I hate my reusable nappies and am scared to try other brands... help!

[CherryChoc]

Before DS was born I really wanted to use washable nappies. I thought I'd really be in love with them, but I'm really not getting on with them at all.

Problem is, I think it's the brand which is the problem - and we use a nappy service which is paid for by my aunt. It saves us so much money and I'm so grateful to her that I don't want to tell her how I feel. There are no other companies locally. They use Fuzzibunz, or prefolds and wraps. I am using fuzzibunz at the moment because the prefolds were hugely chunky and didn't seem comfortable and they kept falling apart when I was trying to put them on and DS was being wriggly.

I hate the bulkiness of them (though actually that's got better since he was about 6mo), I hate how they leak if I leave them on all night, and in fact the fuzzibunz leak anyway if you don't tuck the edges over enough. And at the moment his legs are too big to fit the small size, but the legs gape with medium and the way the poppers are situated doesn't seem to help. And I hate dealing with the poos - in a disposable, I can wipe the worst of it off with the nappy, wrap it up and throw it away, but in the washables I have to scrape it off so I try not to get that much on there in the first place. His poo isn't even solid yet - it's like chunky vegetable soup. I tried using the paper liners but they just stuck to his willy and I thought they were pointless and I might as well be using disposables if I was going to put soggy paper next to his skin. So we use fleece liners.

And finally - just a silly thing, I am fed up of boring plain white nappies and want to use nice bright ones!

Sorry for ranting. Any ideas/advice? Should I just secretly start stocking up for the next baby?

Well I like bumgenius, in fact I love bumgenius. I used terry squares with DD1, totsbots and naturebabies wraps with DD2 and DD3, and bumgenius for DD4 and the last bit of nappies for DD3 before she potty trained. Fab nappies, dry quickly, bright colours, slim fitting, and if you wrap a hemp booster around the microfibre inserts in the night, I find they don't leak at night either.

Have a look around, there are some great nappies and he is young enough for it to still be worth buying them, wash them yourself, there is nothing nicer than a line full of lovely nappies.
I find fuzzibunz great for changing bag nappies, but there are much better ones around for day and night wear. I always used fleece liners, they get easier as the baby gets older.

I used paper liners - but found some were a lot sturdier than others - and in fact, when just wet, went into the wash with the nappies and were reused again ()

We got a 'variety' pack of nappies on hire from the nappy lady and found that some fitted ds much better than others.

We also got some great wraps from Nature Babies - made plain prefolds and plain fitted nappies so much more fun!

Definitely BumGenius. I love Bumgenius, for all the reasons flamingobingo said. The only bad thing is the price but if your DS is fairly young you'll still get lots of use out of them which would justify it.

Bum genuis are brilliant - no leaks overnight either. I have also got some little lambs 2 parts as well, although I do love pockets. I tried fuzzibuns as part of trial kit the council loaned and they were OK, but Bumgenius are much better!

Just buy a couple to see how you get on but I think you will love them!

I'd buy second hand anyway I think - I can buy one at a time then - on a bit of a budget here.

Ohh I don't know what to do I wonder whether the nappy laundry offer the service of collecting and washing your own nappies? I don't want to offend my aunt! Plus we haven't got a tumble drier, or an airing cupboard. But we are hopefully moving soon and we rent so might get somewhere with a tumble drier.

Cherry - we have a dehumidifier which we run in the bathroom so the bathroom's not damp after showers etc - but we can also dry a load of washing overnight - ds's prefolds would dry in 10hrs, shaped totsbots in about 16 and bamboozles in 24 (we used bamboozles over night with a fleece wrap)

the BG will dry overnight on airer - the inserts take about 24hrs on airer or 4-5 hours on the line, so if you can get some outside space then may not need a tumble drier.

Not sure about nappy service - is there any way you could speak to your aunt about the nappies - tell her they don't fit? If she is nice enough to pay for this then she would probably be upset to think it's not working, so may have an alternative suggestion eg buy other nappies, look into the nappy service using different ones etc.

I think Flame (Bumfluff nappies?) dyes nappies if you want colourful ones.

We use resuables, dd now 7 mo and never had an overnight leak.

The nappy service won't do your nappies for you - they don't give you back the same ones each time I think.

Ask your aunt if she'd pay for you to invest in some good nappies, instead of in the laundry service! Wash them yourself - it's very easy! We don't use our tumble drier - we dry our nappies on radiators airers in the winter, and on the line in the spring/summer. The bumgenius take next to no time, because of the microfibre.

BCLass - Which reusables do you use? I'm hoping to make the leap to cloth and I don't want to make any expensive mistakes.

Tell your aunt that they are just making more work rather than less (with the leaks onto clothes etc) and you want to get something more reliable. Any sensible adult should understand that.

