The "no question too stupid" reusable nappy thread

[Hufflepuffin]

I thought it might be nice to have one thread where anyone planning to use reusable nappies can post questions about them. I think most people agree that the amount of information and options out there can be a bit bewildering when you're researching.
I know the whole nappies topic is a bit like this but at least if it's just one thread then the people who love talking about nappies (me ) can keep it 'watched' and always reply!

We have 3 year old easy fits and they do leak. I shove a wrap on top as didn't want to shell out on more nappies after buying a set! Newer ones might be better....

Yeah going to sell them. You get what you pay for with nappies, like with everything else, don't you. Just invested in some easyfit stars, as I really like them. Will probably get a few more pop ins.

Does anyone know if older pop ins are massively different from the newer ones? Are there any that I should avoid, or are they all alright? Also how is dream dry compared to minkies and bamboo?

Also one more question - do you reduce spins when you wash your nappies? I spin on max as I do with everything but was wondering if it's damaging for nappies.

Minky pop ins are not nearly as absorbent. Heard good things about bamboo ones but they have a short rise so aren't great for tall kids as they grow out of them quick!
I do reduce my spin to 1100 as I read that it could help make nappies last longer...

Hello again - I've just been given a massive stash of the older Bambino Mio prefolds and wraps. Using them on my 18mo DD and will use them on DD due in Jan so I've been trying the twist fold. I think generally you don't need a snappi or similar for Mios but does anyone find they benefit from them or will it be a waste of my time?

I double spin my nappies to aid drying. I don't need them to last for more siblings, so I'm not precious about looking after them. Although having said that I think that I've ruined all of my wraps by washing on 60.

How many times do you re-use the waterproof wraps before washing?

Unless there's poo on it I'll generally rotate two wraps between washes. The one I take off gets hung over the back of a chair until the next nappy change.

Anyone got good tips how to get soft sticky poo off fleece liner? I've tried flushing but it doesn't come off that well...

Carrot: are you weaning? We used paper liners for about 6 weeks at that point!
After that, I flush and wiggle the liner in the water. On the Facebook group I'm in, some on them have a poo spoon or poo knife(!) to scrape instead...

Hey everybody,

I thought I only had one or two questions but now I've read this lovely lovely thread and I can't stop myself. I'm a bit isolated so I don't really have anyone to ask.

I'm 27 weeks pregnant and stocking up on different systems using ebay. I now have a selection of bamboozles, mothercare fitted nappies, prefolds, terry towels, muslins, wraps, pockets and easyfits (might have gone overboard a bit but I have no accessible nappy library and with ebay auctions, despite the volume, I still spent less than I would have buying one full system new).
So:

• I have washed everything (including pockets and wraps) in a 60 wash with extra rinses but maybe I shouldn't have? Is it too hot for pockets and wraps? Have I ruined them even if they look the same as they did before the wash? The pockets do say 35° max on them but that sounds very low and means I would have to separate them from everything else (fine with me in theory but I don't want my husband to think I'm crazier than he already does ) I also washed one set of bamboozles on 90 as they looked frankly disturbing upon arrival.

• my washing machine doesn't have a prewash function but the normal 60°cycle lasts about 150 minutes, 180 with the extra rinse. Is that enough to take care of pre-weaning stains? Should I do a cold wash first? Should it be a long wash or is a short one enough? Should I rinse off breastfed baby poo before putting everything (reusable liner included) in the machine?

• I haven't seen any mention of the totsbots fluffles here though in 236 posts I might have missed it . Has anybody tried them? What did you think? Are they enough for nighttime use if boosted?

• Please help me get rid of one lingering doubt: in an all in two system like the bamboozles, if you want to add a booster, you add it inside the shaped nappy, don't you? Not between the nappy and the wrap? I've read threads on other websites where people added them between nappy and wrap and it just doesn't seem like it's going to stay put. Should my son wriggle as much outside as he does inside, I'm going to need nappies to stay in place even when he decides it's time to breakdance!

And last but not least the only question I actually meant to ask (),

• With different bundles came different inserts and boosters (microfiber, bamboo fleece, cotton just no hemp as I haven't found any second hand yet) and I added a couple of inserts/boosters packs, believing that one cannot have too many (I live in Cornwall near the sea and don't have a drier). I have stumbled upon a problem though. I have a lot of microfiber inserts and many bamboo ones (charcoal or not) but I cannot for the life of me tell the difference! I thought maybe the bamboo should feel more wet when coming out of the washing machine but everything feels almost dry. Then I though maybe the microfiber one were the ones that kind of gripped my skin (I've got dry hands) when I touched them. But I've bought a joblot of little bloom inserts that are supposed to be bamboo and still get caught on my skin . But maybe the seller was mistaken (or lied)? So frankly I'm lost...

Can anybody help?

Sorry for the huge post, I swear I didn't know I was going to turn this into a novel

Thank you!

