Cloth nappies - advice please!

[Mum2BKW]

I'm after a bit of advice from anyone with experience of using cloth nappies rather than disposables.

Could you let me know your opinions on:

- The different types available (I know there are terry nappies, 2 piece systems, all-in-one's... but I have no idea which is easier to wash/more comfortable for baby etc)
- Nappy sizes - did you prefer to use the ones which last from newborn to potty training or did you buy different sizes as baby grew? I'm worried that a nappy that fits a 2 year old will be enormous on a newborn - is this the case or not?
- How often did you wash the nappies and was it a pain in the bum (please be honest)?
- Do you need to soak the nappies before you wash them and did this prove difficult (lugging a heavy bucket of wet nappies around)?
- Which type of fabric did you use (I've seen ones made from cotton, bamboo etc), did you find that one material was particularly good?
- Did anyone use one of those services where they take the dirty nappies away once a week and leave you with clean ones rather than washing them yourselves, and did that work well for you?
- Overall any tips or advice, brand recommendations etc would be very welcome!

Many thanks, I'm finding it all quite confusing but also would feel really guilty contributing to all the disposable nappies that go to landfill. Help!

 

[MrsSmartie]

I can't answer all the questions as not yet using them! (Hopefully very soon!) But I am all set up and ready to go. If you Youtube Obbsandlala and cloth diaper tips she has loads of great advice on all the types of nappies etc. I chose pocket nappies because I felt that the separate parts would help them to dry and you can add liners and boosters etc. if needed. We bought birth to potty nappies, they have poppers to raise the nappies so that they can go quite small and the waists can go in really small as well, but we did buy some newborn size ones in case they are too big initially (the BTPs usually start from 8lbs). The nappies don't need soaking, just go into a dry bucket or wetbag and straight into the wash from there so not heavy, if you line the bucket with a liner bag then you can just chuck the whole bag in the wash (it's like a big laundry bag like the ones you can put your delicates in). I thought about the laundry services but if they came once a week you would need so many nappies and the bucket would get stinky I guess, usually you wash every couple of days. It definately seemed better to do it myself realistically, just getting into good routines! Hope that helps a bit, I can't wait to start using them, they are seriously addictive, beware! All the cute designs! Squee! X

 

[Mum2BKW]

I can't answer all the questions as not yet using them! (Hopefully very soon!) But I am all set up and ready to go. If you Youtube Obbsandlala and cloth diaper tips she has loads of great advice on all the types of nappies etc. I chose pocket nappies because I felt that the separate parts would help them to dry and you can add liners and boosters etc. if needed. We bought birth to potty nappies, they have poppers to raise the nappies so that they can go quite small and the waists can go in really small as well, but we did buy some newborn size ones in case they are too big initially (the BTPs usually start from 8lbs). The nappies don't need soaking, just go into a dry bucket or wetbag and straight into the wash from there so not heavy, if you line the bucket with a liner bag then you can just chuck the whole bag in the wash (it's like a big laundry bag like the ones you can put your delicates in). I thought about the laundry services but if they came once a week you would need so many nappies and the bucket would get stinky I guess, usually you wash every couple of days. It definately seemed better to do it myself realistically, just getting into good routines! Hope that helps a bit, I can't wait to start using them, they are seriously addictive, beware! All the cute designs! Squee! X

Thanks so much for this, really useful! Best of luck with your little one

 

[OmiOmen]

I used cloth part-time with my first son for a few months before finding it too hard and giving up. I have decided to try again this time but use the last bad experience to try and make some different decisions. So I only have a bit of experience with them and you might get a better answer from the ladies in the natural parenting section.


The different types available (I know there are terry nappies, 2 piece systems, all-in-one's... but I have no idea which is easier to wash/more comfortable for baby etc) Which will fit your baby the best will depend on your baby's shape so in reality you won't know what works well until you have tried them. Because of this I would recommend not buying all the same type of systems, sizes, or brands. What you find easier also might not be what I find easier. Washing isn't really the issue, it is the drying. For example some fabrics dry better in a tumble dryer than others. So you might like to think about if you want to air dry or tumble dry them. The bulkier the nappy the longer is may take to dry so for example a AIO would take longer than say a hybrid nappy.

Nappy sizes - did you prefer to use the ones which last from newborn to potty training or did you buy different sizes as baby grew? I'm worried that a nappy that fits a 2 year old will be enormous on a newborn - is this the case or not? It is very unlikely a birth-to-potty nappy will fit your newborn unless you have a very large newborn that is. My first son was 6lbs 14oz and not only did birth-to-potty nappies not fit him but the size 1 nappies with a size 0 wrap didn't either. This time I have a newborn/small stash and then a birth-to-potty one. However the birth-to-potty nappies work by poppers making it bigger or smaller so they often fit from around 3 months to toddler size. As far as if you want to use birth-to-potty or sized after the newborn stage that will largely come down to what fits your baby the best and your personal preference.

