Why did you decide to use cloth nappies?

[sarahjanek88]

Hi ladies, I would like to know why you all decided to use cloth nappies.

I myself have been using regular nappies. At first, I wouldn't even consider cloth nappies because it seems like much more work and a lot messier, however, lately I've found myself thinking I should have gave them a chance; at least for economic and environmental reasons.

I would also like to know, what do you do when you go out and need to change your baby. Do you have to carry a dirty nappy till you get home?

How easy is it to use them in day to day running, and are there any major advantages/disadvantages?

Sorry if these are silly questions, I'm not really clued up in this area but I would be willing to try cloth nappies if it seemed reasonable enough. Thanks x

 

[littlestar]

i use cloth for a number of reasons
the main one for us is the cost savings our stash is 50/50 new and preloved nappies
there is some resale value too so you can buy, try and resell if they're not for you.

next is i hate the thought of all the 'sposie chemicals next to LO skin.

then environmental reasons - landfill and fortnightly bin collections are not fun

 

[sezzlebum]

i use cloth for a number of reasons
the main one for us is the cost savings our stash is 50/50 new and preloved nappies
there is some resale value too so you can buy, try and resell if they're not for you.

then environmental reasons - landfill and fortnightly bin collections are not fun

i agree with that plus :

their cute
Aimee has had nappy rash just once and that was thru teething
i never run out of nappies
i dont have to go outside in the pissin rain to put dirty nappies in the bin or to buy nappys because ive only got one left
my first daughter had a reaction to pampers.. so i switched to huggies, my second daughter had a reaction to huggies so i switched to pampers, this time i save my baby a lot of sore bums and went straight to cloth

yes you have to carry the dirty nappy round with you all day, but you can buy a wetbag for them and some smelly stuff to take the smell away (i havent really had a problem with smelly nappys to be honest)
in day to day life.... they dont take any longer than a sposie to put on, theres no jelly crap from the nappy leaking if its on too long
they are more breathable than sposies hence why less nappy rash
aimees nappies are always a talking point, people round here hadnt seen them before (i have ittis) so i get to show off a bit lol
um i dunno what else

 

[JayleighAnn]

We use them as I hate the crap that's in real nappies, I wouldn't want to put the chemicals anywhere near his bum, also the cost and the environmental issues.

as for out and about, we have a wet bag where we put all the dirty nappies and wipes in then just shake them into the nappy bin at home.

I don't think there is a disadvantage to cloth at all well unless you get addicted and spend too much money on them yeah it's an extra load of washing, but that doesn't make a difference cause it's like 5mins to stick em in and turn it on. I never understand when people say "I don't have the time" it doesn't take long to bung em in the wash, then in the dryer/radiator however your dry them, it takes about 10mins to make them up then put them away already made and it's just as easy as disposables.
The advantage is that their eco, their cute, their HUNDREDS of pounds cheaper than disposables and their kind to your babies skin, no nasty chemicals at all.

 

[mommyof3co]

I chose to use them because they are better for babies skin, softer and no chemicals. Then I realized how much more comfortable he was in them, plus they are super cute!

I carry a small wet bag (a bag that is waterproof) in my diaper bag and when I change him I stick it in that then into the diaper pail when I get home...it zips so you can't smell it or anything. I'm now using liners so I just take the liner and poo and toss it in the toilet and flush so it's just wet diapers I carry home.

For me it's been no harder using cloth while out. The only thing may be you have to change a bit more often. But it's just as easy as sposies to change and carry

 

[Shifter]

The environment was my primary concern, then I realised how much cheaper it would be (I have spent about £200 and am set for nappies for all my kids for life! It costs about £1000 to put a child in disposables for 2.5 years) and the benefit of being kinder to their skin.

They're easy to use too, for the reasons already stated. I too don't get why people seem to think that washing them would be time consuming we have a washer-drier, so don't even need to switch them between machines, literally throw them in and leave them for a few hours then they're done and take 10 minutes to put back together and put away.

We used eco-disposables for the first few weeks so I had bought a load of eco-nappy sacks so we still have several rolls of those. I carry one roll in my changing bag and put dirty nappies into one of those while out. Cloth nappies don't smell like disposables do, so it's not like you're carrying a reeking sack around with you.

 

[Rachel_C]

I decided to use cloth years before I even met my OH but I had no idea back then that there was so much choice and so many pretty nappies. So my first reason was the environment and cost. Now though, I love how much nicer they are next to LO's skin, how they smell fresh and clean (I can rarely even smell when LO has done a poo), how much fun they are to buy and how cute they are on LO. I hate it when we have to use a disposable.

 

[K477uk]

I much prefer the fact that I get to control the chemicals going onto my childs skin. The only time we use disposibles is if we are going away and there isn't washing facilities or when I was in hospital with him.

They are just as easy, and yes if you go out you have to carry a dirty nappy about, but as many have said use a waterproof wetbag and it's fine! (Unless you forget to empty it and after a day or so it can begin to smell!!)

 

[JennTheMomma]

I use cloth diapers because I hated having to buy disposables over and over, and because they aren't good for the enviroment.

If we're out and about and Hunter needs a change then we change him like we do with a disposable, but put the cloth diaper in a little sack and take it home with us. If it's poop then we flush the poop down the toilet.