You need to try a few different types, work out what suits you and your child best and go from there.

Bumgenius are good for many people, but they don't suit everyone (and for many they wouldn't last overnight) - I don't want you to get your hopes up that they are the ideal nappy and then be let down again iyswim. They could be fabulous for you though.

I was always a shaped nappies and wraps person - nippa fastening as it gives the best fit. For me, bambeasy are great, but they are bulky.

You would be better off with pockets if you want slimness.

Wee Notions pockets aren't slim, but they are gorgeous.

many people are best with different nappies for day and night - often pockets for day, and then a good shaped nappy with boosters and wrap for night is good.

(I've bought things from Flame - she was SO helpful and very quick )

Flame - that makes so much sense. Thanks! Any further rec's with regards to brands.

How old is your DC CherryChoc? We used prefolds but secured them with a nippa (a bit like a terry) till DS was about 18 months. You don't need a tumble drier but a few big radiators help.

Try freecycle for your own nappies. You might even get some different makes that you find suit you better. And you can dye them funky colours.

I find Motherease wraps with velcro (Rikki?) are the best for containment.

Agree with Kirsty that you should find out if your council does a real nappy scheme.

Maybe Aunty's money could be invested elsewhere, such as Child Trust Fund?

Goth - overnight we use exactly what Flame recommended! Nippa Bambeasy witha Motherease Airflow wrap. Fab combination.

In the day we use nippa Bambinex (slimmer, but just slightly less absorbant) with Airflow wrap.

Love Motherease birth to potty and airflow wraps with Bambino Mio liners, use 1 disposable at night because DS pees like a horse at night and extra washing of PJs/sheets etc etc can't be viable! If we're out and about, I stick an extra absorbancy pad in.

Yes definatly try freecycle as your first stop - even if you don't get on well with the ones you get from there - it will still be something else to try and will give you more of an idea what you want.

Also, are there any NCT sales near you anytime soon? I go to them all the time, specifically for nappies mainly! I have got some sooo cheap - litterally a couple of pound for a whole bag of nappies! I actually go to the not so local ones too for this same reason.

Then you can always say to your Aunt that you got those because they were cheap/free and you might as well use them as you don't mind washing them to save her money. The laundry services are not cheap at all - if she wants to help, maybe she could give you the money each week to buy preloved nappies instead?

CC - I'm selling some BGs if you are interested in trying them? They are pink (and 1 white) so that may be a problem for you but I've used them on my son and think he looks cute! I've got 7 in total and I'm looking for £6 each + p&p.

Just thought - am I allowed to sell things on here?!

ziggy x

I hated fuzzibunz when I tried them. Leaked constantly.
We use tots bots with a nippa and motherease wraps. Bombproof and easy to wash and dry, we don't have a garden so it's all done inside on airers. They've fit ds right from his chunky baby phase through to his current long and skinny state, and they are easy to get the hang of- I gave my nan a quick demo before I rushed out the door on Saturday night to get drunk on important business, and I came back to find ds in a perfectly put on clean nappy

Even our nursery managed to put totsbots on the right way (most of the time )

Wot Flame said

I do like my pockets, but they don't fit as well as my 2 part shaped nappies, nor are they anywhere near as reliable.

I have 10 brand new organic cotton tots bots, nippa fastening I am selling if you are interested (friend was selling them to buy some smaller ones but got nowhere so I felt sorry for her and bought them from her).

I loathed Fuzzi Bunz too. Sold mine after a couple of months and umpteen leaks.

I tried Wambamboo and MW wraps, which were OK, but I LOVE my Wonderoos and Pop-ins, so am now selling the WBBs. I am a pocket girl, basically - just not where FBs are concerned!

Why not suggest to your aunt that now DS is bigger and poos less often you're thinking it might be easier for you to wash your own, as you're not using so many nappies now anyway, but you need to buy something different that's more absorbent for overnight which you'll be washing yourself anyway as the laundry have nothing to offer you for this and you're aware it must be costing her a lot so you hope she won't be offended because you think it's been absolutely lovely to have the service......and wait (hope) for her to offer to buy you some instead.
I'd still stick to something that dries quickly eg Bumgenius, you won't need a drier if you've space to hang on airers

TERRIES are better than you think! We LOVE them!!!!

You want colour?: I spent a fiver on dye and now they are blue and purpley swirled! ALso the wraps are gorgeous.

Cheap: You can get them for about 70p per nappy. Wraps we'vebought have ranged from £3 [second hand] to £10 each.

Easy to wash and dry: I put a row of nappies on drying rack next to small open [well opened this morning] window in kitchen last night. They are nearly dry. I can fit about a week's worth into 1 load.

Any shape and absorbancy you want: Folding is easy after a few days of practise, you can add boosters for night time [we use old faceflannels] and very rarely leak.

we love terries....