reusable nappy help please

[HeatherT]

Hello,

I am expecting my first child in just over two weeks and am very keen to avoid using disposable nappies if possible. I have done a lot of research on reusable nappies and seem to think I know what I want to use - one size (birth to potty), two-part/shaped nappy in cotton. But, I have seen it recommended over and over that you should try different types out before committing. Trial kits actually seem expensive and without using disposables, can anybody advise me how this might work in reality?

thanks.

[The Nappy Lady]

Hi Heather

Have you been to thenappylady.co.uk. I ran demos for them locally for 6 years - they now have on line demo videos which are really helpful.

I used cloth on both of mine & can highly recommend the type of system you mention.

I still have some stuff I'm selling off, will PM you.

Molly

Xx

[simonethebeaver]

I had exactly your dilemma! In the end my husband lost patience with my dithering and said that we should just pick a birth to potty kit and get on with it. So we did, Lollipop, and they've been fine. We've also picked up other wraps along the way second hand. I think the choice is very bewildering but most nappies will be fine on most babies!

[Jo'sEnglish]

I think the thing is that even if you know what you want it might not be the best for your baby. I really wanted to use little lambs but ended up having quite a big baby and as these supposedly come up short I decided they might not last him as long as I'd have liked and chose something else.

Also, you might find you want different nappies for different uses (ie. I have night nappies, day nappies, changing bag nappies).

Having said that the system you suggest sounds sensible! I used mostly bamboo terry flats and muslins for the first six weeks or so and then bought some others once I'd worked out what I wanted/what would be best on my baby.

Seconding the recommendation for www.thenappylady.co.uk - she has been very helpful to me and has a questionnaire you can fill in to guide you in the right direction.

[Pickle]

I'm not a fan of birth to potty nappies - I've used cloth on all 3 children, from birth with #2 and #3, and find that sized nappies work much better for us. You might be best to wait until your baby arrives until you commit to buying your set of nappies. I find using small nappies for the first 6 months, then moving to a different system (all in one types like Itti Bitti) once weaned worked best for my children.

Keep an eye out for 2nd hand nappies, they're much cheaper and also more absorbant than buying new.

Good luck. My newest baby (almost 3 weeks) has been cloth bottomed from birth and we're yet to have a leak, they are far superior to using disposables.

P x

[simonethebeaver]

Sorry, wasn't clear. We don't have birth to potty nappies, but a kit with different sized nappies to take us from tiny to bigger. We used size 1 from about two weeks and still going strong at 8 months. We've got some additional size 2 nappies given to us by friends so I'll be interested to see how it will be mixing our very familiar Lollipops with some different ones.

[sanity girl]

I would definitely try a few different kinds of nappies, and get them 2nd hand. Once you've decided which kind works best for you then you can order some more new. clothnappytree is a great forum for advice and also a good place to buy "preloved" nappies. I am a fan of pocket/all in two nappies and am happy to show you what I use if that would be helpful. Just PM me!

[Bellenden Belle]

http://www.realnappiesforlondon.org.uk/

You probably already know this but there is also a London-wide scheme that gives you a ?40 voucher for cloth nappies to get you started. You can use it at lots of different retailers including the nappyladdy.

[bubbachumps]

I found that I needed to try a few before I bought into a system. I use Tots Bots easyfits and Close Parent Pop In Dream Dris during the day, and Tots Bots Bamboozles at night. Not all the nappies I tried worked for my baby, and in fact the ones I use full time now are birth to potty but when he was tiny they did leak a bit as they are just so bulky on newborns. I wasn't completely cloth until he was about 3 months old and they started to fit better. Now we never really have any leaks.

I think it's good to have a mix of nappies for absorbancy at night, ease of use for the day, and some quick drying ones! I found the Cheeks and Cherries website quite helpful.

[EmilyW]

If you can get hold of a few second hand ones of different kinds, then we found that a great (and cheaper) way to work out what was best for us. Ebay doesn't allow the sale of used nappies, but if you look on there you often find lots which people have bought, pre-washed and then sell without using so they're basically new. And as long as you sterilise and boil wash used second hand ones before use, they're often actually more absorbent and softer than new ones.

What fits your baby will likely change as they grow and their shape (and what they eat) changes. My daughter's about to turn 2 and we've ended up using different types at different stages - sized 2 part nappies to begin with, then one size two parts when she got bigger and they weren't so bulky. Now she doesn't need changing as often and everything's a bit more stable we use pocket or all in one nappies as they're so much easier to pop on and off when she's trying to run away! And we have some super absorbent hemp and bamboo 2 parts one for night to last her through to morning.

[The Nappy Lady]

Just to say be very careful of sterilising nappies - things like Nappisan are OK on flat terries, but have ingredients in which will attack and corrode elastic, velcro, waterproofing and also bamboo fabric nappies - especially if you also tumble dry, so the chemicals are getting heated to higher temperatures.

Generally speaking a 60 degree wash will suffice in terms of killing anything in the nappies, with (if you are worried) the odd 90 degree wash now and again to make 100% sure, or if your machine is a bit old.

Lots of nappy manufacturers now have a clause to say the nappy warranty will be void if you soak the nappies, whatever you use, so you really do have to be very careful about this. Bamboo fibre in particular is very easily damaged.

It's horrible for anyone to wreck their nappies having paid good money, whether new or second hand on them, so do be careful. If in doubt check out the Nappy Lady video on how to launder your nappies;

http://www.thenappylady.co.uk/articleSubGallery.asp?categoryID=7&subcategoryID=16

I'm not connected to The Nappy Lady any more, but I still think it is one of the best cloth nappy resources out there.

[gen21]

I'm a local cloth nappy advisor for Fill Your Pants (www.fill-your-pants.com). If you think it might be helpful I'd be very happy to meet up to have a chat and show you the nappies I have in my demo kit. Being able to see and have a play with some nappies might help you make your decision.

Glenda

[bettyorange]

I would definately recommend motherease one size,they don't seem so bulky and wash beautifully,I've been through quite a few so totally understand.I've got some for sale[not motherease] in the classifieds if you want to come and have a look,i have 4 nice bamboo ones practically unused,come and have a nosy,no pressure to buy.

Sophie