Nappies = Disposable or washable?

[glossyflower]

I'm considering reuseable nappies when I have my first baby.
What are your experiences of either, pros, cons etc.
Also how many washable nappies would I need to begin with?

I'm going to get disposable for the hospital and camping and washable (I am a nanny and always use washable where I can, and have loads from my old charge). I use wonderoo - lovely and soft and very absorbant. I found babies were less likely to get bad nappy rash with them and tend to be easier to potty train later on. You are also not so stranded if there is a poo event - even if you are out and have used all your dry ones, you can find a not-too-wet one and put it on to get you home. Once the baby is older, you can sling them in with the normal laundry if you like - just tip the worst of the poo down the loo and bung them in.

I used disposable for the first 2 months (and will be doing so again) then I switched to cloth, which for me were much much better than disposables at containing pooh and preventing leaks. We were changing all of DS clothes numerous times a day in disposables but with cloth nappies it was rare that the pooh leaked out. We also used reusable wipes which we stuck in the wash with our nappies.

It was an extra wash every second day for me, which I didnt' find too bad and I either line dried (in the summer) or put over indoor airers in the winter (with the heating on, they dried quickly).

And since I'm expecting number 2 now, will get to reuse them all so will save even more money :-)

I think I had about 18 or so nappies, but that was probably a bit on the tight side (think they recommend 20-25 nappies) but I got by okay.

Get in touch with your local nappy network and you can often get a trial pack of different types of cloth nappies at a much reduced price (e.g. our local council gave you a pack of 6 different type of cloth nappies and a wet bag for 35 quid). Also some places let you trial different types of nappies.

What I would say is don't commit to a large number of any specific make until you've tried them with your baby and are happy with them.

When we got our trial pack, I would use one or two cloth nappies a day to try and get them tested on all bodily fluids to see which ones worked for me and which ones didn't.

Hope this helps!

Start with disposable. You'll have a new baby to contend with which is enough hassle without all that extra washing.
If you have an easy baby and you know you can cope, you can switch to reusable later on.

I use cloth nappies with my twins, they are 20 weeks old now.

I used disposables for the first 6 weeks then onto cloth nappies full time.

Pros -
Have never had a leak, they contain poo very well
The girls only had nappy rash in the first 6 weeks, never in cloth nappies
You don't need nappy rash creams
They look lovely!
You get a huge selection to choose from - different styles, colours, patterns
Environmentally friendly
Saves a lot of money
No harsh synthetic chemicals on your baby's bottom

Cons -
An extra 3 loads of washing a week
You need to be organised with laundry so you don't run out of nappies

I bought all mine before the babies were born, went for a selection of Tots Bots, Bumgenius and Little Lamb.

I've been using cloth on ds from ~4 weeks till now (22 mo). I tend to use disposables at night as he is heavy wetter and sleeps 12+ hours and my cloth ones won't handle that even with double inserts. Other types might but I didn't want to buy more. I also use disposables on holidays. I have about 22 diapers.

Pros-

• cheaper in the long run, esp as I'm just about to use with dc2
• i find less nappy rash, last holiday of only 4 d, used disposables and wipes (even unperfumed etc.) ds had worst nappy rash he's ever had , got home and within 2 d using cloth he'd cleared up
• cute!

Cons -

• I do extra two loads laundry a week, not that bad
• Higher electric bill if you have to use a dryer regularly rather than line dry. if you can line dry, cheaper plus sunlight naturally bleaches them
• Now ds is a toddler, occasionally I get detergent build up which can cause the nappies to stink of ammonia and can hurt sensitive baby bum, but you just have to 'strip' them, i.e. do an intensive wash of all diapers (repeated washes with stronger detergent and lots and lots of rinses) to solve problem. This doesn't happen to everyone.

Other than extra washing I don't find it any more 'hassle'. People always seem to suggest it's lots of work but I don't really see why.

Was also pleasantly surprised that storing used nappies (dry) in big rubbish bin, with a Planetwise liner, did not result in stinky bin even after 3-4 days. Obviously when you tip liner into washing machine it stinks, but no smell from the bin itself.

Also bear in mind you don't have to commit to one or the other. Obviously if you're going to spend money on cloth you need to use them enough to make it worth while, and so you're not doing a full wash with just a few nappies, but otherwise I figure every time I use cloth is one less nappy in landfill.

And if you do buy cloth and will be doing nappy washes, definitely get cloth wipes. Can just use with warm water, no chemicals on baby skin, much better clean, and don't end up getting through packs and packs of wipes.

Aloha try washing nappies with soap nuts. I use them and there is no soap build up on them. Nappies come out clean on a 40 degree wash.

We don't have a tumble dryer and have never had a problem with nappies not drying.

Already tonnes of good advice on this thread which I would second. I found like others that after a week or two reusables were much better at containing poo and wee than the throwaways.

How easy you find it depends on what else you're doing and what sort of person you are. Some people just hate cleaning up poo (though, tbh, bf poo isn't that bad) or can't find the time to wash/dry. For whatever reason, some people just don't 'get on' with reusables.

I would try different brands rather than buying a lot of one sort, esp if you find out you just don't get on with them. Try using a few a day and keep adding. I used muslin squares early on too and this time I've got some muslin-like prefolds. I used and personally prefer fitted nappies - there are lots of brands available - anything big label like Little Lamb, Bumbles, Nature babies, Bamboozle stretchies etc are great and very similar. Use a good wrap (personally I would stay away from 2nd hand wraps) like Motherease.

