To wash or not to wash, that is the question

[Ryoko]

Currently using Asda nappies £4.75 for 46 (get thru 1 pack a week).

Is it really cheaper to buy washable ones, with the liners/pads that need chucking away and the amount you'd have to buy and all the washing?.

yes.

bottom line, even if you buy the most expensive types, and wash with the most expensive powders and hottest longest wash settings.. its STILL cheaper

dont forget u can also sell them on after for half what you paid once PT.

and if you use them again on your next child(ren).. well you do the maths

Yuk! do people actually buy second hand nappies!.

Yes people do indeed buy second hand nappies. Obviously they are clean and washed.

If you are planning to have more children then you will save an absolute fortune on nappies if you opt for reusables.

However, I would say that if you have any reservations or you know that deep down you don't really want to use them, then don't. (I did use them and got on with them, but lots of my friends didn't)

It's not much of a saving if you feel icky about buying 2nd hand, so spend a lot on brand knew, especially if you suspect your heart isn't in it. It is a very personal decision imho.

Some of the nappy sites do a kind of trial/starter pack that you could buy initially.

brand new I meant. Also I mean if you spend a lot on brand new and then only use them a couple of times, it is really a lot of money.

Why wouldn't people buy second hand nappies?!

The best advice IMO is to buy several different nappies second hand, and try them out. See which ones suit you and your baby best, and then if you decide you want to use them full time buy more of that sort.

I am 38wks pg and collecting various nappies atm, we have a trial pack of one sort partly paid for by our local council incentive scheme, and six different types that have come from carboots/friends/ClothNappyTree.

If you really can't bear the thought of second hand ones then how about a trial pack from here?

i think really you need to do some research and decide yourself. it is a very personal thing.

and yes people do buy second hand (preloved) nappies, in the same way you buy second hand baby clothes that may have been puked/wee'd/poo'd on. washing machine gets it clean so it doesnt matter.

I rince then wash so as not to cook in stains

I bought nappies for £200 brand new, wraps, nappies etc the lot. They did DD1 from 6 months to 2.5 and DD2 from 4 monthsish to 18 months.I spent a fiver on semi disposable liners every 3 months (poos got flushed, otherwise they got washed)
So 24 + 14 =38 months for £200 plus £20 a year for the 3 years they were in nappies (they overlapped) = £260
£4.75 a week for 38 months = £19 a month give or take = £722.

One half wash every 2 days, dried on radiator overnight. PLus the bonus of them both being in the same size nappy, it just did up differently.

And I have sold them on now for £60...

sorry wrong thread, we wash every 2/3 days and plan to have more kids and will re-use our stash (some of which is second hand, people use second hand baby gros which often get covered in body fluids, but have been washed)

most of the nappies I use most frequently cost about £5 each new, you can spend A LOT more but you don't have to

Since they seem to be the cheapest are terry towels worth buying? they appeal to me because it is one size fits until potty trained but I have no idea how you fold em or anything.

you will still need wraps / covers with terry towels - its a 2 part system, and nappy nippas or similar I'd guess to secure them. There are lots of one size fits all till potty options available including all in ones and pockets

I don't particularly recommend them personally , but some people like them and I'm trying to get rid of 6 birth to potty onelife nappies with 2 large wraps and will do the lot for £10 plus postage

Can people name a few of the cheapest possible ones that last until the potty please and places that sell em?.

babybots.co.uk sell coolababys

We use MotherEase OneSize which fit from just after newborn, and should last until potty trained. About £7 each, we have 20 and do a wash every other day.

I can highly recommend www.kittykins.co.uk/ and www.cleangreennappy.co.uk/.

Yes! It is much cheaper. See this website for the maths, which takes into account the cost of the washing too: www.fill-your-pants.com/savingmoney.html