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Washable Nappies

I'm only 14 weeks pregnant, but thought I'd get my research in. I really want to use washable nappies this time round. I wondered if anyone else is using them and can recommend a brand. There are loads of different packages to buy and the prices range from £200 up to huge amounts. Would appreciate any advice.

Thanks 

Lisa 

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Replies

  • Hi Lisa,

     Im 34 weeks pregnant and have just ordered a trial washable nappies pack from a company called Little Lamb. For £35 they send you 4 different types of washable nappy (different materials) and all the bits you need to go with them.

     Although I havent got the pack yet (only ordered it today) I have spoken to them on the phone and they are really helpful. A 20 nappy pack (mix of bamboo and microfibre nappies) is £155.

    Hope this helps

     Andie

  • hi lisa,

     try this website, it will tell you more. also u can claim cashback from your council (depend on your location). i got £30 back for each child. some places dun offer cashback but something else.

    http://www.goreal.org.uk/finder

    good luck.

    eileen

  • Hi Andie/ Eileen

     Thanks I will take a look at both of these. I have had a look at the trial packs, but does that mean that you will buy disposable ones as well so that you have enough?

     Lisa

  • hi lisa,

    i use both disposable and reuseable (when they are about 8 mths old) for my kids.

    reuseable comes in 2 sizes. size 1 from 0 to 9 mths approx. size 2 from 9 mths above.

    i only use reusebale at home cos it is hugh and messy. u wont want to pack 2 reuseable nappies in your baby bag! it will take up too much of space. dispoable is easy to dispose and they are thin to keep in baby bag.

    personally, i will keep a few disposable handy when u using the trial pack.

    eileen

  • We really wanted to use washables but found that they just didn;t fit my son. They were really gappy round the legs and leaked a lot.

    I would suggest getting a few to start with and see how you get on. I would also check what age they start from (don;t know if different brands are different) but the ones we got only started at about 3 months and we weren't told that when we bought them. Also check with the hospital that they're happy for you to use them in hospital - ours said they prefer people to use disposables.

     Good luck!

  • I have used Little Lamb, Motherease, Bambino Mio and also Kushies in the past.

    The Little Lamb and Motherease are shaped with an internal liner and then you have to put a wrap on the outside. The Motherease are one-size-fits-all and the Little Lamb I believe come in different sizes. I did find these good although the Motherease in particular I found needed changing quite often as they got wet through very quickly even with a liner. I have friends that love them though.

     The Bambino Mio and Kushies are my favourites. Bambino mio have a shaped wrap and then a square piece of cloth that you fold a particular way depending on age/sex of baby. The Kushies are completely all-in-one with a liner, material and wrap all stitched together. Both of these brands require you to change sizes as your baby grows though.

    I think everyone likes something different so it is good to try different brands. Maybe find a friend or someone at a baby group who could lend you some to test? Just another point, you can no longer buy 2nd hand washables on Ebay which is annoying when trying to sell them on. I looked in the local newspaper and got a HUGE bundle of Motherease stuff for £40. My friend did the same and got a HUGE bundle of Bambino Mio for £40 which she passed onto me because she didnt use them.

    xx

  • Hello, try http://www.thenappysite.co.uk/ for second hand nappies.

    I used Tots Bots Bamboozles and they were awesome. Never leaked even with super liquid breastmilk poop. Very easy to wash at 60 degrees and come in two sizes so last pretty much until baby can use the toilet.

    Used them with Motherease wraps. Tried a fleece wrap but they just soaked clothes!!

    They only downside I would say is unless you have a tumble dryer you might run out of clean nappies a few times in the first few months as they do loads of real liquid poo. Less of a problem as they start solids.

    Bamboozles do dry very fast on the washing line but the weather in this country is too unpredictable and there will be times you don't have the heating on but it's raining outside.

    Good luck!!

  • I used motherease sandy's small size on both my children from a few days after the birth (wait until all the meconium has passed through first as it sticks like tar) up until about 8 months. I tried lots of different nappies (this was back in the day when you could buy used nappies on ebay) and I found these were the best for coping with newborn breastfed squirty poo! I think Motherease still make them as they were very popular nappies. I still have mine from 5 years ago and am planning to re-use them on my 3rd baby. They are a 2 part nappy - you need a wrap too. I used the motherease airflow wraps with pretty pictures on. The only drawback is the drying time - they do take ages, so you either need lots or else it helps to have a stock of quicker drying nappies eg Fuzzi Bunz as well even though they're not as leakproof. After 8 months, I bought the same Motherease sandys nappies in the large size for my son as they were the only nappies I found that didn't leak on him. For my daughter, I moved her on to medium Fuzzi Bunz as they were quick to dry and didn't seem to leak so much on a girl.
    The parents lounge website is good for second hand nappies. http://www.ukparentslounge.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=88
  • Hi Emma/Buster, this is great info (first time mum w/9 weeks to go). How many would you recommend buying of the tots bots/motherease? And how often did you have to wash? I read somewhere aprox 8 changes a day was normal. Would you say 20-24 was enough or would you go higher?
  • Hiya Tiger201, couldn't remember how many I had but the tots bots website recommends that:

    ''If you plan to wash daily you will need 15 size 1 nappies and 4 size one wraps and the same again in size 2 once your baby is ready to move into the second size. (If you want to wash every second day we recommend you buy another 5 nappies and 2 wraps)''.

    I did wash every day, but once the poo slowed down I could go two days. The new bamboozles look even better than the ones I had and apparently the size 2 can be from 9lbs so if you have a big baby from birth that's quite a significant saving. My 7lb 11oz baby was 9lb 4oz at 14 days so I could have done disposable for two weeks then straight onto size 2. Shame!!

