Well, we are planning no.2 and should everything work out will not be going the disposable route again.
So - for an absolute beginner, can anyone tell me how many, which brand, how often do you wash ( i LOVE washing so no problem there), and how much money are we talking about??
Thank you!
Kimmy x
oh and has anyone got experience with “cheeky wipes”?
It all depends on how often you plan to do your washing.
I do mine every couple of days and have about 18 nappies and 4-5 wraps.
We use a mix of bambinex teddys (Microfibre and fast drying) and Bumgenius V4 (pocket nappy, so no wrap needed) for the day and then Bumble by Easy peasy for night with mother ease Rikki wraps.
We also use fleece liners and washable wipes (total cost around £300 but will save lots!!)
At change time, I put the dirty nappy, liner and wipes in a container and carry it to the nappy bucket in the bathroom. Any solids get flushed down the loo (hold on to the corner of liner in the loo and flush to rinse) then everything goes in the bucket until wash day. I dry pail so no soaking is required. If the smell is getting too strong (usually smell of amonia not poo!) then I put a couple of drops of tea tree oil on a muslin in the nappy bucket.
Wash day - I do a cold rinse with a couple of drops of tea tree oil then a proper wash using a tiny amount of detergent (about a 1/4 of what is recommended) and NO fabric conditioner. I don’t have a tumble dryer so everything either gets put on an airer or on the line - Easy!
The cost will vary depending on what you go for. Pocket nappies are more expensive and I find don’t contain bf baby poo quite as well as a two part system.
If you become a cloth nappy addict then it can be quite expensive as some of the more luxurious pocket nappies (Blueberry minkys) can be quite pricy!
Shopping list:
18-20 nappies
4-5 wraps
nappy liners (or make your own by cutting up a fleece blanket)
Nappy bucket
Washable wipes (optional)
Tea tree or lavender oil (optional)
Mesh bag for the nappy bucket (optional)
We have used cloth for all 3 so tried most types LOL! Started with Bambino Mio pre-folds but, although they lasted well and I still use them, they are far from my favourites. My fave has to be Motherease One Size with air flow wraps. Also like the bamboo Tots Bots. I love fluffles for night-time as they absorb loads if boosted. I have LOADS and now, with only one in nappies, wash every other day (was daily when my first two both wore nappies!). I probably only use about 5 a day though (4 today *blush*) Brand new they cost loads so look out for secondhand bargains. I got £500 worth for £15 off a friend of a friend who tried a couple then just gave up so most were brand new! Also check if your local council gives grants (ours gives £30 towards real nappies) or has a nappy library. I have tried one of most types in existence and it really varies according to your baby’s shape and how much they wet/poo as to which is best.
Wipes I make myself - cut up bits of a fleece blanket from the pound shop soaked in camomile and honey tea with a drop of tea tree oil. Cheap as chips and on my 3rd child with them now Great for preventing/helping nappy rash.
so the with the wrap, does that get reused ? And what about different sizes? how long do the sizes last for? Jamie was a big baby (in 9-12 months clothes at 6 months) ?
I just want it to be practical, it doesn´t have to look good at all - as long as it works..
Motherease one size fitted mine from birth until potty, although they progressed through 4 sizes of wraps. You can re-use the wraps so long as not poohy. I probably use half as many wraps as nappies.
We have used cloth for all 3 so tried most types LOL! Started with Bambino Mio pre-folds but, although they lasted well and I still use them, they are far from my favourites. My fave has to be Motherease One Size with air flow wraps. Also like the bamboo Tots Bots. I love fluffles for night-time as they absorb loads if boosted. I have LOADS and now, with only one in nappies, wash every other day (was daily when my first two both wore nappies!). I probably only use about 5 a day though (4 today *blush*) Brand new they cost loads so look out for secondhand bargains. I got £500 worth for £15 off a friend of a friend who tried a couple then just gave up so most were brand new! Also check if your local council gives grants (ours gives £30 towards real nappies) or has a nappy library. I have tried one of most types in existence and it really varies according to your baby’s shape and how much they wet/poo as to which is best.
