Help for New Users!

[~kellie~]

ok, I have a question about nappy rash and MCN's - DD has a bit of a red bum at the moment due to teething, so how can I still keep her in MCN's? Is it true that I can't put nappy rash cream on her if she is wearing MCN's? What about if the nappy has a liner?

[Nelle]

Trouble with some creams is that they can clog up a nappy. A liner is a good idea, that should help keep her butt dry, and a liner is easier to unclog or throw out than a nappy! So try a liner and go for it with the cream.

[Arimeh]

Kellie - you could try moogoo cream - thats safe - and I'm really impressed with it.

[~kellie~]

Hi again
Can someone tell me if I can use a Green Kids Bamboo Insert in the pocket of a pocket nappy?

Sorry for all the qu's!

[Arimeh]

Depends what pocket nappy you are talking about - like if its a good fit or not.. but yeah, if it fits well you can.

[Mel A]

Re the cream, I've had heaps of people recomened paw paw ointment (in the yellow pot.)

Also there are two ingredients in many creams that colg the nappy. Zinc aaaannd..... something that my baby brain has just iliminated.

I'll edit the post when I remember.

[~kellie~]

I think pockets are pretty economical - most of them (apart from swaddlebees) are one size fits all - so you just buy extra inserts and reuse the pocket shell if they have just done a wee - then bucket it when they have done a poo. Plus the shells dry REALLY quickly.

I'm just reading back over my old questions, I now have a BBH pocket nappy, so if DD only wets in it, can I reuse the nappy and just put in a new insert, even if the shell got wet?

[Janie]

I personally change the whole nappy regardless of whether he's done a poo or a wee. But I'm paranoid about nappy rash as we've had a couple of bad encounters!

[Meegs]

Phew!! What a huge amount of info to take in!!! This cloth nappy business is very confusing to me!! MCN, AIO, to line or not to line!!! Lol!! Lots to learn!!

I used sposies for my first two pregnancies and would love to take the cloth nappy path this time around. I just have a few things that I would like to be able to clarify if you lovely ladies have time!!

Is it more cost effective?? Assuming that I can restrain myself and not become addicted to buying more and more, do you feel that it is considerably cheaper?

Where do I start?? What do I buy?? From the nappy itself to buckets, soakers, liners, etc. I am not sure if anyone has put together a list of essentials to get you started but that would be fab!! I just dont want to buy too many... obviously a newborn grows pretty fast so I am wondering how many to start with before I need to purchase the next size up. Also, what do you all do with the smaller sizes once they have grown out of them?? I am pretty sure you cannot sell used nappies on ebay???

I think I like the look of aio's. Seems to be less mucking around, but I assume that these are more exxy?? And take longer to dry??

Lots of questions!! Sorry! And I am sure there will be more...

Looking forward to your responses,

Meegs

[Nelle]

Hiya Meegs.

More cost effective? It was when I started, with cheap Aldi nappies now, I dunno. Probably still is, but perhaps the margin isn't as great as it used to be. You're right though, it's the 'awww it's so cute, I want it' that gets us into trouble. Something helpful is to give yourself a limit, one 'special' nappy every x weeks/months.

As my stash is getting older now, I can recommend Baby BeeHinds fitted nappies. They really go the distance, and they're one size, so they should fit your bub from approx 4 weeks. Before that, you could use flat nappies (or prefolds), or sposies, while you and bub fall into your groove.

So - a one size is good, because bub won't grow out of them! Covers I like are the Motherease Rikki ones (gussets at the legs are very good for that newborn runny poop - I used to put covers over sposies when I knew a poop was brewing!). There are many good covers out there.

If you want one-size-fits-all pocket nappies (great for winter, when drying times are slower), some good brands are BumGenius (trim), Blueberry, GreenKids...there are lots out there.

If you want a few AIO's, that are easy to use, try looking at some Itti Bitti D'Lishes, or Baby BeeHinds MagicAlls. They can take longer to dry compared to pockets, but most have bits that fold or snap out, so they're better than they used to be. More exy though, and less cost efficient because they're sized. Which is why fitteds are good for the bulk of your stash.

Anyway, there are lots more out there, but I've just given you some to start looking at. The Baby BeeHinds store is a good place to look, as well as some of the online nappy superstores like Nurture Nappies, Darlings Downunder, The WeeWuns. There's lots more out there too, some googling should get you somewhere.

[SunnyRain]

Meegs: Here's my suggestion from someone who still has a newborn-sized baby and has been happily using cloth since week 2.

The Basics for me:
2 Nappy buckets - I don't separate pooey /wet nappies yet but I guess I will when his poos are more solid. But having 2 buckets means I don't have to wash as often. I wash every second day.

12 Fleecy Cotton Flats - Buy these from Big W, they're like flannelette but more absorbent and very soft, but much much thinner than terry flats. They're easy to fold and with a PUL cover you don't need a safety pin, just close the cover over the top and it will hold in place. I use them at night time because they just work so much better than MCNs and never leak.

