Traditional cloth/muslim nappies - any users?

[Luzelle]

Hi all. I am considering using cloth nappies, and until I read in this forum I didn't even really know that there were prefolded/ready to use ones available.

Now I am wondering, apart from that they are prettier and already folded, what is the difference between these nappies and the traditional square of cloth or muslim that you have to fold yourself? Sorry for the dumb question. I still remember how my mom made me fold stacks of nappies for my younger brother and sister when they were little. Actually I remember enjoying it!

Do they 'spill' more easily etc? Just want to know. My mom used to get muslim squares for the small babies and then graduated onto cloth once they were a bit older. But that's twenty years ago.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[littlestar]

ease of use has got to be the biggest difference, the modern cloth nappies require little or no folding and many go on as easily as a disposable with poppers or velcro in place of the traditional pins.

they no longer require soaking like traditional nappies and wash easily at 40 rather than needing a boil wash.

 

[Lisa1302]

tehe couldn't help but giggle at the Muslim cloth...I used to call it that when I was a child

 

[Luzelle]

Sorry if I offended anybody with the Muslim cloth - in Afrikaans, we call it Moeselien, which has no bearance to Muslim. Maybe I should just say cotton or something.
Okay,so far it is: easy of use (no folding necessary) and the ease of washing (no soaking or boiling necessary with the ready ones). I think I am going to give it a try. Was also wondering, don't the prefolded nappies take ages and ages in a tumble drier or in the sun to dry?

 

[Rachel_C]

^WSS. There was somebody in Baby Club ages ago who wanted to buy muslins online but couldn't find them anywhere and was having real trouble understanding why, it was cos she was typing in muslim - she probably got some interesting results!

I think modern cloth nappies are often more absorbant than traditional muslins or cotton terry nappies. You can get bamboo terries that are more absorbant though.

 

[Rachel_C]

I don't think you need to soak or boil terries or muslins, I think it's because modern washing machines are better. In fact, I can't understand why our parents used to soak and boil them either?

 

[gills8752]

i use a mix of some modern aio's/pocket nappies and prefolds. i dont soak either and all get washed the same. I've not found more difference with performance between them either. The only thing being if she's pooed in a prefold it will start leaking out the sides into the wrap if you don't change her so the wrap needs washed instead of reused a few times before washing at I would be pee nappies. Poop will still leak out of the side of my aio/pockets when she starts fidgeting anyway so I don't see any difference apart from prettyness. I don't find prefolds all that much hassle at all. Just like folding a few towels to put away.
If you'd like some prefolds I've got loads I got from freecycle so if you pay the postage I can send you some.

 

[Luzelle]

Aww, thanks for your offer but we're emigrating soon and I will start buying all my baby stuff in 6 weeks' time when we're in Oz. I can't take much luggage along, plus we're in South Africa....
I will be buying the nappies secondhand anyway, if I can find them in Oz. Will go have a look on Gumtree and e-bay. Nobody that I know around here uses cloth nappies anymore, but the waste/landfill concerns me, plus the waste of money.

 

[DueMarch2nd]

i literally thought this thread was talking about some sort of muslim nappy! I was intrigued and then i realised she meant muslin!

what the other girls said, modern cloth nappies are too easy! why add all the annoyance of doing it the old way

 

[mommyof3co]

I personally love my prefolds! The only time I really don't like them is the stage where they like to roll when changing diapers and don't really understand when you telll them to lay still lol so I stopped using them then, but loved them when he was really young and use them a lot now too. Once you get the hang of it they are really easy to fold and put on. I plan to get some flats next time, he'll be potty training soon so for next baby.

 

[Mary Jo]

I feel the same as mommyof3co, I loved using my terry flats and have kept them and will use for another baby. Only stopped using them because Adam became such a wrigglebum and he'd kick the fold from the nappies before I could get him in to them. I actually used to get a great deal of satisfaction from mastering a fold, and he looked SO sweet and adorable in them.

sure, modern cloth nappies can be quicker to put on a wriggling baby but my experience is flats are more convenient for the speed of drying. muslins would be even quicker. they're also a LOT cheaper, have no bits that can fail with wear (elastic, velcro, PUL), and have loads of other uses once they're no longer nappies.