Wipes I make myself - cut up bits of a fleece blanket from the pound shop soaked in camomile and honey tea with a drop of tea tree oil. Cheap as chips and on my 3rd child with them now Great for preventing/helping nappy rash.
Good luck
Brillant , that really helps!
what a great tip about the fleece blanket, I have got lots left over from my sewing - could even trim the edges with the sewing machine.
the motherease one size, does that mean, I´d only have to buy them once?
thank you!
Kimmy x
edit just seen that you already replied re motherease!
Sorry - meant to say the wraps can get re-used until they get soiled by poo. I tend to wash mine every couple of days though and tend to have a couple on the go each day. One to air, one to wear and a couple in the wash.
Birth to potty or onesize are the most economical but can be quite bulky on a small newborn so it may be worth getting some muslin squares and nappy nippers to get you through the first few weeks until they fit into the borth to potty nappies.
we would then probably go for eco disposables til the motherease ones fit as I can´t imagine doing muslin nappies with a newborn *shameonme* although it might just be ok with a bigger baby?
thank you all so much, i was looking before but the choice is massive and it is sooooo confusing!!
Moving to cloth was the best decision we made. Containment much better which means fewer changes of clothes for LO = fewer daily washes = better for the environment.
And less landfill - its all good. Although once you start you do get quite passionate about them!
Sorry to hijack this thread but I was just wondering - what are terries nappies like for newborns? I am considering the Bumgenious ones but if they don’t fit properly I don’t want to spend out on a whole new pack just for such a short amount of time. So I was kind of thinking I could use terries for a while - with maybe a disposable liner? I’m not keen on the plastic pants that go over them though - but they are so much cheaper and if its just for a month or so I’d be reluctant to spend out on newborn expensive ones.
You can use wraps over terries instead of the pants
Terries are actually my favourite nappies - they might not be pretty and they might not be the quickest, but they fit from birth to potty and we have NEVER had a leak in a terry. Even with my 37lb almost 4yo who is back to wearing one at night.
Ok, really, really don’t bother sewing round nappy liners! All my pieces of cut-up fleece have been totally unhemmed, and have done two babies with no fraying or anything!
We used mostly bambinex and Little Lambs. If you think you are likely to have a chunky baby, don’t bother with the bambinex - they come up quite slim. Little lambs are great - the price of the nappy is good, and each one comes with a liner and a wrap, so saves you loads of money. I didn’t find their liners good at all, so I cut up fleece, and used the Little Lamb liners as cloth wipes - they were *brilliant* for that - picked up all the poo!
Grace reacted to the elastic in PUL (waterproof) wraps, so we used fleece wraps during the day and just PUL at night. Loved the Tots Bots and Nannie Cool fleece wraps - didn’t get on with the swaddlebees - the velcro doesn’t overlap, so it catches on clothes!
You can use wraps over terries instead of the pants
Terries are actually my favourite nappies - they might not be pretty and they might not be the quickest, but they fit from birth to potty and we have NEVER had a leak in a terry. Even with my 37lb almost 4yo who is back to wearing one at night.
Oh ok…that’s interesting. So do you use disposable liners with terries? What wraps do you use on yours? I’m just hoping to keep costs down to a minimum really so open to any suggestions. Do normal clothes fit over terries nappies? If I can get off of GP forum and start learning to sew I may well teach myself to make some clothes for my children at some point! Lol! But if I don’t, I need to make sure I don’t have to spend loads of money on clothes that fit cloth bottoms!
Personally, I would never use disposable liners - especially for newborns. Re-usable (fleece) liners can be chucked in the wash with everything else - if you go out for the day and happen to change a nappy or two away from a toilet, you end up having to pick through your wet bag to dig out and throw away your disposable liner. Much easier to wack it all in the wash.
