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Original poster

'Real Nappies' - any advice?

50 replies

chicaguapa · 16/03/2004 23:15

With second child on the way, I'm considering ditching the disposables at around 10lb and using reusable nappies. What a minefield that is!

Any recommendations? Or ones to avoid? I can get the gist of how many to get etc but what brand? There's SO many out there!

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bloss · 17/03/2004 01:59

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kiwicath · 17/03/2004 06:31

Hi Chicaguapa! A year ago, I was exactly where you are now. Spent hours on the internet but finally bought Motherease onesize with Motherease wraps. Bought a few Tots Bots as well to see how I like them - great but a bit bulky for my liking. The Nappy Lady is great also Kittykins. I used them from 1 week and haven't looked back. I bought 18 ME onesize, 4 totsbots size 2, 3 ME wraps with poppers in each size and 18 fleece/terry boosters. Was using disposable liners but have recently started using fleece liners - love im!!! Have used disposables on occasions when out and about but have leaked the odd time. Breastfed Jake is 11 weeks now and while using cloth naps has never leaked and poo has never escaped. I find that with the number I have bought, I wash every other night. Good luck!!

bloss · 17/03/2004 07:01

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throckenholt · 17/03/2004 07:56

contrary to most people - we found tots bots not the best for us - they tend to go very hard in our hard water area (despite using vinegar).

I vote for motherease one size and popolini onesize.

Motherease wraps also get my vote.

Also fleece liners make life much easier !

twinkleontheweb.co.uk have good explanations of the different types and give good advice.

StripyMouse · 17/03/2004 08:22

I would get a sample pack of one or two different ones as they suit different people. I loved the look of the popolini and motherease but in practise they just didn?t work for my DD - too baggy and not absorbant enough. Have a good friend who swears by popolini so just shows bums and leg sizes, how active they are and how much liquid they in and output makes it a bit tricky to second guess the right one for you. (We made a costly mistake by buying a whole batch of the wrong ones - so suggestion is based on my mistake )

MeanBean · 17/03/2004 14:34

I liked Earthwise, and I found Kooshies a bit rubbish. But also found that contrary to the propaganda, they didn't really do more than one baby - had to buy a whole new load of Earthwise for the second baby.

Jimjams · 17/03/2004 14:52

If you're anywhere near me (South West) then I can show you samples of different types. Not going to say much more coz I'll be done for advertising so contact me off list if you want to.

Recommendations depend on why you're doing it (if its cost for example then terries are the cheapest), whether you're going to use them at night, how you're going to dry them etc.

Aslo the 29th-3rd is Real Nappy week. There should be a roadshow near you where you can look at different types. Agree also that your best bet is try a few different brands and see what works for you.

Katherine · 17/03/2004 18:02

Been there, been through the minefield and bought lots of different types. I have to say that although I know loads of people who use the main brand cloth nappies listed below personally I prefer to use nappies and wraps made by WAHMs are there is a bigger choice of fabrics and they are often cheaper. For daytime I now use my old kooshies (hated them in the past but with decent wraps they work fine), angel baby nappies and tiddlybums. I use a fleece liner in the kooshies but the others have fleece inside so I don't need to which is easier. They are a combination of terry soaker and fleece, velour or cotton. Its hard to resist buying more. You can find both these shops on WAHMALL

My fav wraps are the ones with a PUL inner and a fleece outer. The all time best are wacky wraps as they have lovely appliques on the bum or wee-mionstanz but both have stopped making them now although you can get them second hand on UK parents buy and sell - I've bought new ones from there before at a fraction of the new price. There is also a new shop with some lovely fleece fabrics called Cutie Patooties on WAHMALL - not bought from there yet but tempted.

Finally I love wool for night-time. Its totally breathable and hardly ever needs washing so really low maintenance, I've got a couple of wool wraps but my favs are woollybacks .

Would really recommend B&S if you are experimenting. Many of the mums will even lend you some to try. I wasted loads in experiments although I got most of it back by selling them on.
Good Luck

kiwisbird · 17/03/2004 19:13

I also can recommend the nappy lady
Also twinkleontheweb
I use motherease they are superb
I used terry squares with DS 1 10 yrs ago
The new shaped ones are awesome - better than disposables let alone being cheaper and better for the earth and babys bumbum!

lou33 · 17/03/2004 19:17

Nappy lady is brill. I use motherease sandys. Ds2 has used the same sized ones since he was 14 months old and he is 3 now.

geogteach · 18/03/2004 08:49

I use cotton bottoms, started with DS1 because I used laundry service - he wore them day and night no probs. Somebody gave me a set (proof they last more than 1 baby!) when I had DD so I now wash them but they haven't suited her at night so she presently wears a disposable then

Fennel · 18/03/2004 09:07

Am about to use the same motherease nappies on 3rd baby so they definitely can last (think it helps if you're not tumble drying though).

