Reusable Nappies?

Hi Ladies,

Our next Mums' Guide in PP is going to be on reusable nappies. I've been experimenting with a Bambino Mio one in the office and it seems like you need to know what you're doing!

Have we got any fans here on MFM?

 What do you need to know when you're buying them and choosing which brand?

Which brands do you like best?

How do they compare to disposables and is it worth mixing and matching?

Is it good value for money?

Any other hints or tips much appreciated!

Thanks for your help!

Kimberley x

when i choose an item, normally i will read reviews before i buy.

also some company do sell just a single trial nappy. so it is a good way to make sure that i like the quality.

there are also some useful website by the council webpage that offers cashback, sample.... 

i ony used reuseable nappy  when babies having nappy rashes. once resolved, i will use dispoable again. also i only use it at home.

The reasons are:

1. they r so thick, it look like my kids got a huge bum.

2. took a long time to dry.

3. have to change it very often.

They are useful cos they are kind to babies' skin. Normally, just a few days, the nappy rash will be gone.

we use a mix of both reusable nappies and biodegradable ones (the Tushies which we got from greenbaby.com)

Using reusable is definitely a good idea, from an environmental point of view, and also as it's saved me so much money....we had them handed down from our neighbour, so they were free! We've got a bit of a mix of Itti Bitti's and TotsBots, oh and a couple of well worn Ecobots too.

On the disposable front, the Tushies are great for emergencies, if you are out and about. We try to stick to cloth though.... if you look at the Womens Environment Network, or as ET says above check on your local gov site for vouchers, although not sure what the situ is with the new Government.... I wonder if Sam Cam is using cloth? Ask her for us?!

I used reusable with my youngest, and I would highly recommend them.

We used Tommy Tippee Cotton Bottoms (which I dont think they make any more but there are similar type brands out there)  which you had to fold yourself and place inside a wrap.  The only drawback to them was having to fold and stack them ready for next use!  They were also a bit bulky, but you can ones now that arereally quite slim-line.

They didnt need boil washed either was good.  We also used reusable wipes, and reusable liners-not sure how much we saved but i reckon it was quite considerable.

We bought ours from ebay, although the first lot we got were as part of a subscription package to PP!!  Also look out for sites having sales, another good way to pick them up slighter cheaper.

I used  old fashioned terry squares with pins and plastic pants for my eldest daughter,and for night time nappies for my then toddler son.You used to have to soak in Napisan and rinse before boil washingThe Napisan was very caustic,really bad on your skin,you don't want that left in the nappies to come into contact with babies skin.The plastic pants were handwash,and lasted a few weeks before they'd get hard and they'd split,usually when you least wanted it.You had to fold the terry square,whichever shapes suited your baby,and  overnight I'd add a second folded one as a booster.They were a bit of a hassle washing,but I just had a routine of washing the nappies  overnight every two days.I'd wash then once to rinse the Napisan and messes out ,then again on a hot wash to get them clean.I used disposables occasionally,for going out ,but I always found they gave my daughter a nappy rash.

I used disposables with my 3rd,4th ,5th and 6th babies,just for convenience,but with my youngest we are now using reusables.Reusable nappies have changed a lot since I last used them.There are a lot of different kinds,much more convenient now,and lots to choose from.We are using Kushies.We have the separate nappy and wrap so they're quicker to dry,and I think they'll last longer with the washing and tumble drying than the al in ones..I have two buckets in the bathroom to soak the used nappies,in a solution of nappy soak that's much kinder to skin,and also environmentally more friendly.I have to wash them once every two daysthey just go on a 60 wash,rather than boiling,the wraps I do a quick hand wash and hang to dry every evening,it takes a few minutes,there's always two drying two ready to use.I have 15 nappies,4 wraps,plus I think about 20 boosters for naptimes and night time.I'm using flushable liners,you just tip them with the contents down the loo.

We also use reusable wipes,we have Cheeky Wipes,I just wash those with the nappies.I do have disposables for emergencies.

I do find reusables give Merlin a huge bum,so did the  terries with my daughter.I have to put a bigger size trousers on than he would need,but then babies all looked like that in the days before disposables. 

I bought the Kushies as a bundle,it's worth looking out for a deal.

reusables all the way. we use shaped nappies which are just as easy to use as disposables: yes you have one more load of washing but with a baby, what's one more???

Some myths to bust

- you do NOT need to wash them in boiling water. nor do you need to soak them. you simply "dry pail": which means bung dirty nappies in a lidded bucket- no soaking necessary- and when the bucket is full, wash them. If you use a liner (paper or fleece) you can keep your nappies relatively poo free. I wash at 60C with half the amount detergent a\nd a scoop of napisan.

- the "plastic pants" are a thing of the past- modern wraps are breathable and definitely last longer than a few weeks! If you want ultraconvenience you can even get nappies with intergrel wraps (called "all-in-ones")

- Nurserys can, and do, accept reusable nappies. My LO has been to two, and both are happy with a bag of prefolded nappies to use during the day

- with regards to the "clothie-bum" of reusables: yes, you may need to go up a trouser size a little earlier, but so what???

