I honestly really have tried to make sense of other threads but I need help, please

[TrinityRhino]

I have a 20 month old who I think will be in nappies till next summer and I'm due in 4 weeks with dd3.
I would like to know if anyone knows if reusable nappies are actually cheaper then diposables?

I would have thought they would be but my dad was talking to me about their decision to use diposables when I was born and he mentioned that he had tried his best to calculate all costs concerned with reusables(washing powder, use of hot water, running of washing machine etc) and he said that it worked out pretty much the same
Now I understand that the big oush to change over to reusables is about the environment but at the mo I can't spread myself that far but circumstances have changed with dh's work and I was wondering if it would be a monsy saving idea or not

Would love to have your views on this subject thanks in advance

thanks corri, I think the clothes thing is something that I only heard once or twice and built up in my head to be more of a problem than it is

bump for the evening crowd, always good to get everyones opinions....and I'm an attention seeker

Aaaaatchooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Hi

Its definitely cheaper to do reusables. Im glad I have. The especially enormous saving is I think in using washable wipes

But only thing is that I have found it hard to keep on top of 2 sets of washable nappies for DS 3and DD 11 months. Just being honest here. But then I have no family near and DH away from home 4 days a week. And they are both really heavy wetters so use a fair amount of nappies

But reusables are so much nicer and I really dont like all the chemicals involved in diaposables and wet wipes.

So yes do it but be prepared to have a fair amount of washing if you wash 2 sets of nappies and also more clothes for the newborn. Also you need a tumbler dryer in winter for 2 sets IMHO

HTH

thanks mumfun, we do have a tumble dryer

anyone else, misdee, do you use reusables?, can't remember

Havent read whole thread but have used cloth with DD since 3 months and have found it sooo much cheaper already. We spent about £250 on nappies and they are all birth to potty so will do for another as well.

Every so often I have to buy disposables for holidays etc and spend nearly a tenner on nappies and wipes for a weekend! and I dont buy anything extra the rest of the time apart from nappy sacks and a pack of wipes a week for when she poos (forget shaking it down the loo, it gets removed at arms length in a sack!)....

I only use a spoonful of powder on a 40 degree wash, and as long as DH isnt around to see I wash our underwear in with the nappies too and I wash every other day.

I also buy ALL my clothes from tesco and asda and have no probs getting them to fit. She is 11 months and is now in 12-18 trews for her height as she is ridiculously tall, but they are still big round her bum!

The only clothes that really dont fit are primark, but that is the same for when she is in disposables as well

thanks evamum, very helpful, seems like it really is the best way to go, now I just need to get my head round all the different options lol

anyone else want to explain to me about shaped anppies and the other options
I think I understand that the 'nappy' is the bit closest to the skin(unless there is also a liner) and then the 'wrap is the bit over the top. so shaped 'nappies' look like the wraps in shape but are all soft all over and th 'wraps' ar the nice colourful bit that goes on top
is that right?

You need a cloth nappy advisor to come to your house show you and explain the different types of nappies and the costings - would recommend Lollipop - visit www.teamlollipop.co.uk.

As folks have slready said - you could visit the WEN website for details - but I would say if you bought a birth to potty set for about £300 then you are going to save £180 in the first year and then every year after that are free (not taking into account washing!) - I have used cloth for both of mine and will do for my third. The way I look at it is how the savings can be spent...a cleaner for a bit after the birth, someone to do your ironing, some new clothes for after the baby, nice treats which you will apreciate - trust me- chucking some nappies in a washing machine is worth it if someone does your ironing! I think what lots of people forget is that you have to change the nappy whatever you have on them - it still has to be put in a bin - whether dustbin or nappy bin - its just the extra job of putting the nappies in the machine - it really is easy...and very satisfying too...oh dear a bit ranty

If you are unsure - buy 5 nappies, a wrap and some liners - see how you get on.

Good luck

thanks bigbelly, going to look at lollipop now

Hi Trinity - I really admire you're persistance by the way! I'm going to bang the drum for terries - they definitely must work out cheaper than disposables. I've only got 4 wraps and I bought them second hand off ebay.

YOUR!!! - what is wrong with me!!! I've done that twice in two days.

rofl thanks twinkle

I have 2 in washables - we have 18 bumbles that fit both children (dd 20weeks and ds 2yrs 2months) - the toddler just gets more inserts. They are fleece lined so apparently don't need paper liners (although DS poo still quite squidgy and so doesn't fall off like it's meant to)

We also bought 4 medium wraps and 4 large and use nappi nippas ( quite easy to use).

This is enough to wash every 2/3 days - no leaks, clothes fit fine - although the 20 week old looks like she has a big bum!

I only got them in Dec when ds was 15 weeks as I faffed around deciding - and so I haven't been able to line dry them yet as it seems to have rained ever since. They dry overnight on an airer but I put 4 on the radiator to make sure they are dry. I have used the tumble dryer too and they take about 50 mins. It felt a bit of a stress at first but now it's quite easy.

We have two nappy buckets - one is full of wet nappies 'dry pailed' i.e not soaked in water, the other has dirty nappies soaked in PHP nappy soak ( they get a bit stained otherwise)

We got them through www.thenappylady.com which is a website that has loads of useful advice which may help you decide. Cost was about £170.

HTH

thank worzella, very helpfulespecially hearing that you have two in them at the same time with no problem

Oh and the other thing is that some councils offer incentives to use washables... unfortunately ours didn't but there's a list on the nappylady's website.

Bumbles are shaped nappies BTW and dead easy to use

Trinity, I've spent well under a hundred pounds on my nappies, and am on may third child I used terries for dd1 and2 - the cheapest option by a long way at the time) and bought seconds on ebay for ds, so I have shaped nappies. The wraps are more difficult to find cheap, but newborn sizes don't last long so you may well get second hand on here. (Some of the nappy sites have for sale boards which are worth a look.)

I discovered fleece liners this time round, and they are great, but I used a couple of old fleece tops which I cut up, so they were free.

I did have both dds in reusables for a while but tbh found it harder at times. I also used disposable for all mine for the first couple of weeks. You need time to recover from the birth, and I always felt awquard about asking anyone esle to handle /wash dirty nappies.
(DP is not converted and will put disposable on ds if he can find one.)

awquard I really should look at what I'm typing.
Now that I've done it I have no idea how to spell it

thanks jelley
I spoke to dh about it last night and he seemed keen. I think I will probably have a couple of packs of newborn disposbales but may be not as I'm sure MIL and my mum and dh will all be keen so they will have to get used to it from the beginning....we'll see it how it goes

and I don't know how to spell awqard either lol

awkward ( I looked it up)