what on earth is a 'wool soaker'??!!

[inconceivableme]

Ok, I'm not au fait with reusable nappies. Didn't manage to get round to using them myself, despite the best of intentions while pregnant.
A FB 'friend' uses them and is apparently a big fan of hand made, hand knitted and hand dyed, wool soakers, which you hand wash in special soap and apply lanolin (a brand with Monkey Fart scent?) to before baby wears it. What on earth...??! Am I missing something, like are these better than Ocado's Carrefour Basic disposables that I use...?! I'm only half-joking btw!

A soaker is a wrap you put on top of a non waterproof nappy, usually made from wool or fleece. The heat from baby drives moisture outwards which helps to keep bum cool and dry. Waterproof nappies can be a bit like a plastic bag, trapping moisture and heat in.

Reusable nappies require a cover to keep the wee from leaking out. During the day, most people use properly waterproof covers ("wraps"). At night lots of people choose to use wool soakers. This would be as a cover over a regular cloth nappy. Instead of keeping everything in, they allow some evaporation. The lanolin keeps the wool from getting saturated. They don't need frequent cleaning. Some people swear by them. I didn't get it myself.

There are much easier reusables. Honest. It's not all special soap and lanolin (thank god, I am so allergic to lanolin). Mine are all chuck in wash, dry, put on bottom.

I did see a discussion today about 'bum placement' - apparently some reusable enthusiasts get upset if the pattern on the nappy isn't the 'right way up', or have enough symmetry or whatever, on the bum when it's on. That was my wtf moment today.