Newbie to pre-folds & cloth nappies. Need Poo advise please!

[jennyrose]

Hi There,
I am a very late newcomer to cloth nappies, dd is nearly 12mths, and only started them yesterday and now need some advise. I have bought Cotton Bottoms starter pack to start, and have got some all in ones today, and am having problems with poo.
Yesterday and last night went fine with no leaks and was feeling very proud of myself. But today I've had two horrible sticky poos to contend with. Both managed to escape the flushable liner - that seems to crumple up between daughter legs and be cmpletly useless. Is there a knack to using / positioning these?

Also, how do you get these off the nappy? I'm dry palling and have tried "sluicing" in the toilet. What is "sluicing"? Tried just dunking in loo and flushing the chain. Neither worked and ended up using shower to spray lumps off. Horrid. If I soak do I need to be as thorough with sluicing? Am using EcoBalls in wash will this make a difference to cleanliness?
Also, found pre-folds very thick and bulky. Are all like this?
Sorry if these questions seem really stupid, but it's all looking like a much messier business than I had hoped. And I am trying to convince DH that they're as easy as disposables
Many thanks,
Nikki

Well done for trying, I started at 11 mths with DS, I used shaped with a wrap and found it a steep learning curve but we're 100% cloth at 2.5 yrs.

I found with liners tht letting them overlap with nappy (but not the wrap) most effective, it doesn't leak normally and makes life easier.

Do you fasten your prefolds? There is instructions on ways to fold them on \link{http://www.thenappylady.co.uk/Advice/PracticalnappyTips.asp\The Nappy Lady} and it can take some experimenting to get the best fold for you.

Prefolds are relatively slim fitting and cloth nappies are generally bulkier than disposables but you do get used to the look and they hold their trousers up nicely when they are walking .

I sluice and drypail, I just dump as much in the loo, hold the nappy under the flush and jiggle and have occasionally used the toilet brush if there is something very stubborn but I don't worry too much, I do a prewash in the machine to get rid of any stains before washing, and that works a treat

I think you have to find a nappy that suits you and your baby.
Personally, I never got on with prefolds at all. I thought they were bulky, too. Although, I think the bulkiness can differ with brand. I'm sure there must be a knack to using them as so many people like them, but they leaked and I had the poo problem. Didn't like pad-folded terries either.
However, for flat nappies (which dry quickly)I've found bat/origami folded terries do a really good job. And if you do get around to shaped nappies Tots Bots and Motherease One-size with booster are great,too.
Agree with Vkone, liner overlapping the nappy but not the wrap.
Sluicing to me means getting the poo off and down the loo by whatever means necessary. Granted not so pleasant with the really sticky ones but if the liner collects the bulk of it, then it's on with the marigolds to 'encourage' the rest off. Didn't bother me after the first couple and it's not as if it's every nappy.
No you don't need to be as thorough sluicing if you wet-pail as it soaks and loosens off.
Well done for opting for cloth nappies. As with anything new it takes time to get used to it. Persevere and it will be well worth it.

I just take off whatever poo is left on the nappy with some loo roll.
I don't sluice.
They smell less (ie not at all) when dry pailed.

The big padded bottom is nice for when they are learning to walk and fall.

I use prefolds and agree that the paper liners are useless

buy a cheap fleece blanket and chop it up into liners; they stay put better, keep baby dryer, and you can wash them with the rest of the nappies

I bought a separate toilet brush specially for the work of poo; usually the poo pops off but if it is a particularly sticky one as you say then you can use the brush and then rinse the brush off in the flush

if you soak pooey nappies it will smell vile... in fact soaking nappies smells vile full stop.

all cloth nappies are bulkier... you'll find prefolds easier to wash and dry than the all-in-ones, which take forever to dry

also if you ever fancy doing a really hot wash to give them a good clean you can whack prefolds in at 90degrees; not that you need to

I use eco-balls for my nappies, and dry them in the sun whenever possible. I found they didn't get my whites as clean as I would like so I stick to powder for those but I don't see a need for blindingly white nappies. Also I dry pail, and usually do a rinse and spin in the washer before washing, adding some white vinegar to the rinse water, to get rid of the worst of the wee before adding the ecoballs and washing. I usually put a little tea-tree oil in the washing powder drawer - just a couple of drops

Hi everyone. Thanks for the advice. Will stick with them for a month or so before passing judgement. Have just bought a boots all in one, but seems really big and leaked a little. Waiting for a fuzzi-bunz from ebay. Might try a motherease AIO next.
Thanks for the eco-balls advice Cappucino, will give the tea-tree oil and vinegar thing a go - found they still smelt a little of wee when I washed them in the ecoballs before. What temp do you wash at? The Nappy Lady says should do 60 degrees with eco-balls, but I want to use 40 where I can to save money. DD has also come out in spots on her bottom. Hoping this isn't because the nappies aren't clean enough.

try some shaped nappies as well.

dd2 is in shaped ones - tots bots, rainbow bots and kissaluvs.

the flushable liners work a treat w/these.

good luck! we're loving cloth nappies - dd2 hasn't had nappy rash since.

I remember DS got a red bottom when switching to cloth for about 5 days, and he gets one now if I put him in a disposable, I think it's getting used to the chemicals/lack of.

I would also suggest a shaped nappy, you can use CB wraps with them

Fold a bit of the liner over the top of the nappy (not the wrap) this will stop it bunching down.

I've very occasionally sluiced. Always dry pailed though - much nicer.

I'm also not a great fan of prefolds. I think the shaped ones (Motherease are what I've used on both mine) are much better.

Well done you for giving them a go! They will be better than disposables - it just takes a while to get used to the difference.