How do you wash your nappy's?

[lovelylaura]

I've brought some tots bots ready for the new baby and i've just put them in the wash but i didn't really think about it and just used our normal bio washing powder. I'm guessing i'll need non bio but do i need anything else? I've heard of napisan but i'm not sure what it's for?

Also another question, in the packs their was a fleecy liner thing do i use that at night to help with absorbency ? and where do i put it? in the bit i stuff or just lay it on top? Hope that makes sense.

Another one I'm going to use flushable liners but i've seen my friend when she changes her child just take the flushable bit out and replace that not the whole thing? Can you do that, and if you can how do you know when to change the whole nappy?

Sorry for all the questions as you can guess i'm new to this, took us to have our 3rd baby for OH to agree to them!

Thanks for any help i'm sure once i'm using them i'll figure it out but any advice would be great

 

[Rachel_C]

You can use bio if you want, as long as your baby is okay with that. The nappy area is a pretty 'intense' area so sometimes a baby won't have a reaction on the rest of the body but they will on the bum. Just see how it goes. Many nappy manufacturers say to avoid bio for that reason but some also say it is better for the nappies to use non-bio. However, most countries don't have non-bio at all. Just use your best judgement (Tots Bots do advise against bio).

Most manufacturers advise that you don't use a full dose of detergent as it won't rinse out properly (you know the smell of detergent? That means there's still detergent in the fabric and that means the nappy will be less absorbent). Generally, I'd start by only using a quarter of your normal dose plus an extra rinse or two at the end until the nappies smell of nothing. If they come out smelling dirty, re-wash with a bit more detergent. If they still smell of detergent after two extra rinses, use less detergent next time.

Don't use Napisan, it's not suitable for modern nappies. You can use it on terry nappies or prefolds but there's really no need.

A general guide to washing nappies might be:
Dry pail them until wash day.
Fill the machine 2/3 full with nappies.
Rinse them to get them nice and wet.
Do your longest wash cycle at up to 60 degrees with a quarter dose of detergent.
Extra rinse. Check for bubbles in the water/detergent smell - rinse again if still there.

If you're using a special nappy detergent e.g. Tots Bots Potion, Rockin Green, loads of other options but not Napisan, use the full dose on the packet as they've already adjusted it to rinse out properly.

The fleece liner is there to help LO stay dry (it will let liquid through but then feel dry to the touch) and also to help you lift poo out of the nappy. It won't make the nappy more absorbent but I would definitely use it overnight; in fact I always made sure every nappy was 'stay dry' either by adding a fleece liner or checking that the nappy's inside was stay dry.

If you use flushable liners, they won't keep LO feeling dry (and please don't flush them, even 'flushable' ones aren't actually suitable for the sewers, if you check with your water company) so you might want to use them on top of the fleece one. Or some babies are fine without the fleece

If the flushable bit of the nappy is wet or dirty enough to need changing, the nappy needs changing too. Some nappies (hybrids) have disposable inserts - perhaps that's what your friend is using? That's different. Hybrids can have washable inserts too and you can just change the insert and re-use the outer bit. Don't try that with liners though and definitely not with Tots Bots as they're not the right kind of nappy for that.

 

[lovelylaura]

Thankyou so much, thats amazing advice! Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I feel much better about it all now. I'll just change the whole nappy then and i didnt ever use non bio with the girls even as newborns but i think i'll get some just to use for nappys as its obviously so close to a delicate area. Did't know about the flushable liner thing, i might as well use the ones you wash aswell.

 

[Rachel_C]

TBH, as long as you wash out the detergent properly (which you need to do anyway), I wouldn't bother switching to non-bio unless you experience problems. If you're going to buy something specially for nappies, maybe look at nappy detergents. I really like Eco Sprout or Stink Pot

One thing I forgot to mention is that you mustn't use fabric softener as it will stop the nappies absorbing properly. Bold 2 in 1 is supposed to be okay but I've always found it really difficult to rinse out properly so I'd avoid that too and just go for regular detergent with no softener.

 

[lovelylaura]

Thankyou, i dont use softener anyway as it irritates my skin. I've just sorted through them and i brought 15 nappy's in 3 packs but i only got 3 of the fleece liners so 1 for 5 nappy's. I'm guessing i'll need more is there a best place to buy them from or shall i just get the one's from tots bots website? I've read abit more about them and i'm guessing my friend has a 2 system type ones which is why she just changes the middle bit. It's all getting a bit clearer now haha.Also it said on the website to boost the nappy's at night but they don't stock anything to boost them, any ideas what i'm meant to be looking for? I don't think i've felt this stupid in a long time! who knew nappy's were such a mind field. Thanks again for your help.

 

[lovelylaura]

So i've just had a quick google and this website has got boosters but there's so many are some better than others? https://www.thenappylady.co.uk/nappy-boosters.html Or do i need to wait untill the baby's here to get boosters? Also am i right in thinking that these tots bots easy fit just aren't going to be absorbent enough for night? Should i get some 2 peice one's so i can bulk them up better? I'm sorry for so many questions, as soon as i get an answer for one it's like it creates another!

 

[Rachel_C]

Oh wait, the fleece bits, are they actually fleece like a fleece blanket? If they're not, they might be boosters after all! If they were fleece liners you'd get one per nappy. It might be that they've given you one booster for every 5 nappies so you can try them overnight (although I don't think they'd last overnight) or for in the car. Which nappies do you have - do you have a link to the ones? If no link, do you know what version Easyfit they are - what fabrics or what patterns/colours?

If you want to buy more boosters, pretty much any standard size booster will fit in Easyfits. Little Lamb boosters are pretty good - only quite thin (I like the double layer ones) but that means they dry quickly and you can use more than one if needed. I'd go for the Size 2 LL boosters for Easyfits - you will probably need to fold the end over on the smaller settings but it won't add much bulk and it'll save on buying S1s then S2s a few months later. I would get a 10 pack of boosters just in case.

