Reusable nappies - yay or nay?

[ShebaShimmyShake]

Hello all. We're thinking of using reusable nappies when our baby is born - specifically the Bambino Mio Miosoft range. This kit is what we have our eye on: www.mothercare.com/Bambino-Mio-Miosoft-Two-Piece-Reusable-Nappy-Premium-Birth-to-Potty-Pack---Unisex/688787,default,pd.html

Looks like it would save a lot of money and be so much less wasteful - hate the thought of all those nappies in landfill. My mother used reusables with me and hated them but I am sure they've come on a long way in 30 years. What are your thoughts and experiences? Thanks.

You to washable wipes. I use bumgenius elementals. Didn't work so well with dd1, they leaked and she would get awful redness from it. Dd2 they are a dream. I do still use a disposable for nights though

I have a set of Bitti d'Lish plus a stack of cheapies from eBay - no leaks and no issues with the non-brand ones. Teddies for night time with motherease wraps.

I also used disposables for the first month, and when they are sick or we've had a Day Of Poo.

DD2 is now 8 weeks old - using them for more than 1 child really makes a difference financially, and they can be sold on afterwards

I mostky used Tots Bots all in ones, and Bambo Eco nappies at night and on holiday (I just carried around spare/wet Tots Bots if we were just out for the day). Worked well for me. Used cloth for both babies, but not until about 6-8 weeks, their legs were so skinny.

Oops, read the op as looking at Mio Solo which I hear good things about. I had a trial pack of Bambino Mio which I didn't get on with, almost put me off cloth completely! Your may well have a local nappy library op, which will let you have a look at a few different types. Round here, the breastfeeding support groups are also full of cloth mums who are more than happy to show you what they use and how they work. Get to one of them if you can. I use disposable wipes - the Pound Shop sell a 5pack of thin baby flannels which I combine with a little spray bottle of water.

Thanks all! So a definite no to Bambino Mio, but looks like Motherease, Little Lamb and Tots Bots are the overall Mumsnet faves...

We used them as soon as we came out of hospital. We started with 2 parters, but switched to Itti Bitti snap in ones at around 5 months - the boy was rolling and trying to get a snug, gape free fit with the outer wrapper was impossible.

I found them easier than disposables - 2 or 3 wash loads a week, and as they contained the kinds of explosive poos disposables couldn't deal with, I had far fewer baby clothes in circulation. Not needing to leave the house when running low on nappy supplies was a real bonus for me.

Sheba, I've used cloth in the past and plan to with the DC5 who's due at Christmas. There's a website - google The Nappy Lady - where you can fill a questionnaire about your preferences/priorities with cloth and she'll email you within a couple of days with recommendations that account for your specific needs and wants. It was really helpful.

I shall check her out, thank you!

I hope I can get on with reusables...I just can't bear the thought of all that money and landfill waste. A few friends told me the cost of the excess laundry would cancel out any money and energy savings unless I have a second child but I researched it and that looks to be nonsense.

Sheba I saw a site that quoted that but it was based on washing nappies at 90 degrees, which you don't need to do with the modern nappies.

And a lot of councils do money off vouchers towards them - check yours out.

EBay is no good they classed second hand Reusables as used underwear..!

There are a few facebooksgroups

• cloth bum mums
• CBM sales
• preloved cloth nappies

Loads on there second hand to try.

Have fun

We went from the outset and it never felt like a chore; just part of having a baby. You do more washing.

Thanks all - yes, my local council does a cashback deal on reusables, and I don't think there's any need to wash at 90 degrees...

They do seem to go on eBay but for some reason the listing won't let sellers mark them as Used, so they have to specify it in the description.

If you're worried about washing at lower temps you can get a special powder to add to your washing that works as an antibacterial. Also dry pailing is fine for modern washing machines

I really strongly recommend not spending a fortune on a birth to potty kit of one type. See if there is a cloth nappy library or company which hires out trial kits near you. I tried them with a newborn with one type of nappy and didn't get on with them then recently hired a trial kit and found some that worked great for our 18mo. Will be using cloth from as early as possible with the new baby when he arrives. The ones that work best

We have always used terries for our 5 - cheap, one size fits nearly all, except perhaps later on at night when you may need to boost or buy a bigger version, so they really are birth to potty. They wash and dry quickly and only need a little practice before you'll be dab hands at folding and pinning or nippa-ing. There is a variety of folds so you can easily find one which catches runny poo in the early days and copes with flooding overnight later! (The Nappylady has videos of how to do different folds and the odds are you'll have an older relative who remembers using them and can help.) If you have more than one child in nappies at a time - at one stage we had two in nappies full time + two at night - they are interchangeable so you don't need to take as many out or away with you as if you need to take different sizes for each child.