Nappy research

[JamDad]

Hi all,

I’m a future dad just doing nappy research.

I like the idea of reusable nappies.
Initially for the fact we’re not going to be throwing thousands of them away and being in theory eco conscious, though reading on here with the pre-rinse, then 60 degree heavy wash cycle, then drier every second day, the energy consumption kind of throws that out of the window.

But the throwing thousands away still grates on me.

I do have a niece who has an almost one year old who is disposables all the way, and when my mum has been baby sitting, she's been impressed by the dryness on babies bum and says they’re far better than the terry cloth ones when I was a baby.
Are the disposables still better at keeping bums drier?

My wife just wants the easiest possible nappy to use, and doesn’t care which it is.

I’ve seen some which appear to have about four separate parts: outer liner/inner wrap/micro fibre layer/bamboo layer.
Are these fiddly to put on and easy to get the layers folded in the wrong place? Will there be the comedy nappy falling off scenario?

Is it better to just get the reuseables one complete unit versions as I’m thinking about 2am changes and not confusing helpful inlaws?

I wondered if someone has done a decent cost calculation comparing disposables against reusable plus energy used for washer/drier? Is there a massive saving?

Doing an extra wash doesn’t concern me work wise. I’ll just put it on overnight, then put them in the drier in the morning before work.

Also am I right in thinking buying 20 reuseables is a sensible amount? Or is it quite feasible to do it with 10?

I have seen that attaching a douche shower head to the toilet and using the wash cone for the soiled nappy helps with ease of pre-rinse, so I’ll install one of those if we go reuseables route.

Also is there anything else I need to give serious consideration?

You can change your nappy types, so you really don't need to work out everything now.

See if there is a nappy service near you (if you can afford it) which will take away the dirty nappies and bring you a fresh laundered pile.

You might want to use cloth for days when you're near home, disposables for longer outings/holidays.

Every time you use a disposable you are reducing landfill.

I've never been too sure that the environmental 'costs' which show them pretty much the same are really taking into account the full impact of manufacture and distribution of disposables.

And as a final thought, whatever you choose to do will seem like second nature far quicker than you might expect. And if you find you don't like the choice, change it (true for just about every aspect of parenting!)

All I can say is avoid bambino mio solo in my experience... I may be doing something wrong but they leak so often and we've tried everything they suggest on their website. We went for them because they're all in one but so far almost every nappy change = an outfit change so not easier at all!!

I have experience using both reusable and disposables.

Yes, I do find that good disposables do an amazing job of keeping the baby’s bum dry as a bone. Reusables are different and you do need to change them more frequently IME. And YY to the environmental benefits not being that clearcut, if you tumble dry especially.

I have found out that I really like using terry nappies and don’t mind folding them at all. They are great because they dry so quickly that they really don’t need to be tumbled. They are quite bulky though and I have a heavy wetter, so I have to add a booster to mine too, so my baby has to wear massive trousers to cover the bulky nappy.

It’s a tricky one tbh and quite specific to the baby / parent. So what works for me might not work for you.

I would say, give reusables a go though. If you and your baby are used to nothing else, then you won’t find reusables a problem.

Based on absolutely nothing but performance though? I have to admit, disposables edge it for me. But then you have the inconvenience of having to dispose of stinky nappies all the time. With reusables, the worst of the poo goes in a liner. I use paper ones which go straight down the loo with most of the poo, so I don’t end up with a smelly bin. So it’s horses for courses. I’d stay open minded and try out a few options.

We used reusables but no terry squares. We did use prefolds (smaller foldables) when they were tiny.
I bet your mum didn't use fleece liners when you were a baby - that's a great help for a dry bum. But yes they need changing more often.
Have a look at the Nappy Lady questionnaire.

We probably use reusables 50% of the time - inlaws refuse and we've never managed through the night. I bought some tickletots before our baby was born but then used our local nappy library to try a few different types. We now use tickletots, baba and boo, Charlie bananas and tots bots now - all pocket nappies or all in ones which we found easiest for us but quite different - different kinds of inserts and poppers/Velcro. Worth trying a few to see what works for you! I probably have 50 but that's way more than necessary. You'd need at least 20-30 though as newborns can go through 10 a day and you need time to wash and dry them. A kit will have that many in and you can buy second hand. Check whether your local council has an incentive scheme too!

Leaking nappies overnight?
I solved this totally by using an insert nappy placed inside a normal nappy.
So all you need to do is take the insert nappy and slit the plastic underside using a pair of scissors, so any urine will go through and onto the outer nappy.
This will double the capacity of urine collection, and so keep the bed sheets and pyjamas dry.