Making the switch...

[AFC84]

Sorry, another one of these newbie threads!

I picked up a couple of Motherease one size nappies at an NCT sale yesterday [not had chance to try them yet as I didn't get wraps!] but it's spurred me into action at last to get a little stash together. I also got what I think are some boosters [the ones without poppers...do you just put them in and they stay in place or do you need to fix them on somehow?] and some sort of T-shaped things. Are those nappies in their own right or go inside something else?

I've just bought...

5x motherease airflow wrap
1x Night Notions with bamboo insert and microfibre booster
2x Meos with boosters
1x Blueberry one size with BG insert
1x Swaddlebees econappy
1x Wee Notions snap fastening

What else should I be looking for? My LO is almost 6 months and I do have a tumble drier if necessary [though I try to keep its use to a minimum because I'm a skinflint when it comes to paying for such things!]

Any help would be useful, thanks

 

[Rachel_C]

You can just lay boosters into a nappy and they'll stay in place once baby's bum is on them. If you have pocket nappies, you can put the booster in the pocket but you don't need to. Some boosters come with poppers to fix them in place but most don't.

The T-shaped things sound like they're half way between a flat terry nappy and a fitted nappy (which would have elastic on them normally). If they don't have velcro or poppers, you'd use them like a normal nappy with a nappy pin or a nappi nippa. Or if you wanted and they weren't too bulky, there's nothing to stop you using them as a booster inside another nappy. You will probably need a wrap over them though. Post a pic if you want people to check!

It sounds like you've made a good start - there's a good variety for you to find out what you like.

As for more, I'd probably just go with what you like the look of! There are so many different ones to try and no hard and fast rules. If you're wanting to tumble dry as little as possible, microfibre inserts dry the quickest and they're usually absorbent enough for day nappies. I really like stay dry Flips for easy of use and speed of washing/drying, and you can use the outers as wraps over other nappies and the inserts in other nappies too so they're versatile.

 

[AFC84]

That was really helpful, thank you Looks like this is going to be just as addictive as babywearing [less expensive though, always a bonus]

 

[Rachel_C]

That was really helpful, thank you Looks like this is going to be just as addictive as babywearing [less expensive though, always a bonus]

Ok I've stopped giggling now... I bet you won't be saying that in six months! Individual nappies might be less expensive than carriers, but you go through far more in a day

 

[AFC84]

Hmmm I think you're right there actually...just looking through my PayPal transactions, t's taken a bit of a battering already! Got a few more since earlier

I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that around 18 is a good number to allow for washing/drying etc, would that be for the easier to dry ones or the ones that take longer...or just an average?

 

[Rachel_C]

I'd say that would be for quick drying ones. I guess that would be based on washing frequently, so you have 9 per day. You'd use 9 and wash them, then while they're drying you'd use the other 9. If the first lot you washed took more than a day to dry, you'd not have any clean for the day after that. Microfibre nappies should dry in a day but bamboo, hemp or cotton might take considerably longer if you're air drying them.

 

[Callie-xoxox]

Hmmm I think you're right there actually...just looking through my PayPal transactions, t's taken a bit of a battering already! Got a few more since earlier

I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that around 18 is a good number to allow for washing/drying etc, would that be for the easier to dry ones or the ones that take longer...or just an average?

I am addicted to nappy buying
and For the number of nappies it just depends how many days you want to wait before washing. I have about 25 and I wash every three days.

But in no time you will have alot if you are anything like me
I have been buying nappies for about a month now and I have about 20 in the mail.

 

[AFC84]

I'd say that would be for quick drying ones. I guess that would be based on washing frequently, so you have 9 per day. You'd use 9 and wash them, then while they're drying you'd use the other 9. If the first lot you washed took more than a day to dry, you'd not have any clean for the day after that. Microfibre nappies should dry in a day but bamboo, hemp or cotton might take considerably longer if you're air drying them.

Ok thanks...probably a stupid question but is it easy to tell the difference between the materials by just looking at/feeling them? I'm assuming the ones I got from the NCT sale will be cotton but I've never seen bamboo before so I have no idea tbh.

I am addicted to nappy buying
and For the number of nappies it just depends how many days you want to wait before washing. I have about 25 and I wash every three days.

But in no time you will have alot if you are anything like me
I have been buying nappies for about a month now and I have about 20 in the mail.

Another stupid question Are they generally colour fast? Just thinking if you have loads of different colours then wouldn't you have to do a smaller wash to separate them out, or do you need one of those colour catcher things?

I've now also bought...

1x Weehugger
1x BBOS
1x Wee Notions with LO's name on...couldn't resist!

Sure there's more but I've lost track I'll be stalking the postie for a few days now!

 

[Callie-xoxox]

I do all the nappies at the same time
Are they brand new? they should be okay.
If you want to be careful I would wash then a few times separated
But After a few times they should be okay.

But dont hold me to that

 

[Eala]

What Callie said! Preloved should be fine, as they will have been washed at least a few times anyway With new ones, it depends on how bright the colour is and what the fabric is. I think WeeNotions recommend that with new nappies you wash them separately for their prewash, especially if they are bright colours. Or you could just use a colour catcher I stuck one in when I was washing new nappies in with my old ones, and they all came out fine

Whether or not you'll be able to tell the bamboo and hemp ones apart kinda depends on the way the fabric is presented! You said you've bought a new BBOS? The insert that comes with that will be terry on top (is it MF, I think?) but then hemp underneath, so you'll see the difference there. But I have night nappies which have bamboo terry inserts, and I probably wouldn't have known *what* the terry was if I hadn't been told

I find hemp easier to spot, as it tends to be darker, and also just feels and looks different. If you try it on a heated airer, it goes like cardboard too

 

[Rachel_C]

Yeah I always find hemp to be stiffer, darker in colour and not at all silky. Bamboo terry, when new, is lovely and snuggly soft. It can go a bit crunchier after a lot of washing but it should soften up in the tumble dryer and it has a longer pile than hemp, more like cotton terry. Cotton terry feels like a towel and not as soft as bamboo terry. There are a couple of other kinds of bamboo, bamboo fleece and bamboo french terry come to mind, but they're often sewn so that the non-obvious side of the fabric is out. Bamboo fleece is fleecy on one side but they usually sew it so that the cottony feeling side is out. Bamboo tends to feel heavier and more flexible than you'd expect it to for its size. Once you have a couple of different things, you just get used to what's what really.

 

[AFC84]

Cool cheers ladies. Yeah they're preloved anyway.

So much to learn! Can't wait for them all to arrive now. Thanks for your help