I have a couple of questions for all you cloth nappy experts!!

1) My youngest (almost 3 months) appears to be having a reaction to disposable nappies - it's not nappy rash and it only occurs in one main spot (just under his tummy) - it's like chaffing (or even perhaps a reaction to the gel stuff in the disposables) I only use huggies (have had bad experiences in the past with other brands) and they seem to be deteriorating in quality (like they are purposely trying to make you buy more!)

Ok, so that's not really a question, but this is - what would you recommend? I can see cloth nappies have changed drastically in the past 30 years (like it's not just about a bit of cloth, done up with pins and covered with plastic pants!!) I really have NO IDEA about how they work these days!!

2) My 2nd youngest is showing signs of knowing how to control his bowel and bladder, but has absolutely no interest at all in using the toilet (even with a little insert seat) OR the potty If I started putting him in cloth, would this be more likely to encourage him to use the toilet? He just seems so content to wear a nappy atm, and it's even a struggle to convince him to change his nappy when it's wet or dirty.

3) Some (uneducated) people have suggested to me that using cloth is a false economy, what with all of the washing and what-not (I already do approx 16 loads per week) - to those that have converted, what are your opinions/ experiences?

Thanks!!
on the Nurture Nappies site, click on the INFO link (going across teh top of the page) scroll down to find teh "What is in a disposable" article. it's amazing the scary things that are in sposies. really well worth reading (and printing out to show friends who are anti-cloth).

same amount of water to make a sposie (that is used once and forever in landfill)
same amoutn of water to wash a MCN (that is used hundreds of times)

Sooooo much water used to MAKE one sposie

Really , with how good modern washing machines are, i really can't see the "extra work" argument.

We have a LITTLE SQUIRT to rinse off the poo off pooey nappies, it makes life so much easier (makes MCN easy for us). we would not be without ours.

People who have not used modern nappies, will come out with lots of outdated statemetns, cos they are basing it on the old style of nappies - cotton, PVC and napisan. They don't know about bamboo, hemp, PUL, washing wihtout napisan etc. its' so different now.

i don't even talk to those people anymore - don't have the energy to deal with their closemindedness. Save your energy for people who are actually interested and positive. it's frustrating i know when you want to try something new, but they come around once they realise it's NOT a phase you're going thru.

i would suggest to you the SIZE 2 type nappies that go from 7 - 16kg like bits for bots and dragonflymagik brands and tots bots. bubs get to 7kg real quick and most are TT-d by 16kg.

Big companies that make sposies are not there for love (that's just the commercials!!). they are into getting you to buy as many sposies as possible, and then con you into buying pullups - which are just sposies repackaged. So they will make $4,000 easily out of you from birth - TT-ing.

You can get cloth trainers for your TT-ing toddler.
Some have PUL (the waterproofing material) inside the outer e.g blueberries at the wee wuns and baby blossom
Others are all absorbent material e.g the econix at bongobaby.

Some people put their kids in trainer for day, and in night nappies until child starts waking up with dry nappy overnight. THEN they use night trainers. dunno, we have yet to get to that stage! so all i can do is READ about it LOL.