3 Small PUL Covers (newborn size won't last long) - Jude was a tiny newborn so the PUL covers were too big when I started out, but I found was that they didn't leak they just looked silly. I recommend Bummies with the leg gussets.

6 Pocket nappies - I started with 6 Bum Genius but now I have 8 BGs, however I bought them when they were $28 each, now they're $38 each. These nappies are one-size which means they grow with your baby from newborn up. They have a PUL cover and you stuff them with an absorbent liner which makes washing and drying easy.

20 Cheap Small Face Cloths - Keep about 10 on the go in a container (I use an empty disposable wipes container) with some water ready to use as wipes for nappy changes, instead of sposies, and then just wash them with the nappies.

That's all.

[*Infinity*]

Ok so I posted this elsewhere, but wasn't sure if the thread had been superceded so thought I would add it here too:

Hi all,
I am very new to the whole nappy world - due in June and researching at the mo. Just from this thread i have learnt A LOT so thanks to you all. So aside from the whole which nappy, liner, cover etc to use I am actually equally as intrigued about the logisitcs of washing the darn things (the nappies that is!)

So, can you please impart your knowledge to me regarding your strategies to manage the poo - do you go for a liner (if so what type and why), do you put it straight into the machine poo and all, do you soak / drypail? What sort of wachine detergent do you use?
Is it any different for pre-folds, flats (terry or flannel).

I'm as concerned about water and detergent use as the impact of sposies in landfill, so need to know how you maximise your washing strategies to get the most done with as little water as possible.

Thanks
Lolly

[Arimeh]

Hi Lolly, welcome to the world of cloth!!

I have two in cloth full time.

I wash every second day - I do a pre-rinse in cold water, then a wash in warm water. I use the teeniest bit of detergent - I just use one like purity, or an eco one, or amolin or something - whatever is on special when I'm out!

With poop - we have a little squirt attached to the toilet. So we squirt all the poop down the toilet, and then dry pail.

We rarely use liners - but we did use liners when we went away. Apart from them sticking to poor DS' balls - they were quite handy... lol

[tan32]

Hi Ladies, well i have sat here and read this thread and am still feeling a bit confused about all the choices.

I have 3 pea pod nappies with night boosters (what type of nappies are these? )
I alos have just terry flats and some nappies that my Aunt made and got cheap from target which seem to be several layers of terry in the shape of a nappy with velcro (what are these called?) . I also have a couple of covers from Maz.
Ok so my little man is 7 months and weighs in and 9.5 kgs. I have decieded today that i need to go full on cloth with him. ( He is getting nasty rashes around his tummy and legs from sposies ).
so my question is , How do i use all the things i have. Can i put the inswerts from the peapods in Mazs covers as well or do they just go over the terrys, um what would you recommend for a night nappy etc.
Oh please help if you can I have no idea.

[Arimeh]

Hi Tan

Pea Pods are pocket nappies - so you stuff the boosters into the pocket - and you put as much as you need to for how much a wetter he is. I don't have any pea pods cos I didn't see any good reviews about them, so didn't buy them.

The terry shaped nappy sounds like a fitted nappy to me - if the outside of it feels like terry as well - so you'd need a cover over that - a maz cover would do fine. Just make sure it covers every bit of the nappy, otherwise you might get wicking.

I wouldn't put the inserts into the maz covers - if you were doing something like that, a prefold is better. Don't know if maz covers will fit over flats you'd have to ask her.

A good night nappy for a light/medium wetter is a baby beehinds fitted. I use wool covers up here over them - not theirs cos they react with the kid's skin - but ones like longies, shorties or soakers.

For heavy wetters (like DS) I use green kids pockets stuffed to the max, snoozywuns and bubblebubs good night sleep tight ones.

HTH

[danniellabella]

Ok, I want to start using cloth full time - I only use disposable at the moment and I like the idea of pocket nappies more than the others - they just seem easier, especially considering DD is in care 5 days a week as I work full time. DD is 13 months but I'd want to get a one size fits most nappy so I can use it for my next bub, considering how expensive they are.

How many would I need for full time?
How many boosters would I need in each nappy, particularlly at night? What are the best boosters and why?

[Arimeh]

Hi Danni

If you are after pockets - buy twice as many inserts as shells - works out cheaper that way cos the shells dry so quick.

As for recommendations - I like green kids (cos you can use them at night as well - and their inserts are wicked - even in other nappies - just so absorbent), happy heiny's are great too - very easy to stuff, bumg's give a great fit on even young bubba's, ecobubs are great and you could use the wool pockets at night too.

I'd say you would be right with, um 10 shells?

[danniellabella]

10 shells for full time? I thought it would be more. I work full time so I don't have time to wash nappies every day as well as the current nightly wash I do to make sure DH's clothes are clean for work the next day. I'd need to do nappies in a separate wash so was only hoping to wash them every 2nd or 3rd day.