I wouldn't count on being able to use the Easyfits from birth - 'birth to potty nappies' are generally '4-6 weeks old until potty training' nappies really. Even if your baby is 9lbs at birth, it'll take a while for his/her legs to fatten up a bit. I wouldn't try to use them overnight either. The Tots Bots Stretch is a good option for starting out overnights - the S1s should fit from birth and they're easily boostable to last 4-6 hours on a young baby between feeds overnight. Many people can boost the S2s enough to last a whole night later on too. If you wanted to get the best value for money, the S2s will fit from around 9lbs/4-6 weeks old so you could skip the S1s if you don't plan to use cloth from birth.

 

[lovelylaura]

Yeah i was thinking it would be a couple of weeks before she would fit in them and tbh with the amount of changes i will have to do in the first few weeks it will probably be easier. I think the one's i got are just the original ones? I'll have a look at the stretch one's, i need to get a few more anyway so i'll try and get some which will hopefully work at night. Even if they only work at night for a few months its better than nothing. I think i'm just going order a few boosters and liners and see what i like. I think kiddicare near me keep them in store so i might go and have a look and see if i can figure it out a bit.

 

[lovelylaura]

Just had a look at the stretchy ones, they look really good. I've read that i'll only need one cover for 5 nappy's is that right or should i get a couple if i'm only going to use them at night?

 

[BigLegEmma]

Subbed, thanks!

 

[Rachel_C]

Those are Version 2 Easyfits with bamboo and microfibre inside (we're on V4 now but the V2s are still good nappies) and from what I can see, that's a bamboo booster not a liner. So I would buy some fleece liners to keep baby feeling dry (the bamboo on the inside of the nappy will feel wet). It wouldn't hurt to get a few more boosters too (the Little Lamb S2s would be good), especially if you're buying Stretches for overnight as the boosters will work in them as well. I'd get at least 2 covers because if a bit of poo gets on the wrap you will need a fresh one straight away. Also, after a full night of use you will need to wash the wrap (poo or no poo!) so if will give you time to do laundry if you have another one handy.

 

[lovelylaura]

That's great thankyou! Ive seen someone selling someone selling 3 of their wraps for £15 so i'll get those as they weren't even used! and keep an eye out for the other bits. Thankyou so much for your advice honestly i can't tell you how much you've helped! I'm feeling much more confident. x

 

[Rachel_C]

It might be worth getting a couple of different brands of wraps as they're the most important bit and you need to get a good fit. I'd recommend trying a Blueberry Coverall

 

[lovelylaura]

I'm actually looking at getting some blueberry one's and some tots bots one's. I'm going to get a few used tots bots stretchy one's in size 1 then move up to size 2 later on as both my girls have been slow weight gainers so i'll probably get a while out of them. Do the wraps come in different sizes? or will they fit both sizes?

 

[Rachel_C]

Blueberry Coveralls are one size so will fit from about the same size as the S2 Stretch nappies but will also fit with the S1 Stretch nappies from about 9-10lbs. They do a mini Coverall that has the same weight range as the TB Stretch but I haven't tried them together - I think they'd be fine together. The Tots Bots wraps are sized... watch out if buying preloved as the Stretchy wrap is quite new but they did have an older wrap out for ages. The current prints/colours are on the TB website if you want to check what you're getting.

 

[lovelylaura]

I'm going to get my TBs wraps new i think as boots sell them and i'll get discount I'm really excited now i've figured it out abit. I didn't ever think i would get so excited about nappy's. I'm going to be one of those people with huge stashes now arent i? lol I really love the ryhym time TBs definatly need one of those!

 

[Rachel_C]

Well, if anything makes changing pooey nappies a bit more fun, it's well worth it in my book.

I may be one of those with a huge stash... in fact I can't face selling all my daughter's nappies even though she potty trained several months ago. I'm starting a nappy library just so I can keep them

 

[LittlePants]

My washing method

Dry pail after removing any poo from the liner
Place nappies in the machine - the machine no more than 2/3 full
Add an Eco Egg
A scoop of Ecover oxygen beach in the powder drawer
Prewash on cold
Full maximum wash at 60ºC
Rinse and spin

If you use ecoegg there's no danger of powder build up

Line dry weever possible

 

[lovelylaura]

Why do they have to be so pretty!? Love that your starting a library with them, such a good idea! x

 

[vermeil]

I find stores that specialize in diapers etc know their stuff well. They gave me a leaflet with washing instructions. They sell soap designed the diapers, it's only 8$ for a huge bottle, less than a teaspoon per wash so with my son that bottle lasted me 2 years!

In had the elastics replaced on my diapers and am using them again with my daughter. Cost me 200$ for 30 diapers or so. I had only 18 diapers with my son (different brands) and it was tight but OK. Now my friend who had twins gave me her huuuuge stash so I picked the prettiest ones

My son was on the smallest diaper setting for months. My 5 month old daughter is already on the largest setting on the diapers, literally the last snap. She's huge! My son at 3 when potty trained still wasnt on the biggest setting. With those diapers she needs size 24m pants but 6m tops

In the us I recommend bum genius. Be advised that while Velcro is more practical I had to replace all the velcros on my bum genius diapers for number two. One of our local brands here mini kiwi leaked more but their Velcro's are still going strong 3 years later. They're all different!

PS if I had to redo this I would have sold my stash and bought new again instead of fixing the elastics. Might be my daughter's huge legs but they're definitely leaking more now than with my son...

Anyway I'm rambling welcome to the fun! I love picking a diaper color that goes with her dress in the morning