Re-useable nappies/laundering service

[Gallopingsausage]

Have any of you used the laundering sevice available for re-useable nappies?

I am 31WP with bubs no 1 and I was considering using re-useables but from what I have read and friends have told me there seems to be more "cons" than "pros"...nappy sores, leakage, whiffy, constant washing and drying etc.
DH has discovered a "laundering service" they provide nappies and wash etc, I am willing to give it a go for the obvious reason and would love some feedback.

haven't used the laundering service, but have been using reusables for the last 7months on my ds5, and they are so easy i've started to use them on my 2yr olds too! we've had no nappy sores, no leakage after fining the wonderful motherease wraps, they don't smell if kept in a lidded bucket, and I only do a wash every other day with 2, they are honestly not any harder to use than disposable especially if you only have 1 baby! please ask in nappies, theres loads of reusable experts there! sorry that was of no help at all but I also thought they'd be a nightmare until I tried them!

I think you need some better advice - what you have been told is nonsense! I am on ds3 and have always used cloth - its fab.

There are lots of advisors out there who will help you choose what is best - they can come to your house and show you what they are like etc - I would recommend Lollipop - www.teamlollipop.co.uk.

A laundering service is good if you don't want to wash but can work out more expensive than disps.

Lastly - your council may offer money back/vouchers if you use cloth - may be worth contacting them.

Good luck

p.s. I love fuzzis and onelife!

I think you need to head over to the nappy board asap!!! The cloth nappies that you could get on the High Street were pretty rubbish until recently (problems like you describe, leaks etc). But the ones you can get on the internet are BRILLIANT!! I used them with my DD from birth, she's now potty trained, and we never had any trouble. It's just a couple of extra loads of laundry a week (rather than an extra couple of trips to the supermarket to buy nappies), you save loads of money, environmental benfits, much cuter, and baby has soft lovely cloth next to bum unstead of paper and chemicals.

There are so many wonderful choices out there that it can be a bit overwhelming at first. Like Octo suggested, it would be a big help if you could get an advisor to come and see you. Either Lollipop, or some councils have advisors too (I'm one for Surrey County Council). Failing that, lots of the nappy websites have advice services too (like the Nappy Lady. And the ladies on the Nappies board are very helpful too.

Can't help with the laundry service thing. They use prefolds, I think, which are not a great nappy system. And it's expensive. I never found washing/drying a hassle and I don't have a tumble drier.

You really need different friends talking to you!

Most cloth nappy users will tell you that there are less rashes, less leakage, a different smell (disposables stink to cloth users and vice versa), washing is one load every 2-3 days, and drying depends on the nappy.

Please - head over to the nappy section and there are oodles of us.

I am happy to talk pros/cons and give cloth advice via email too bumfluffnappies at gmail dot com

I've used cloth with both of mine and for the first 3-4 months each time used a laundry service. Felt it was well worth the money to have one less thing to do at the beginning!
I carried on using pre-folds as we were comfortable with them and I really didn't need another addiction

All the 'cons' mentioned are rubbish!!

Cloth is ace, as others have said.

I wouldn't use a service personally. The washing is no bother. Plus with a service you are restricted to their nappies, you have a gazillion dirty nappies waiting for the weekly pick up. You always have to be in for the pick up/drop off and when you hava a day when they poo in every bloody nappy you are liable to run out whereas if they are yours you just sling a wash on earlier than usual

I think as someone else has said that you will find that a lot of laudering services use pre-folds. They might work for you - I have a friend who uses them very successfully and feetheart obviously has no problems - but a lot of people find they leak. I'd hate a bad first experience with cloth to put you off (if it were to happen) as there are some really good nappies out there. My personal experience is that a good cloth nappy (I mostly use tots bots originals which I believe think are a good general all rounder) is just as good as a dispi. They don't have that hideous chemical smell when wet either, although you have to get used to it 'feeling' different, i.e. wet rather than just heavy!

I havn't found the washing a hassle at all - I do mine every couple of days - the bucket doesn't smell, and a year in I haven't had a single bout of nappy rash. The likes of Bumfluff Nappies, Nappyzone,the Nappy Lady etc (apologies to those I've missed!) can give you some great advice taking in to account things like ease of use, drying facilites, etc. etc. etc. which should set you up with the right system for you.

A final plus.... the cost of nappying diminishes with each child!