Cloth Nappies #183

phew we had a big fluff buyin day yesterday! we went to the PBC expo in melbourne! we were both sooo thrilled to see EVERY cloth nappy stand busy! we had to wait in line at the BBH stand, and Tania was flat chat at Darlings Downunder too! we bought 11 Haute pockets (she was clearing some out for $15 each! bargain!) and a couple of GK Bamboo Inserts (need to order a few more of those too) to put inside them for extra boost :) then we went to BBH stand and bought 12 Bamboo fitteds at 30% off woohoo! we will need to get more covers but we have a few smalls to get her through for a bit longer still :) then we'll need to get a couple of MAL mediums ;) hoping to get the penguin one tomorrow night ;)
the only downside to all that new fluff is prewashing. least its gonna be sunny here the next couple of days so at least I should get a couple of 'prewashing then dry' cycles done to build up the Bamboo's absorbancy!

sounds like you were in Fluffy heaven mrs c aussie!

daintree

- a strip wash, "strips" fibres that have been coated in too much of something (e.g barrier creams, washing detergent), which has made waterproof fabrics stop being waterproof, and absorbent fabrics stop being absorbent. You do a stripwash with mild dishwashing liquid, but it won't take away smells.

- to "de-smell" the nappies, if the fabrics are a bit whiffy, there is a desmell wash you can try
Put half a cup of bicarb soda (in the washing powder tray)
Put half a cup of vinegar (in teh fabric conditioner tray)
do your washing load

Some other things to try, to conquer smelly mcn fabrics:
- try and little squirt all of the nappies when this is happening, even the "just wee" ones
- try washing the nappies once per day, if you normally leave it a few days
- try washing in hot water, if you normally do a cold wash
- the strong amonia concentration can sometimes be related to teething
- for night nappies, during the time the smell issue is happening, i would stuff the pockets with bamboo terry and bamboo fleece. Hemp and microfibre tend to "take on" smells, more than bamboo. When the phase passes, go back to using whatever is dry at the time.

about you worrying your child will be lying in wet all night, i haven't seen a Minkytime IRL, but i would assume, like the other Greenkids nappies, they would have a staydry inner fabric (suedecloth). So if there is sufficient absorbent fabric sitting in the pocket, she WILL stay dry. SHe would only feel wet, if the absorbent fabric reached 100% saturation point, and then any subsequent wees, the fluid would have nowhere else to go, but wick the hidden PUL layer, and wick the microfleece.

As you are noting that your child is NOT soaking 100% of the pocket stuffing each night, it is unlikely she would be sitting in wet inner layer all night, so i hope that reassures you. You're her mum, of course you worry about the "what ifs".

i would expect, a leak for her, would be more likely be down to poor fit, leg gape etc, doesn't sound like she's a heavy wetter.

but to reassure you more, another idea is to change her during the night, any time she wakes, or find out if she's the type of bub who WILL or WILL NOT tolerate a "dream change". only one way to find out.

with wool covers for night, once the absorbent layers are 100% saturated, the WOOL also soaks up fluid.

to lanolise a woollie

buy some pure lanolin, you might have some Lanisoh left over from teh days of tender nipples, either will be fine

turn the woollie inside out

boil a kettle
put a pea sized bit of lanolin AND a capful of woolwash in a container
add a cup roughly of boiling water
put a lid on
shake the heck out of it, you need that lanolin to be TOTALLY dissolved

get a household bucket
put it in a laundry trough
put opened container (lanolin/woolwash solution) in bottom of bucket
turn on tap and half fill it with tepid water
remove the container
add your INSIDE OUT woollie and use wooden spoon to make sure all of woollie is under the water, give it all a swish and leave it to soak for a few hours

come back
empty out water
lay a towel, doubled over on your bench or floor
put sopping woollie on teh towel, and roll up the towel (speeds up drying time)
use a 2nd towel, to lie FLAT your woollie to dry
in shade
drying inside works (i did it)
you can hurry drying up, with a fan (but not a drier).

this is how i got taught to lanolise/handwash our longies, shorties, soakers and covers. (all wool)

there are other methods too, like spray lanolin that you massage into the wool, you do that method much more ffrequently, than the handwash method.

the main thing is not to use HOT WATER or the DRIER on them! and i was told not to wring them out by hand (use towel instead) as that can wreck their shape.

i was also told "do ONE per bucket" as many MCN wool items, the wool dye runs during washing.

most places that sell wool mcn items, also have care instructions for them, or send them to you when you buy a product.

Sulking as I was told not to buy any fluff until we get back from Melbourne...........

Unless it's mega cheap :D

Might go hunting and see what I can come up with *cackles madly*!

So any good night nappy suggestions? Little one is almost 6 months old and a HEAVY WETTER overnight and I mean i will take her nappy off in the morning and almost drop it with the weight.

As soon as this sposies batch is gone I am refusing to buy any of the said "new design" ones after borrowing one off my mate as I forgot to restock the nappy bag out and about. THEY STINK like chemicals and I vow not to put any of those near her tender butt again as it also made her little bum red and was only on 90 mins. Maybe because I am used to the clean cloth smell though it could have contributed.

WOCB: Old batch sposie errr not naming brand because I don't want to slander as she's sleeping (FINALLY)

Thanks Gigi, I will try your 'de-smell' wash while I am trying to track down the canestan rinse.

The smell only seems to be happening with her baby beehind bamboo nappies, her other night nappies do not smell at all.

We wash every 48 hours so 1 night nappy will sit for 24hours then I will wash after her morning change the next morning so the second does not sit at all, so they really aren't sitting for that long.

