Washable nappies

[TheEastLondonCM]

May not be right place for this thread but i need a bit of advice from knowing parents.

I mind a child, 2.5yrs, who is in washable nappies, and has been since birth. This has always been an annoyance to me but as he is getting bigger the problem is getting worse. The nappies leak all of the time, and all the other children say he smells. Now I think I'm doing all I can to prevent leaks, I change his nappy every 60/90mins and if we are going out for the day I will put a disposable on (his parents hate this!) but he is always wet. More than that, his parents only bring him in with one plastic cover so once he has weed, the plastic cover stinks to high heaven, the smell of ammonia is terrible, poos even worse. I do what i can to minimise this, so I wipe cover down at every change and try change the second I see it's slightly damp, but the smells and leaks persist.
Are you supposed to change plastic cover every time you change the nappy or should one cover last for 12hr period? Also do they come in bigger sizes? How often do you change washable nappies? During the 9hrs he is with me I change him at least 6 times which is a challenge when I have other children to care for. Am I doing something wrong or is the parents frugality going too far?

Oh goodness! I have no experience of those nappies, but no wonder it is all gong wrong.

They are pocket nappies. You stuff the absorbent bit inside the outer wrap and then use them. You are meant to change the outer every time you change the inner bit. (The sorts of wraps you can use again are just plastic, without the fleecy layer). They have obviously got the outside of a pocket confused with a wrap. He is basically in the same nappy all day. No wonder it stinks!

To wash them, you take the absorbent insert out. If they are washing them together (which is implied if they are coming back with the liner still in), they aren't getting clean. They will stink. The insert will also not be drying properly, so damp smelly as well as wee smell. Yuck!

On the inserts, what and how many are they putting in, you can check it against what the website suggests.

Would it be tactful to say something along the lines of "oooh, I know we've had a few problems with leaks so I've been reading the FAQ on their site and..."

FWIW, I use bumgenius and littlelamb sized pockets mostly. Which are a similar principle. The nappies are taken apart to be washed. You do a rinse, then a wash, then another (or a few rinses) to get rid of residue. Their website is not helping by claiming you wash at 30. I would do at least 40. I don't routinely do 60 as it causes the elastic to perish faster, but I often do a wash of inserts at 60, or wash them with a good load of bleach (and rinse and rinse - that is a different sort of strip wash) and I add tea tree oil to every wash.

God, it sounds like a well meaning utter disaster!

Wow I read the first bit if the thread thinking it must be a 2 part system we're talking about, if it's pockets then penguin is quite right and that's really gross! It's totally like leaving the child in the same nappy all day

That's explains so much!!!

Thank you for that- worryingly they have two older children who used the same nappies so they must have had similar problems with their childcare then ?!

I will find a polite way of letting them know they have been doing it wrong thanks for your help!!!

Yeesh! As well as probably not washing right, the leaks might partly be caused because the elastic in the legs has gone over three children or the waterproofing has. Some makes are designed to allow you to change the elastic.

Poor stinky family in the same nappy all day. Their poor skin.

There needs to be a head in your hands icon, it's going to be tough broaching this tomorrow!!

I didn't realise how complicated washable nappies could be haha

The thing is, they are really not complicated at all once you get your head round it.

I am at this situation. How could they not have realised the difference between pockets and two parters?

That poor little boy, being wet and stinking of wee and no need at all.

Let us know how you get on with bringing up the topic OP.

They are really not that complicated.

There are ones like old fashioned nappies and plastic pants - the nappy is just absorbent and the cover is just plastic. Those ones you can use the outer a couple of times if just wet.

There are pocket ones - stuff the absorbent bit in the pocket. Take apart to wash. You wash it all each time.

There are all in one ones - basically the same as the pocket but all put together and sewn up.

That's the basic differences.

The pockets must be disgusting to change as well if you are only given one outer. Presumably you have to fish out the sodden inner, push a new inner past the wee soaked fleece and god help you if there has been a poo? Makes me feel quite ill!

What you should have with pockets is a pile of ready stuffed nappies. It really should be no different to changing a disposable (except that some of the styles have poppers rather than a Velcro style fastener).

What inserts are they putting in as well? If you've looked after him since he was one, there's a good chance it has needed a change in that time - mine would have needed an extra booster about 2 ish.

What you should have with pockets is a pile of ready stuffed nappies. It really should be no different to changing a disposable.

Yes this is what I did when DD went to a CM. She just put the used ones in a wet bag for me to deal with. It was no more hassle for her than disposables.

I hope it goes well tomorrow OP!

They just put a load of paper liners and cloths in a bag an I make the nappies up at each change, if you know what I mean, it does get grim, I have to use gloves if it's a poo and always put him in disposables when I know we will be out

That is vile! Stop! As I said, at point of use, a pocket should be as easy as a disposable. The worst bit should be if you have to do up poppers!

If they are really determined about washable nappies and won't change their system and you are willing to provide disposable nappies then I wonder whether you could get hold of some cheap terries and plastic pants to use at yours instead for not much money - you'd have to wash them but surely would be less unpleasant than the current set up!

In terms of raising it diplomatically, could you say you just happened to meet a friend/relative/other childminder as they were changing a washable nappy and you got chatting about it?

Yes that is grim. Yuk. You can't continue.

I would be blunt and say you knew there had been lots of problems with leaks so were doing some online research for solutions.

It is really unacceptable to expect you to put up with this.

Poor boy, it can't be nice for him either.

Hey all, I spoke to mom this morning she was a little unimpressed I think, she said that her neighbour who had given her the nappies (yuck!!) had told her they worked that way. She promised she would sort it by next week and she will make sure she packs the right components. She also said it was fine to use disposables in the mean time as we are going on a couple of trips this week.

Oh people often pass on nappies- fine if well laundered.

Can't believe she never questioned whether changing a reusable should be that vile though!

Glad you got a result. Is she going to strip wash them?

Yes she said would!!

They look like a nappy I bought on Amazon or somewhere. Really cute design, lovely soft fluffy inner, cheap as chips. Leaked the second my baby peed. The waterproof part just didn't contain the inner bit enough.

norahbone my ds is in the ones you describe and they work well for us. Their extremely similar to the ecobum ones linked - called little bloom. I use 2 inserts sso there's 3 bits of nappy - all gets pulled apart and laundered then reassembled before reusing. Occasional leaks here but I think that's cos ds is moving up to the next size on the poppers.

He's a lot bigger than when we last used it, so I did wonder if I should give it another go. It is very pretty

I find them more generously cut than Bum genius if that helps at all.