Reusable nappies advise

[bardos]

I'm due my second in a few months and really want to use reusable nappies as much as possible, but it's like a minefield and looks like it's going to cost a fortune! The birth to potty nappies look great, but they aren't actually from birth.

I'm leaning towards terry squares and folding as these seem to be a cheap and long term option and then using a wrap over the top.

What are others experiences? Do these work well for day and night and last for a decent amount of time?

I would prefer to avoid spending ££££ on all the different types just to try them out

Terries are amazing. We used pockets and all in ones with our first, just using two parters overnight. This time (baby no. 2) we’re using a mix of two parters (mostly Motherease Sandys - the vast majority of which were secondhand, ridiculously cheap) and terries with Airflow wraps. Whilst a little bit bulkier, it’s a much more reliable option, works out quite a lot cheaper (even new), and you don’t have to spend your life stuffing pocket nappies.

I’d recommend some muslins (good quality like Muslinz or Bright Bots) for the very early days, unless you want to buy 50cm terries. 60cm terries were absolutely huge on my 8lb-er for a couple of weeks.

Fleece liners are a good idea to keep baby’s bottom dry.

Have you been on the nappy lady’s website? There is so much advice there; it’s where I started. Also, cloth bum mum and dads pages on Facebook.

I started with all in ones but got leaks, so now I’m using pockets BUT I didn’t start from newborn.

2nd hand is the way to go.

Small nappies are so cheap and you can sell them on again.

2 part systems are the most bombproof - motherease popper wraps are the best so those and terries are an economical option. Terries are huge on newborns though so definitely consider some of the small size nappies 2nd hand.

I used terry squares, they are great. You can fold in different ways for different needs, add a booster for nights etc. Use a nappy nippa rather than a pin. Motherease wrap over the top.

Cheapy ebay pockets are useful too and good and you can stuff them with a terry rather than buying inserts. Can be handy for nursery, grandparents etc who might struggle with a square.

I never got on with pockets.

This is the thing that not all babies suit all options as they are heavy wettest or their bum is the wrong shape 😂

I had great success with easy peasy eco nappies with a nippa from both BUT I had 9lb babies started using them without the booster

www.easypeasynappies.co.uk/birth-to-potty-nappies-1-c.asp

I think the fleece liner helps the poo stick!

I did washables with 3 babies so tried an awful lot in my time!

Every answer you get will be different!

I love pockets, I've used Baba+Boo btp since DD was 8 weeks old, I used disposables up to that point but you can buy, and then sell on, their newborn size with hardly any overall outlay.

DD is now 20m and they still fit, never had a leak. I did a lot of research but really didn't know what I was looking for, it's daunting, luckily these fit and have done all the way through.

We tried lots of different types over the years and they each had their uses at different stages.

We used prefolds, fastened with a nappy nippa under an airflow wrap upto about 15lbs.

Easypeasy Bumbles with a nappy nippa and a Motherease Airflow wrap were probably my favourites as they can be bulked up for extra absorbency and they were bombproof!

When they started to wriggle too much or we were out and about needing a quick change Little Lamb sized pockets were great.

The prefolds we used in the early days became boosters as she grew with Little Lambs bamboo and the odd charcoal booster too.

We switched to disposables at night when they were older as I found mine got sore wearing reusables for long periods no matter what we did.

I use terries! They’re great. They’re very flexible because there are so many different kinds of folds, and cheap as chips. Also easy to wash and dry. I use motherease wraps over them.

I second the recommendation for fleece liners, they keep the baby’s skin very dry. My son is 3.5 months and has never had a moment of nappy rash, and I put that down to the liners.

You can make your own fleece liners as you just cut it no hemming required.

Nappy nippas are great too, they stretch over time and need replacing.

I used Chinese prefolds and wraps - you need 24 prefolds (one size) and 3-4 wraps in each size (s,m,l,xl) but they don't fit a newborn so I used disposable for 6 weeks (small baby) until out of newborn sized nappies. I used biodegradable liners for less mess, came in a box of 100 like tissues. I sold mine for very close to my outlay after 2 children!

Ps I was fortunate to have a basement laundry room I had lines in so rarely used the tumble dryer.