I have been using these particular nappies for over a year now for nights, we have 5 of them that we rotate, maybe they just need a good de-smell wash and sit in the sun after this being inside alot over winter.

I have never had Matilda leak at night so it really isn't a concern, but as she sleeps 12 hours I am just concerned with trying a new nappy (at night that is when I can't keep an eye on it ;)) and knowing what its capacity is, she wears the minkytimes during the day, I know they fit well, just unsure how much extra stuffing she will need for night, I think I might give a go tonight, I will let you all know!

WOMB: Fushia IB

DD - canestan rinse is just in coles or woolies - in the laundry section - usually next to dettol rinse or something.

And I'm not sure if it hurts nappies or whatever, but even vinegar can ruin the elastic if used too often.

Ahh thanks Mel, I usually shop at IGA, I will look at Woolies when I go for milk.

If the sell doesn't disappear soon they will be going in the bin anyway so I am willing to try anything, it really is horrible!

thanks Mel, i forgot to make that clear

DAINTREE - with the desmell wash (vinegar and bicarb) that is something to do VERY RARELY, if you do it frequently, the mcn fabrics will degrade. Only do it once in a blue moon. bilby was in nappies for 27 months, i did the desmell wash on a few mcn items ONCE in all that time. So use it sparingly.

Canestan is a funny one. Sometimes i see it at all supermarkets, easily available in the laundry aisle. then other times, it's something you ahve to search for, ask the manager to get it stocked up again.

someone was asking which nappies have the suedecloth inner?
Rocky Mountain OSFA pocket nappies have suedecloth inner too. Not many external snaps for a OSFA, so i suspect they have internal adjustments, like the fuzzibunz.
they're on sale at clothncraft right now, limited colours.

There is a dettol laundry sanitiser too so maybe that might work if you can't find canestan? I found when we had a colder, wet week my nappies smelt a tad stale after being dried inside so I aired them outside for a day or so but that was just stale smell, not ammonia. Could contribute on top of ammonia though.

Waiting to see if anymore nappy seconds go up on ebay because I am allowed buy nappies on special :laugh:

So off topic a tad but thought it was cute that my friend updated her facebook status to "In labour wish me luck!"

WOCB: Giraffe couture Cushie Tushies

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So off topic a tad but thought it was cute that my friend updated her facebook status to "In labour wish me luck!"

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friend of mine did that last week - and her bubba arrived 2 days later! lol

no real nappy news here - need to wash them - CBF'd - tomorrow is supposed to be a good day, so i'll wash them overnight to hang them out tomorrow morning. bubba made it to seven days this time. poor poppet.

WOEB - spunky butts fitted and MAL elf cover. she's still in bed! lazy rat bag

well got our fuzzibunz, and they are awesome! I've swapped the microfibre inserts with my own bamboo boosters and they are working a treat. We were out all day yesterday with cloth and it went really well. The only problem is that last night Fred wanted to feed every 2.5-3 hours, boy do I need sleep today!

Just wondering, is it ok to use wool wash with nappies? otherwise I'll need to go get some detergent...

WOGB - FB with bamboo - she's down for a sleep - hope she stays there for a while

MrsC - I was at the Melbourne PBC expo too, great to see so many different cloth nappy stands and all of them busy! I may have gone a little bit nuts - I bought one of almost everything... :p Can't wait to try them all out! I'm looking forward to summer when I can show off her gorgeous animal print minkee nappies to mothers group :D

WOBB: pixie poppit pocket for the first time...

Ok Mel, I have canestan rinse! Can you confirm how you use it? It says on the back to put 2 capfuls (1/4 cup) in the softener tray, umm I have a top loader and have no idea where a softener tray might be as I have never used softener?

So...
1. Do I use the full 2 capfuls?
2. Can I put it straight into the wash?
3. At what stage of the wash would I put it in? with the final rinse?

Thankyou, clueless.

WOMB: Lilac IB... such a pretty colour :D.

DD - I have a top loader and mine goes into the agitator cap bit - so I lift it up to put the detergent in there - and then add the rinse to the top of it, where the softener would go. Dunno if yours has a hole in it like mine or if it is capped? I had a capped one before, and the washing machine had a little tray at the back that flipped out, washing liquid on one side, fabric softener on the other - so I put it in the fabric softener bit.

Oh, and I just add it at the beginning of the wash. Less trips to the laundry that way.

Oh, and I use about a lid full (the canestan lid)

Fluffy Mail!!!

Motherease Covers, Green Kids, Spunky Butts - yay!! and a peanut shell sling (which I am currently wearing with DD so she can have a decent day sleep after a disturbed night. Thanks Arimeh!

Now to prewash!

WOCB: Fuschia Itti

:redface: hehe, I just looked and the middle thing has a cap that says, 'rinse, condition, dispenser, cover', I would assume it goes in there :lol:.

It is absolutely beautiful day here today so I am off to put all these stinky nappies in the machine.

Thankyou for your help :D.

Urgh I planned on stripwashing today and its bucketing down! *hiss*
Wanted to do all my nappies today so it was done well and truly before the girls appear *sigh*
How often does everyone stripwash nappies? 6-8 weeks? or just when you think of it?

boring here still waiting on fluffy mail boo ap

WOJB: sunshine CT couture

Rhyb - I have done a stripwash once - yes ONCE - in the whole time I've been using cloth, so what's that - over a year and a half?? Cos you only do it when they are losing absorbency, doesn't need to be done all the time.