How often did you wash the nappies and was it a pain in the bum (please be honest)? Once again this depends on the person and it will depend on how many nappies you have. I make sure I have enough to do it every other day but hope to do it everyday. The reason for this is that newborns can be hard work and if you get something like mastitis it is good to know the washing can wait a day or so. It was a bit of a pain last time but I think that was because I had a lot of things going on, I am hoping knowing what to expect will help this time. Some people don't notice a extra load of washing every day or two and some people feel it is too much hard work.

Do you need to soak the nappies before you wash them and did this prove difficult (lugging a heavy bucket of wet nappies around)? No I didn't and I don't think many people do that any more. If your BF'ing the poo will come right off in a decent washing machine anyway.

Which type of fabric did you use (I've seen ones made from cotton, bamboo etc), did you find that one material was particularly good? I think most people prefer bamboo. With my first every cloth nappy no matter what fabric or style leaked after one wee so non worked better for him. This said I am only considering bamboo for a night nappy this time and will use either charcoal bamboo or zorb boosters as and when needed. Once again though some fabrics dry better than others and do better in a tumble dryer.

Did anyone use one of those services where they take the dirty nappies away once a week and leave you with clean ones rather than washing them yourselves, and did that work well for you? I haven't used them.

Overall any tips or advice, brand recommendations etc would be very welcome! Buy different brands, styles, and sizes. You will not know what will work for you until you have tried it so don't rush out and buy all the same. If you are worried about the cost of trying different brands out then consider buying different types pre-loved and then get the ones that work well new at a later date if you want to. This is just my personal preference but I like pockets, snap-ins, and AIO's for the day as they are nice and easy and cute and most of those I have are birth-to-potty after the newborn stage BUT on a night you really are best using sized two-part systems.

 

[Mum2BKW]

I used cloth part-time with my first son for a few months before finding it too hard and giving up. I have decided to try again this time but use the last bad experience to try and make some different decisions. So I only have a bit of experience with them and you might get a better answer from the ladies in the natural parenting section.


The different types available (I know there are terry nappies, 2 piece systems, all-in-one's... but I have no idea which is easier to wash/more comfortable for baby etc) Which will fit your baby the best will depend on your baby's shape so in reality you won't know what works well until you have tried them. Because of this I would recommend not buying all the same type of systems, sizes, or brands. What you find easier also might not be what I find easier. Washing isn't really the issue, it is the drying. For example some fabrics dry better in a tumble dryer than others. So you might like to think about if you want to air dry or tumble dry them. The bulkier the nappy the longer is may take to dry so for example a AIO would take longer than say a hybrid nappy.

Nappy sizes - did you prefer to use the ones which last from newborn to potty training or did you buy different sizes as baby grew? I'm worried that a nappy that fits a 2 year old will be enormous on a newborn - is this the case or not? It is very unlikely a birth-to-potty nappy will fit your newborn unless you have a very large newborn that is. My first son was 6lbs 14oz and not only did birth-to-potty nappies not fit him but the size 1 nappies with a size 0 wrap didn't either. This time I have a newborn/small stash and then a birth-to-potty one. However the birth-to-potty nappies work by poppers making it bigger or smaller so they often fit from around 3 months to toddler size. As far as if you want to use birth-to-potty or sized after the newborn stage that will largely come down to what fits your baby the best and your personal preference.

How often did you wash the nappies and was it a pain in the bum (please be honest)? Once again this depends on the person and it will depend on how many nappies you have. I make sure I have enough to do it every other day but hope to do it everyday. The reason for this is that newborns can be hard work and if you get something like mastitis it is good to know the washing can wait a day or so. It was a bit of a pain last time but I think that was because I had a lot of things going on, I am hoping knowing what to expect will help this time. Some people don't notice a extra load of washing every day or two and some people feel it is too much hard work.

Do you need to soak the nappies before you wash them and did this prove difficult (lugging a heavy bucket of wet nappies around)? No I didn't and I don't think many people do that any more. If your BF'ing the poo will come right off in a decent washing machine anyway.

Which type of fabric did you use (I've seen ones made from cotton, bamboo etc), did you find that one material was particularly good? I think most people prefer bamboo. With my first every cloth nappy no matter what fabric or style leaked after one wee so non worked better for him. This said I am only considering bamboo for a night nappy this time and will use either charcoal bamboo or zorb boosters as and when needed. Once again though some fabrics dry better than others and do better in a tumble dryer.