Yes, DD is 7.5m so already quite far into weaning. I don't want to use paper liners. You're not supposed to put them down the loo even if it says flushable, and I don't like putting them into the bin. I guess I'll just have to be creative!

Hi Dier, I can answer a couple questions...

I'm not sure about temperatures, I always wash my nappies on 40.

You need to do a cold rinse/prewash without detergent before main wash as otherwise hot water can set the stains.

I used to rinse off the poo first but a lot of people put nappies into wash straight with the poo, as bf baby poo is very liquid.

You put booster between nappy and wrap. The wrap will be very snug around baby so it won't move anywhere. Actually it doesn't really have anywhere to move...

Bamboo should feel very wet when you take it out the washing machine. Microfibre will be almost dry.

Thank you carrotpuff!! I guess this just means I have an overwhelming amount of microfiber inserts...

Thank you for all the other answers!

Temperature wise I thought we were supposed to wash on 60 the first three months as baby had no reliable immune system. Do you use any special detergent? Something that sanitizes at 40? Or is it just fine without? I don't want to turn into my mother who bleached everything in sight and used industrial acid to wash the floors so I'm trying to do only what is necessary :)

Thank you again for taking the time to answer me!

Yes I've read about this. I only started cloth bumming when DD turned 5 months though...

I've recently read in Which? magazine that washing at 60 is a bit of a waste of energy. Most washing machines only reach this temperature for very short period and some don't reach at all. It's actually the detergent that does the sanitising, not temperature. So I don't know.

I just use Sainsbury's own brand non bio washing powder, seems to do the job. But you can use any really.

Using little lamb 2 parts bamboo, on 3 week old son with little lamb wraps.

They are very wet after a couple of hours. Fine as baby wakes often for food but what happens when baby gets bigger (and presumably wee more) and sleeps longer? How can they possibly last until 9 months? Or at night when hopefully the boy will sleep more than 3 hours at some point?

MyMrKnightley - are you using the booster yet? That will help a bit, you may find you need extra boosters overnight as he gets older.

Yes using booster already. Have microfibre ones too as I have no tumble dryer but they are unusable as they last 45 minutes.

Hi all,

Just bought some preloved Miosolo nappies and been trying them out today, but getting massive leaks, not just around the legs but right through the cover. I bought them hoping they'd be an improvement on my Totsbots AIOs but in fact they're worse!

I was a bit surprised that the Miosolos didn't come with a booster. Do you think it would help if I put one in? And what kind should I use? Don't really want to go out buying lots of extra bits to try if it turns out that it's the actual nappies that are the problem. How does everyone else find miosolos? Is this a common problem?

TIA

My mr knightly - sounds like you need some extra boosters to cope as your dc grows. Little lambs do a great Boxing Day sale normally!

For the miosolos, it does sound like maybe the waterproof bit has gone if they are leaking through the front rather than the leg holes.

Me again!

Formula feeding, I've seen many times that breastfeed poo can go into washing machine is this true with formula? If not any reliable ways of removing poo from fleece liners?

Also he does major poos and often find its on nappy as well, so will wider liners to solve this or is this because he is tiny still and will improve as he grows?

Is anyone still about?

Any tips to make a stinky wet bag less stinky? I have 2, wash them when I wash nappies (every 3 days), and they bloody stink the next day. (I mean the dirty nappies inside, not the bag itself) No place for a bucket as bathroom very small.

Any tips?

MrK:
Sorry I don't know about ff poo. However, with weaning poo and now toddler poo, I just dangle the fleece liner in the toilet and flush. If there's poo on the nappy, I flush that too!

Carrot: advice with a bucket is to put some tea tree oil (or lavender or whatever) on a reusable breast pad and stick that in the bucket too. Hides the smell a bit. My DD is teething though so nothing really helps!

Hi, is anyone still about?

This thread is amazing! I'm expecting #1 in May and would like to use washable nappies but have a couple of questions....

Is it worth buying any before he's born, or is it best to start stocking up now? From what I've read, when they're newborn the size 1s might be too big anyway and until he's born I don't know what shape/size he'll be, so how do I know which ones will fit him?

So I was thinking nappy library to try some out and then investing in some, once I know which ones fit.

Do you have any advice? The urge to buy them now is strong! TIA

Hi mrsCW and congratulations on your pregnancy! I really would wait until baby is here before you invest, and definitely borrow from a nappy library in the first instance. Depending on your local library you may well be able to visit and borrow a newborn kit just before baby arrives, which may give you small newborn specific nappies that work early on plus an opportunity to try things out before you invest. Different nappies suit different babies so it's good to be able to try out a few and see what works best. We didn't start with DS1 until he was 6 months old although hoping to start earlier with this baby (due April). My last baby was huge though so not anticipating needing newborn sized nappies in this house!

HTH