Pros and cons of cloth nappies?

[Lyrah]

Hi ladies,

My OH and I are thinking of switching to cloth nappies but need some more info. What are the pros and cons of them? I have read that they aren't a lot of hassle at all and very easy but the thought of it to me sounds like they are a lot of hassle? When I asked my mum about them, she said not to get them as they are too much work? Just thinking this as with disposables you just whip them off and bung them in a nappy bag and then the bin but with cloth you have to rinse them to get the poo off etc? Or am I wrong? Lol I am really confused about how you use them, I have read the guide on here and tried googling to find out more information but I just don't understand how to use them, what I would need to buy, what the best ones are, whether it's worth it etc etc
Also a bit worried about what I would do if I was out etc. Hope I'm making sense!

So yeah, I basically need some help from you ladies with more information on cloth nappies, pros and cons etc. We already breastfeed, co-sleep and babywear so I would like to be all natural with my parenting really so I would quite like to try these out.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Lliena]

At one month old baby is probably big enough for small bumgenuis or bumgenuis birth to potty nappies although they will be bit bulky still. Bumgenius flips with inserts are also fab too!(These are all the ones I mainly use and found to be best) They are the simplest nappies that are like disposable's in the fact you take them off change baby and sling in the nappy bucket untill you have enough to do a wash. Or with the flip take the insert out wipe the wrap over and resuse it with a fresh insert!

Regarding poo you can put a fleece liner in the nappy and hold this in the flush of the loo which gets the majority of it off or can hold the whole nappy in the flush too

its really not that hard at all and a lot easier than people think, things have moved on from terry squares and wraps but that option is also still there

 

[Lyrah]

At one month old baby is probably big enough for small bumgenuis or bumgenuis birth to potty nappies although they will be bit bulky still. Bumgenius flips with inserts are also fab too!(These are all the ones I mainly use and found to be best) They are the simplest nappies that are like disposable's in the fact you take them off change baby and sling in the nappy bucket untill you have enough to do a wash. Or with the flip take the insert out wipe the wrap over and resuse it with a fresh insert!

Regarding poo you can put a fleece liner in the nappy and hold this in the flush of the loo which gets the majority of it off or can hold the whole nappy in the flush too

its really not that hard at all and a lot easier than people think, things have moved on from terry squares and wraps but that option is also still there

Thanks hun!

So with the fleece liners, do you use a clean one each time baby poos? Sorry if a silly question, I am so clueless on all of this!

Where do I find out more about the bumgenius ones?

xxx

 

[Lliena]

When I said I mainly use them I meant a mix of all three types Yep you use a clean fleece liner each time baby poops or wees fleece is good as it keeps their bums dry but you can also get disposable liners too which you jsut drop in the loo and flush away!

You can read more about bumgenius ones here:
https://www.thenaturalbabyresource.co.uk/cloth-nappies/Bumgenius-Cloth-Nappies;jsessionid=FrYvMSGMqQQ15j6sly4TGs7MJJFKxbTzlh1QQQ72TyJPCJJSnn7tvbYQ9wnDTfzshkpnyrWMlZvRybqpmnt1LypnLnjDy7X1bJR759XJ26WRK5YLmn26Y0JNvVkCnzvW!-52639304

Look at the one size, all in ones and flips. The only difference between the one size and the all in ones is that the onesize(birth to potty)are more bulkier but they will last till your little one is potty training, or thats the theory anyway

 

[pinkclaire]

I've just switched, and tbh I was getting sick of how full my bin was with sposies, how often you have to buy them. When I got my real nappies they just felt sooo soft and I wish I had started them from when he was younger as they just feel sooo much nicer.

I am doing a nappy trial through my local wildlife trust, there is a list somewhere of which councils do it, I'll have a look if your interested. basically they lend you nappies for 4 weeks so you can see what different types yo get on with and what shapes fit you LO. I found (other than this website) the cheeks and cherries website really useful in explaining and finding out which nappies are likely to suit your lifestyle, budget, size of baby etc.

Through my council you also get £30 back if you spend £60 which is really good xx

 

[Lyrah]

Thanks

I've just looked at the bumgenius organic - if I was to get that, what else would I need? It says with those ones you don't need stuffing? Does that mean I don't need liners etc? lol

I've just switched, and tbh I was getting sick of how full my bin was with sposies, how often you have to buy them. When I got my real nappies they just felt sooo soft and I wish I had started them from when he was younger as they just feel sooo much nicer.

I am doing a nappy trial through my local wildlife trust, there is a list somewhere of which councils do it, I'll have a look if your interested. basically they lend you nappies for 4 weeks so you can see what different types yo get on with and what shapes fit you LO. I found (other than this website) the cheeks and cherries website really useful in explaining and finding out which nappies are likely to suit your lifestyle, budget, size of baby etc.

Through my council you also get £30 back if you spend £60 which is really good xx

Thank you - that sounds great!