Did anyone use one of those services where they take the dirty nappies away once a week and leave you with clean ones rather than washing them yourselves, and did that work well for you? I haven't used them.

Overall any tips or advice, brand recommendations etc would be very welcome! Buy different brands, styles, and sizes. You will not know what will work for you until you have tried it so don't rush out and buy all the same. If you are worried about the cost of trying different brands out then consider buying different types pre-loved and then get the ones that work well new at a later date if you want to. This is just my personal preference but I like pockets, snap-ins, and AIO's for the day as they are nice and easy and cute and most of those I have are birth-to-potty after the newborn stage BUT on a night you really are best using sized two-part systems.

Thank you! I hope you have better luck with the cloth nappies this time round

 

[CupcakeBaby]

Will reply below in pink I've not had my baby yet, but have been learning about and buy cloth since we started TTC almost 2 years ago.

Also - I'm another huge ObbsandLala fan - she's awesome and her videos will tell you everything.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2CE681574C00E83D

I'm after a bit of advice from anyone with experience of using cloth nappies rather than disposables.

Could you let me know your opinions on:

- The different types available (I know there are terry nappies, 2 piece systems, all-in-one's... but I have no idea which is easier to wash/more comfortable for baby etc)

Different types suit different occasions and different people. I've personally gotten a mixture of everything (If you want to see the extent of my stash you can open the box at the bottom!) so I can learn what I like. I won't use terrys/prefolds when out adn about, but I know they dry super quick and are cheap, so have got some for at home.

- Nappy sizes - did you prefer to use the ones which last from newborn to potty training or did you buy different sizes as baby grew? I'm worried that a nappy that fits a 2 year old will be enormous on a newborn - is this the case or not?

I've not got too many sized, but do have a few newborn (as they only get used for a couple of weeks you can pick them up preloved, in nearly new condition, for a fraction of the cost, and you can then sell them back on and get your money back, also in the very early days I'm going to use muslins in wraps. Most of my stash are birth to potty size, which should fit OK from 10lb+

- How often did you wash the nappies and was it a pain in the bum (please be honest)?

Can't answer yet, but I'm anticipating an extra load every other day, and as I'll be home anyway I can't see it being a hassle.

- Do you need to soak the nappies before you wash them and did this prove difficult (lugging a heavy bucket of wet nappies around)?

No, best way to store them dirty is to dry pail them, I have a kitchen bin in the bursery, and have 2 Planetwise pail liners, which you put in the machine with the nappies.

- Which type of fabric did you use (I've seen ones made from cotton, bamboo etc), did you find that one material was particularly good?

I have a mix, microfibre will dry super fast, but not absorb as much. And bamboo absorbs lots but takes a while to dry. So you can tailer which nappies you use to what you need that day. E.G long journeys and overnigh we'll go for bamboo. But day to day I'll use cotton/MF as they'll be easier for washing/drying.

- Did anyone use one of those services where they take the dirty nappies away once a week and leave you with clean ones rather than washing them yourselves, and did that work well for you?

Not going to use this as I want my nappies to be mine

- Overall any tips or advice, brand recommendations etc would be very welcome!

Different nappies suit different mums and different babies. So I think just give some different ones a try and see what suits you. X

Many thanks, I'm finding it all quite confusing but also would feel really guilty contributing to all the disposable nappies that go to landfill. Help!

Spoiler

Right I've not photographed them all individually (far too lazy today to get them out and out then away again) and still need to get the box of BTP pockets out (they're mainly the eBay ones so not too exciting) but here's how I have my stash at the moment:

https://i1256.photobucket.com/albums/ii495/cupcakey-me/B729CE64-691B-4AB8-96C7-0B7DD8451194-3796-0000028DA29E4BBC_zpsa00164ac.jpg

On top of the changer I have some boxes. The one closest to the CD rack currently holds the muslins and newborn covers. But I'm also planning on putting nappies for the day in there so DH knows what to grab.

Then in my CD rack top to bottom are:

The Medium Ittis (2 SIO and 2 AIO)

FB sm, TB Frugis (won from Billy) and 2 of my BG free times.

Flips with NB inserts in.

XS FB and babeco fitteds and a fitted I made (owly one) there's an XS sandy to add that's in the washing basket.

Alva NB pockets and 2 Small itti SIO.

