help to many to choose from!

[jay3ttp]

Hi everyone I am new to this so please bear with me!
I am expecting my 4th child in Nov 04 and I am seriously looking at real nappies. The trouble that I am having is trying to decide what is best. None of my friends have ever used them and are not willing to consider it, so I am pretty much alone with this and am totally lost! I have been on the nappy lady website which helped me understand how they all work etc, but I want some opinions from people who are using them. I am looking into terries, with motherease air flow wraps, but I also like the sound of prefolds like cotton bottoms and bambino mio. I am on a limited budget and want to get it right. I know that I can get trial packs, but I am going to struggle to buy these and find they are not what I want. So is there anyone out there that can tell me what they think, the good and the bad lol!!!
Thanks alot
jay xx

Hi Jay3ttp - you've certainly come to the right place for advice on real nappies, and there will be a ton of replies by tomorrow!

We use a combination of terry towelling stuffed with a folded muslin square, lined with fleece and held together with a nappy nippa (when in the house) and when out and about we have either Tots Bots or Kooshies Basics, both lined with fleece, as they are much more absorbent. We have an old style of Kooshies (I think) wraps that are lovely and soft buy you can't get them anymore. I think Motherease are the next nearest.

I tried bambino prefolds but they leaked badly and ds2 was really uncomfortable in them.

I was like you - I didn't know anyone else who used real nappies so found all this out through trial and error. Ds2 was 6 months old when I got round to it, so don't have experience of what's best for newborns, but if I had another baby now I'd use terry towelling for the first couple of months, then splash out on size 2 Tots Bots (fairly expensive but imo they're worth every penny), as they'll last till potty time.

Good luck - as a real nappy convert I can honestly say I'll never use another disposable nappy again (apart from holidays!!).

Good on you!! Could talk for ages but on my knees and need my bed. In brief: 14 MEOS, 7 deluxe boosters, 7 MEOs boosters, 4 Totsbots aplix (for nights), heaps of home made fleece liners, 3 of each size popper ME wraps. For a treat bought 2 slinky minkis. LOVE LOVE my choices and wouldn't change if I could. Good luck

Hi Jay3ttp, yes, we definitely like our cloth nappies on here!

I'm afraid I haven't gone for the terries or prefolds but I'm sure I've seen some old threads on this (you'll find alot under PRODUCTS and BEHAV/DEV sections as the NAPPY board was only created a month or so ago). I didn't want what I perseved as hassle with terries and bought Bumbles for my [at the time] 10mo ds. They are one of the cheapest shaped nappies you can get and worth so much more! They are fleece lined and also have a pocket so they become very easy to pad out for the occasion and are quick to dry. ME airflow wraps fit really well round them. You can get both from www.kittykins.co.uk with no postage.

If I get a min I'll try and dig out some old threads for you.

Hi Jay,
If you are on a budget and you want to get it right the first first time I would get some muslins and some Motherease wraps for the first two months. For newborn wraps and nappies I would buy them second hand from ebay or UKParents. For the next stage nappies I would buy them ne as they have to last a while.
After that go straight to tots bots size two nippa'd variety (I have about 8 pastel bots and 5 unbleached bots), with Motherease (ME) wraps. Rikka's are poppered ME wraps, Rikki's are velcro ME wraps.
These should last you until baby is 2 years.
But terries are also very useful and economical. We have about 15 terries which we use on holidays as they dry very quickly and for stuffing pocket nappies.
I would advise against the prefold systems like bambino mio because they leak especially with runny poo. The bambino mio wraps crack after a couple of washes too. The prefolds take ages to dry so terries would be better.
Another great buy are the Disana tie ons. They are £1.60 each and they are perfect for newborns and young babies. I got mine from Earthkind Babies oh and there are some gorgeous organic nappies on that site too very soft and colourful (my faves) but a bit pricey.
For showing off Minkis and Cutie Patooties are a must.
HTH

'buy them new' that should say.

this is a good read
and this one

HTH

Hi everyone thanks for all your posts, have only just reply as been out all afternoon. I couldn't get on the site this morning either!
I think I am going to get some tots bots but also get some terries as I have no tumble drier so at least I will have some dry nappies when I need them
I think I am going to use the MOE wraps for sure. One thing that I do know is I am going not using disposables!!
Once again thanx xx
Jay

I changed to cloth when dd2 was about 10months old. We use totsbots and motherease airflow wraps with her. As she was so big we went straight to the size 3 nappies, so i also have to start from scratch with this baby. I am having loads of fun looking at all the funky designs, this baby is gonna look so wikked in some of the wraps i have seen. i think my post as hippy mum at the school gates may be intensified (atm am the only clothie there)

oops, just been on ebay, and bought another tots bot and 2 new wraps. one of the wraps is polka dots design lol.

Have you considered contacting your local councilfor infomation on real nappies. Some of them give you a 10% off your council tax, others give vouchers to buy some.my local council offers a starter pack 5 of pre folds and a wrap for 5 pounds.

I had a number of bad experiences with Kooshies and then bought Motherease One Size Dry and Air Flow wraps (with poppers NOT aplix, for a better fit and air circulation). I got them on Ebay from USA and even with postage they were much cheaper than UK prices (exchange rate helps too). Very happy with these for 2 years!, although we do dry them in our machine for softness. On holidays we use Moltex OKO disposibles. Decided recently to try Nature Boy/Girl disposibles from Waitrose but my daughter had horrific nappy rash within 2 days...

you know, I never thought of using e-bay for buying the wraps! I use a company in brighton called 'yummies'. They are the cheapest pre-folds I've seen & are fantastic.
RoRoMummy - interesting to hear about the nappy rash. I use natureboy/girl if I haven't got myself organised enough to get some nappies dry before DD goes to the childminders, and have found them to be fine.
All babies skin is so different though

I have just put a post out on the classifields as am selling 20 One life nappies and motherease wraps with the whole kit for what you need if interested?

HAve used terries since DD was born. Did buy totsbots & motherease but found didn't suit her so well as she is tall. Motherease Wraps (I tried Rikki's) were great for newborn poo, try www.thenappylady.co.uk/ for advice.
Now 6 months and swopped to tots wraps as she's more active.

I found fleece liners great too buy from market/material shop for about 20 for a £1 (cut up yourself.

Good luck