Convince me to use reusuables.....go on you know you want to!!

[domesticallychallenged]

I really would like to give reusables a go but I am as it says on the tin - domestically challenged, and I am worried adding a bit more work will be foolish! Also are DD's clothes now not going to fit as her bum will have extra padding? I know these excuses are weak and feeble but they bother me. Convince me to try them

I have 4 dd's 2 of whom are in cloth, im a domestic slattern yet i can keep up

The only item of clothing i buy bigger for the girls are vests, and im going to start buying big girls vest for dd3(17m) I have never had a problem with clothes not fitting.

And you can get beautiful nappies, we mainly use itti bitti d'lish and blueberry onesize during the day.

I am lazy erm, domestically challenged, but I also managed to keep both DD's in cloth, despite having no tumble drier or outdoor clothes line.

For reduced bulk I liked bumgenius, and I have two (well worn bit usable) going begging (in bubblegum pink) if you'd like to try them, as DD2 is dry in the day and only wears a nappy at night, and that is a slinky minky. (we have a medium sized one of these spare too as she has grown out of it too.

On a practical note, we kept our nappy bucket next to the bin and instead of throwing used nappies in the bin they went in the nappy bucket, we dry pailed, no soaking, and when the nappy bucket was full we chucked the contents in the washing mashine. It really wasn't labour intensive, even DP managed it....... We hung them on a clothes rack/maiden or on the radiators to dry.

Didn't have any problem with the washing side - just need to get into a regular routine that happens - and we don't have a tumble dryer. Also found them more reliable than disposables...

I was looking at both of the nappies you suggest 4ano. They are very nice, the other brand I have been recommended is sandys which seem cheaper but then I guess they need a wrap too! Maybe I should buy one of each and test them. DD is only 3 weeks so I have plenty of time. Do you have to change them more frequently than disposables?

I used small sandys with dd4 when she was new and they are lovely, i recomend using an airflow wrap they are pretty much leakproof! I have some sandys on the for sale board
I change my dd's roughly every 4 hours, using fleece liners helps keep their bums dry as it wicks the wee away from the skin.

How many did you need? DD was 7lb when she was born, should I get xs or small sandys? I think maybe if I trialed some sandys and then if I can make cloth work move into the itti bittis or/and blueberrys when she is bigger! Will check out you for sale sandys now

I used lots of prefolds when ds was little, together with a few shaped - meant that it didn't matter how often he was changed in terms of nappy supply - cheap - and it was easy to dry them. a system that has separate nappies and wraps normally would result in quicker drying. And you only need a clean wrap when necessary - not every change.

We got a big selection from the nappy lady to try out - lots of shaped, lots of wraps, and some flat ones with recommended folds. If your dd is this age this would be good for you - you could try them out, see how you got on, and find out what shape suits her best. We certainly ended up buying different ones from the ones we would have done if we hadn't hired them first.

My DS is in bumgenius during the day and flexitots at night - apart from a few teething problems we are getting on really well with them. A little bit of extra washing but for the money you save and the reduction in rubbish put out for the binmen they are sooo worth it!

Go for it!

I think around 15 nappies would do for 1 baby washing every other day or so, i have over 100 but that is due to addiction rather than need
DD4 was 7lb when she was born and went straight into small sandys and small airflows.

100!!!

Wow! Where do you store them all?!

I have a huge laundry bag full of nappies and wraps im selling, the rest are in the nursery on the changing unit. There is a shelf for dd3's and another for dd4's, im very anal about it all, dp is not allowed to put nappies together or away as he gets it all wrong!

Hi!
Do give it a try, even if - like me - you aren't sure about the work I left it till DD was about 6 weeks old, as we had other issues to deal with & I thought disposables would be easier. Cloth is so much nicer for baby, and not that much more work.
I've bought loads of small nappies & wraps from the for sale boards on here & Natural Mamas forum, some have worked, some not. We're currently using Bimbles with Motherease wraps (Rikki & Airflow - Jury is still out on the best from these two) when we're at home, and Kushies when out & about, as there's only one part to toss in the change bag. I also have one Bumgenius which is great for convenience, but not natural fibres. We don't have a drier (yet), so I mostly airer/radiator dry, but today they're outside getting some sun!!!! I soak, cause I found the smell unpleasant after a couple of days, and have just started using Mio sanitiser. The I feel OK about chucking them in with other household washing & don't have to wait for a full nappy load.
The nappy Lady website has loads of info & can advise on an individual basis. Also, try to find out if your local council does incentive schemes (we can get up to £30 rebate) and/or trial packs. I'm not sure how you'd find out, maybe your local council website, or try googling?
If you're interested, I have a number of Magicalls all in ones that don't fit DD anymore - lots of girly colours!
Good luck,
Jo x
PS Sorry for long post, am still at the 'enthusiastic' stage (ie pain in the bum!)

I am equally as 100!!!! Impressive collection

The Little Green Earthlet shop is just down the road from me so I think I will pay them a visit. It would be great if she could go straight into S - certainly cost less!!

Right probably a silly question but some people have told me that reusuables can smell a bit - have you found this to be the case? I am sure it's not an issue but just wanted to ask.

Also what do you wash them in? Any tips for keeping them soft?

LOL at 4&NO's DP. Mine keeps asking "Now which one is this? Does it need a wrap?" and commenting how many types we have. Maybe I should send him round to yours!

OK

1. It's a lot less work than you'd ever imagine. Hmm, I think I had a load of nappies about every 2-3 days. It's just washing and drying really, no ironing or anything difficult involved
2. BUT the best thing for me is the lo's cute munchable sticky outy baby bum that you only ever get with reusables .

Re smell & softenss:
I believe water hardness has something to do with the latter. Nappy lady has lots of info on caring for nappies, including banishing smells. (No, I'm not on commission, I just find it easier than trawling through the - admittedly very helpful but often lengthy - threads here on MN). It's also good for for/against arguments etc. if you have someone to persuade enable!

Have just had a quick look at the nappy lady's advice page and you are right JoLucy - there is loads of information. Thanks.

No problem, have fun! Just don't blame me if you have to take out a second mortgage to fund the habit

Just had more fluffy post another itti

I find sometimes the nappies smell when they come off in the morning but once washed they are ok, and my buckets never smell as i put a sanitary towel in the lid with a few drops of teatree oil on to banish whiffs.

I rinse the day's nappies each evening in the machine then they go straight into another bucket by the machine. I wash every 3rd night or so. Absolutely no smell, indeed the empty (and I thought clean ) nappy wrapper bin smells worse.

I didn't switch my dd to cloth until she was 11months and it has been a breeze. I wish I'd done it earlier.

4&no - where do you buy your ittis from? HV just been and weighed DD - she is now 7lb 9oz - could she go straight into an Itti or a Blueberry or will they be a bit too bulky?

If i can get bbos i get them 2nd hand as they are much cheaper, but i have been getting my ittis from a woman on clothnappytree who gets them wholesale so i only pay £10 each rather than £14.50, your dd would probably fit in a small itti but it wouldn't last long, dd4 is tiny in 0-3 clothes and is in mediums, a blueberry would fit but may look a bit bulky.

thanks for your advice. not sure whether to go for the sandys or the itti bittis. DD is quite small, not in 0-3 yet so might get a bit of distance out of small ittis. Think I will aviod xs sandys though and go straight for the small.

Oh btw there are some mners who also sell cloth nappies - Flame for one - I got some great training pants from her - worth tracking down if you're going to buy from new.