Then further down:

https://i1256.photobucket.com/albums/ii495/cupcakey-me/745FDFD2-0812-4CAD-ACB5-AD81D19F5750-3796-0000028DA45BC14E_zps04b43cc8.jpg

4 ME Sandies in small and 2 TB stretch in size 1

2 teenyfits and 4 BG XS

LL bamboo, lollipop softies and Diddy diapers

Another Lollipop softie and my size 1 wraps

2 AMK bamboo

Another 2 AMK bamboo and some size 2 TB Stretchies.

And in the little box at the bottom are 3 wool covers I knitted. Will add photo.

Then in the top drawer of her changer I have:

https://i1256.photobucket.com/albums/ii495/cupcakey-me/B6C47A7D-220A-4C31-BE5B-549E4E617193-3796-0000028DA0D72DDC_zps3667328f.jpg

(L-R) flip inserts (organic on top of stay dry)

A pile of prefolds and Terries (bright bots on top)

My spare planet wise liner.

Itti SIO inserts

Boosters (bamboo and hemp, MF ones are all in the eBay pockets or FB etc

And at the front my fleece liners

 

[Eleanor ace]

The different types available (I know there are terry nappies, 2 piece systems, all-in-one's... but I have no idea which is easier to wash/more comfortable for baby etc)
We use AIO's and pocket nappies in the day, nappies with a wrap (2 part system) in the night. My favourite are AIO's, specifically Tots Bots. You can boost them with an insert, like a pocket nappy, and they fold out to dry which makes drying time quicker. I like pockets but I don't like pulling the wet inserts out . I think comfort depends on the baby- its about finding the nappy with the right fit for LO.
- Nappy sizes - did you prefer to use the ones which last from newborn to potty training or did you buy different sizes as baby grew? I'm worried that a nappy that fits a 2 year old will be enormous on a newborn - is this the case or not?
We use BTP's, just because I can't be faffed with changing sizes all the time. BTP's can look a bit bulky on a newborn but then you'll have them boosted less than you would for an older baby/toddler so that kind of evens it out.
- How often did you wash the nappies and was it a pain in the bum (please be honest)?
I wash every 3 days. It's no bother at all- just bung them in the machine, wash them then spend less than 5 minutes hanging them up.
- Do you need to soak the nappies before you wash them and did this prove difficult (lugging a heavy bucket of wet nappies around)?
I don't soak them, I just put them straight in the bucket and from that into the machine.
- Which type of fabric did you use (I've seen ones made from cotton, bamboo etc), did you find that one material was particularly good?
I like minky, cotton and bamboo. But any fabric works for us.
- Did anyone use one of those services where they take the dirty nappies away once a week and leave you with clean ones rather than washing them yourselves, and did that work well for you?
Nope.
- Overall any tips or advice, brand recommendations etc would be very welcome!
Get a few pre-loved nappies cheap to try so you can see which brands suit you and LO. Also see whether your council offers money towards cloth nappies, or a trial kit.
Many thanks, I'm finding it all quite confusing but also would feel really guilty contributing to all the disposable nappies that go to landfill. Help! [/QUOTE]

 

[Macmad]

I use cloth nappies on LO since she was 10 weeks old, so here are my thoughts

- The different types available (I know there are terry nappies, 2 piece systems, all-in-one's... but I have no idea which is easier to wash/more comfortable for baby etc) I use different types, AIO, pockets and 2 part systems such as Itti Bitti. I like to change around and I find different ones suit different situations, clothing etc.
- Nappy sizes - did you prefer to use the ones which last from newborn to potty training or did you buy different sizes as baby grew? I'm worried that a nappy that fits a 2 year old will be enormous on a newborn - is this the case or not? Again a mixture of BTP, newborn and sized fitted. I didn't like the look of BTP on such a small baby, especially as my LO was teeny! So started off with newborn such as Tots Bots Teeny Fit and BumGenius Newborn then moved over to BTP and sized Itti Bitti, which I really like for feel, fit and absorbency.
- How often did you wash the nappies and was it a pain in the bum (please be honest)? I usually wash every 3rd day, no problem at all. Throw the net bag into the machine and bobs your uncle
- Do you need to soak the nappies before you wash them and did this prove difficult (lugging a heavy bucket of wet nappies around)? I dry pail my nappies and use fleece liners so I can throw poo down toilet without too much trouble. You could use flushable liners too.
- Which type of fabric did you use (I've seen ones made from cotton, bamboo etc), did you find that one material was particularly good? This is just personal preference IMO. I tried a mixture of different nappies in the beginning and found what worked best for me and LO.
- Did anyone use one of those services where they take the dirty nappies away once a week and leave you with clean ones rather than washing them yourselves, and did that work well for you? Never used this.
- Overall any tips or advice, brand recommendations etc would be very welcome! Try a few different types as what works for someone else may not work for you. All so think about buying preloved nappies, again you can try different brands, types without forking out as massive amount of money. But also remember they do have good resale value if you look after them. Don't give up if you don't get it right first time, there is always a solution. And try and get to a nappy group in your area for advice and help


Hope that helps you a bit. It saves you loads of money in the end and if you can stay away from the pretties plus you're doing a little bit to help the environment

 

[fionar]

I like prefolds for a newborn because I personally just found them easier. (So you'd need a snappi or pins and a cover.)

