Some questions about real nappies

[Dragonrider]

I had been planning to use disposable nappies until now, and I'm due in 3 weeks so I feel like I might have left it too late for this to be an option. I've had a look at this sight which was good for discussing options, but doesn't have much of an opinion on what is best. I was really hoping MN would know the answers

• Which material do you find easiest? Is it easier to have one material for day and something more absorbant at night?
• Is nappy rash a bigger problem with real nappies?
• I don't have a tumble drier so will have to hang them on an airer to dry. Do they dry in less than about 24 hours (over night if possible)?
• How many nappies will I need (bearing in mind drying times - I'm happy to put them in to wash everyday).
• Which style is easiesr with a new born? I would imagine that birth to potty will be too bulky and I'm not keep on the idea of origami-ing and pinning into shape either.

Any other tips would be most appreciated! Thank you

A couple of other sites I found useful:

The Nappy Lady - does a personal recommendation for you if you fill in their questionnaire

Lollipop Nappies - have local advisers who you can go and see with no pressure to buy - I did this and the woman was totally not pressuring me to buy their nappies (although I did in the end!), and was really helpful.

For what it's worth, I use Lollipop fleece Micro nappies, I don't think my DD gets more nappy rash than other babies, they dry really quickly (overnight on a rack indoors, and quicker if they are in the airing cupboard or on the washing line outside), I have 18 nappies (for 11 month old) and do a wash every 3 days I should think. I went for one size for when she was under 6 months and had to buy another set in a bigger size for over 6 months. And we use disposable for when we go on holiday / go away to visit people etc.

I would do it again with another child! Oh, and most people recommend using disposables for the first 2 weeks to deal with all that meconium...

Good luck with your little one!

Hi Dragon,

These are some of the websites that I found useful when looking at nappies.
From this site www.babykind.co.uk/nappymain.htm , I ended up buying my nappy bin, mesh bags and paper liners from here but I got better deals on nappies elsewhere.
This website www.twinkleontheweb.co.uk/acatalog/ClothNappiesWrapsandLiners.html gave a good overall description of all the different types of nappy, I ended up deciding on a sized, 2 part nappy (the TotsBots Bamboozle). If you check out their bargains page they sometimes have a good deal www.twinkleontheweb.co.uk/acatalog/Stock_Reductions.html

This site www.thenaturalbabyresource.co.uk/cloth-nappies have a smaller selection but always seem to have a deal or two on the go so they were quite competitive on price if they happen to have what you want and the right type of deal on.

I ended up buying TotsBots ( www.totsbots.com ) Bamboozle nappies. I have 10 of the size 1 aplix fastener and 10 of the size 2 popper fasterners. The size 1 will fit baby weights 8lb - 18lb, and the size 2 will fit 18lb - 35lb. But so I can use them all from the start, I bought the size 2 in the popper fastening it will fold down at the front and will fit a small baby just like the size 1's. Though, they were very big on DD when very small.

With 20 I have enough so that I never run out before the last load of washing is dry. I put her in disposables overnight Also, I have disposables in my change bag, the washables are fine if out somewhere with a proper changing room but its easier to stick a pampers on when I've been changing on the hop.

As I have a 2part nappy, they need a waterproof wrap over them, I have 4 wraps and unless it gets dirty I use one all day and then use a clean one the next day.

My bamboo nappies are quite slim fit compared to cotton. I dry them on an airer (no tumble dryer) and they take less than a day but I often put a dehumidifier on because the house feels quite damp with constantly having wet washing out.

Also, my local council will give you £30 cashback if you go for washable nappies, I kept my receipts for the ones I'd bought and then I sent them in for my cashback claim, maybe your area might do something similar if you haven't already found out about it?

I would definitely agree that using disposables for the first few weeks is a really good idea. Getting those first sticky poos off nappies wouldn't be nice, especially whilst recovering from the birth!!

Hi my experience with real nappies has been you don't need a dryer at all but you will need a lot of radiators or a dedicated clothes horse for in the winter.
Inside drying with a normal warm house (but no need to have radiators all the time) it took say about 8 hours.
I wouldn't say it is a bigger problem as long as you change once wet as they don't absorb/drain away from the skin like a disposable.

All in ones can be less bulky because you don't need to put inserts into them especially if you get aged/weighted sizes like newborn size instead of Birth to potty then they shouldn't be to bulky. For the most cost effective I would buy all in ones birth to potty as they won't be that much bulkier.
For baby clothes to fit over them I would buy 0-3 months instead of newborn size.

Number of nappies, I went on that we needed about 6-8 per day, so we had about 20 nappies. 8 in the wash machine/drying, 8 in the shelf and a few spare. We washed every other day.

Hi Dragonrider, welcome to the world of fluff! I would strongly advise to to try several different nappies - it is fun, and once you work out what works best for you you will soon find something that works even better! It is well worth buying second hand too.

I used cloth nappies on DS1 five years ago (mainly cotton Tots Bots with Motherease wraps) and they were a million miles away from what my mother used on me. By the time DS2 (now three) came along it Bamboozles all the way (I still like them). And now DS3 is here (he's three-and-a-half months) it is all lovely pocket nappies, all-in-ones and all-in-twos.

