mothercare smart nappies v tots bots etc?

[annady]

hello,
has anyone used the mothercare real nappy system - think it comes either with reusable or biodegradable liners - and, if so, how does it compare to tots bots, kushies, etc?
am considering moving from eco-disposables to reusables but the financial outlay - even just for a reasonable number of trial cloth nappies - is making it a bit tricky.
thanks for any advice!
anna x

i have heard mixed reviews on this system but then what suits one doesnt suit another so trying a few different types is the way to go. There are a few sales on at the moment though to take advantage of. Flame - bumfluff nappies has a sale starting on her bamboo shaped nappies today (bambinex)which are v similar if not better than tots bamboozles. I nappyzone have a sale on bumgenius (onesize pocket nappy)system at the moment and most sellers are selling of fuzzi bunz so there are some cheaper alternatives out there at this time. What you want will depend on your circumstances - age of bubs, drying facilities and budget. If you want any advise were all available under the small business ads under the classifieds - the outlay is alot initially but its worth it

thanks alot for your advice nappyzone
a x

I'd advise you maybe buy a few second hand ones - maybe a couple of pockets a few fitted nappies and a couple of wraps to see which you get on with best and go from there.

I haven't tried the mothercare smart nappy, mainly because I'm not a big fan of mothercare in general and would rather my money went to some of the WAHMs out there.

Love my real nappies though!

I've not tried the Mothercare ones, but I can say fitted/shaped nappies like Tots Bots are really good. Personally, I think Little Lambs are a bit more comfy (softer and more stretchy) and not as expensive when bought new. There are sooooo many nappies out there, but if you try the wrong ones, it can really put you off using cloth. I've had pretty bad luck with pocket/aio like Fuzzibunz (leaks & wicking) though they look so easy & comfy to use.

I think if you try a shaped nappy like Tots Bots and a Motherease Airflow wrap (the best wrap in many mums opinions) you will be a lot more encouraged in your use of real nappies!

And if you get some secondhand ones, you'll pay a lot less than the full new prices ... as long as you don't get tooooo carried away buying tons like some of us can do! lol But still cheaper than new. And it is a lot of fun trying new ones.

I have not looked closesly at the m'care range but I was puzzled by what seemed to be disposable boosters. I have seen these in Boots as well. Personally if I am washing nappies then I am happy to wash boosters and even cotton baby wipes (like small flannels). All these disposable extras slightly defeat the object of using washable nappies, oh, and also mean these big shops make more profit. The only disposable thing I use is paper liners - and if only wet I re wash those a couple of times. For my new baby I don't even use those - as I am b/feeding fleece liners suit me better.

rachelinscotland - great post. I am a real fan of Tots Bots or Motherease and definitely the airflow wrap. 2nd hand also a good tip especially if you want to try a few different ones.

I also would avoid all-in-ones which lots of people are tempted by as they seem more familiar and "easy." Most experienced real nappy users find them a lot more unreliable than a 2 part system.

Go on one website such as the www.nappylady.co.uk for lots of really good info and advice.

yes, I agree! the Nappy Lady has loads of good advice and reviews on her page. It's fun to look at cause it's interestly written and lots of helpful info about products.

you can link up to it via here or you can just google it (were not allowed to direct directly hence the around to the business ad's.

I've been using Tots Bots and Motherease on my first son who is now 2 and am very happy. Airflow wraps definitely the best too - the poppers allow you to get a perfect fit for most shapes as you can adjust legs and tummy. I just tried the Smart Nappy system from Mothercare for my newborn mainly because it is cheap and neat so I thought it would help bridge the gap until the older one is potty trained and can pass down his nappies.

Plus points are that it's really neat and doesn't look like they are in real nappies which is good for a newborn. Also they dry really quickly which is very helpful when you are washing for 2 and air drying.

On the down side however they aren't very absorbant and I really wonder how they would absorb enough for an older child, as it is my newborn gets through the layers in about 2-3 hours which is a little crazy (he makes hardly any impression when I put him in a tots bots). Also the wrap is elasticated which means there is sometimes a bit of leakage if they don't fit perfectly. Further, the design means that if they poo it means a new wrap as the poo gets all over the wrap so you probably need more wraps than using a shaped inner nappy which mostly contains the poo unless you have an explosion.

If you're looking for a system to carry you through till they are bigger I'm not sure it's the most reliable though to be fair I have not tested it on my older child. I would love to hear if anyone has tried it on a bigger child. It is however fantastically good value and a good way of seeing if you are willing to do the washing option which can be hard work. Also if you are thinking of a neat option for a newborn this is really quite good and disposables leak more so you will no doubt save on some clothes changing.

I did try a new one recently which I really liked called baby Beehinds which is even more absorbant than a tots bots (which are pretty good for night time) and really soft and very neat, though it does take a while to dry but as my oldest wees so much at night it was the only one that could take us through!

In terms of using the disposable pads... maybe they are less damaging to the environment than the full scale nappy as they use less material or less manufacturing time but I'm sure that a biodegradable option would be better, their marketing of this is a little tenuous to be honest.

Annady - where are you located? Do you have a local nappy network where you can hire a trial kit for a month (most county councils have these now). It really sounds like this is what you need to do. You are likely to only need to pay about £10 for a months hire and there are often financial incentives to be had too. My local network, for example, offers a interest free nappy loan so it is really no different to buying a pack of disposables for several weeks - apart from you get to reuse them and sell them on in the end . Other networks refund a certain amount of what you pay for your nappies - after all, you are saving your council money by reducing their landfill.

Emmaghosh sums up my experience of the smart nappy. If you are going to go for cloth then go for something you can rely on for a long while, two part nappy systems are generally the most reliable, with the motherease airflow and rikki wraps being bombproof for most babies' shape . There are other cheaper alternatives to totsbots which are just as good these days - many have already been mentioned.

Right...off to check out the sales myself now

Aren't the Mothercare ones just prefolds and a Weenee-style wrap?
BTW I swear by Motherease velcro Rikki wraps as you can use them with ANYTHING inc prefolds. Which is great if you get the try-everything compulsion.

I mainly use Totsbots Fluffles with Motherease Airflow wraps- fluffles are great if you air dry as they come out practically dry (so you can get away with far fewer nappies). I also have a few of the smart nappy. I got these as I found carting a fluffle round in my change bag was a pain (as it is so big), so I was ending up using disposables instead, and thought the smart nappy might be better as they are so much slimmer that they are easier to carry around. I like the fit of the nappy, and even if you have to take a spare wrap and prefold, it is nice and light in your bag.

TBH I wouldn't think the smart nappy would be great as a single system- I find I have the same problem with poo explosions meaning the whole wrap needs changing and also the absorbancy isn't that great and the wrap tends to wick moisture. I actually end up putting an airflow wrap over the top to stop this!
They market the disposable pads as the option for when you are out and about but it would be better if they were actually compostable or similar. I think they might not have as much gel in them as normal disposables.
So in summary- the smart nappy is OK (ish) as an addition to your collection of cloth, but I wouldn't use it exclusively!

poinsettiabouquets - yes they are the same style as the weenees system but the smart nappy has a higher inner gusset so are likely to be more leak-proof than weenees.