We have a collection of Bum Genius (AIOs - put 'em on and you're done, no cover, no stuffing, no pins), FuzziBunz (pockets - you have to stuff them with a liner - I like these for overnight because we can put two liners in and soak up all the pee, since our son doesn't wake when he wets), and Kissaluvs (fitteds - they snap on, but are not waterproof so you need a cover). I really like all of them for different scenarios. Bum Genius (AIOs) are best for babysitters/squeamish family members, because they're just exactly like a disposable, only you don't throw them away. Pockets are just a step down from AIOs in terms of user-friendliness, but I like the flexibility to have more or less soaker in them. Fitteds are just a bit cheaper than AIOs or pockets, so they're what we used the bulk of the time during the day. Prefolds are a little more durable and flexible, but take some more doing, so sitters often aren't fond of them.

Washing wasn't/isn't difficult, we didn't soak. Our wash routine is a cold/cold wash with no detergent, a hot/cold wash with about half the detergent we usually use, a cold/cold wash and then a cold rinse. We line dry when it's warm enough and "fluff" them in the dryer for about five or ten minutes so they're not crunchy, as they can get on a line. Line drying is the best way to keep stains out, though, for sure!

Don't buy a boatload of one kind of dipe, because you or your babe might not like them, or they might not work with your baby's body type (silly, but true!). I also prefer dipes that snap rather than have hook-and-loop closures, since the hook-and-loop can wear out and then you either get to replace it (not bad, but a pain) or replace the diaper, which kinda negates the cost savings of using cloth. Experiment and have fun! I love cloth.

 

[Dani_Ldn]

I haven't had my lo yet, but have done a bit of research on cloth nappies. So far I have purchased about 20 Little Lambs size one nappies (7 pounds upto 20 pounds) & about 10 Tots Bots size one & have about 10 LL size 2 in stock too. I am hoping that it all goes ok, as the idea of using disposables is not too appealing to me. My SIL has used cloth since her lo's birth & she loves them.

 

[Feronia]

The different types available (I know there are terry nappies, 2 piece systems, all-in-one's... but I have no idea which is easier to wash/more comfortable for baby etc)
Personally, I use prefolds. They're the cheapest out there and they're more comfortable than her pockets, which leave marks on her legs. I think it's best to buy small amounts of a few different types / brands to see which you like, though, and then invest in more. We have a couple of Snappis to go along with them. I like being able to customize the fold to find what works. DH also likes prefolds the best and he always uses them during diaper changes instead of the pockets. He thinks it's more work stuffing in the pocket liner than folding the prefold.

- Nappy sizes - did you prefer to use the ones which last from newborn to potty training or did you buy different sizes as baby grew? I'm worried that a nappy that fits a 2 year old will be enormous on a newborn - is this the case or not?
I have a few covers that go from newborn to potty training (Econobums are good, and inexpensive!) but they didn't fit her as a newborn. I bought 3 newborn covers instead and used those for the first month and then sold them on craigslist.

- How often did you wash the nappies and was it a pain in the bum (please be honest)?
I don't have a huge stash so I wash every other day usually. It's not a hassle at all, it's really not much work and doesn't take much time.

- Do you need to soak the nappies before you wash them and did this prove difficult (lugging a heavy bucket of wet nappies around)?
No, it's best just to toss them in a wet bag. We have one large wet bag and one travel wet bag (here's our large wet bag: https://www.bummis.com/ca/en/large-fabulous-wet-bag.php)

- Which type of fabric did you use (I've seen ones made from cotton, bamboo etc), did you find that one material was particularly good? I've only used cotton so I can only comment on that. It seems great -- we don't get any leaks.

You asked for recommendations, and I got the Bummis infant pack: https://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?products_id=2071 it works from 15 lbs to potty training and I will be using that once DD hits 15 lbs. Until then, I used a 12 pack of newborn prefolds and 3 newborn covers for the first month, and then used 3 Econobum covers, which I will continue to use alongside the Bummis since they're great!