  • Thanks Buster, also one other question...what about out and about? What is best way to cope with storing a soiled nappy or do you use biodegradable/eco disposable?
  • Hi Tiger
    I think 20-24 would be plenty. I had about that many in total and used to wash every 3 days by using some of the quicker drying fleece types while I was waiting for the cotton nappies to dry, I never ran out of nappies. I probably used 6-7 per day but I have to confess I did use pampers at night as I found the cloth nappies too wet by the morning. I used cloth nappies out and about too without any problems- just remember to take an empty plastic bag to bring the wet / dirty one home in, and don't throw it in the bin by mistake like I once did! For out and about or for really messy poos, I used disposable wet wipes but mostly at home I used washable fleece wipes with a bowl of water. You can either buy these or else make them yourself really easily and much more cheaply - Just go to a sewing / haberdashery shop and buy a length of fleece material, which usually comes in bright colours and a variety of designs. Then you just cut it up into wipe-sized pieces - can experiment with different sizes. Since it's polyester fleece, it doesn't fray or fade in the wash and they dry almost instantly. Then you just chuck them in the bucket with the used nappies and wash all together. They have many uses too- we use them to clean sticky hands/ wiping up spillages etc.
  • Thanks Emma, we'll probably do something similar - a combo of eco disposables and reusable nappies - will probably try both the Sandys and Tots Bots. Links from you and Buster were v. handy for some bargains. Might even suggest the canadian grandparents to send/bring some motherease wraps from new as it looks slightly cheaper there. Suggested material for wipe clothes is great idea- might try to source some anti-bac bamboo as I have a workout towel made of this which is fantastic.
  • Just one point re being out and about... yes reusables do take up more space so if you're going out for the day can be tricky but if you only need one or two nappy changes its fine. - Just ,ake sure you have a sensible size bag not a teeny changing bag.  If you make sure to change them somewhere with a loo, then you can throw the poo away immediately, and then put the nappy in a tightly done-up waterproof drawstring bag (like old fashioned swimming bags) and then it won't smell.

     I have always managed with reusables out and about even when on a day trip to london or similar.

    Also regarding what some people said about nappies don't fit well etc - that's why its good to try some different ones as babies are different shapes and some nappies will fit some but not others. Find out if your council has a real nappy advisor - they should havea lot of different types to show you, or even have some samples you can borrow to try out.

    Good luck

    Vicki  

  • I can echo Vicki. It is perfectly possible to be 100% cloth from an early age even out and about. I found it easier once we got settled to stick to one system and use it all the time. It was much more awkward when in the early days I was building my collection so had some from a nappy service, some of my own and a few freebie sposies.

    We use a 2 part system fitted with nippas and various brands of wraps over the top. I have Little lamb, totsbots, traditional squares and my own home made shaped nappies too. we also use flannels as washable wipes too though also use cotton wool as my DD has had some sensitivities in the past

    Just to add though the reason why there are different types and people like different things is we have different babies and to be honest even the same baby suits different things as they grow / develop. Even sposie users say this and you will find mums have a preference on brand/ size for their LOs.

    Get something to try maybe through a local scheme, a trial pack or two or thenappysite or usednappies.co.uk. Find what you like and buy a few more. In the mean time use either a nappy service, a couple of packs of sposies or even just folded muslin squares with a nappy wrap. That is a cheap quick drying option for your first couple of weeks and is what I will be doing for my no 2 in June.
  • Hi

    I use both reusable and disposable nappies.  I use the reusables when we're around the house and the disposables when we're out and about (in case we need a quick change!)

    I currently use a brand of reusables called Kushies.  They are all in one, come in two or three different sizes and can also be used with washable liners.  On the whole they're great but I tend to find that whenever my daughter wears them with trousers, when I come to change her, her vest is damp underneath where the press studs are.  Whenever she wears them with a skirt & tights she's fine so I'm wondering if they make her sweat?  She finds them comfortable, though and she's never suffered from nappy rash with them

    When she was first born I used Mothercare Smart Nappies.  I found them great for poos but not so good for wees.

    I would recommend using a trial/tarter pack of any brand you wish to use.

  • Its been great reading all of your replies. I have also found a website selling washable wet wipes http://www.cheekywipes.com/ for anybody that may be interested. I'm still a bit unsure about which ones to go for, but will check out all the brands that have been recommended on the thread.

    Thanks 

  • Hi Everyone

    I live on the Isle of Man and our maternity unit run a reusable nappy policy and has done since the end of 2005 i think.

    My little boy was born in sept 2005 and was born during the beginning of the project so started out on disposables and then went on to reusables as he was in for a week. Unfortunately the reusables were useless for him as he had really skinny legs (think bird leg thin) and they leaked constantly and made for a lot of messy changes and it was always a total change of clothes and baths - not nice for him. i did try other brands with the same result so we ended up using disposables.

    Not much help but you definitely have to try different brands i think.

    Karel

       

  • Hi Lisa,

     I've been using tots bots now for 18 months now and think they are so easy - I managed to get some real bargains on amazon and ebay too. Now I generally buy all mine from ebay, I've found it the cheapest. I started using them from about one week old onwards and started off with some tots bots size 0, next time I won't hesitate to use them from word 'go'.

    This morning I did a post on my blog about washable nappies...its all about dispelling the myth about the misconception that they take up lots of your time. You can check it out here http://nurturingcareermama.typepad.com/blog/ 

    Good luck.

    Nurturing Career Mama

  • Thanks for all your comments. I opted for the Bumgenius nappies from birth to potty with a few tots bots added in as well. I'm going to try to use them right from the start (once out of hospital as not allowed) and hope to carry on this way.

    Nurturing Career Mama - I've followed your blog and will sit down and have a read when I have a spare five.

    Thanks

    Lisa
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