn't leak! ...and we tried a lot....maybe 15? Can anyone recommend a good alternative? Tiny nippers also worked so I'm going to buy a few of those...

The ones I bought second hand for ds are now on dd. They are greying and look old but work perfectly fine. I have only ever washed the outers at 40 though.

Ok so far everyone who washes at 40 has happy long lived bum genius... I think... So maybe you'll be ok... Naturalbaby how hot did you wash yours? Any other bum genius owners on here?

I have two friends who also use them. They are a similar age to mine, except that one set is already onto a third child. They both wash at 40 most of the time.

Ok fair enough, msbluesky don't let me put you off. I'm just a bit annoyed because it does say 60 on the label. I very carefully followed all the instructions, although admittedly 60 is the hottest recommended temp. We did try washing at 40 but the bamboozles we use for nights developed bad smells, washing at 60 solved that problem. We do always do a cold prewash too.

I can't tell if the waterproofing problem has been solved because I only tumbled half of them and DH put them away after (he is my domestic and laundry God at the moment because I am pg and feel like shite) and now I don't know which ones are which! Ooops.

I got a BG aplix from Real Nappy Week, the aplix is utterly pants, it is curling and the wash tabs are useless. I wash normally on 40, but do the odd 60 wash to give them a thorough wash. I always give them 10 mins in the tumble to soften them but the hot tumble does have a good outcome if its not left too long- TBEF V3 can need resealing too

Oh dear, well I hope the tumble drying helped.

I wash the nappies generally at 40 with a bit of napisan in most washes.

If the inners start to smell, I soak them overnight in a bucket of bleach and then wash them at 60 followed by lots of cold washes until the suds go.

I am not sure what the label says as I read my advice on here, not the label

I was about to ask a similar question. We use bum genius, not sure which version, maybe 3 - bought new last year but I think a new version was coming out.

Used them from about 8 weeks to now nearly 18 months and am despairing as:

• they are getting more and more leaky and
• much of the Velcro doesn't stick properly, (we have de-linted, which helped with some but some is just not sticky) some of them just don't do up or stay done up properly, so leak, fall off and are useless.

We wash at 40 except about every two weeks at 60.

I was thinking of sewing on poppers.
Might try tumble-drying against leaks - they leak out of the leg holes.

Dd will be starting nursery soon and I don't feel I can send her in leaky, unreliable nappies that need changing every time she wees!

These were supposed to last til 2+
Any other advice, or other brands we could buy a few of to see her through to potty training?

lottiegarbanzo sorry to hear yours are crap too. I think the tumble drying did help thanks contrast it has improved both the waterproofing and the Velcro, I also think to be fair, that DS has been drinking a phenomenal amount over the summer as I allowed him lots of juice to make sure he wasn't getting dehydrated in the heat. And now he's older one wee would easily soak both BG inners.

I'll try tumble-drying at the launderette (we hang to dry) and see if there's a difference.

The risk with sewing on poppers is I'll make holes in the outer layer.

I really don't want them to be crap! It's amazing how much further you'll try with a product you want to like than with one you don't.

I like the adjustable sizes and mostly, apart from leaking at night (we gave up and have used disposibles at night for a long time) they'd been pretty good, until a couple of months ago.

But... they are getting worse. Other toddlers don't go around with wee patches on their clothes and need multiple clothes changes a day, pretty much with every big wee, to stay dry and presentable. It's just become a bit yuck.

I'm sure even switching to disposibles at this point would have saved us money but I don't want to. I want these to work and they should!

Yeah my DS has a wet patch and a full change of clothes about 3 times a day even after the tumble drying I am going to try boosting with bamboo, which I used to do before weaning, and if all else fails I'll use a motherease wrap over them. I really can't be bothered with an extra layer though, it's hard enough changing them as it is with my 100 mile an hour super energetic DS