Complete utter newbie. Persuade me re: cloth nappies!

[Sarahjct]

Hi all

OK, I've had a look at this board and am totally overwhelmed. I'm nearly 23 weeks with my first and people on various boards keep mentioning cloth nappies. To me, they're terry nappies with a big pin and a scratchy plastic cover with frills on but I gather they've moved on!

I'm not adverse to the idea but need a bit more info. Like how the hell do you know where to start? Do you spend your entire life washing? Are they really as absorbant and hassle free as disposables or do you put up with a slightly less effective product for the sake of the environment?

I need honest answers to be able to get my head round. I've looked at some websites but seen more propaganda than actual information which puts me off from the start.

I just need to know step by step how you actually go about using these things so that I can make an informed decision. If I'm honest I'm not that bothered about the environment (shock horror!) but am happy to use something greener if it is equal or less hassle than the alternative.

I know I sound like an awful person but I can't think of a worse time to voluntarily make my life more complicated so I need to know if it's easy!

Thanks

Edit: I've just seen a thread which might answer my question so sorry if I'm repeating. I'll be back if it doesn't help...

Okay, there are a variety of different types of nappy available which takes a bit of trial and error. Flame, Snugglebum and Nappyzone all sell nappies and post on this site so they are good people to ask for advice.

I find cloth nappies need changing slightly more often than disposibles, but they contain things much better than disposibles, particularly if your baby is breastfed. Before we used cloth we had head to toe explosions where disposible nappies couldn't keep it all in. I probably use one more nappy a day than I would do if I used disposibles all the time.

You will not spend your whole life washing. I put all my nappies in my machine and do a wash every two days, but it was every other day when ds was younger.

As long as you don't get addicted to buying every new nappy that comes out, or having lots of the really cute nappy wraps you will save money over disposibles.

I expect you will have had several other replies in the time it has taken to type this, but there are lots of people on here who will be able to give you very good advice.

you wash your nappies every 2-3 days. We store in a dry nappy bucket, just add a few drops of tea tree oil to the bottom of the nappy bucket, you can soak but its adds hassle. Just wash by doing a cold rinse cycle and then a 60degree wash (or a 60 with prewash)with no fabric softener. A normal load in your machine is 15-18 nappies. Your baby will get through about 8-10 nappies a day when they are young and then this will drop to about 5 or 6 when they are older. Probably you would find something like a pocket nappy like fuzzi bunz the best option for daytime and then a nappy like a Tots Bots cotton nappy, fluffle or Bamboozle for night time use with a nappy cover. You need about 24 nappies for full time use. I would get about 18 pocket nappies then about 6 of tots Bots (or something similar) and about 4 nappy covers. If money is tight get a few less pocket nappies. (don't forget there are some sized pocket nappies and some one size, if your family are all generally average in height & weight then go for one size but if your family are really tall or small or chubby or slim the go for sized options for a better fit.)

There is a learning curve to cloth nappies, the first few days may be confusing, this is normal. It will suddenly click and you get the hang of it. You may also want to just use something simple like a folded muslin with the nappy covers.

You will also need some liners these sit into the nappy and catch the pooh. Its probably worth starting with disposable liners which you flush down the loo. Pocket nappies are generally lined with fleece but you can put a paper liner on top, ones that don't have a sewn in liner need one put in.

In my experience cloth nappies are more effective than disposables as you can just alter absorbency to what ever you need, you are not just stuck with whatever pampers/huggies decide is adequate. I found that with disposables you just end up washing the baby's clothes rather than the nappies, especially in the liquid poo phase.

i meant to add after the bit abut muslins-for the first few days after birth.

Your best bet is to find a local advisor - they can show you real nappies, you can feel them etc Other than that, contact one of the sellers in the small business section (I am one of them ) - lots of us give free advise and help point you in the right direction. If I don't stock the products I think will suit you, I will tell you who does (normally another MNer)

I find them more reliable than disposables (prime example being yesterday - he wore a disposable to bed, slept many many hours more than normal, the tab broke, he took off his sh*tty nappy and the cot was covered (luckily he wasn't!!!).

Enough nappies allows for you to wash every 3 days - 2 extra loads a week.

You will save money. (Unless you turn into a nappy addict and buy pretty fluff every time you see it ). It will save even more if you wash em with soapnuts.

I switched because I wasn't sure about the chemicals against DD's bum (sod all to do with the environment), and by the time I got to DS it was more cost and the fact that they looked cute .

