Nappy liners in reusables

[Aw12345]

First timer here any advice thankfully received! We're using reusable nappies (bambino mio solo) and were wondering how essential the nappy liners are? Can you just use the nappies without them?

Thanks in advance :-)

For new borns it won't make much difference but as soon as they are producing solid poo you are going to need them because you take the liner plus poo and throw it down the toilet.

I used cloth nappies for a year with dd. We didn't bother with liners until her poo started getting more solid, then we started using fleece liners. Never used the disposable ones as I'd heard that even the biodegradable ones can cause havoc with the drains (we had a problem with our drains anyway so wanted to avoid!) We found they kept the skin drier and made dealing with poo easier.

The more environmentally friendly option is to buy a metre or two of polar fleece, cut it into strips the length/width of the nappy, and use with the fluffy side against the nappy so it wicks wetness into the nappy. Wash with the nappies.
Throw solid poo down the loo (giving kid probiotics when over 6 months helps with formation of poo). Get a nappy sprayer and attach to your loo flush mechanism so you can wash liners (and nappies.. and clothes) with runny poo straight into the loo, before putting them in the washing machine.

You can use nappies without liners but they are sodding expensive and won't last well if you don't use liners.

Disposable liners are convenient but grim for your plumbing and super grim for the environment.

Ok thanks so much for the advice :-) obviously some form of liner is needed!! I'll do some more research :-)

Thanks again

I use fleece liners. I think it’s definitely easier as you just wash those out and the nappy itself is left in pretty good shape and doesn’t need as much pre-washing. I didn’t find the disposable liners did much (poo seemed to go throw/around them). Also if you were to get any bad staining, it’s cheaper to replace a liner than a nappy.

Sorry to hijack, but I have found some compostable liners, can I chuck them in the food bins or general waste only?

I don't use liners with the nappies as it causes the poo to leak out the sides. Dry them in the sun and they are as white as the day i bought them

Will use liners when i start weaning and her poo becomes more solid

I used disposable paper nappy liners with DD.

Started off using fleece when she was a newborn. The shower head reached to loo so I used that to rinse them off, otherwise you can get attachments for the toilet.

I started using disposable paper liners a few months in. They were definitely flushable, I checked they dissolved in the water. They were like thick toilet paper, but not as thick as kitchen towel.

Also keep in mind that many nappies will last at least 4 children if treated carefully - always washed at 60 (lowest temp safe from a hygiene point of view - poo bugs live at 37 and can live at temps above 50), not bleached, used with liners, separated from inserts at napoy change so the nappy isn't sitting damp, and washed within 2 days. They have very good resale value if not stained/ still waterproof. Ours are 5th hand, have taken 4 kids from birth to toilet trained before DS.

I didn't use liners until weaning. After weaning I use disposable liners which I put in the bin after getting rid of as much poo as possible in the toilet. I don't think they are good for the drains.
From what I've read fleece isn't really very environmentally friendly as micro particles of plastic come off with every wash and end up in the water system. However it can be good for wicking away moisture so the material next to the skin stays dry. On the other hand some babies seem to get irritated skin from fleece so I think it is trial and error what suits your baby.
Some people don't use liners and that seems to work for them so it's not compulsory.

Also regarding staining, I find that you can still get staining through a disposable liner. Breastfed poo comes out really easily in the sun. Other poo can stain but usually comes out in the wash. Occasionally I get left with a stain for some reason after first wash but they gradually come out when you wash over and over again - which you will of course end up doing with cloth nappies.

We only used liners when ds had a sore bottom teething. We used raw silk liners.

You need liners for weaning definitely, make sure they're tucked in just like you would check that the frills were out on a disposable.

i used them after weaning

i have tried 'cannymum' bamboo liners and the mio ones...prefer the canny mum ones. Also..i dont know if this is advisable but i throw the 'wee only' ones in the wash with the nappies and can get another use or two out of them (wouldnt admit that in real life!)

Miosolo all in one's have a stay dry layer built in so liners are not necessarily needed.

I used the disposable boots ones when they were newborns because it’s pure liquid. When they weaned and their poop became solid I switched to fleece ones.

penguinpurple agreed re fleece not being great though that applies to nearly all the nappies themselves too. Relatively few are made of cotton or bamboo. However you can get a washing machine filter for fleece particles I think - will hunt round

This would work though kiners wouldn't be washed well

www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/feb/12/seafood-microfiber-pollution-patagonia-guppy-friend

Also with liners, and indeed nappies, they can get clogged depending what bottom cream you use. The very plain zinc oxide creams wash out well at 60 - Sudocrem is good too - but stuff like Bepanthen needs to be washed out at higher temps.

I found that I very rarely needed to use any cream while using the cloth nappies, I think maybe once or twice? I don't know if that's down to DC or the nappies though.

I used washable fleece liners in bamboo nappies otherwise none at all. Managed perfectly fine with all kinds of poo with only the temptation to burn a couple over the years!

If your nappies do get clogged with creams, soaking them in milk before washing can remove an amazing amount!