Help! Advice needed for which washables to buy?

[Becs77]

Hello, i'm 23 weeks pregnant and really want to use washable nappies for all the usual reasons. However, various family and friends are trying to dissuade me and fill me with numerous horror stories about using washable nappies. I still really want to use washables but obviously really want them to work out so I can prove everyone wrong! The thing is I don't have a clue on the best washables to buy, what bits and pieces to buy, how many to buy, is there a 'one size fits all' or do you have to buy different nappies as baby grows?? Also do you need different ones for day time/night time? Sorry for all the questions but this is a whole new area for me!!!!
Thanks in advance for any welcome advice xx

have you done the questionnaire at thenappylady?

it's a really good place to start

Yes thanks - i've just done it, looks really useful. Thanks

Hi,

I give cloth nappy advice. It really does depend on your circumstances.

e.g. Do you have a tumble drier? If not it will take quite a long time for bamboo & hemp nappies to dry if the weather is bad, so you would want to plan with that in mind (make sure you have enough nappies, have some quick drying ones for emergencies etc.)

For nights it's often sufficient to use the normal nappies, you can add a booster to increase the absorbency.

There are Birth to Potty nappies, though they can often look complicated and don't always give the best fit.

I find a fitted (shaped) nappy with a separate waterproof wrap to be most reliable, but you would need to buy different sizes as your baby grows.

One thing I recommend is using terry squares or muslins for the first couple of months (they are a cheaper option and you can use nappy nippas to secure them) with a decent wrap such as a Motherease Rikki or Airflow.

After that stage it may be possible to use a size 2 nappy with the front turned over and secure it with a nippa. The Bambinex ones are good for this.

How many you buy will depend on how often you wash and what drying facilities you have.

Hope that answers some of your questions. It all seems a bit confusing at first but you will get the hang of all the terms and then end up obsessed like the rest of us

If you can, get a local advisor to give you a free home demo.

If you want to see all the different nappy terms explained you can have a look at my info site www.leedsrealnappies.org on the FAQ page. It's meant for Leeds residents but anyone can use the info!

Why do people try to put us off reusable nappies?!! Everyone thought I was mad - especially my mother (but she used terry squares on triplets and had huuuuge amounts of washing to do).
Do spend time researching and I wouldn't get loads of one type at first. Things have changed so much and i have found reusables fantastic (bumgenius v3 and fluffles at night), I was going to use disposables at first and gradually phase in the washables - but i could only stand the dispos for a fortnight. I did get a few leaks to start with because dds legs were v skinny, but didn't mind because i was washing so much anyway. It really helps to have a supportive dp. Your local council may give you some money if you use wasables - worth checking.

Probably best to start off with muslins and a newborn Motherease wrap. I started with terries & plastic pants but the terries were really very bulky on a new baby and it didn't occur to me to use muslins until he was a bit bigger. Muslins also dry in no time at all. I've since progressed onto shaped, pockets and tried allin1's. I love the speed and convenience of pockets but you can't beat terries and shaped nappies with a wrap, even reliable for 12 hours overnight.

Where are you located?

You may well have a local nappy project which runs a trial scheme - this is the best way to find what suits you and your baby as it is a rather subjective matter.

There are loads of different types of nappy out there - those of us who have found the right one for us have never looked back (IME).

You really need one-to-one advice to find the right nappy for you. Asking on here is a minefield as everyone will argue about what is best - the only thing we seem to all agree on is that Motherease Wraps are the best

Good luck - cloth is great and DOES save you money

I used muslins and cotton bottoms newborn wraps for a few weeks plus a few size 1 bamboozles and fluffles I had. As soon as she was big enough we used size 2 popper bamboozles which can be birth to potty. She is 19 weeks now and has long since grown out of the size 1 bamboozles but size 1 fluffles ok still what does anyone make of that?

Oh also can I just ask the nappy people, my bamboozles used to be all soft and fluffy and they looked like they had all individual 1 strand little fibres. Now the fibres look like loops and are much shorter and matted and flat. Not at all soft and fluffy. Is this just what happens or have I got a faulty batch?

We used Motherease Onesize and Motherease airflow wraps from birth, DD is now 22 1/2 months and the nappies were getting a bit too small, so I wrote to Motherease, and they sent some cute little extenders free of charge, which mean the nappies will keep her going until potty training I hope. Loads of life left in the nappies, so DS can use them too when he finally makes an appearance!

The nappies re very comfy, can contain ALL KINDS OF POO, and to make them even ncicer I use home-made washable liners, made of strips of white fleece from a fabric shop.

God luck with nappy hunting. The best bit of washables is that they are the only garment my DD still wears that she wore as a newborn. I sometimes get a bit weepy when I see them all lined up on the washing-line!!

Another big vote for Motherease. The nappies will last from birth to potty, you just need to buy different size wraps. You can hire the small size for newborns from The Nappy Lady and then just buy medium size, and then large. (or is it medium for newborns, then large then extra large?? sorry my brain is failing me. The Nappy Lady will tell you).

Just to prove my earlier point (and be a PITA) I found motherease onesize (aka MEOS) totally, completely AWFUL in almost every way (fit, absorbancy, drying time compared to absorbancy). Onelife are even worse as they are almost identical but more expensive

No idea how Motherease make such good wraps but such dire nappies!

I would say exactly the same thing re MEOS and OneLife - Bimbles and Bumbles all the way here.

Thanks SO much for all your advice - really helpful so feel a bit more clued up now! x

Onelife are not more expensive as they come with a booster and you have to pay for the motherease ones and they fit til potty training which motherease don't if you have a larger child.

I have used EVERY nappy virtually ever made, have been a cloth nappy advisor and work for a major UK nappy distributor. My favourites are fuzzi bunz for the day and onelife at night.

All babies are different and everyones experience of different nappies are different. It may be worth trying to get hold of a trial kit or getting a nappy advisor to talk you through them - I would recommend Lollipop personally but there are others.

It's worth talking to your local council as some are now giving away sets of cloth nappies to encourage more people to use them.

Agree the nappy lady site is excellent, very happy with my terries. Only one pooh incedent so far with 6 week bf and to be honest that was me not fastening the nappy tightly enough. Fleeceliners are imo fabulous and much better for his skin than the disposibles I used in the hospital