I switched as sposies leaked constantly, then when i had switched I found out all about the chemicals they use to make disposables absorb so much. Cloth is most certainly not a lesser option. They also don't smell as bad a sposies- I usually don't discover a poo till the nappy comes off ( or I see the face )
You wont look back and you will start to look pityingly at the poor little babies who are still stuck on paper bags. And if you want to save money you will, so long as you don't get addicted
I love cloth and would never go back, even to the point of carting them away on holiday and handwashing them.

i cant add much more than everyone has already said - i used sposies mostly with my first and am a lazy beast who likes an easy life - with ds i use them full time and am a bit of an addict but i have online shop as an excuse! Like all the others say once your in a routine of washing and know what works for you cloth rocks!

It looks funky and cute which kinda helps!

I wash nappies every 2 days and I have a 20m and 8m old in them. It has definetely saved us money. It isnt more hassle than disposables but you do need to be alittle more prepared. When my nappies are dry I fold them into their set piles with liners etc on but in reality this only takes about 15mins.

As Flame says, find an advisor near you ? I found the nappy finder really helpful.

whilst not wanting to sound like a crank watch an inconvenient truth, have a baby and then come back here in about 3 months and say you're not that bothered about the planet. Suddenly when you have a lo making sure things are alllright for them becomes the most important thing....
Real nappies are easy peasy lemon squeezy took me 2 dc to find that out and only got started when given some free by council but you couldn't pay me to go back now. Does your local council have a scheme?
Real nappies much better containment for explosive poos.
Remember if you buy popular nappies there is quite a market in re-sale so will get some money back in the end!

I am just about to start my ds2 on cloth nappies. I know another MNer who will answer your questions at

www.bumfluffnappies.com

You can just get nappy advice, and I have to say it was really good advice. You just "add" it to your shopping basket and post a message in the box saying what you are looking for.

My son has a wide bottom!!! So disposables are a nightmare. He is 16months. He will definitely be playing rugby like his dad!!

Wot they said

I am very lazy, and i honestly dont find cloth nappies any more hassle than disposables (took me til dd was 5 months to get into them full time).

I take the nappy off, flush any poo down the loo, put nappy in bucket then put them all in machine when i have a full load (usually every 3-4 days). Do a cold rinse first to stop any smells setting in, then wash at 40 degrees.

I like you am a first time mum. I researched and got great advice from the nappy lady. They look at what is important to you (To me it was fast drying nappies) and advise accordingly.

Don't be put off initially when you put them on your dinky baby and think that they are WAY TOO HUGE. That's natural. You will get used to it and the baby doesn't seem to be bothered by it at all. A lot of people use disposables for a couple of weeks whilst they get used to doing the other million things you have to get used to with a baby and then move over. Slight danger here of not bothering to make the transition. But is worth it, I promise.

I would agree with all the explosive poo containment comments here (and even just wee containment). I went on a long car journey and put dd in a disposable thinking it would be more convenient. Oh what a mistake-a to make-a. I had to change ALL her clothes twice. Won't do that again.

Just put in my order for the next size up as was so happy with first lot and will then sell old nappies. Should probably work out that we spent half the amount you would for disposables for the same period. If you get birth to potty nappies you can save even more.

Hope we persuade you to at least try them out. Good luck..

i used disposables for all 3 of my boys... i was vaguely inerested in cloth before no1 came along but my dp said he wasnt into it at all and i thought bugger that, im not doing all nappies all the time...

anyway, ds3 has a sensitive wee bottom and had soreness most of his life, so finally in desperation when he was about, um, 17m? about that... i made the switch to cloth. it did make his bum less sore... its still not healed (hes 20m now) completely, but then, there must eb something else going on there and hes going to the doc on friday as NOTHING seems to sort him out.

ANYWAY. the point is, i was a lazy mare and knew nowt about cloth... and was really reluctant to try it tbh - the work involved put me off... but now that i have switched, im sad i didnt do it earlier. am a total convert. getting the first sticky mushy poo out of a nappy and down the loo nearly made me vom, yeah, but it HONESTLY is easier and absolutely no more gross than normal nappies overall. i promise.

and the environment was far from my priority too. with 3 under 3, i was interested in convenience only, believe me!

i reckon a demo would be a great way to get started - can you reach one?

I'm a v.lazy mum, put off switching but I regret not doing it earlier. And you will save loads of money if you use them for a second kid (but go for nippa fastening coz applix seems to wear out) i did this nappy finder but also rang them and they were really helpful.