'Real Nappies' - any advice?

[chicaguapa]

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!

I started off with Imse's, which were ok, but fiddly and leaked if dd sat in them too long. When we needed to change size, we switched to Kissaluvs and air flow wraps which I loved. They are gorgeous nappies. I really miss having my cloth nappies (is that weird?). I also loved the fleece liners. Fab! In fact, I'm such a cloth convert that I use cloth sanitary towels/liners (with my mooncup - is that too much info????)

I would say, though, that it's a very personal decision. If you can try some out before you buy then do. There are some companies have nappy loan thingies (can't think of the bloody word), where you can try out a selection of different types. Someone else might be able to point you in the right direction.

SCHEME!!! The word I was looking for was scheme, for *** sake!!!

And that was a long post considering all I was actually intending to do was agree with everyone else......

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Some local councils are offering financial incentives to families who want to use real nappies - ours will give you either £25 cash towards nappy purchases or a month free nappy laundry - so it would be worth contacting their waste management dept to see what's available.

We are also cloth nappiers. I used kooshies to start with as I'd never heard of anything else and I have to say that despite the bad press they often get from real nappy people my little ones are on their 4th baby! (3 of mine and a friends).
My next size up option has been kissaluvs with motherease wraps. I love the kissaluvs, they're low slung and slim fitting, and on their 3rd baby too, with my dd2 to go still.
I use Minkis for nightime, a stuffable fleece nappy made locally to me. Fleece is nice at night as it is soft and keeps the skin dry, and I can double stuff them for my ds (now over 2 but the size of a 3 year old). I stuff them with my kissaluvs.

Have fun choosing - its great fun!

Following on from this, my ds is 8 months and already 26lb. He's using MEOS and Tots but I reckon he'll be out of these waaaay before we start potty training.

Are there any cloth nappies out there which are extra-large and durable? (i.e preferably no velcro cos i want them to last for future babies)

motherease all in one's but they're pricey.

What's wrong with velcro? All the nappies I use a lot are velcro and are on baby number 2. I always seem to break poppers.

I'm about to try something called a koala from poplolino on my large over 2 year old- it's dirt cheap- only 3.50 or something per nappy. It fastens with nappi nippas whcih I've never used before. I use popo wraps, or fleece wraps- will let you know what its like.

Also recieved a buzz lightyear all in one today with a fleece inner- I'll let you know what that's like as well

I'm getting paranoid that I sound as if I'm advertising. I'm not- I don't even sell the motherease all in ones I suggested them as they do a toddler size so they are big.

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Thanks, I didn't realise there were toddler-sized nappies. I'll definitely have a look at the Motherease as I prefer them to Tots.

The reason I don't really want velcro is because I've read numerous times that over time it wears out and so by baby number 2 or 3 it's very unsticky. i've never had a problem with poppers. It's a pain though as I love the Motherease Multisize at they're higher in the rise which is perfect for my tall ds, but they're velcro so I'm reluctant to buy more of them.

i've never found that celandine- honestly- my sam I ams have been very abused (by 2 kids) but the velcro is fine. Usually a velcro nappy has a way of protecting the velcro in the wash to stop it sticking to everything. I think if you do that you'll be fine.

BTW the popolino koala is quite bulky- but certainly large enough for a todddler. Can't quite decide whether I love or hate them. They look quite traditional so very cute imo. Ds2 was walking a bit funny in it as its bigger that nappies he's used to- but he was putting it on a lot of the time (walked funny when he remembered). They are VERY cheap though at 3.50, so if I need to stock up right before potty training I might go with those.

We use Sandy's large size - they're a sized popper nappy by Motherease. I think they're really great - easy to use and seem to be wearing well - I am a late convert to real nappies on ds2. DS2, who is all long and skinny, went into these at 6 months but they are pretty adjustable and also fit ds1 who is big and round for 2 1/2. I tried to get him into them at night but he is used to disposables. I found the Nappy Lady really helpful in sorting it all out. Good luck!

celandine - some of the wahmums make there nappies with extra bits to help prevent littles getting them off. E.g minki , the are also button up ones , and another one makes them to fasten at the back (can't remember the name, can anyone help?). Also there are the sort like the woollybacks which pull up. Some of the the pull-up ones are ideal for a toddler moving on to potty training e.g fleecycheeks .

I use motherease one size with the wraps and have done since dd was 8 weeks old. She is now almost 22 months. I've never had any problems. I get them from littlegreenearthlets and use their moltex disposables if I need to. Moltex are great, no nasty chemical smells like other disposables.