Agree with the others try out one of several kinds before deciding.

and some (eg recent Motherease) have the "staydry" liners they can really help with avoiding nappy rash.

wilbur · 18/03/2004 09:21

I'm another Motherease/Popolino user and using them on 2nd child now and they still look and feel great. Very happy with both, although I did end up buying some big Sandy's nappies when ds was older as he had massive thighs and potty trained late so the Motherease were getting a bit tight. We used the Popolino at night as they were a bit bulkier and more absorbent (they also seemed to stop him rolling over and getting in a pickle when he was still a baby). We got our from Little Green Earthlets www.earthlets.co.uk who were very helpful. I also buy Moltex disposables from there for the occasions when we are not using washables. Plus their flushable liners are great, you can use them as wipes and they go through the wash and can be reused once or twice before throwing away. Good luck!

stringbean · 18/03/2004 11:07

I used Cotton Bottoms laundry service for about 4 months with ds, which I was very pleased with, and then bought my own in the next couple of sizes. When ds outgrew them I was interested to try something different, so bought some Motherease Onesize and wraps. Really pleased with them - they are brilliant! Now expecting no.2 in September, so will use a combination of both. By the way, we were away on holiday last week, so used disposables. Ds spent the whole week complaining about his 'paper pants' and asking where the proper ones were!

bloss · 18/03/2004 11:08

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Spanna · 18/03/2004 11:35

I have used Bambino Mio prefolds and wraps. I chose them as you can buy them in shops and because the nappies unfold, so dry really quickly on the line or radiator. The bulkier shaped ones would have been no good as I don't have a tumble drier. Also they don't seem as bulky when on baby. I have been very pleased and will be using them for my 2nd who is due soon.

Original poster
chicaguapa · 18/03/2004 13:05

Hmmm... so many to choose from. I guess the idea is to get several trial packs and take it from there.

The Nappy Lady have recommended Bimble & Bumble nappies. These seem fairly new and there's no picture on the site. Anyone heard of them?

They also require a nappi nippa. Are these really as easy to use as they say?

OP posts:
Tissy · 18/03/2004 13:34

Not sure about bimbles and bumbles. Nappi nippas are a doddle, honest! They are much safer than pins, don't get lost as easily, and contribute to a really snug fit.

Tissy · 18/03/2004 13:36

look {http://www.easypeasynappies.co.uk/products/nappies.htm\here!}

Tissy · 18/03/2004 13:36

oops, must preview!

Tryhere!

SoftFroggie · 18/03/2004 14:28

We use MEOS with the popper wraps and flushable liners (I don't have the stomach for fleece liners and squidgy poo). I love them, and hubby loves them. DS is now 16 months and we don't yet have to use the boosters and he's a tiny chap so we're only halfway through the poppers.

We did also try one tots bots, but it took too long to dry without a tumble drier, and hubby got confused with the built-in booster thing (so did I).

We use disposables mightime (hubby worries less), when he's at nursery, and holidays. So I have only 8 MEOS, and I only wash every other day.

If you want other people to use them ever, do get them all the same.

haff · 18/03/2004 17:30

I have so many different types!Love tots and fuzzis. Have a few bimbles for my 9 week old. They are so easy to put on and really slim fitting. Haven't yet tried a bumble. Got one arriving soon! I use fleece liners as I don't get on with the paper ones and we use cloth wipes in a homemade camomile tea solution - they have a gorgeous smell.

kagsie · 18/03/2004 18:44

We've used ME one sized with ME wraps from about 4 weeks. Would have used sooner but didn't how until checked with ME website and watched the video. Also didn't realise that we had to wash before use so was worried that outlay was wasted!! Never had any problems or leaks since then. Got 20 nappies and five wraps of each size and wash every other night. Also use snap in booster pads (bought 10 but this is loads at the moment) at night and flushable paper inserts...though only bothered once weaned. Born do a handy bag for wet nappies which we take to nursery and I also get Tushies wipes and disposables from there. Never hand any problems and really pleased we've stuck with them in the face of "you can't be serious" adversity from avid Pambers users!

Jimjams · 18/03/2004 23:14

I used to think I couldn't cope with fleece liners but the poo just falls off them- its weird. I also love love love fleece wraps now. Sooo cute Tried wool but ds1 scratched at it to get it off. Sold it on ebay then decided 2 days later to become an agent for a company that actually stocks that wool wrap. Agghh Actually all my nappy buying decisions have been like this. I don't think I've saved money as I can't resist buying new ones. Although DS2 is using DS1's Sam I Am's - they've lasted really well.

I like the look of those woolybacks though. Hmm very tempted. Actually please stop posting links or I'll end up spending more- am expecting an arrival tommorrow- including an all in one Buzz Lightyear which I ccan't wait to see. And a yummy fleece Redrap- anyone used that? Does it really turn all your washing pink for ever more?

Personally I prefer velcro to poppers as somehow I always manage to break the poppers.

SamN · 18/03/2004 23:28

I changed to cloth when my son was about 14 months old. He's coming up to two now and I'm personally very happy with using terry squares at home and Tots while out and about - both with Motherease airflow wraps. You can tell I don't mind the big-bum look! The only other person I know offline who uses cloth has gone for ME one sizes.

However, dp hasn't been persuaded and still uses disposables on our son, so I'm trying out some velcro all-in-ones to try to persuade him and the new nursery. Already unimpressed with Kooshies as they take ages to dry. Nature Babies stuffables seemed like a good idea but just don't fit our son very well.

It all depends on your circumstances, preferences and your child's shape and size!

I found the Nappy Lady advice very good, but it's still worth trying out a few different styles before doing your big order. Would be interested to hear about Bimbles and Bumbles as I've never used them and they do look good.