 

[sarahjanek88]

I think I may be slowly getting converted lol . My boy is 6 months old, and I thought it was maybe too late to think of changing, but maybe it isn't. One other question about the washing: I take it they would need a little prewash to get rid of the worst before going in washing machine? I know one of you ladies mentioned liners which would be easier I assume to throw away?

What would I need to buy to start with? and where? x

 

[kirsten1985]

Yeah they would need a few washes before you use them to make them absorbant enough. You can use paper liners if you like but a lot of people don't bother, preferring soft material against the baby's bum. Fleece liners are good if you are using cotton nappies, as they keep them dry and you can throw mess down the toilet easier. Also means the nappies don't get stained. All nappy websites sell liners too, so they are easy to find

 

[thelilbump]

I use cloth simply because i prefer the though of something soft next to my babies skin than paper.

I found once we got used to using cloth, like anything it becomes second nature. We started with only a few and now use cloth full time

You can get wetbags to carry dirty or clean nappies around with you when you are out, or sometimes i'll just put a dirty one in a normal nappy sack until i get home and can sort it.

We only converted to cloth at six months aswell and had no problems, just wish i'd done it sooner tbh.

 

[Sinead]

I think I may be slowly getting converted lol . My boy is 6 months old, and I thought it was maybe too late to think of changing, but maybe it isn't. One other question about the washing: I take it they would need a little prewash to get rid of the worst before going in washing machine? I know one of you ladies mentioned liners which would be easier I assume to throw away?

What would I need to buy to start with? and where? x

I just throw mine in the wash, with a bit of nappisan and dh's white shirts (he doesn't know that!!!!!)

 

[Rebaby]

I just throw mine in the wash, with a bit of nappisan and dh's white shirts (he doesn't know that!!!!!)

That really made me chuckle.

We use cloth part time, we are still using disposables during the night as i am having some leakage issues with my BG's but we're working on it. I also put Toby in disposables if we're going to be out all day (doesn't happen often but say we're visiting family who all live miles away and will be out of the house for 8-10 hours, that's a lot of potential nappy changes so we use disposables). The rest of the time though (most of the time really) he's in cloth nappies.

We always wanted to use re-usables, mainly because of the environmental impact of disposables if i am honest but also, as a secondary thing, because of the cost. You know when people go on about how much money you save when you quit smoking because of how expensive every pack of cigarettes is?! Well that's how i think of it with disposables- they're crazy expensive, and you just throw them away!

We don't have a tumble drier but i don't find using them to be a faff at all- i just whip off his nappy, put it in the nappy pail then at the end of the day take the mesh bag out of the pail with all the nappies in and throw them in the machine, wash at 40 degrees take them out when they're done and put the on the radiator or on the clothes airer and they're dry in hardly any time at all I currently have to do a wash every day as my stash is quite small (only 13 nappies) and i change his nappy pretty frequently, but i am planning to build up my stash and will then only do a wash every other day.

If we're out and he needs changing i just put the dirty nappy in the zip up wet bag in my changing bag, although to be honest it's only small and does only fit two re-usable nappies in it, so if we were out for longer i'd have to come up with another solution, like maybe putting the nappy in a traditional nappy sack until we got home

I think people get put off because of the set up cost of re-usables too as they can seem pricey but compared to disposables its a drop in the ocean of what you would be spending.

I would love to one day be able to say we were entirely 100% using cloth but for now being part-timers suits us.

 

[Delilah]

You know I found this thread after searching for which brand of nappies (pampers or huggies) and i think I now need to do some further research into cotton nappies - thanks girls - is there anywhere you can recommend me starting re what to buy, brands etc? xx

 

[saraendepity]

We chose reusable for may reasons......Environment, No chemicals, Cheaper (if you dont develop an addictionLOL) Look Pretty, Softer next to LO's skin etc etc..there are just too many reasons to list tbh

OH wasnt convinced at first and thought it was all Terry's and pins with plastic pants which we did intend on using mostly with some others thrown in (now its the other way roundLOL) but now he's used them he goes on at everyone who is TTC / Pregnant etc etc about using cloth he even shows people at work pics of her stash and cloth bum pics !!!!......we were having a conversation a while ago and i said if we ever split up (god forbid) and you had another baby with someone else would you use cloth he said (and i quote) "HELL YEAH"

ok now to peoples q's.....Liners you can get either disposable or reusable ... its entiely up to you we never used to use them at all (BF poo just seeps thru eveything!) but now we're weaning and teething we do use Fleece Liners .....just to help with the nasty pooesLOL ....any solids get tipped down the loo and anything runny or sticky gets showered off i like to get all traces of poo off them before they go in the wash as i am paranoid about stainage but its not entirely neccesary

Great we have new people thinking about going cloth....check out

www.mammymade.co.uk
www.milliesnappies.co.uk
www.fill-your-pants.com
www.clothnappytree.com (this is great for preloveds if you are willing to use them)


should give you a good variety of things to look at

sara

xxxxxxx

 

[Delilah]

Thanks Sara, I have looked at all those websites and am definitely thinking this could be the way for us and our baby - will discuss with hubby later

Marie xx

 

[sore-boobs]

I think I'm convinced

 

[saraendepity]

:yippee: no probs

 

[Shifter]

Yay! Cloth converts!