Oh, Good Lord! Cloth nappies galore!!

[BabyValentine]

Hi all,

I am new to mumsnet, having voyeured for some time. I am 17 weeks pregnant with my first baby and am just starting to look into cloth nappies.

However, little did I realise that there was such a HUGE choice. Having trawled various websites (thenappylady, time2change, babykind, kittykins, twinkleontheweb, cuddlebabes etc.) I am none the wiser and change my mind every other day.

So far the front runners are Motherease One Size and Totsbots (I do like the colours!). But do I get a few white/unbleached (for absorbancy), a few Rainbow (for slimmer fit) and some Bamboozle? Size 1 and Size 2, or just Size 2? And why are the Rainbow totsbots being discontinued? And is Aplix better than Nippas, or should I get a few of each? I don't intend to use a dryer, but I do have a ceiling rack - does this mean the drying time will be a problem? So many questions, and only 23 weeks to decide! And I haven't even started the research into a rear-facing pushchair yet!! Sometimes I think the internet does more harm than good....

Please help, my brain hurts.

Thanks
BabyValentine

Oooohhh, you've opened the door to lots of different opinions...

Anyway, here's my what I learnt from experience:

Unless you give birth to a reeeeaaaally huge baby, you will need size 1 as well as size 2 if you use any form of tots bots. In fact, I found (and so did a friend) that even size 1 tots bots were way too big for our smaller babies until they were 3 months+. I tried a MEOS, and have since tried other birth-to-botty nappies, but I don't really like them: I just couldn't squash it small enough on my baby to allow her to move her legs when she was tiny! Having said that, I know other mums who swear by them...

So when dd was tiny I used prefolds and magic-alls. Now that she's bigger, all-in-ones just don't have enough absorbency, and although I still love my prefolds, 'cos they dry so quickly, it is a near impossible challenge getting them on a 9 month old who turns somersaults on the changing mat. But they do make lovely stuffing for fuzzi buns, which are my favourite pocket nappy.

I've started using shaped nappies, including tots bots, now she's bigger, and applix or poppers are a bit of a godsend when you are dealing with a small octopus who wants to be somewhere else. And whatever anyone else says, bamboo is lovely, but it takes FOREVER to dry.

You'll need wraps too - ME airflows fit over just about anything, but you will need to start with small and move to bigger sizes as your little one grows.

It's worth finding out if your local council operates a real nappy incentive scheme - mine operates a free nappy trial scheme, and gave me £60 back when I spent £150 on nappies, some give free nappies, so it's worth a phone call. I recommend using a trial scheme - it's the best way to find out what works for you before you spend loads of money. And beware, cloth nappies do become a bit of an addiction

Rainbow tots are being discontinued because tots bots are mean.

The main thing you need is to talk to an advisor. I do advice (bumfluffnappies at gmail dot com) and so does snugglebumnappies (ad in the small bus section, I can't remember her email!). Its normally easier by email as we can fire questions back and forth

If you can get a meeting with a rl advisor too then that would be great - it gives you a chance to see and feel the nappies.

Ceiling rack - not a problem, you may just need to buy a few more nappies to allow for drying time/wash more frequently.

Tots bots rainbow are being discontinued??

Not too soon I hope....

Very soon - getting hard to get hold of so if you want them, act now.

I can get some, but I don't know how many, snugglebumnappies is running low too.

Yup virtually all out of size 1 aplix bar 1 pink and two pistachio, have plently of size two non aplix and aplix and some size one non aplix, but when they are gone they are gone Have to say the colours on the rainbow bamboozles are nowhere near as nice either.

Blue headin your way

Velntine, have you done the NappyLady questionnaire?
What did she recommend?

This was my one ray of reason amidst the morass of nappyinfo as they only stock what they consider to be the best of each type (one cotton, one bamboo, one pocket, one all-in-one etc) so there's much less to choose from!

