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Original poster

Reusable nappies, good or bad idea?

118 replies

ShiftyEyes · 27/02/2014 08:40

This will be our first baby, due in July and I'm looking for some advice on reusable nappies.

I have researched brands cost etc and it seems to be the way forward. Less chemicals, less landfill waste and cheaper in the long run.

But I'm worried I may be setting myself up for a fall. I mentioned reusables to my Mum and she had to contain a smirk / giggle and said "see how you go on with disposables for the first month or so..."

I'm trying to be realistic, from what friends have told me I can't begin to understand the tiredness / zombie like state I will be facing when baby is here. I wonder if I would be taking too much on with new baby and all the stress that brings combined with loads of extra washing and drying of all the nappies. I don't want to fork out approx 350 to find I just can't be arsed to use them and end up sending OH to supermarket.

I don't know anyone who has actually used them, so has anyone had experience of disposables and are they more trouble than they are worth?

OP posts:
HannahG315 · 27/02/2014 20:30

Oh :( I wondered why I hadn't heard of them! They sounded too good to be true!

Original poster
ShiftyEyes · 28/02/2014 09:34

Pedant no, I wasn't suggesting you can just shove a load of poo splattered nappies in with your best towels but I didn't realise wee only items could be washed with other things - that's useful to know!
I shall look out for Napisan, I'd never heard of that before Blush I'm starting to realise that learning about cloth reusable nappies is like learning a new language.
I came across these last night, although not as funky as some I have seen they seem very well priced which is making me suspicious. Is anyone familiar with them? www.realterrynappies.co.uk/birth-to-potty-kits-58-p.asp

OP posts:
Enb76 · 28/02/2014 09:43

I used terries and a wrap, for a newborn it was cheap muslin squares and a wrap. Really quick to wash and dry, I still have the terries and muslins and sue them for cleaning around the house now.

CelticPromise · 28/02/2014 09:44

They are your trad terry squares, and I think they're great but some people find them a faff. The good thing with terries is if you get a leak our they don't fit well you can try a different fold instead of abandoning the whole thing. And they are adaptable- DS is 4 and still in night nappies, only now he wears two at a time. Only thing is, new terries can be too bulky for newborns. You can use a muslin instead or seek out second-hand nappies- I have some worn very thin that are perfect for newborns, but mine are 50 odd years old (DH wore them as a baby!)

I've no experience of nature babies wraps but I believe they are well regarded. There is a download of different folding methods, I think on terrynappies.co.uk.

Looks like a good deal to me!

CelticPromise · 28/02/2014 09:48

The other great thing about terries is that they are very cheap compared to others! You can jazz them up with funky wraps if you want. In addition to that pack you would need:
Nappy bucket (I don't use any napisan but some do)
Fleece liners are nice for night

I have had about six wraps in each size, and I probably have 40 nappies. I'd want at least 25-30 to take the washing pressure off. I can get 20+ in my machine.

PedantMarina · 28/02/2014 12:17

Of course, you weren't Shifty. Grin I think I was just trying to emphasise that we were OK with washing pooey pants with other things, as long as they's been prepped, as it were. I hadn't put that specifically in my already-overlong first post, so thought I'd clarify.

BTW, congratulations! Hadn't said that yet. Blush

sewingandcakes · 28/02/2014 16:37

Inspired by this thread I've bought another 3 Tots Bots nappies today, and I'm back using them again. Helspopje thanks for the tip about 3 for 2 at Boots, I got some of the story ones, they're so great!

I have a question about fleece liners; what do you do when they get poo squashed into them? I'm preferring the paper ones at the moment...

CelticPromise · 28/02/2014 17:10

I rinse them in the toilet then stick them in the bucket with the rest. It's not my favourite job admittedly...

Original poster
ShiftyEyes · 28/02/2014 17:57

Thanks Celtic I picked up a load of muslins in the sales the other week as I was told they are useful for all types of baby related things.
I really do feel that reusables are the way to go but after all the great advice here I think it might wise to take in on with trepidation and without spending a fortune, just in case I find it doesn't work so well in reality

OP posts:
Original poster
ShiftyEyes · 28/02/2014 17:59

Thanks pedant Grin it's all very scary yet exciting, so much I need to learn about and research

OP posts:
Original poster
ShiftyEyes · 28/02/2014 18:00

Thanks pedant Grin it's all very scary yet exciting, so much I need to learn about and research

OP posts:
PenguinsEatSpinach · 28/02/2014 18:12

Fleece liners - flush under loo flush and stick in nappy bucket. Would prefer paper liners but just never worked for us...

