Due in four weeks with DC2 and still unsure about nappies!

[daphine2004]

Hi, any personal experience or advice gratefully received as I really would like to use reusable (used disposables with DC1) and don’t want to contribute to anymore landfill!

However, my issue is after maternity leave I return to a demanding full-time role which involves national travel and overnight stays. My DP does equal work in the home, but also has a demanding role and we both work in the evenings to get stuff done. I currently do laundry once a week on a Friday night, but having read all of the threads on here people wash nappies every two to three days or daily. I just don’t think I’ll be able to manage that given the time constraints. If anyone does a weekly wash for nappies, how you do that (does it smell?!), please share how it has been working for you.

My other option is biodegradable nappies, but this means getting a hotbin composter. I’ve never composted anything in my life and rarely garden... is anyone doing this? If so, how is it going?

I’m also looking at cheeky wipes and have bought biodegradable wipes to try out: Cheeky Panda, Aqua Wipes and the natural ones by Jackson Reese. Much prefer the Aqua Wipes, but haven’t tried cheeky wipes, although I have read rave reviews. Again, I launder weekly, would this work?

For information I’ve struggled to launder during the week due to the usual struggle with commute, childcare etc. as things get left in the machine which then need rewashing etc.

If anyone uses biodegradable wipes do you compost them or chuck them? I read we shouldn’t be putting biodegradable wipes in landfill due to the methane released.

If you got to the end of this, thank you very much!

I also battle with worries about the planet versus the practicalities of busy life especially since mat leave over and do have taken to using a combo of cloth nappies and disposables. not ideal but it makes for easier life whilst slightly easing my conscience.
I tend to use disposables when out and about and at nursery and then cloth in evenings and weekends. that way I can get away with a cloth wash once a week.
I have a sealable nappy bucket thing in the downstairs loo and that keeps out any smells. nappies seem to cope fine with the once weekly wash too and just vanish them / sun bleach them every now and then to keep them looking clean.

I wanted Velcro till we tried them and found that it made the front of the nappy really rigid and not so comfortable for the baby when sitting up. For easy washing and drying I like milovia pocket nappies. Despite being microfibre we’ve found they have been more than absorbent enough, no leaks, easy to fit and not too bulky. Because they’re a pocket nappy you can always buy bamboo boosters if the micro fibre ones don’t work for you.

We tried pop ins too but they take forever to dry and I found poppering bits together too annoying.

Definitely worth trying a few different ones with a nappy library. A couple of the sites that sell nappies do advice on which brand based on you answering questions about preferences about washing/drying/ease of use etc.

No need for liners while still exclusively breastfeeding, I just chucked the lot in the washing machine and it always came out nice and white with no stains or anything.

We did a mixture of cloth and disposable. It worked well for us and hasn’t felt like a lot of effort.

I wouldn't like to only wash nappies once a week. I do every 3 days, and that's considered a bit minging in some circles. If you wanted to wash once a week, you'd definitely need to prewash every day.

Probably wraps and boosters are the easiest option? It's a bit of a pain to change (especially when they're wiggly) but results in the least washing. You can tumble the boosters, and the wraps would dry really quickly on an airer (definitely within a day).

We use fleece liners, I didn't rate the disposable ones, but I know a lot people love the disposables.

If you're on facebook, try the 'group cloth nappies for sale and advice parent to parent'. There are posts every day from people who are pregnant, and lots of helpful advice is given.

Loads of great advice here. One thing to remember is that it doesn't have to be all or nothing - keep some disposables around and you've got a backup plan if you don't get the washing done or if DC gets a tummy bug and goes through 12 nappies in as many hours. (not envy)

Routine is key. You'll need to pre-wash your nappies so maybe chuck them in the machine for a rinse and spin when you're home in the evening. Then before you go to bed you can set up the long wash so that it finishes in the morning and you can hang it all up before you leave. Put away dry nappies when you're home.

If you only want to wash once a week you'll need an absolute boatload of nappies, plus the space to dry them. Tumble drying often isn't recommended to be done on a regular basis, as it damages the nappy materials.

There are so many different nappies out there, it can be tricky to find the right ones to suit your needs. Have to tried the questionnaire on the Nappy Lady website? I bought the ones she recommended and they've been ace. We're using Bambinex Teddy nappies during the daytime and they come out of the washing machine almost dry, I'm so happy with them.

Cheeky wipes are bloody brilliant - no extra washing as you just put them in the bucket with the nappies and wash them together. The "hands and faces" microfibre ones are great for the weaning stage too!

@PeacefulInTheDeep thanks. That’s great to know and completed the questionnaire earlier.

Agree some great advice on here. Hadn’t realised how expensive the reusable nappies are, particularly if I do not washing daily!

I wish councils had a proper service for biodegradable nappies and wipes, rather than putting them in normal landfill as that would be very helpful for me!