I found pre folds rubbish

It's all about the wrap.
It's been a good 12 years since I used them but Rikki wraps were the bomb.
I had totsbots fluffles and liners

I've just started using terries and love them. Very flexible, easily washed and dried. We find them bombproof with an airflow wrap. We also have pockets which we use in the day with 16 month old DD and these work great now she's a bit older but they were really hard to boost enough to contain her massive wees when she was on 6 x8oz bottles a day. If we have another I'd buy more terries for that really heavy wetting stage before weaning.

I'd try getting a few different types of nappy and try them and see what works :)

I had two in washable nappies at one point due to a small age gap. I had a cheap second hand set of tots bots suitable from birth and some nicer all in ones for the toddler, which I then used for both when the baby outgrew the tiny ones.

It's 17 years ago but I used terrys with fleece liners and mother ease wraps. They were brilliant. I did have some stuffables that I used for nursery but just used the terrys in those. They worked really well and were relatively cheap.

Thanks everyone for the advice. So it seems Terry's are the best long term economical option with liners and wraps and then some all in ones once they get a bit bigger and wriggly for when at nursery/out and about!

You are pretty safe buying the newborn/small size popper wraps 2nd hand as they are usually hardly used etc. For the bigger sizes it may be better to buy new.

When is real nappy week this year? Waitrose sell the wraps and they are usually on offer.

I've been quite happy with pockets and inserts, never really go the hang of folding the terry nappies. Lots of facebook groups were people are selling tonnes of nappies. Migght be worth testing a few to see what you like. We used btp but my DD was 10lb as a newborn...

There may also be a nappy library local to you who basically rent out (ours is free to try the nappies for 2-4 weeks) different brands and types before you buy. I’ve been using little lamb two parters with my second child after using disposables with my first and I love them! I’ve bought some wraps new, but all the nappies have been preloved and I plan to resell for close to what I paid once I’m finished with them. There are some excellent Facebook groups where you can pick up the nappies cheaply.

I like the two parters as they just go on like disposables, they’re not tricky to fit.

A good wash routine is essential with them though, I stick on a 1hr 60 degree prewash every day and then a main wash every 3 days. Once you get into a routine I’m really enjoying using them!

My two year old is potty training so I am just about putting my nappy days behind me. I also found it totally overwhelming the amount of info and wasted money trying different things. In the end, Aldi had lots of Bambino Mio on offer (like £7 ish) and I bought about 18 of them and just used those and they have more or less taken him from 3 months to now (he’s big so I think would last until 3 and a halfish with more typically sized child). I know other combinations are more bomb proof or cheaper, but for me the simplicity of it was worth the occasional leaks. Very straightforward and go on just like a disposable so easy for others to do. Washing routine is easier because it’s all the same and out and about it easier to plan.
Here’s what I did:
Waterproof nappy bag from baba and boo - clean nappies in one side and manky things in the other and absolutely no cross-contamination
Waterproof little bag (also baba and boo I think) with a day’s worth of cheeky wipes clothes that I wet under the tap and just wring out
Changing pretty regularly, much more often that friends with disposable (but I didn’t mind because I think that the length of time some children stay in one nappy is a bit grim)
Nappy bucket and mesh bag (tots bots I think) in the bathroom
What I delightfully referred to as a ‘shit wash’ every other day on 60 degrees with a pre-wash and extra rinse.
Nappies on line in summer (genuinely miraculous for bleaching back to pristine white) and on radiators in summer. Having one type means everything dries at fairly similar times.

For night times have tried lots of different things and none have been quite right. I think you do definitely need an over wrap at night for leaks, but I don’t feel like I ever cracked the nights the way I did days so hopefully someone else will be along with wisdom.
Good luck with it. I’m proud that I did it and even though it was more work sometimes, glad that I stuck with it.

Thank you, I've brought some newborn motherease airflow wraps and some little lamb size 1 wraps with a few little lamb nappies to try from Facebook. I never really thought about buying them second hand, but these seem in great condition and less than half the price of buying new

Most of our nappies were second hand and then passed on to a friend when we were done with them. It's amazing how long they last!

The great thing about 2nd hand is you don't need to pre wash them a few times to maximise the absorbency 👌