Are reusable cloth nappies practical, affordable and manageable day to day?

[DChesh34]

Question for parents who have used “Terry towels”/reusable cloth nappies please.

1. are they are difficult as they seem?
2. are they feasible for being out and about?
3. how do they compare money-wise?
4. does your washing machine end up always on (as though it isn’t already with a family of 4)?

Trying to be a bit environmentally friendly (used Pura nappies with my first to avoid plastic) but is having a washing machine on constantly that friendly??

Feedback/guidance appreciated!
TIA

@welshweaselI agree about them containing poo better than disposables. The washable covers always had elastic along the back that disposables don’t have.
I’m enjoying seeing all this love for washable son this thread.

I used them for my two kids, the first child from 6 months due to persistent nappy rash with disposables and the second child from birth. I loved them. A far superior product - no newborn poo explosion accidents requiring a complete change of clothes and reusable wipes do the job about a million times better than nasty plastic ones (even my partner agreed on that, he got really cross when we went on holiday and used plastic ones). Focus on getting the right fit and material (some research is required) rather than pretty prints and they work really well. I didn't find it exhausting for washing. Having a Victorian ceiling airer is useful if drying space is at a premium. Oh and don't bother with disposable liners - use fleecy reusable ones, lovely and soft on a little baby bum and they wash beautifully. Also don't bother with a nappy bucket - use large zipped wet bags instead, and wash the bag every time you do the washing.

We used them pretty much exclusively for both of our kids, they were great and would absolutely recommend them. You probably end up doing a couple of extra washes per week but they don't need tumble drying.

We used them for a while and in terms of washing & drying it wasn’t a big deal. We had plenty and a special dry bag to store them in until washing, and a little one for out and about, so waited until we had a decent load.

I never worried about putting them in with other washing either, unless they were badly covered in poo. It all comes out clean, that’s the point of the washing machine.

Maybe it was the ones we used but we found they leaked wee really easily, even with an extra absorption liner in them, so ultimately went back to disposables. I did feel a bit smug for every one we used though, one less in landfill…

I must get round to putting them on marketplace actually.

I used cloth nappies for 2 children, including for about 6 months at the same time. Started with terry squares and a couple of shaped ones, then gradually inherited loads as friends had had their time with them.

Once we got into a routine it was dead easy. I remembered changing my youngest sister’s Terry nappies as a teen, and got a diagram from the Nappy Lady as a reminder. Some paper liners that went down the loo, some fleece liners that washed with the rest.

Washing every few days was ok, easier in summer when they would dry outside. We still used disposables for childminding and the grandparents who were less keen. I viewed it as every nappy not in landfill was a win, but I also got a nostalgic kick out of seeing the Terry squares on the washing line. Would totally do it again

I used them with all three of mine, really easy. Newborn poop goes straight in the machine. Once they are on solids you just tip it in the toilet, keep nappies in a lidded dry bucket with a mesh bag. Pressure rinse, long 60% cotton cycle. You can wash towels in with them too, since it is a 60% wash. Disposable liners are unnecessary. Cloth nappies toddlers nearly always potty train earlier too, so that is a big saving, all mine were trained by 2, and having poos on a potty well before that, since you learn to whip the nappy off and get them on a potty when you see them about to go, when you've just put a nappy wash on. Many modern brands dry almost instantly. Traditional terries dry very quickly too, but they are usually bamboo now, so not as bulky. All the comments from people saying how hard they are seem to be from people who didn't actually use them. Personally I don't think there is justification for that much disposable landfill when there is an easy alternative.

I probably used them about 50% of the time. So when at home and on maternity leave. Wash every couple of days if I remember right. Reusable wipes are way better.

I liked them for keeping trousers up (v skinny child). And he toilet trained quite early and easily too, self led. Some are super cute. Night time was hard, I think I just went back to disposables.

We used cloth for our daughter (only child) and have fond memories of cycling across Canada with her nappies drying off the back of her trailer.

I should add for honestys sake that small wee leaks happen more often with cloth (usually if the nappy doesn't fit well or hasn't been changed soon enough) however, poo leaks never happen in them, not even with newborn poo.

Before you decide, try using a face cloth folded up in your pants when you’re on your period and see how it feels compared to either tampons, pads or period knickers.

I used them. Very easy. Wash every other day. Used a disposable/biodegradable linner to catch poo. We only had one child but would have used them again. The thought of how many nappies are used and binned per child per year makes me feel sick and I really wish more people used them.

Dd1 peed through them within an hour every time. I assume I was doing something wrong, but I don’t know what, tried different brands, different sizes and styles, followed the instructions but couldn’t get on with them at all and got a bit overwhelmed by the extra nappy and clothes changes and washing it was creating when I was already struggling. It’s a pretty big outlay too. I got half mine second hand (but brand new) from someone else who had bought a full stock tried them and given up without even using them all. Several of my friends tried too and had constant leaks as well. Not been able to bring myself to give them away, keep saying I’ll try again with dc2 but I already know I won’t.
just adding for balance since most comments have been so positive.

We still use our Cheeky Wipes 16 years later - they seem pretty indestructible!

We also used reusables pretty exclusively for both children, including at nursery. It worked out WAY cheaper than buying disposables, especially as I bought many of the nappies on eBay in virtually new condition and used them for both children.

I've used disposables nearly full time for three children. We have a large variety of nappies because I bought them all second hand.

They've all been softer than the average dry flannel, most of them very significantly so!

