Hi,

my son is 7 months old and I have started (a bit late maybe!!!) to think about giving reusable nappies a go. I just haven't a clue where to start.

These are my questions:

1. What brand is best??
2. What equipment do I need?
3. Is it a lot of work?
4. Anything else you feel I need to know.

Not at all late!! I swıtched to reusables at 5 months (14 months now) and have never looked back.

I would advıse you to never buy a BTP pack as ıt ıs lıkely to turn out as an expensıve mıstake.

There are many forums where you can gaın advıce. I trıed several brands before settlıng on fuzzı bunz whıch are ıdeal for me. These are a pocket nappy and may cost a lıttle more ınıtıally but they are great. Pocket nappy means that you have to change the whole lot at every change and works much lıke a dısp. Another pocket optıon ıs the bumgenıus nappy. Thıs ıs bırth to potty so you should only need one sıze. I dıdnt lıke these as they looked old very quıckly but others love them. Fuzzıs are sızed so you have to buy dıfferent sızes (although my guy has only ever had medıums and there ıs stıl plenty of room left)

Alternatıvely you can look to buy nappıes and wraps(known as a 2 part system) - thıs way you only need to change the nappy and you can reuse the waterproof wrap agaın (so long as ıts not messy).

You wıll need a nappy bucket but tbh any old bın wıth a lockable lıd wıll do. MIne ıs from ıkea.

I lıke the nappıes to be fleece lıned or to use a lıner wıth them as ıt helps to keep bum dry.

It may be a learnıng curve ınıtally but ı LOVE my nappıes and Im sure ıf you can fınd somethıng that suıts you you wıll too * they are very addıctıve!!!

Good luck and hope you fınd somethıng to suıt you!!

Oh I definately agree on not buying a btp pack.. and jsut to add to dinky caths comments rather than repeating already good advice - I bought several different types off ebay, and after talking to a nappy counciller I used my council voucher to buy tots bots bamboozles (good for heavy wetters) and liked them best for size 1's. I had some nappies i never even got round to using and have just sold them on ebay so havent lost out there.

Size 2 I've just bought little lamb nappies - mostly bamboo and one microfluffle and I think i'll stick with them, or if I can find some cheap tots bots bamboo ones I'll have them too.

I think the best thing is to try a few and see what you like and what suits your lo as everyone seems to have their favourites.

I'd get a bin rather than a nappy bucket cause my bucket is always getting overflowing and its icky..one of these days i will get a bin!!

I also use fleece liners, with a disposable one wrapped over it - ebay is great for cheap fleece liners.

Its worth getting in touch with your local council to see if tehy do nappy grants - mine does £45 and that almost bought a day pack of tots bots bamboozles... well worth a phone call!

Thanks for the replies- it does all sound a bit confusing (maybe just me being thick lol)

I will have a look on ebay to see if I can get like a trial pack and take it from there.

Does it give you any instructions on the pack??

So you get like a liner- is this disposable or washable??
And over the liner you put the nappy.
When wet/soiled you steep in a bucket of water (do you put anything into the water??)
After steeping do you put them into the washing machine??
Can they be dried in the tumble drier if necessary??

No worrıes! It ıs confusıng at fırst!!!

I use fleece lıners - Just a rectangle of fleece that gets washed along wıth nappıes. Fleece ıs clever and stays dry after baby wees so theır bum doesnt stay wet and damp. You can get paper lıners that you throw away. I never bothered wıth these.

I dont soak my nappıes - Just put them ın a covered bucket dry. Honestly they dont smell and I dont thınk there ıs any reason to wet soak them (unless someone can correct me). I thınk ıt ıs much more common to 'dry paıl'.

Chuck them all ın the washıng machıne when ready. You can get a net that you put ın your bucket so you just lıft the net out and put that ın the machıne - I agaın havent bothered wıth one of these.

Yes most thıngs can be tumbled although the lıfespan of the plastıcy parts wıll be affected. Dependıng on whıch fabrıcs and type you go for most thıngs wıll dry overnıght.

Have you any thoughts on whıch type you lıke the look of? Im not sure ıf I am allowed to post lınks to sıtes but these are some good ones

http://www.kittykins.co.uk/

http://www.nappyzone.co.uk/

http://www.twinkleontheweb.co.uk/

http://www.babykind.co.uk/

http://www.stratfordnappies.co.uk/

www.thenappylady.co.uk is another good site for advice. Like Dinky cath I don't bother soaking my nappies, they just go straight into a lidded bin. I do have a mesh bag in my bin as it makes transferring them to the washer much less icky (for want of a better word ) I use flushable paper liners, if they are just wet they go in the bin, pooy ones go straight down the toilet. Most of my nappies are fleece lined so I don't bother with a seperate fleece liner
Personally I like the two part nappies. You have an absorbant bit which is shaped like a disposable and can be made of cotton, bamboo, microfibre or other things, these normally fasten with either poppers, velcro or something called a nappy nippa which is like the modern version of a nappy pin. Over this you put a waterproof wrap, like the modern equivalent of plastic pants, which usually fasten with either poppers or velcro.
Don't worry about being late starting, Millie was 18 months before I managed to get her in reusables full time, little madam kept refusing to wear them untill then :roll:
xx

Hi, i was just wondering.. If you use flushable liners & baby does a poo, would it just be on the liner & you just put it in the toilet & then only change the rest of the nappy if it is soiled? Also, if you use washable liners then what do you do with the poo? Sorry if i'm being really stupid i just have no idea! I'm just asking out of interest, i will be toilet training my lo soon but it'd be good to know if i have any more children! lol

In theory you can just put the liner and poo down the toilet and then put the nappy back on. In reality the nappy is usually wet anyway so you might as well change it at the same time!! If you use reusable liners you can often just tip the poo off down the toilet if it is reasonably solid, otherwise you can hold the liner own the toilet and run the flush over it to get rid of the worst. I am back to dealing with bf newborn poo at the minute so I normally run a rinse cycle in the washing machine before washing my nappies as well.
xx

Oh i see. Thanks for replying. So do you usually change everything at each nappy change? Then you just put dirty stuff in your bin and wash later? How often do you do a nappy wash? I really wished i'd tried reuseables when lo was younger, i'd never thought about it until i came on here and realised how much you all love them! Also i work in mothercare so its great to have all this knowledge so i can advise the customers and get them to try them!

I only change the waterproof wrap if they actually get dirty. Normally I have two wraps on the go at once, one on lo and one hanging up airing, I then swap them over at each change. At the minute I have a toddler and a newborn (7 weeks) in reusables and I wash every other day when I have a full load for the machine. When it was just Millie I used to wash every three days. I actually think that cloth nappies are addictive! I bought pretty standard birth to potty ones for Millie which we are still using but before Barney arrived I had a great time ordering one of all the different makes that I liked the look of.:\)