upcoming "nappy week" inspires me to use reusables but which are best? any advice?

[NattyThomasandEllen]

there as im sure you are aware a reusable nappy week coming up and i am interested in switching to reusables.
my daughter is 10 months old what sizes am i looking for and in you opinion what type are best?
total virgin to the whole thing as hubby has taken alot of convincing and wouldnt let me use them on my son (now 2) and i wasnt interested in using them at first because 2 in nappies was just too much as i had no drying facilities at the time.

i noticed that kushies do a "toddler pack" from about 22lb which is roughly what she weighs, would this be a good idea of should i buy smaller sizes to avoid leaks?

any help would be most appreciated as i am confused with all the different types out there!

thank you!!

Arghhhh...you're asking a loaded question. There are so many to choose from and there is no one 'super-nappy' that suits all. It is all down to individual circumtances. Best bet is to find an advisor who you can sit and chat with.

Luckily you live in a great area for some advice - look here. There should be lots of events in your area next week too so you can see the nappies close up.

Some nappies do tend to be generally unsuitable for most or tend to suit most. Kushies fall into the former category - many people find they leak and take far too long to dry. Most people find a shaped nappy of some sort coupled with a Motherease waterproof wrap the best option.

thanks for that!

let me rephrase that then... which ones should i AVOID! lol

I think you should buy a few different kinds and work out which you like best. Even if you don't end up using some you bought, they have good resale value.
Consider:
drying facilities (some dry quicker than others)
How similar to disposables do you want then to be in terms of putting them on/off - would your dh be willing to fold a traditional flat terry?
Budget - prices vary.

You may need a different kind for day / night.

And unless your dh is very stubborn, I would avoid all-in-ones, where the absorbant part and waterproof outer are all together. Most people seem not to like them.

thank you that does seem to be the general opinion, not to use all in ones.
i saw mothercare do one that is almost "stuffable" as in you put the pads into a pouch type thing, is that any good?

there is no way he would consider terry ones, he wouldnt want anything to fiddly he is stubborn to the core!

generally no, the mothercare smart nappy is not working for many people over continued use. It hasn't been out long but not heard anyone raving about it (other than mothercare themsleves)

these combined with either these or these are a very safe option, easy to use, easy to boost as neccessary, quick to dry, well made, not too bulky, cheaper than many.

Don't be put off by nippa fitting nappies - they are very easy to use and make the fit very adjustable. Men usually like them as they are a gadget .

The mothercare ones are 'prefolds'. There are lots of brands of these. I know they're not so good at newborn poo but I don't know how they are for older ones?

Again, I would REALLY buy just one of different kinds and see what you like before you buy a whole pack.

sushi i meant the smart nappies, the ones the have inserts disposable or reusable

I am a huge fan of shaped bamboo nappies with a nappy nippa fastening and a PUL wrap. DH loves them too despite being very doubtful of the whole reuseable thang when we made the switch. Bambinex work well for us but it depends on the shape of your LO. Best to see if you can borrow several different sorts before you commit dosh to the matter.

Fuzzi bunz worked for us

I love fuzzi bunz too, but they are quite expensive.

I wanted fuzzibunz to work for us I really did but they uust don't. They leak. It's not fair. I love them. DS is just the wrong shape!

Oh dear brogue leaks are horrible. I have a beanpole of a dd, had no leaks with fuzzi bunz stuffed with old muslins, or bits of old towel, or the fuzzi bunz inserts. They do wick if left on for too long.

Bumgenius and Blueberry, stuffable pockets, lovely!!

Wish I'd found them years ago!

Monkies

Hi,
Find out if a NAPPY ADVISOR or Nappy Network near you do a Try before you Buy kit. They have lots of different nappies in them so you can use them all over about 2 weeks and see what suits you in terms of drying times, ease of use, comfort, style etc. It really depends what your priorities are. Personally I prefer pocket nappies as these are similar to disposables to put on (especially if you use the velcro ones) and my husband and the nursery seem to cope well with that. They are easy to use and dry quickly as the inners are removeable for drying, you just stuff them all ready to use again when they are dry. I tend to do this in the evening when the TV is on. Some people prefer natural fibres next to the skin but these are usually a bit slower to dry or very fiddly.
Fuzzis didn't work for us either but Mommy's Touch look similar and have been great- also Birth to Potty so even better! We also use Little Lambs at night as the cotton is nice and absorbant.

Smart Nappy from Mothercare seem quite good if you want something simple. You can pretty much stick what you like in them folded into a rectangle and line it, or use the disposable pad if you are travelling. I have found you do learn to be quite resourceful and experimental when using washables in attempts to avoid buying disposables.

Have only tried Smart Nappy once though! I have also tried Little Kiwi Quick Flips (they are quite new) and they are fairly quick drying and simple for cotton or bamboo nappies. Very easy to set up but they need a separate wrap. They are also fairly cheap on Ebay. They do look a bit bulky on smaller children though.

i have bought a smart nappy trial pack and am road testing them now, hopefully they will be fine!