Haven't used cloth since the old terry flats....Where do I start???

[Pretty Butterfly]

Was walking through the local shopping complex the other day, and the chemist is advertising Peapods!!! I have never found MCN in town here before, only seen them online.

Thay are now selling Peapods, $9.99 with absorber. And Dh actually said what a great idea!!!


I need an easy nappy, nothing that needs covers as well, and an easy wash. I will have 6 kids, and will only put bub in cloth for now, I'll change Kane over when I'm more settled and used to them!!!

So what is the best cloth for my very busy life, and is $9.99 a good price??? I'm clueless, haven't used cloth since my first three were TT!!!

[{sarah}]

$9.99 is a great price, my friend swears by peapods so it sounds like a good deal to me

[Arimeh]

Hey Jodie

That is a great price for peapods.

Can't comment on their performance cos I don't have any. Read far too many bad reviews in my research to scare me off using that brand.

If it helps at all, I use a lot of all in two's (widdlewuns, itti bittis), pockets (bumgenius, happy heiny, haute) and fitted (baby beehinds, mandy macs) with DS. I use the baby beehinds and mandy macs with DD as well cos they are one size fits all - but of course need a cover, so not good for you huh.

I mostly use work at home mum brands of fitted nappies for DD, itti bittis and prefolds for DD.

Not really helpful am I...lol

[visitor1]

Good price indeed..but for my 2 girls...Peapods are the worst nappy i ever purchased and they became my emergancy nappy!

I use alot of One size nappies...Bumgenius, Haute (easier with 2 in cloth)
And AIO/pockets....Bubblebubs, Green Kids, BBH, Monkey Doodlez
Fitted.....Cute Tooshies or BBH Bamboo

[Pretty Butterfly]

Would AIO be easier for me, or are pocket nappies ok??

I thought the price was good too, and so did DH.

Maybe I should buy a bigger one for Kane now and see if I like it??

The reviews are so mixed with peapods, but they are with other brands too!!! Its so hard when theres none in town to just buy one and test!!!


What sort of price are the other types??

[Pretty Butterfly]

OMG!!! Just went and seen some prices!!!

Dh would have a fit if I bought one nappy for $30!!!!

The only nappy that was as cheap as $10 were the prefolds....

[visitor1]

AIO and Pocket are as easy as each other...AIO are less time consuming (ie dont need to stuff them).

MCN are not cheap at all!

[Arimeh]

Jodie - yup they are expensive ( but still cheaper overall than using disposables!!!)

I haven't found a true AIO that I am completely happy with - more happy with my AI2's - I am in love with my itti bitti d'lish - so lush!!!! Plus you can get seconds for $22.00.

You can always go to buy for baby (google it) and buy secondhand ones.....

ETA: I class my IB's as AI2 cos I like the snap in ones. but you can get sewn in ones that are basically an AIO... they dry quite quickly too

[Arimeh]

I just thought of another thing. Most AIO's are sized - so you would have to buy 2 sizes - one for Kane and one for new bub - gets really expensive that way!!!

Pockets are expensive BUT are one size fits all - and its easy to just buy extra inserts - and when they just pee - remove the wet inserts and insert new ones cos the shell of the nappy would be ok still. Then you just replace the shell when they poop. Does that make sense?

Oh, plus you can buy extra inserts like hemp and bamboo - and they can turn into overnight nappies. One of my fav pockets for overnight is green kids - aussie company - nappies are around $23 - $26 (depending on outside material). If I was doing this from the start again I would have brought more inserts for my pockets (and the pockets dry really quick - inserts take longer, especially if they are hemp or bamboo - but can all be thrown in the dryer if need be)

Think thats all I wanted to say

[Pretty Butterfly]

Pockets are expensive BUT are one size fits all - and its easy to just buy extra inserts - and when they just pee - remove the wet inserts and insert new ones cos the shell of the nappy would be ok still. Then you just replace the shell when they poop. Does that make sense?

)

Yep!!

And I think I could get the material and make some inserts myself?? I'm gonna grab one tomorrow at the chemist and try it out. Might get the first one in Kanes size and see what I think of them....