I though he would start off in two-parters (XS Sandy's, Tots etc) but when it came down to it I couldn't be arsed with nappy and wrap and found the BumGenius one-sizes I had for a bit later fit fine even though he was a scrawny less-than-seven-pounder. Also DH worried he was too wet in two-parters - pockets have fleece or 'stay-dry' fabric next to the bum. (I know you can use fleece liners but I really hate them).

For minimum origami, try pockets or all-in-ones, for quicker drying, go for pockets. Microfibre dries quicker but natural fibres like bamboo and hemp are really thirsty. They hold on to wee more efficiently than microfibre but take much longer to dry... They also feel nicer - microfibre can be a bit like chalk on a blackboard. For sheer gorgeous fluffy strokability look out for lovely things like Blueberry and Itti Bitti D'Lish nappies.

There are a variety of lovely night nappies around but to be honest, you won't need one with a newborn for a while so I wouldn't worry too much about that for the moment if I were you. I do use two-parters at night as I wouldn't trust a pocket not to leak. My current favourite night time combination is a Baby Beehind bamboo nappy (ultra-absorbent!) with a fleece wrap (Stacinator or Sugar Peas). But you don't really need anything special, at least for a good few months, you can just add boosters to a standard nappy - an extra booster between nappy and wrap works brilliantly.

I really like Babykind and Twinkle too but for ease of comparison my favourite site is Kittykins.

Never had much of a nappy rash problem - had a bit of rash with both cloth and disposables... jury is out here.

How many do you need? I have loads and I still need more!

Thank you so much for all the advice! You all make it seem like a really do-able option. I got a bit put off by my sister earlier who was telling my how I'll be stressed enough with a new born without wasting time I should be spending with the baby on doing extra washing. ATM I don't think the time it takes to do a load of washing is enough to be a major loss (but I am getting about 10 hours sleep a night, I might think differently in a month or so!)Is this a problem any of you have had?

I'll probably be back in a couple of days with a whole list of new questions.

Thanks again ladies

Do you have any nappy trial schemes locally? Type in real nappy project and your area.

You just get into a routine of washing.

I don't find bunging another load of washing on every few days a major chore myself, and I certainly don't just sit at home all day just doing housework. My baby slept dreadfully until she was about 8 months and I'm sure that using disposables wouldn't have made me any less exhausted!! Friends seem to think I'm a real earth mother to use real nappies but I really don't see they are that much hassle.

Oh, and just to second shegetsthatfromme who mentioned the cashback thing - I got £60 back from my local council for using real nappies! (not all councils do it so you have to check).

I had loads of negative feedback prior to having my DD re using real nappies too but it works out fine for us now! For the first 6 weeks I used disposables just to make life easier but now I use Bambino Mio which are squares of cotton that you fold in certain ways depending on sex of baby/type of poos and then you cover with a flushable liner and insert into plastic wrap which doesn't need changing unless soiled. BM are my favourites as they are cheap and dry quickly. I also use OneLife which are shaped with poppers that you fir into a wrap. These are more expensive and take longer to dry. I use a disposable at night and if we are away, simply for convenience. I have about 20 nappies and 6 wraps and wash every 3rd day. My DD has not had any nappy rash.

I tried Bambino Mio but always wound up with poo and pee everywhere. I think prefolds make handy floor wipers and dusters. And they are so ugly there is no joy in using them [nappy snob emoticon]...

I found I did LESS washing when I switched from using disps to cloth, as I wasn't having to wash three or four baby outfits a day due to leaky nappies! (Real nappies are much better at containing everything, so you're only having to wash nappies, not clothes.)

It's honestly not a big deal - I'm really very lazy and I manage it!

Definitely try to see a local advisor - it's not too late - and look into whether your council give any cash-back.

Don't forget, you don't have to do all or nothing. We use disposables at night as could never find anything that didn't leak. Also use them when out and about and for the first few weeks when everything is just all a bit much!

I love pre-folds, they rarely leak and are quick to dry and less bulky then a shaped nappy. But most people hate them! You have to try out a few different types to see what suits you and the baby.

I use terry squares - proper absorbent ones from the Nappy Lady rather than the cheaper, thinner ones from highstreet. They are really easy to fold, and really quick and easy to dry (especially if you haven't got a tumble dryer). Have got two in terry nappies now, and it is no hassle - I use reusable wipes too, just bung them in the nappy bucket and wash with the nappies. Couldn't be simpler. I'd buy a couple and try them to see how you get on with them - much cheaper than shaped nappies, and you can always use them as super-absorbent muslins if you don't stick with them. Good luck and welcome to the world of real nappies!

I don't have a tumble dryer and do have hard water so I try to stick to bamboo or microfibre nappies, to minimise them going crunchy. I switched dd to cloth when she was 11months old and the laundry really is no big deal.

I really hate it when people imply that cloth nappying means we don't have time to be with our baby, how long does it take to put a wash on ? Most babies sleep for at least that long at least once a day. I certainly don't find myself spending any less time with my daughter since switching to cloth.

Personally, I would find out about nappy trials in your area, and I would also buy 2 or 3 nappies that really appeal to you (the trial ones can be a little on the worn side).