Why did you choose/not choose to go down the washable nappies route?

[tellyaddict]

I used disposables on my older two, the thought of 'all that extra washing' put me off reusables and there wasn't the wonderful range we have now. With no.3 I saw an article that said disposables can cost around £800 over 2.5 years whereas terries were £182 and shaped two part/pockets etc £300-£400 - from then on it was a no-brainer.

What I didn't expect was to actually 'enjoy' using washables as I'm Mrs Undomesticated!!! The washing doesn't bother me at all and I love never running out of nappies. There's the added bonus of my baby's bot is lovely - no redness even first thing in the morning, no rashes (and I never use a cream)and then of course our landfills..... I'm a complete convert, totally addicted.

How about everyone else?

i'm just tight !!! the thought of paying pampers ridiculous ammounts of money (i have 5dc's inc dd1 still in nappies and 3mo twins) and the warm fuzzy feeling when people look and say "washable nappies- how do you do it" i don't tell them we have a housekeeper

a friend used them and made it look effortless, so i thought i would give it a go.

i ddn't expect to enjoy it either, and thought the idea of poo, wee and endless washing would put me off. it's very little bother, and they're loads better for containment.

(ds and his explosive poos )

same as missorinoco-saw a friend using them and thought id have a try.got on well with them.ds2 now potty trained so we just use one at night.

I wish I'd known more about re usable nappies when my DS was born he's now 22 months. I thought they looked so difficult but I started researching them a few months ago as I was thinking about using them from now until he's potty trained. But not sure if would be a waste of money now what do you think?

We were lucky enough to be on the route of the Cotton Bottoms laundering service when we had our first, our midwife-led birthing centre used them too and promoted them. And we wanted to be environmentally friendly.

They ceased the service just before DC2 was born so we bought & laundered them ourselves (Cotton Bottoms & Motherease) and continued using them for DC1 & DC2. DC3 arrived before the other 2 were out of nappies and soaking/washing/drying for 3 was not much fun. Fortunately, by then there were several biodegradable nappies on the market so we used those.

DD kept having crystals from disposables on her bum, and I didn't like not really knowing what was in them.

DS - I loved em from DD. He had since had weirdy reactions so is back in disposables

I had my first baby 7 years ago and started with terry squares and plastic pants. I always knew I would use washable nappies and I now have 3 children and all of then have had different types of washables.

It really isn't that much extra washing as you washa lot when they are small anyway.

I felt it was better for the landfill situation and didn't want to throw away £7 plus a week, every week for 3+ years per child.

I used disposables first time round cos I lived in a flat with no washing machine!! Now (6 yrs later) 40+5 I am so excited about using my bumbles! I have dressed up DS1 teddies in them and can't stop getting them out to have a look! I remember the crystals Flame, yucky! Don't know how I did it!

also I am going to use washable wipes, just because I read that using them will save enough money over 2.5 yrs to pay for nappy system!

Reasons in order:

1.Saving shedloads of money - sold all my last lot and made back more than half the price I originally spent

2.No leaks

3.Choice of gorgeous wraps and comfy fabrics against baby's bum

4.No weirdy chemicals - I knew what was going on their bottoms

5.Environment I suppose, but more about not wanting untreated sewage going in the bins. Not actually over concerned by landfill cos I can't see it

Onto baby no3 (due yesterday) and the fluff is sitting waiting for a brand new bottom - can't wait to see all the nappies hanging out again! Once I know what flavour I'm having I can get more wraps too

cheaper, softer, no nasties, no landfill. No brainer. Had decided to use them before ds was born and only times have used sposies has been camping for more than 2 days and when the washing machine died.

My mother still had the Harringtons Terry nappies that she had used on my younger brother ad she gave them to me which appealed to my Yorkshire blood and thrift. When DD1 followed DS1 we simply bought some more Terries and have used them for all four children now. With a good washing machine, a garden, Aga with drying rack, and tumble drier if I am feeling extravagant,they really are not much bother once you have got the hang of folding them. I fold them ready for use when they are dry now and, even though that means four different piles in the nappy cupboard, it makes it a lot easier come change time or when the three older ones all have to be got ready for bed after their bath. I have tried disposables when we have been away but have had lots more leaks with them and DS1 has complained about them being uncomfy and sticky. I must say when you see how much plastic is in contact with skin around the sides in particular I can see what he means.

tried and gave up as couldn't keep up with washing for B&B and washing nappies and our clothes

The figures are not mine and the washable nappy figures are including washing costs. I think most people would not spend full costs of terries AND shaped/pockets but most likely one type or a mix of the two according to their budget and how often they want to wash. When I started out I spent £30 on a terry starter kit which had a bucket, 12 nappies, pins, plastic pants, liners, nappy sacks and soak. I washed every 2nd day and got along just fine. I decided to try out shaped and pockets because I wanted to and have bought 2nd hand mostly, BUT I could just have easily (and very cheaply) continued with my terries only perhaps spending another tenner on an extra pack to cut down on washing frequency.

I tried with Tots Bots but DD looked like a weeble and I gave up after one day. I tried again when she was about 2 months old for about a week and gave up again. Later I got the Bambino Mio starter pack and gave it a go but never really got into it.

I found disposables just too easy and took up less room when out and about.

I was honest and offered to give back the £30 rebate I got from my local council for using washable nappies but they said thanks but no thanks so I gave them feedback on why I went back to disposables which was basically along the lines of people would perhaps be more inclined to use biodegradable disposables if they were not so expensive and communal recycling places would be good. I noticed the first UK one has opened near Birmingham.

I stopped using reusables because I didn't like how bulky they were when I lay dd down to sleep - I worried about her spine having to bump up over all that cloth.

Use Moltex now and love them. Easy, slim, unbleached, no gel and don't smell of a chemical lab. I do feel guilty about the landfill aspect though as despite being biodegradable they're nowhere near as eco friendly as reusables.

i started using washables with dd2 5years ago. used washables for dd3 as well, some of the nappies went from dd2 to dd3. overall i spent less, and it was good knowing i would never run out of nappies.

i have passed/sold on most of dd3 nappies to my sisters, who had never used cloth with their previous children and now using them and loving them for their new babies. they are passing some back to me for dc#4, i will invest in new wraps.

no-one ever declares love for disposables, but lots of people rave about cloth nappies.

I started using them after a friend showed me her TotsBots. I had been imagining, pins, origami-like folds, leaks and nasty rubber pants.

Now, I think they're wonderful, no leaks, cheaper in the long run and I don't feel guilty about landfill.

I think more people would use them if only they knew how easy they are.

I used disposables as we don't have an airing cupboard or a tumble drier. So failed to see how I could get all our family washing washed and dried in the winter if I factored in a load of nappies every other day.

I used the most eco-friendly disposables I could find and always shook the poo down the loo and did not wrap in a nappy sack if the dirty nappy only contained a wee.

disposables here, after a very good 2-mo attempt at washables. why? disposables are:

1. simply far easier - take them off, bin them. end of! no wraps or liners to fuss with especially at night or when time/space/squirming is an issue!

1. cheaper - for washables, I had to buy different sizes of washables, and for each stage of growth, outer wraps,inner liners, soaking solution, buckets, blah blah blah

1. eco effect not much different from what I've read. Extra washing (and tumble drying, if you do it) really adds up in terms of carbon footprint!