[Gigi]

purps

two advocacy sites, to help you research, are:

nappycino
ozclothnappies

i'd put the links, but it's not allowed on this forum, so you'll need to google for them.


The cost thing?
Work out how much you'd spend on disposables, from nb to and including TT-ing - and that can easily be $3 - $4,000.

the difference is WHEN you spend the money

with cloth nappies, you spend the money UPFRONT, but overall, it's cheaper.
with disposables, you spend the money EACH WEEK, but overall, it's much dearer.

There are One Size Fits All type nappies. Not guaranteed to suit EVERY bubba, but they do suits lots of bubs.

I put my bub in prefolds and covers for nb/small stage. Then medium sized pockets (stuffed with the nb size prefolds) and ai2's (all in twos's).

You can get sizes in MCN that are around 8 - 16kg weight range. My bub didn't take long to get to 8kg, and at 22 months, has just hit 11 kg, so the middle size is the one she'll be in until TT-ing. i doubt we will buy the larger sizes at all.

whilst pregnant, to see the MCN in real life I:

- joined the Nappycino forum, and went to real life meetups in my city
- joined the ozclothnappies yahoo group and met local members IRL
- Reusuable Nappy Week (annual event held in October this year, go to modernclothnappies site and see what events are near you)
- Mother Parent Child annual expo (nappy stalls there)
- looked up the IRL shops in my city on the ozclothnappies database

Making the MCN or even just the inserts, is a good way to go, if you have a sewing machine. Unfortunately, most of the fabrics particular to MCN;s, are not sold at Spotlight, and you have to buy them online (places like NappiesCovered, BubbaEarth, SnapsAustralia, Fairy Fabrics). Once you see the price of the fabric per metre, you start to understand why the nappies are the prices they are!

Like with anything, you can have the BMW nappy stash or the mini minor nappy stash. But you do get what you pay for - the cheap pilchers at Big W will leak, break and cause you grief. The more expensive MCN covers will actually keep you and your baby dry, last hundreds of washes and be absolutely fine.

You can use cotton terry flats on your bub, but be prepared for very frequent changes. The MCN use fabrics like hemp and bamboo (mixed with cotton) for much more absorbent results. Some people use the cotton terry flats, but they boost them by placing a booster pad of three layers of bamboo fleece, inside the flat, with a microfleece liner (to keep baby feeling dry). So that way, you get teh flat to last longer (soak up more wee).

Peapods have their own website, i'm sure they are usually more like $18 each, so at $10, if i were you, i would buy one and try it out. You might be one of the people for whom they work fine - you never know if you don't try. Their bamboo inserts are excellent. Even if you don't end up liking the Peapod pocket nappy, you can always use the peapods bamboo insert, folded in three (like a pad) and placed inside a cover. that is another nappy combo.

go and have a read over at ozclothnappies, they have a FAQ section - excellent place to start reading about this new world

welcome and happy reading

[suse]

Out of curiosity, why don't you want to use anything that needs a cover? Is it because you perceive it to be more work?

Especially for exclusively breastfed bubs, a fitted nappy and cover combo is THE BEST for preventing explosive poo leaks (and wee leaks too when they get bigger and wee more) - more reliable than AIOs, AI2s and pockets because of the 'double protection'. They are also good for night/sleep nappies.

Also, fitteds are also a little more forgiving on the change table if the fit is not perfect or you're in a hurry or have a wriggly, screaming baby, if the leg on the nappy is not perfectly tightened it doesn't matter, because the cover will prevent leaks. I get the occasional fit related or 'user error' leak from most of my AIOs and pockets (mostly inserts bunching in BumGs), but have NEVER had a leak from a fitted nappy.

Personally I find fitteds to be less work than pockets, as they don't need to be stuffed. I love my one-size pockets (BumGs) but would probably try GreenKids next time, and Blueberries are a fantastic pocket even though they are sized. Not all pockets are one-size - the trade off is that onesize nappies are longer lasting, but sized nappies give a trimmer fit, especially when they are small. Depending on the size of your bub, smaller newborns often don't fit onesize pockets. Although I was using BumGs on E from newborn, he was 4.2kg though.