TheScience · 28/02/2014 18:25

I flush in the loo water too. I tried paper liners (and we did use them for nursery) but found they left DS's bottom wet whereas the fleecy ones keep them lovely and dry.

poocatcherchampion · 28/02/2014 22:58

we love our reusables too!

re poo - we have a poo scraper knife conveniently located behind the loo... Grin. guests occasionally wonder..

re potty training dd1 did so at 20 months and I think it was definitely in part to do with reusables. as she was getting to grips with it we had to use disposibles for naps as she would wake up and cry if she felt the wetness.

I would suggest getting started asap - I'm sure it is hardr to change to do it rather than it just being what you have always done. we didnt notice more work with 2 in cloth. we do put them in with the rest of the white wash. usually rinse by themselves first.

rumparooz are our perfects. fat legs and chunky bottoms in our house. I wish dd1 was still in them tbh!

perfectstorm · 28/02/2014 23:03

Napisan triggered bad nappy rash in DS. We stopped using cloth and had to move over to Naty ones because normal disposables also gave him nappy rash. It was only when he was out of nappies and into pants that we found all detergents trigger eczema, but Napisan actually brings out a rash (I used it to clean the machine, and then put a clothes wash for him through...) with DD we're using Surcare and 60 degrees instead.

perfectstorm · 28/02/2014 23:09

Incidentally Bambu leak less than Naty - Naty are buggers for leaking breastmilk poo, because it's so bloody runny. Bambu have the same eco levels, but more effective containment - but you have to buy online, which is a downside. (We stocked up for the initial newborn days when it feels like life is happening far faster than you can begin to keep up with, then cloth going onwards.)

Permanentlyexhausted · 28/02/2014 23:13

I used washables, although I had a couple of packs of disposables for the first couple of months before I got the hang of them. Apart from anything else I only had 12 nappies to start with and with 8 or so changes a day, I just couldn't keep on top of the washing and drying. Once I got a second set (24 nappies) I ditched the disposables and never looked back.

perfectstorm · 28/02/2014 23:19

Oh, and I am a big microfibre fan. They stay really soft - cotton can get scratchy pretty fast, when washed that constantly. They dry at lightning speed as well. We have Tots Bots Fluffles which are fab, but I don't think made anymore, but Little Lamb make similar, I think?

Rockchick1984 · 01/03/2014 00:03

Perfectstorm can I ask how often you had to change microfibre fitteds and how much you boosted them? I keep debating some of the LL ones (mostly have pockets at the moment) but worried they would need changing constantly! Also, do you have to change the wrap each nappy change?

sewingandcakes · 01/03/2014 08:41

I will try fleece liners again I think. The paper liners I bought yesterday are huge and a pain to fit in the nappy, and when the inside of the nappy is lovely and soft it seems a shame to be putting scratchy paper near his bum.

I put him in a reusable nappy last night and it leaked by 2am (ds was in our bed). Should I be using a booster at night, or can I blame the rubbish liner somehow? I'll need to think of something to use 100 paper liners for now!

TheScience · 01/03/2014 08:51

Big nappy with lots of boosters and a really good wrap for overnight.

Misty9 · 01/03/2014 09:58

Totsbots do nice disposable liners, not scratchy at all. sewing was the night nappy just a normal cloth day nappy? If so, you may need a nappy designed for night times; little lambs bamboo are good, as are totsbots bamboozle stretchies. We could never use normal day nappies for nights.

rockchick with our microfibre fitteds (rumparooz and bumgenius) we had to change every 2hrs generally, even with boosting. Could try boosting with bamboo to get longer? But you'll need microfibre next to the skin to wick away moisture quickest.

perfectstorm · 01/03/2014 10:15

Rockchick DS is now 5, so I don't remember, and newborns need changing every 2 hours whatever you do... we didn't have any leaking though, I do remember that? And we didn't change wraps every change, either. We do have boosters, but also microfibre. I never found changing fast an issue, but then I've not yet used cloth nappies on an older baby or toddler so maybe things will change then!

I don't know where you live, but our local authority offer trial packs of all sorts of nappies (plus a really good money-back voucher deal when you buy a set) so maybe look into that and see if you can trial a range and work out what suits you? We do actually have a tumble dryer, but the big bonus on top of the softness with microfibre is that they're almost dry straight out of the machine, too, so washing is easier. Cotton take forever to dry in comparison.

sewingandcakes · 01/03/2014 18:37

I liked the Tots Bots liners when I had them; the ones I got yesterday are Boots own and I don't think they're much good. Had two more leaks today, which hasn't happened before I started using these liners.

MsJasmineF · 26/02/2019 22:08

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