Mrs Badger, I did the nappy lady questionaire and have to say I wasn't totally impressed, anyone could reccomend Tots Bots originals and airflow wraps I do get where they are coming from in that they only stock one of each type of nappy as you mentioned, however I think certain nappies are good for different things so am quite happy to stock loads of different types of bamboo nappy or cotton nappy and base the advice on a slightly more personal level. fter all if I wanted to use a bamboo napy but was concerned about drying time the nappy lady doesn't really offer me an alternative to a bamboozles, whereas the Bambineo and the nature babies bamboo loveable are slightly quicker drying. I think the site is a great resourse for anyone starting with cloth nappies, I just think that other sites offer a better chosen selection.

I completely agree

although I like them, the nappy nippas are a pain - I keep losing them, and then don't have one to do the nappy up..... depends whether you are organised or not!!!

I have 10

I'm sure you're right, but it does cut down the madness a bit for complete beginners!

You can get rainbow bamboozles, I have Bambineo and Bamboozles and rate Bambineo more highly
Both beat motherease for slimness esp at the early baby stage.

I much prefer velcro as am crap with nappies and poppers cn be difficult in a hurry
ME wraps are unbeatable IMO

Rainbow cotton tots are a whole different thing though

I know, it's so scary to start with, have to confess that I bought a load of Tots Bots originals to start with and ME airflow wraps (so she got it right even though I had bought them 2 and a half years previously!). I now actively discourage anyone from doing this just because I know what a mistake it can be not to try out something different

Thanks for all your comments. MrsBadger, I have done thenappylady questionaire, and she suggested Motherease and/or Fluffles (are they very different to Rainbow Totsbots? Just fluffier?).

But, I'm not convinced how accurate suggestions can be without trying out a number of different options. And listing all of the criteria in order of preference is a bit tough - I have no idea how quickly nappies dry, whether I will have a slim/chubby baby, whether they will be a wriggler, etc. I am thinking that maybe I should get a few of each and then I can sell what I don't use and buy extras of the ones I like? Or, perhaps try a trial scheme?

Thanks for the email address FlameSparrow, I will stalk you for information shortly.

And, no, my council has no incentives for reusables, surprise, surprise. It's grim up North!

BabyValentine

I loved MEOS with dd, but am truly raving about Bambineos

BabyValentine, Fluffles are quite a lot different to Rainbow Bots, the rainbow bots are cotton and the fluffles are a microfibre, the fluffles are much softer, have a pocket inside where you can stuff the booster and are fleece lined. The rainbow bots have a fold out booster and (on most size ones) a fold out fleece liner. The fluffles are quicker to dry than the rainbow bots but are "bulkier". Hope that helps

Hi BabyValentine,

Wherabouts up north are you? If you're anywhere near Mossley you can come round for a cuppa and snuggle my vast array of nappies for an hour if you fancy!

Seriously it does help to make a choice. I don't sell by the way - just a nappy saddo!

Also, do you have a tumble drier as this makes a difference for drying times in winter. Bamboo is fine on the radiator IMO but everything else goes very crispy.

now you're all on one thread, someone can tell me - can you tumble bamboo nappies?
Or is it just that you can't tumble Bamboozles specifically?

but lol

they are a piece of cloth that goes on your babies bum

look, really, anything in the motherease/tots bots range is perfectly adequate. Don't stress! They are all pretty much fine

and terry squares are also a piece of piss

Oh Filyjonk you are the voice of reason.

I agree to some extent as I use prefolds in the day which I was given for free and are on child number 5 now!! Not my 5th I hasten to add. They are easy to use and dry etc. and slim fitting. I also use Wilkinsons microfibre cleaning cloths as boosters, cheap and effective in a range of pastel colours!

That said I do like my other bits and bobs and Wambamboo (Bambineo?) are now my faves for night time and general snuggliness. Sure mine have been in the tumble drier a few times. Moved now so no drier tho.

I radiator most things.

Tumbling all the time isn't good for the elastic, and it has to be done on low for bamboo, but they can be tumbled.

Does it knacker (eg) cotton totsbots too?
The point of the dryer was to help us stop hanging things round the house ...

(energy supplier is all green and the cost is outweighed by a) reclaiming the spare room and not having to move house and b) using resuables in the first place)