Yeah I've just been thinking. Cloth nappies seem so much better. They look much more comfortable and kinder to babies skin, you wouldn't have to deal with having to keep buying them (the nappies I use don't seem to be sold anywhere but in town which is a 20min bus journey away so a real pain!), the bin wouldn't have to be full all the time... as it fills up super fast! Baby probably doesn't get the red marks disposables leave, less chance of leaking. I am beginning to feel kind of mean now for having him in disposables, cloth looks so much more comfortable - surely the disposables rub and dig in?! At the end of the day, I want whatever is best for my baby and for him to be comfortable... so I think I'm going to go with these.

How many nappies do I need? I've read stuff about night nappies too??

Thanks for all the help ladies! xxx

 

[pinkclaire]

OK this is the link about councils
https://www.babyandbump.com/natural-parenting/310245-real-nappy-schemes-participating-councils.html

I feel a bit mean as well now!

The bumgenious are a good place to start. You should only need what comes with it, it will be nappy and an insert, and the insert fits inside the pocket. Very easy to get one and dad proof! You can either wash them as one, or take them apart for quicker drying.

If your LO is a heavy wetter you can get extra liners to bulk it out though! buying them preloved is good as you can buy one nappy fairly cheap, and see if you like it before investing lots.

(Twiggy if your reading this how proud are you?! I'm giving other people advice now!)

Regards to how many, just depends how often you want to do a wash!

 

[Lliena]

The organic ones take ages to dry unless you have a tumble drier, the onesize are same but take less drying time as they are microfiber,they come with inserts you stuff in the back. Its really not hard I promise also the v3 are jsut as good as the new version 4''s.

The insert is different to the liner the insert is the absorbent part of the nappy that holds the wee. The liner goes on top of nappy next to Little ones bum to help keep them dry and stop nappy from getting too stained

Also itti bitti dlish all in ones can be good for little ones as they come in small, medium, large sizes. It depends on the baby though I had some and im selling them now as I cant get a good fit on Avalon but other people adore them and they are their staple nappy as they are so trim and pretty

 

[pinkclaire]

The insert is different to the liner the insert is the absorbent part of the nappy that holds the wee. The liner goes on top of nappy next to Little ones bum to help keep them dry and stop nappy from getting too stained [\QUOTE]

I was doing so well until then, yes I meant inserts xx

 

[Lliena]

Aw I wasnt saying that after I read your post hun I posted then saw what you had said

Your doing really well for someone thats jsut started! I dont know that much myself only been really into it the past 6 weeks or so but I lurked for awhile before that just reading and researching

 

[lynnikins]

sounds like your getting some good advice there hun

i use a mix of prefolds and pocket nappies at the moment i have ebay cheapie pocket nappies and a couple of more expensive ones and cottonbottoms prefolds both systems are easy enough to use the pockets take a little more prep time but dry quicker and contain more where my prefolds ( and im sure there are better wraps than the ones im using ) are quicker to put on and easier to get a good fit but are bulky, so pros and cons of each im slowly buying more pockets as time goes on

Night nappies are another world all together ive not ventured there yet but hopefully buying my first Wee notions Night Notion soon

 

[pinkclaire]

For night I've used a Bumgenious with an extra bamboo insert and it has worked fine for me. But I have only tried it once! I think I'm going to use all my trail nappies in the day first, see if they leak, if they dont I will use at night with extra bulk and see how I get on! Definately do it if you can really helps you to learn xx

 

[littlestar]

if your curious about any of the different types of nappies, i've done how to- videos for many of them. You can find a link in the link in my siggy.

Each one is a brief demo of how the nappy looks, how to set it (if needed) and how it does on your baby (on in the demo's case - Teddy )

https://www.babyandbump.com/natural-parenting/412563-nappy-demo-videos-inc-tutto.html#post6861072

 

[twiggy56]

https://www.babyandbump.com/baby-club/409261-nappies-disposables-vs-washables.html

here's a thread that was in baby club for pro's and con's....easily laid out as well


...and claire, YES! im like a proud fluff mama

 

[LittlePants]

There's an excellent beginners site www.thenappyline.co.uk
Have a browse, and then try hitting the "Personal Q&A Session" button. That will start of a personal consultation, where you can ask your specific questions, to make sure you get the right nappies for you, in your particular situation. Needs vary so much from family to family, and what is great for one family, just doesn't work for another.
Washable nappies really aren't any more hassle than disposables, and people who swop, very often say it's easier, because you don't have nappies to lug home from the supermarket each week, your wheelie bin doesn't overflow, and very often there isn't even that much more washing, as they leak less. Yes, they used to be hard work, when you had to soak them, and boil them, fold them and pin them, and plastic pants went hard and brittle, and you kep aving to replace them, but they aren't like that any more. Did your mum actually try them? If she did, she may be very surprised at how they have moved on, since you were a baby! So many people who say they are hard work, have never actually used modern washable nappies!

 

[misspeach24]

Ive bought some naughty baby's which come in 1 size, but I' concerned that they will be too bulky to use from birth. So i was thinking of using disposables for the first wee while, but I hate thought of them, is there any smaller cloth ones out there?

 

[Lliena]

small bum genius nappies or tots bots teenyfits