Washing is simple: after rinsing away any poo, stick in drum til full then wash at 40/60oC with soap nuts and a little vinegar in the wash. This all I ever use now to keep nappies clean and fresh. .

I used disposable for dc1 for first couple of weeks then swapped to disposable and loved them. Again, didn't find sticking in a couple of extra washes as it's not like you have to iron them . I stopped using them at 10 months when I went back to work full time and dc went to nursery.

I would recommend trying to get second hand ones from NCT sale etc. I got rid of mine after dc1 but got two giant bags of gorgeous ones including waterproof covers etc for a fiver each from NCT sale (about 36 nappies for each stage)! Because we paid so little, we will save a fortune even if we don't use them until toilet training/ everyday.

At the moment, the plan is to use cloth but disposable for days out etc.

I tried when DS was about 2-3 months and failed miserably. Tried again when he was 11mo and still using them now at 21mo (and going to use them on DS2 when he's born too). The main reasons I 'failed' when trying at 3 months was:

-Not pre-washing enough and thinking subsequent leaks were simply to do with the nappies being bad
-Not sticking it out long enough to really understand the different elements (it's so overwhelming at first, all the different terms etc)
-Not really understanding that different nappies are suitable for different babies. Just because one type of reusable nappy doesn't work on your baby, doesn't mean all reusables won't work. It's just a question of trying different ones until you find 'The One'.

I also definitely second the advice given above: What I would say is don't commit to a large number of any specific make until you've tried them with your baby and are happy with them. Buy two of each of several brands/types (try and get them second hand if you can) and try them out thoroughly.

I highly recommend a two-part system (absorbent shaped nappy with a separate waterproof wrap). If you find the one that is right for your baby they will be pretty much bomb proof. All-in-Ones (AIOs) are good for when you're out & about or if you send your DC to nursery, as they go on as simply as a disposable.

Most (if not all) councils now give you money off/back when you buy reusable nappies. Look on your council website. It is under waste management on ours.

I used muslims for about 6 weeks because terry nappies were too bulky when DCs were so small, then went onto terry nappies. I like these because they are the cheapest to buy, really quick to dry and can be folded in different ways to suit boys/girls/heavy wetters/runny poos etc and go right through to potty training without needing to buy different sizes. Nappy nippas are great as well. Much better than the old fashioned nappy pins.

I found this website really helpful; www.terrynappies.co.uk

Thanks everyone.
I didn't know about the council giving you advantages so will look into that.
I've decided to go disposable for the first few weeks, as many posters said I'll be having a new baby to contend with it seems practical to get to grips with baby first.
Then I will probably buy reusables once I have a good routine going (if!)
Xxx

Interesting thread, I'm also trying to be more Eco-friendly and considering re-usables for DC3.

As a rough guide what's the initial cost for enough nappies plus wraps?

It really depends on what you want. If you buy pre-loved nappies, it will be much cheaper. New nappies can range from a fiver to 20 quid each.

40 new nappies (plus accessories) cost me about 300 (bought of eBay and whenever there were specials online).

I paid about £150 for 16 new nappies (a semi popular brand all-in-one system). I started when DS was 11mo though. You'd need something like 25 nappies for a newborn. Whenever I read guidelines they say about £200-300 outlay for birth to potty. More if you go for the expensive end of the price range. It's addictive though, you can easily spend a lot more once you get into it

Keep in mind that the second hand nappy market is quite good. So if you buy a well regarded and long lasting brand, you will likely get a big percentage of your money back if you decide to sell them. There are cheaper alternatives (eBay cheapies, less popular brands, terries or prefolds) but their resale values won't be as good.

If you get a couple of dozen terry nappies and about 5 wraps, it will be enough to last through to potty training. This will only cost you roughly £60, including booster pads and a bucket for soaking.

Just to give the other side, I wouldnt consider reusables. DS was a non-sleeping high needs baby (so basically screamed when put down at all and didn't sleep for more than 45 mins at a time overnight for about 4-5 months). He was also quite sicky and I was doing a wash load a day already.

I used, and will again this time, the nature babycare nappies, which are as eco friendly as disposables get, much more degradable and without any nasty chemicals. Suited DS's very sensitive skin well.

So I think you're wise to wait. If you get an "easy" baby then go for it, if you can stand the hassle of the soaking and washing. If not, there are more eco friendly disposables out there. IMHO looking after a baby is tough enough!

I've used washables wirh all my babies from birth and plan to do same with this one. I didn't see the point in starting wirh a totally different system to what I intended to use then swap over at some point? Try to find some people in RL that use them and can show you some options. I've bought lots of mine from preloved, eBay, NCT, etc and have the most adorable ones for newborns wirh a cut out for their umbilical cord! (Originally mothercare £160 but a friend got them from NCT for me for £20)

All your comments are really helpful ladies, thank you.
Unfortunately I don't know anyone using disposables!

Is this a good deal for £60?

20 Used Close Pop In Reusable Nappies
5 nightbamboo boosters
1 tote bag
1 smarty pants zip bag
1 wet bag
1 nappy bucket
A few packs of liners

glossy - that looks like a fab deal :-D

My only concern would be whether you've tried your baby (if he/she's here yet :-) in those nappies to make sure they work for you?

Otherwise, you might end up paying 60 quid and then discovering they don't really work for you (my son leaked in various types of good branded cloth nappies - nothing to do with the nappies, but it's a bit like disposables, some babies leak in some brands more than others), then although 60 quid is a bargain, you'd need to spend money on more - mind you you could always re-sell the nappies? So maybe worth the risk?