Reusable nappies for newborns

[Erinleigh]

Hello

We have gone through so much money and waste (no pun intended) with disposables for our 2 1/2 year old twin sons, that I want to use reusable nappies for baby #3, due in August (okay, I know this seems foolhardy, but no, it wasn't an "accident"!)

I have read so much info about reusable nappies that it is all starting to coagulate into a real muddle in my head, but I have tentatively decided on trying Tots Bots nappies. A friend of mine with a daughter used them successfully.

I am just wondering, though, if it is wise to buy them for a newborn. Should I try a different type or just use disposables until baby is about a month old? As I am new to all this, I am just worrying that Tots Bots size 1 will be too big for newborn. I have been on so many websites: Nappylady, Cuddlebabes, Spiritofnature etc. and all have been helpful but they all want to sell me one of their varied and expensive starter packs.

Any information or advice you can give me will be appreciated!

Congratulations Erin! I started DD2 with reusable nappies at 4 months so I don't know what would be best for a newborn. We use nature babies wraps and booster/liners from kittykins. It took me ages to decide on them though, so much differing info! But we're over the moon with them. I'm sure some of the seasoned reusable users will have worthy info for you tomorrow though .

my dd2 started on a mix of reusable and disposables... I bought the terry squares and just do an origami fold which works well with nappi nippas and plastic pants. I have some muslin nappies that I made just buying metres of muslin and cutting them into squares and then stitching three squares together. I also have some flanette squares just again use the origami fold and they just pin together in the middle with one pin and ready to go. Easy to wash and dry and I just fold them ready for the next day.

DD2 is now 12 weeks ( rarely use disposables) and I am using mainly terry squares. Have fleece liners - bought a couple and then used them as templates to cut from fleece fabric I bought.

The good thing I find with the squares - as she gets bigger - just change the fold rather than having to buy bigger nappies.

I have a stack of prefolds which I had left over from dd1 but they are not so good with newborn poo.... had kushies and nature baby wraps for those.

That is what works for me...I am sure others will guide you to what they have found successful - guess it is a matter of what works for you.

Thanks Levanna and eidsvold... Will let you know what I eventually decide on!

Erinleigh, is it worth trying a nappy laundry service for a couple of months until your baby is a bit bigger? It also lets you into the idea of reusables gradually without the worry of washing when you're getting to grips with a newborn. I did this with ds for about 5 months using Cotton Bottoms and then bought my own nappies. He outgrew the sizes I had at about 18months and I then swapped to Motherease which were great. I've also done the same for dd who's now 4 months old; the laundry service finishes this week and then she'll go into Motherease again. Mind you, both my ds and dd were born in the autumn, so not needing to dry nappies through the winter has been helpful (I don't have a tumble drier), but you won't have that problem with a summer baby .

I love my Cotton Bottoms nappies and used them for ds from a very early age (about three weeks). I don't have a tumble drier but because the nappies are flat and require (simple) folding, they dry quickly.

I hope you find this useful:

A friend who has put 2 babies through reusables highly recommends Essentials which are sold on CuddleBabes. We have been emailing back and forth on the topic and she has told me of the pros and cons she found on different brands.

I bought a few of the Essentials to try out when DD gets here in April. I really like the look of them for a new born. Looks more adjustable for close fitting than mother-ease which I also like the look of. I am hoping that the nursery she will be attending will be happy use them so I am trying to make their job idiot proof.

If anyone is interested, I can forward my friend's emails as she has so many handy hints besides nappies in them.

Stringbean, I want to find out about nappy service but haven't done so yet... would be very helpful - especially for the first few months.

Alux, info about Essentials sounds good - will check them out.

Thanks to all for your suggestions; I am making notes!

erinleigh - also check with your local council - ours was handing out sample packs of I think it was six nappies and two wraps and a packet of flushable liners along with a 10 pound off voucher for laundry service or buying more. THis was part of a real nappy campaign by the council.

you can do pretty well on folding terries into a wrap when they are tiny - the advantage is they are cheap, and dry very quickly, so that you don't need to buy loads of nappies to get you through the first period of lots of nappy changes. I tried all sorts of folds (quite fun actually - I must have been sleep deprived to enjoy it ) - but got just as good results by folding into an oblong pad.

How big do you expect your baby to be ? I have some newborn wraps (won't last long on a 9lb baby though), which are as good as new that I would be happy to sell you - they worked well with terries for the first few weeks with mine.

Don't know about Tots Bots as both of mine have been in Motherease from birth.

DS was 9'11 and DD was 8'3 and they fitted both of them just fine.

DS (now 2.5) has been in the toddler Motherease since he was about 20 months (but then he is very big for his age) but apart from this last bit they have fitted the pair of them all the way through. No need for the Tots Bots 1, 2 and 3.

Incidentally I have one size 2 Tots Bots which I have tried on both children at various times and it doesn't fit either of them particularly well. Both are tall but DD is slim and DS is chunky. It marked both of their legs. But it does look cute!

I'm a Motherease fan (can you tell?)

I do think it's a good idea to get stuck in straight away with reusables as that is when you have (hopefully!) the extra pair of hands.