Can someone tell me, in very simple terms...

[AnotherOriginalUsername]

How reusable nappies work?

I'm currently pregnant and really keen to use them when the time comes, have discussed it with my husband and even he's up for giving them a go, but looking online it all seems very complicated with boosters and wraps and stuff I don't understand!

Can someone tell me in simple terms what it all means? Can they be used from birth? How many would I need if used exclusively?

Three parts: Absorbent bit. Outer waterproof bit keeps wee in the absorbent bit. Optional but normal inner layer to be nicer against babies skin (also can make it easier to get rid of poop). Is that what you mean? All nappies have the first two, most the latter as well.

Sorry, they can be used from birth (although some people wait to get out the meconium phase) and you would need very approximately 20 to was every other day (it's not an exact science!)

Thanks 4yoniD - how does it all go together? That's the bit I don't think I get! I'm imagining some sort of very complexly wrapped parcel trying to be attached to a squiggling baby?

I use Bumgenius all in ones. No extra bits unless you want to use a liner for the solid poo. You can get them in different sizes . Mine are from 3 months to potty. Try the Nappy lady website.

Thanks Bananalanacake, think all in ones are definitely the way forward to begin with! I had a look at the Nappy Lady site but there's so much stuff. This is baby #1 so I'm literally clueless!

We use reusable a (Bambino Mio brand). They are all in one piece; the nappy, with absorbent liner sewn in. We use an optional extra liner for more absorbency but this isn't essential (although it makes dealing with poo much easier!). We've been using them since birth and they're great, although we did have a bit of leakage at first because our baby had quite skinny legs.

We've got about 25 nappies and probably the same number of extra liners. It was a big expense at the time but works out good value overall. We do a washload about every 2 days. If the liners are just wet, not dirty, we handwash them and reuse them in the same nappies, which often stay dry with the additional liner on top.

Thanks user1498549192, the initial outlay did put me off a little, but I'm not particularly precious and am happy to buy second hand, especially newborn sizes as they don't stay in them very long. We aren't exactly rolling in spare cash but buying a set a month or so wouldn't break the bank and the overall saving has to be worth it.

Just discovered there's a cloth nappy library in my nearest large town which surprises me as there's never anything useful remotely nearby!

I used birth-to-potty Tots Bots all in ones. Basically you use them like a disposable, then store in a nappy bucket. I stored them dry ie: no water) and washed every 2 or 3 days. They have poppers to cinch them in and make them longer/shorter. I also had a few shaped towelling tots bots about with seperate others (wraps).

The advantage of the all in ones in convenience, but the outlers sometimes degrade and you need to replace the whole nappy.

I used fleece or biodegradable liners with both.

The advantage of using seperate wraps is flexibility and you don’t need as many wraps as nappies, so it’s a bit cheaper . The nappies dry quicker when you wash them too.

When I washed them, I flushed away the poo and did a rinse before the main wash.

Definitely try the nappy library, different nappies (cloth avd disposable) suit diffferebt shakes babies.

I used Tots Bots Bamboozles, I preferred separates as you can use one waterproof cover for 3/4 changes so you need less than the number of nappies, and over time with washing they lose their waterproofness so we just replaced the covers but no need for new nappies, so cheaper.

We used liners to collect poop plus once poop is more solid if baby poops not long after a change (so nappy is still fairly dry) you can get way with just changing the liner and putting the same nappy back on.

Only time I used "boosters" were overnight but I didn't buy the proper nappy ones, to save cost I bought 50p towelling flannels from Wilko/B&M and folding them to the width of the nappy!

BikeRunSki would it be advisable to get some new born ones initially (I kind of feel like it's one of those things that I need to have the intention of seeing through right from the start!) and then take baby along to the library once here before buying a load?

My favorite was wonderoos. They are a pocket nappy so you have one piece which is like a pillowcase - waterproof on one side, soft fleece on the other side, and into the middle you push the absorbent bit. The big downside is re-stuffing the nappies once clean and dry, but pluses are quicker to dry than all in ones, and easier to put on than the 2 parters (where you put the nappy on then put a waterproof wrap over it)

All in ones aren't always a great fit on newborns, especially tiny newborns, although some do fine. I had special newborn nappies and switched to birth-to-potty size about 3-4 months. But it really is 50% personal choice/budget and 50% what nappies work for the baby (so pot luck, sorry!)

I'd definately give the nappy library a go. I don't really rate all in ones, with cloth you want the most reliable and quick to dry and that would be a two part system, the absorbant nappy with a waterproof cover (wrap). Or a pocket nappy which is waterproof outer and fleece inner liner with a gap to add absorbant inserts.

You can get shaped nappies with built in liners like Easy Peasy Bumbles, these can also be used from around 8lb ish right the way through to potty training (they are my fave). Little lambs nappies are good with fleece liners, but liners arn't really needed until baby is on solids, milk poo can be washed away in the machine. Tots bots are another reliable brand. These can fasten with velcro or nappy nippas.

I also like pocket nappies, the inserts come out by themselves while washing. Bambino mio are a good brand, a cheaper alternative are TJ's, they are also very reliable with bamboo inserts.

Inserts/boosters - These can be made from different things, least absorbent and quickest drying is microfibre, next is cotton, then bamboo, then hemp.

If you want to use from birth, personally I would go with size 1 velcro fastening Bamboo Little lambs nappies with Motherease or TJ's wraps. They are very very easy to use, fairly quick to dry. The only downside is they are sized nappies so will need to replace with bigger ones later one.

If your budget is smaller or you just want a system that can be used from birth to potty, I would go for the Easy peasy Bumbles, they have poppers down the front to make them smaller and the insert/booster also poppers in/out so you leave it out for newborn size, then can add it later for more absorbancy when you make the nappy into a bigger size. These need a nappy nippa to fasten them (not sure if they do a velcro fastening but nippa fastening lets you get a more custom fit which is better if your baby has skinny/very fat legs ( a nappy nippa is a rubbery Y shaped thing instead of pins)

I would also get a stash of pocket nappies for when out and about once you are more settled with cloth.

Other essentials

I use 2 nappy buckets, 1 downstairs for none weaned/older baby wet nappies, 1 in the loo for nappies that have been pooed in and flushed. Dry pailed.

Mesh bags in each bucket

Cloth wipes, I use cheeky wipes

Some essential oils to sprinkle in the buckets to keep them smelling fresh, not really important with newborns and milky poos though.

Seperate fleece liners if the nappies dont have built in fleece inners

Wet bag for dirty nappies when out and about

Other tips, dont use fabric softener or 2 in 1 powders, it lowers absorbancy.

Don't tumble dry wraps/pocket nappies/all in ones, it will ruin the waterproof layer. Wraps dry super fast just airdrying anyway.

Cold rinse nappies before a wash, helps keep them fresh and helps reduce stains.

Sunlight is the best thing to get stains out.

I used washables with my youngest 3, stockpile freebies/acquire a few disposable until the meconium poo has been passed! It doesn't wash out easily!!

I also found baby gowns much less faff than babgros for nighttime changes.

On John Lewis it's called a baby nightgown, I got some from mothercare and gap when my teens were little!

Def buy 2nd hand, the nappy library is great as different shapes and absorbancies suit different babies better.