Come and share your in a nutshell guides to reusables - there are so many....

[lou031205]

I have read the various threads about reusables and got in a bit of a two&eight.

I am 33 weeks with DC3.

DD1 - 3.2 uses pull ups at night only. No need to change that.

DD2 - 18mo in disposables.

DC3 almost due.

I thought about reusables with DD1, but thought I had enough to be getting on with learning to be a parent.

I intended to use reusables with DD2, but didn't get around to it. She was born a bit prem.

I would really like to give it a bash with DC3. I'm thinking that birth to potty might be useful because I could change over DD2, too....

Having used prefolds with a laundry service, then mix of shaped and bamboo squares with DS, I'm currently using just the squares with DD (10 wks). I like them best because they are so flexible (can fold them in different ways depending on age/sex of baby) and dry quickly. Cheapest option too!

Hi Rhinestone, what do you put over them?

I use Bumgenius. Quite simple to use for two different size children as you just adjust the poppers. They are birth to potty (although I have heard some people say on here that they might not quite make it to potty depending on the size/age of the child). My tall 11mo is only on second set of poppers so has plenty of room to grow in them.

They're also great for anyone who has used disposables as they go on and off exactly like disposables (one layer, two velcro tabs), and there is minimal handling of dirty nappies as you just dump in a mesh in a bucket and then throw the mesh in the wash - the inners come out in the wash and you just spend 10 mins in front of the telly restuffing them and you're ready to go again.

My DH refused to get reusables so I did a trial of a few different types and he loved BGs. Now he tells all his daddy friends to try them!!!

lou - Motherease Airflow wraps (the ones with poppers) Have tried a few different kinds but these seem to work best.

Ok...How many would I need? (Squares or Bumgenius)

I have a 17 month gap between my youngest 2,and use bumgenius. reliable, practical and can be used for both children. dd, 21 months, has been in them since birth. she is very big for her age, and they still fit her.

Thanks for that roomforthree. Good to hear someone finding it works in the situation I'm thinking of. How many do you have?

Anyone else?

i'd say about 20 for use with both, but you'd have to wash them daily.

The really good thing about BumGenius though is that they dry really quickly. I love BumGenius, wish I'd discovered them earlier.

Do you think they would need changing more often than disposables?

I have 15 BGs for one baby - wash every 2-3 days depending on if we've just used our usual 5 or if there have been accidents and used more. I had 10 and that was too few - 15 is probably slightly more than I really need for one baby.

I reckon that if we have another DC while DS is still in nappies that I'd get an extra 5 and that those 20 would do me for washing every 2 days depending on how quickly we use them. In other words, I agree with roomforthree!

We got BGs specifically for DS to use at nursery. He's changed at the same time as the other kids, who are all in disposables, and there are rarely leaks so I don't think you need to change any more frequently.

We usually use 4 BGs during the day and then one at night with my 11mo. Obviously more with newborn just because of all the dirty nappies!

Oh and as hensmum says BGs dry very quickly - the outers come out of the wash barely wet, and it is only the towelling type inners that take a while to dry, but even they are very quick to dry. If I'm being organised I shove the wash in as soon as DS has gone to bed, then hang to dry on airer before bed and they are usually done by morning.

i tend to change both every 3 hours. i boost dd's nappy with a microfibre cloth. could probably last another hour if needed. ds2 is fine just with the supplied insert. i have the v2. the v3 bumgenius has 2 inserts supplied so this may be sufficient for your older dc without any extra boosting.

and i agree about the drying time. overnight on the airer and they're good to go.

Sounds great!

Righto, DH pretty much sold on the bumgenious idea. Does anyone know the cheapest place to buy them. Prices seem to be about £270 for the number we'd need

Lou, I agree bumgenious are good. It might sound like a lot of money, but you would spend a LOT more than that if you were using disposables so it is still good value. Bumgenious are a more expensive nappy compared to other options though, so if you can't afford them, please don't be put off by that as you can look at other nappies. But you get what you pay for IMO.

How do you feel about second hand nappies? If you wanted, you could just look around at second hand ones (we could be in competition with each other though! lol). And gradually build up a stock of them? There are quite a few sites, including mumsnet that you can buy and sell used nappies. I bought 2 BG for £12.50 before and I have just bought a third for £5. So you can get them cheap. If you posted a wanted add on each site I am sure you could get some. Then you could try the first lot out on your DC2 and see what you think? Most of the time I buy nappies on here and they are here within a couple of days.

I am going to be in a similar situation to you by the way - I have DD1 - 14 months in washables and DD2 due in 7 weeks.

I know you said you wanted to leave your eldest but just wanted to say you can get washable pull up type things, that from what I hear, help get them dry at night as pull ups are so dry they don't always know they have done it etc. And you could keep them for the rest of your children so it wouldn't be like you are buying them for just a few months. Just a suggestion!

I agree with soon2 if you are already doing a nappy wash it is no extra work to to wash a night nappy for a tot (DS1 is only in nappies at night).

I've not used bumgenius so can't comment, but they are really popular.

Thanks soon2be4 and mumoftoby - will look into the second hand nappy market. Perhaps we can become an all cloth family.

That price sounds about right for 20ish nappies. BGs are expensive, but a lot of nappies that seem cheaper require wraps as well and/or don't last birth to potty so you need to invest in a second size. It is a big investment up front esp at the moment with nobody having much ready cash but you will be able to resell them and you are done for expense beyond electricity and washing powder. Could you maybe buy one or two now to try with DD2 so you are certain you want them by the time DC3 arrives (guess that depends exactly how imminent DC3 is )?

Be careful with second hand BGs that you know which version you are getting. The new ones are V3 which I have - some second hand ones may be V2. I think the velcro fastening had some problems which they corrected with V3, and there were a few other bits they tinkered with. So V3 generally acknowledged to be an improvement on V2, although I have heard several people on here say they've been fine with V2s.

I think you might actually find it easier if they are all in cloth as you then don't need to buy any disposables, nor have any sitting in your bin - 2 good sides of washables. And it would mean you could put a nappy wash on everyday. At the moment, with only 1 in washables, I struggle to find enough nappies to do a wash, and thats with washbale wipes too. But I am hoping to be able to wash nappies every morning when I have 2 in cloth as I don't really like them sitting around but refuse to have the washing machine on for not a full(ish) load.

The general cloth discussion thread is very useful for general chat and sharing advice.

Holidayqueen, that is a good point about the versions. Although mine are both V2 and are fine, although I have never tried V3 so don't really know much different. I think it is only very minor things that were adjusted though.

I like my BG & DH has been impressed with them. There is one online real nappy supplier I've found that does a discount for multiple buys of thes (don''t know if I'm allowed to post name here). Am also considering trying the pocket nappy from P'tits Dessous, as it's slightly cheaper. I would echo the advice about second hand though - it's a good way to see what works for you.

I have taken the plunge and ordered 24 BGs. I know what I am like, all or nothing. If I 'try them out' and try to go gradually, I will give in and be back on disposables. Now I have spent a small fortune on BGs, I have to make it work or DH will kill me

Lol, well done lou. If you have any problems with them, come back on here and ask or come over to the cloth nappy discussion thread as there is usually a way round most problems that doesn't involve buying different nappies! I am sure you will be fine though, they are a popular nappy.

Good luck! I have 3 bumgenious nappies and don't have any problems with them. I can't use them at night on my DD though (14 months) as she wets through them, but she is a very heavy wetter and we have yet to find a nappy that lasts the night (including disposables which leak by 3am!)