- Online sites like nappyneeds or kittykins or the nappy lady are very helpful in choosing nappies to suit you.

in general we've saved a fortune on disposables and it really isn't a hassle to use them.

We used disposables on our son for the first 6 weeks. I can't believe how much they stunk, how heavy they were and how much rubbish they generated!

We now use a mix of pockets, terry square and DaizyBabies. The pockets are good, but not always reliable so I generally use those around the house, when I know I can change him quickly. I use the Terry squares at night, never really had any probs with them; and I use the DaizyBabies when I need a bomb proof nappy, for example when I know we'll be out for a while and I may not have chance to change him (they are bamboo and so are v absorbant).

Having a selection of different styles means that I can mix and match and I know I always have a suitable nappy. The Daizys take a bit longer to dry, so when I do a wash, I usually use the cotton ones first, leaving the others longer to dry.

I can't say that they cause a huge amount more work. My son isn't tiny, I'd say he's kind of average, but he is still in the 'normal' sized clothes for his age, maybe even a size smaller.

If I have more children I'll def be using cloth on them too... and if I reuse the ones I already have, I'll be saving even more money!

I tried a few shaped / all in one washable nappies and my son just cried every time he wore them. Then I tried plain terry towelling nappies that I bought second hand (15 for £10) with a bambino mio or tommee tippee waterproof cover and they were fantastic. Much more absorbent, easy to wash, quick to dry and I had quite a good time folding them - could fold different ways to suit the baby's sex and age. Also had less nappy rash than with disposables. I used them for both my children, boy and girl. Tips - try nappy nippers instead of nappy pins, don't try the cheap waterproof covers that they sell in boots / motehrcare - they are horrid and rustle like a plastic bag. Can use fleece liners to keep babys bottom dry (really easy if your baby's poos are solid you can just flush it down the loo then shove the whole nappy in wash) or disposable liners (better if your baby has runny poos!).

Can wash nappies at 40 degrees if you put napisan in the wash too.

I did use disposables at night sometimes and changed to disposables with my girl at about age 18months as she had really big wees and the cottons were no longer absorbent enough. Hope this all helps.

I use reusables when we're in the house and disposables when we're out and about. 

When my daughter was first born I used Mothercare Smart Nappies which are an all in one washable nappy.  I found them good for poos but not so good for wees. 

I then changed to Kushies Ultra which again is an all in one washable nappy complete with a waterproof outer.  I find them fantastic both for wees and poos and they rarely leak.  I use them with a disposable liner.  They are completely machine washable and can be tumble dried on a low heat setting.   All I have to do before washing is leave them in nappy soak overnight to get rid of any stains.  Although they look huge on my daughter once she's dressed you can't tell (she has a very slim waist so they help keep her trousers up!), she's never ever had nappy rash with them and she is comfortable in them (well she's never complained).  I also use Kushies Classics which are an all in one cloth nappy together with a seperate waterproof wrap.  I really can't fault them.  They've been worn and washed more times than I care to mention and they're still going strong.  I think they're great value for money and they've saved me a fortune.

We've been using cloth nappies for my little boy since he came home from hospital.  He is now 2 and I would highly recommend them to others.

 I went for the ultra cheap option of terry squares, but bought some nice motherease wraps to go on top, and some bamboo booster inserts which he has in at night.  The whole lot was less than £150 (even though I bought twice as many as I really needed just in case...), which isn't bad compared to the cost of 2 year's worth of disposables, and then we got a £50 cashback from the council too. 

 It has saved us a fortune, he rarely gets nappy rash (unless we go away for a few days and use disposables) and they are easy to wash/dry - just get a net bag to line the nappy bucket and sling it in the washing machine without so much as touching a nappy!

I'd say the big advantage of terry squares over other reusables is that you can fold and pin them (nappy nippers v good) to fit your baby exactly.  I also find it vaguely therapeutic folding a pile of clean nappies - but then I used to love making origami things at school...

hi

i use reusable nappies on my now 2 year old during the day, it has become a hobby so now i sell them,

it is always usefull to ask sellers for advice, and perhaps try a few different types, i always say never never never buy a full time kit straight away always buy say 3-4 individual nappies that have taken your fancy try them and then decide,

they are 4 main types

all in ones that go on like a disposable and wash as one piece, there are also in in 2s where you reuse the outer but just put in new inserts if the nappy is just wet

pocket nappies that are a waterproof outer with a stay dry (usually) inner and then space between to put the insert, these are quicker to dry and once stuffed go on like a disposable

fitted nappies that are shaped and then have a wrap (waterproof cover) on the top

flat nappies like terry squares now available in bamboo and organic cotton and then prefolds that are folded and put inside a wrap,

different nappies suit different babies if you are thinking about it then ask your local council for info, ask to borrow your friends, and read reveiws

good luck