I did use them full time for all 3 kids and they were easy and saved us thousands. Also used reusable wipes. However, it worked for our family only because

1. I was a SAHM throughout so doing a load of washing a day wasn’t onerous.
2. We live in a hot climate so I could line dry almost all the time- great for environment and the sun sanitised them nicely
3. I had a high powered jet fitted to the loo so it was easy to squirt off poo into the toilet once they started solids

Loved them. They look so nice and they are better for the environment if you can line dry and even if you can’t, washing a nappy for a year still uses less water than water used in production of a single disposable.

I think the comparison is with washable period products, which are more like-for-like with modern washable nappies.

But you're reminded me of an important side note. Washable nappies are better for optimum hip placement - babies' hips should be in squat position for healthy development of hip socket. And can even be recommended if baby is at risk of hip dysplasia. Using a sling is also good for hip development as long as baby's hips are positioned correctly. (Not a replacement for a harness treatment, of course.)

1. they're slighter trickier at first than normal nappies, ranging from ones that just need popping together (very easy to do but definitely watch a youtube video to show you how to make them fit perfectly), to terries (very simple washing and concept and very flexible with age, but take a bit longer to learn)

2. out and about was never a problem for us - they're slightly bulkier than disposables, but even even I had two in nappies at once, it was fine. Just needed a bigger bag! I use disposables for camping holidays though, to save needing to do laundry

3. Higher up-front cost, although it wasn't very much for us because we bought second hand. Overall much, much cheaper, even taking into account water/energy etc, and even if we'd just used them for one child rather than three.

4. for washing instructions, ignore the nappy lady (who's otherwise excellent) and only listen to Clean Cloth Nappies.
   
   I do a nappy wash two days, but that's also cleaning cloths and particularly grubby clothes.

Environmentally, disposables win hands down. I use less water and energy to wash a nappy than is used just in its manufacturing, let alone in its transport and selling, and in oil used for the plasticky bits.

Some of our nappies are now on their fourth child, most on their fifth or more. They're starting to look a bit raggedy, so will probably only manage one child more. They may well live on longer as cleaning cloths (especially the terries), and I plan to sew some of the inserts into menstrual pads. The outers might make some dolls clothes.

But ultimately they'll biodegrade pretty well - the thin covers are partly synthetic, but everything else, including all the thicker parts, is natural and would basically compost.

Whereas plastic nappies will not only last longer in landfill than the child could possibly live, but all the hundreds or thousands that you use will most likely still be there in a few centuries.

Once our babies are on solids, we keep disposables for when I'm unwell, or for camping, or for certain babysitters. (Before solids disposables don't make things any easier at all, because they aren't as good as reusable at containing poonamis!). Give yourself that extra option for hard weeks, by all means.

But I'm SO glad we used reusable. I very much hope that the use of mainly disposables will become a quirk of just a few generations, and that reusables will be the default for most people by the time my children are parents. They save a fortune and are so much gentler on their bums, but most of all, they have a tiny environmental cost compared to the horrible legacy of disposables.

By the way, if you can't line dry, then get dehumidifier and use it in a small room. It'll quickly pay for itself with money saved on disposables or tumble drying, and makes drying clothes SO much faster.

I used them with my first baby. I bought the square and triangle shape ones. I soaked them in a nappy bucket with napisan , rinsed off in bath, then boiled on hob in large pan. I dried them on radiators in winter, but must admit they were a wee bit hard.

I used them loosely for 2, not being precious about adding a disposable where I needed too. They were fine, although I couldn't make it work with a third. The wash bags and reusable wipes were brilliant though and I still use them for swimming kit.

Start from about 6 weeks when thighs are fat enough that you can put them in the bigger size.
The overnight ones are fine for the day. I think tots bots bamboozled were my favourite with some sort of wrap and you just swap the absorbent one for a wee. The all in ones were ok but I found leakier. I bought mine on eBay.
Don't put pressure on yourself to be perfect when every one used is one less in landfill.

And don't use fabric conditioner with them as it stuffs the absorbency.

Mine were born 2005 and 2007, used for both. Didn't use extra liners. Had bomb proof outer wraps. Only time I used disposable was when staying in my mums caravan where there wasn't a washing machine. Also did early potty training so once they were on solids most poo was in a potty.

I used then with my ds. A friend lent me some to try and then have me a big batch which I added to. I found it easy - and I didn't have a drier! I did supplment with disposable on occasion e.g holidays, long day trips etc. but once you have a washing machine it's dead easy.

Yes I line dried it or dried on a clothes horse with a de humidifier. I did have a spare room though to put the clothes horse in.

All the rich parents near me use a nappy service. The dirty ones go in a special container and they drop clean ones off.
I never fancied it, to be frank.

We predominantly used reusables with our first child, from about 6 months. We had a dud second hand batch to start with - if buying second hand, I recommend checking the PUL lining that it is still waterproof (instructions on nappy lady website). Once we purchased some non-failed ones, we got into a good pattern with them. We dont have a drier but they'd go outside on the line when possible. We did use disposables at night and when away from home.

We use cloths instead of wipes (Ikea do some good ones very cheap, and I worked out we'd saved money on wipes within 3 months I think it was) ReNappy is a good place to buy online, they only sell second hand that they've checked are still working. Am thinking now how we will do it with our upcoming twins, I know we'll need a few more nappies if we're doing two, but I'm keen to try doing it with twins, even if not all the time.