The only question I have for real nappy experts out there, is now she is older I find nightime difficult with these nappies. They get really soaked and I don't think its fair on her.

Which washable nappy would you reccommend for night time use?

I'm very boring and standard I'm afraid as I use totsbots with my ds (17 months - ooh today I've just realised). I boost them up at night with both an hourglass shaped terry booster (inside nappy) and a folded muslim (between nappy and wrap) and get much less leaks than when I use disposables. The nappy is pretty wet in the morning but not soaked and fleece liners keep his bottom pretty dry. I don't use them but I've heard that fleece or wool wraps are good at night as they let some of the wee evaporate. Hth, I'm sure more knowlegable folk will be on in the morning

Fleece against the bum is good.. I use minkis at night as they are fleece against the bum and you can stuff them as much as you need to and WHERE (!) you need to for manageable absorbency. Oh, and they are very, very cute!

They look amazing susanmt. Might have to stop being so dull with my tots and try one - and I've been so restrained up until now, no new nappies for over a year. You don't have a gold velvet one or a silver lame one though do you? Those are crazy, perhaps they're for babies who like to go clubbing

No, but I was at a coffee morning for real nappy week yesterday which was run by Michaela who designs and makes them (my 4mo dd was a model for the morning in her little flowery minki) and I NEARLY bought a pink velour one with pale pink fairy wings - thought it would be fab for the summer, she coud wear it with just a t shirt!

Cloth nappies are supposed to be CHEAPER!! But I keep getting tempted.

I feel so basic: I have some shaped terry nappies from Mothercare, which were 30p each or something ridiculous on clearance. I put plastic pants over the top, which were 10p each at the supermarket on clearance. I use Boots nappy liners and wash all but the worst offenders and get another couple of goes out of them. I use one disposable at night, but I will stop this soon as ds is now quite dry at night. Am I the only person who doesn't have "designer" nappies?

What ever works Toddlerbob, good on you for being thrifty Wish I could but the real nappy sites keep making more delicious little creations that I can't help giving them all a go - actually think I have a "problem". We are on the bones of our bum but I seem to find enough money to buy "just one more". Just received 2 slinki minkis (rainbow and pawprint). They are fleece and stuffable so sometimes I use them with just a booster for the slimline look or bulk them up for the night. So cute I've got him in T shirts now rather than vests just so I can show them off. Weather in the mid 30C's now so hang one up to dry out while using the other one and wash them at the end of the day. Almost dry once spin has finished!! Blah blah - could go on for ages, just luv im!!

just been looking at littlechick nappies, they look lovely. so tempted to buy some, but i have more than enough tots to keep us going for a couple of days, and i cant justify spending moer money on nappies before my holiday, especially now dd2 looks like she wants to toilet train soon. she loves her evening sitting on the big loo and going a wee wee.

I use bambino mio nappies with mio soft covers (they are softer for baby) I love them, and you dont have to worry about running out at midnight either!! There are all in one types which i did try, but they don't last as long and the ones i bought wore out before they were outgrown which says a lot for them cos babies grow so quickly!! They also took forever to dry, even in the tumbler. The ones i use now, I soak in a bucket of water with 5 drops of tea tree oil then rinse off and wash on a 50 degree wash with the rest of the clothes. the covers dry in no time. Bambino mio do birth to potty pack that are good value, or starter packs in different sizes. They even do sample packs so you can try them first. I noticed some people even have them for sale on eBay if you don't mind second hand ones. Go to www.bambino.co.uk for prices and user guides. They really are just as esy to use when you get the hang of it. I can change them as quickly as a disposable now. good luck!!

you asked LOL
I can also recommend the nappy lady questionnaire, Morag is lovely who runs it.
I use Motherease one szie and have found them absolutely brilliant to use.CAnnot fualt them at all, so have not looked at any other but there are loads, and treat yourself to one or two funky wraps too

Amanda at the Nappy Lady has been brilliant, helping us to choose the right 'real' nappies for our situation. Tots bots are great but even better are their 'fluffle'. As with the tots bot, we've had no leaks but it's much softer and even more absorbent. Another bonus is the fact that it dries so much quicker and stays soft, even in hard water areas. We also found that nappy rash is a thing of the past.

Our 10 month old is now at nursery and, even though he is the only child there not in disposables, the staff have been more than happy to accommodate us. Although it took them a while to get used to is as most of them had never used a 'real' nappy before.

I wish I'd moved away from the disposables sooner than we did (at 4 months) but would definitely agree that there's too much going on when you have a newborn on your hands to use 'real' nappies then. I don't think I could have managed at first.