a nappy wash is more thorough than a usual wash, because you are dealing with human waste.

e.g
pre-wash cycle
longest wash cycle you have on the machine
longest rinse cycle you have (to get out all the suds)

alot of people like to use / or have to use, cold water for every wash. IF you have hot water hooked up, or have a top loader (where you can add a kettle of hot water easily), i would suggest doing a hot wash at least once a week (for the nappies).

I never actually used MCN part-time - but i can appreciate, not using them all the time, more time would elapse, before you got a whole nappy bucket full of them.

Some machines have a water function, the machine works out for you, how much water to use, based on the weight of the washload. If you have a machine like that, maybe you could do smaller loads of nappies, without worrying about the water.

it's a tough call, using MCN part-time, brings a different washing challenge.

I started off washing my DD's MCH with OMO Sensitive, then i worked out it had some chemicals and perfume in it, that interfered with the nappies (whiteners which means bleach, SLS for sudsing, enzymes and a few others, it's all a bit hazy now, can't remember exactly). Her skin was alot better, when i stopped using it. Crazy isn't it, even a product with "sensitive" in the name, had chemical nasties in it. So hard to know what to trust, i know read the Contents box very carefully.

THe extra ingredients in teh "normal" washing powders can do two things
- stop the waterproof fabrics being waterproof (due to build up on the fibres)
- stop the absorbent fabrics being so absorbent (due to the buildup on the fibres)

- irritate your baby's skin and cause/contribute to nappy rash

THere's another kind of nappy leakage i forgot to mention - COMPRESSION leaks. This is when there is pressure on the nappy. Examples are when clothing is done up very firmly over the nappy. Not enough ventilation basically.

I get confused about names - don't know why an all in one, would have a pocket? Doesn't a nappy with a pocket, make that a pocket nappy? anyhoo, maybe posting a thread with PART TIME WASHING MCN SOLUTIONS or similar, might bring out the part time MCN users, who could share their Part Time Washing Tips with you.

Buying 2nd hand mcn is a great way to try out different styles/closures, and then buy up, on the ones that suit your child best. When you buy 2nd hand mcn, ask to see a photo of the inner - so you can see the condition of them. Ask to see a photo of the outer, if the elastic makes the nappy "curl up" where the legs go especially (also, tummy and back) - elastic is good. if the nappy outer sits FLAT on the surface, the elastic is dead, don't waste your money on that one.

If you use a sewing machine, elastic is not so bad to replace on pocket nappy outers, but a cow of a thing to replace on other styles (IMO).