Cloth Nappies **from birth**

[GeeElle]

Hi all,

Hope I'm in the right section of the forum - I get lost!

I really wanted to cloth nappy baby (FTM) right from the getgo. But I'm so overwhelmed by it. Obviously we don't know how big baby will be when they're born so there's no way of knowing of the birth to potty ones will be small enough for them. But buying a whole bunch of the newborn size (I'd need enough to wash only every other day) seems like a huge expensive when they could end up using them for a super short time.

I'd though about terry / muslin squares until they're big enough to comfortably fit in the birth-potty nappies, but I'm not sure that folding nappies is going to be something we'll both be able to manage on top of learning everything else about a new baby, and managing my health given that I have a chronic illness.

Can anyone offer any amazingly insightful advice for me? Should I just give up and resign to using disposables until baby can fit in the birth to potty? Or buy birth to potty before they come, hope they fit and then use disposables as a last resort if they don't?

Feeling quite disheartened by it all at the moment - the abundance of info on cloth nappy sites seems to be making it harder rather than easier!

Once they outgrow the one size kind, they have XL sizes. However, the legs are not adjustable.
You will be ok with a one size for at least 2 years.

I used disposables first the newborn stage (about 3 weeks) then switched to standard size prefolds with small wraps

The south London nappy library does cloth kits for hire from birth. I did from birth and without lots to try for hire it would have been very hard or very expensive. That said, if I had another one I would use muslinz and airflow, but using flats straight off the bat could be quite tricky for a newbie.

Thanks everyone for your replies! I've been doing loads more research and at the moment my current thoughts are either:

• Hire a Mother Ease Sandys XS kit to use from birth to 12lbs ish which would cost £75 once deposit has been refunded / redeemed against a purchase + the cost of liners, bucket boosters

• Buy Easy Peasy eco Bimbles to use from birth to 15 lbs max, which would cost < £200 inc. liners, boosters, wraps and then either keep it for [hopefully] future babies, or sell on.

Does anyone have any opinions / experience / advice on those options? If I bought the Bimbles I was thinking between 18-20 of the nappies?

Forgot to add would then possibly plan to upgrade to the Tots Bots Bamzboozles once baby is big enough. I'd like to start them in the size 1s but I think the cost would end up working out way more than starting with the above and then buying the size 2s after?

I would look at trying to buy a range of different ones 2nd hand because different shapes babies suit different nappies...

Newborn wraps such as airflow are usually in VGC 2nd/3rd/4th hand and so on.

It really is hard with a new born. Just to feed, hold and get some sleep is a challenge first few weeks. I would discourage everyone from re-usable nappies from birth. People talk about environmental impact but don't mention impact of a stressed, exhausted mother, cranky from lack of sleep and routine on a child. Frankly, after giving birth, mother needs pads bigger than newborn nappies. I think it is irresponsible to make people feel bad about disposable nappies. I would hate for a mother to have a breakdown because of nappies. You might change 10 times or more first few weeks. Imagine washing that while bleeding and recovering.
I'd say, forget about re-usable nappies. Even after couple of months when you feel better and baby is in a sort of routine, you can start with re-usable if you will still think you have time to deal with them.

You usually get some random freebie samples I used them for the first few meconium stools and to take into hospital.

I think i am going to go down the tots bots teenyfit route. I know thye won't last long, but hire kits aren't available where I am anyway.
They were down to £8.50 each on black friday, so I planning on getting some in boxing day sales when hopefully same prices. means 12 newborn nappies will be just over £100. (will get 5 tots bots bamboozle also for nights, but they last longer)

And as not on hire, can be used again if we have another child, so would work out cheaper. I have seen many people selling them for £7-8 secondhand, so if not needed in future will just resale a recoop part of the cost anyway.

@Betterversionofme - my Dh will be on full nappy washing duty whilst I recover. And we have a washing machine and dryer so we wouldn't be scrubbing them clean against a rock in a river.

We will use disposables in hospital and in emergencies if needed. So Im not completely anti them, just would rather not use them where possible

@Betterversionofme, no one here has made anyone feel bad for using disposables. They have just encouraged and advised the OP with something she already was keen to do. Yes it’s hard with a newborn, but using cloth nappies is not beyond the wit of woman, even in the weeks immediately post-partum. There are clearly enough people who do manage to do it!

The Motherease Sandys are by far the superior option, they are really great nappies and the lower cost option. Then if that works for you you can look at second hand 3months+ options to keep costs down.

For the first few weeks I found muslins folded using the kite fold, and motherease poppers were perfect. I gradually boosted with bamboo boosters. After that any of the nappy ranges worked well (I liked the BumGenius one size)

Have a look second hand - particularly in newborn sizes you can get some barely used sets and sell them on. I'm a keen advocate for cloth generally but not convinced of the environmental benefits of buying a full set of newborn cloth nappies new - I've not done a calculation but I think you need longer use (as for BTP nappies) to offset the environmental costs of manufacturing.

Have a look at The nappy lady selling page on fb you can buy the newborn size second hand for a reasonable price and still sell on once you are done with them..She also has a parenting page where you can get lots of friendly advise x

Depends on the size of the newborn. If over 9 pounds you won’t have a problem making newborn nappies fit. If any smaller it might be better to opt for biodegradable / traditional pinned cloth ones from birth and opt for proper nappies from 1 month