I started with some one-size pockets (BumG), and some fitteds (TotsBots Bamboozles). After Euan arrived and I started to know what worked for him better, I got a few 'show-off' nappies, mostly minky AI2s (d'lish, berry plush), some more fitteds (cute tooshies - they are fantastic), some dedicated night nappies and some day and night wool and fleece covers. So I have quite a versatile stash that can be boosted for naps or long trips, or is trim for under clothes, or is quick to dry, or is super absorbent for nights, or is breathable, etc, etc.

The best advice is don't put all of your eggs in one basket. And things change too, what works at first may not work later, a baby will change shape, weeing or pooing patterns will change. And what works for one baby, might not work for another.

[Pretty Butterfly]

Bub will definatly be breastfed, even if i have to pump again!!!

So might go take a look at the fitted with covers... is much more expensive, to buy fitted and then covers?? ARe they only available on line, or do chain stores sell them???

I'm a cloth dummy!!!

[Gigi]

Bub will definatly be breastfed, even if i have to pump again!!!

So might go take a look at the fitted with covers... is much more expensive, to buy fitted and then covers?? ARe they only available on line, or do chain stores sell them???

I'm a cloth dummy!!!

Prefolds/trifolds and covers (the ones with leg gussets) are great for nb runny explosive poos.

THere is tremendous variety in quality and price for MCN.

Chain stores generally do not sell them
i have given you a list of websites that do sell them in my previous post
https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ml#post1432153

In my city, Your CHild's Nursery (baby shop) stocks Bambino Mio covers
Peapods seem to be widely distributed, i have seen them in baby boutiques.
I have seen Baby Beehinds available in real life eco-friendly shops.

best to go the brand website and click on STOCKISTS or RETAILERS, see where they stock them. Some brands have consultants who come to you, or your mother's group etc for a demo.

I just went and looked on the ozclothnappies site, for the IRL shops part, clicked on NSW and there is a baby beehinds demonstrator in Tamworth for example.

SOme webstores have a capped postage rate, which works out very cheap way to buy the nappies e.g it would cost me more in petrol to go to a real life nappy shop, than the postage would cost me. Nurture Nappies have a $5 cap, Baby Blossom has a $6 cap etc.

[Livinthedream]

Hey Purplemamma,
I am so with you on this question. MCNs are somthing I am seriously considering. The prob is, I am newbie at this babymaking caper and to be honest with you, for me, its not the expense of dispsables that bothers me, more the environmental impact. However, after spending hours trawling through web pages and forums, I am now more confused than ever. I understand that my "stash" is prob going to cost me 600 odd bucks. That is fine, (its probably the only baby cost we will incur, first grandchild so game on in the pram/cot/capsule dept. Bedroom looks like toys r us!!)
I also live in QLD and being as we are the boardshorts/thongs type, I really like the idea of my kid being able to get around in a nappie that looks like shorts.
But where do I spend my $$$? I kinda want to have stuff organised, I dont think shopping for nappies will be high on my list of priorities when I am ankle deep in night feeds and nasty bums.
I get the old "get what you pay for" philosopy, but even in the high end MCNs, there seems to be a division about what works.
So, does anyone have opinions about brands for boys or girls (which is better for which)
Basically, what I am looking for is a safe bet (and I want to use em at night if I can)
I dont want this to be an expensive disaster.
Thanx, Shell (Sorry for highjacking your thread PM....

[Arimeh]

Jodie - if you do fitted & covers - try to get fitted that are OSFA - like baby beehinds - they fit both kids really well here. Plus you can't go past motherease rikki covers - they are fantastic - expensive - but well worth it. Bummis are great covers too.

Shell - I have noticed some brands better on DD than DS for example:-

Monkey Doodlez AIO - great on her, suck on him
Bubblebubs AIO - great on her, suck on him
Baby Beehinds AIO (magicalls) - great on him, suck on her

Good on both kids - BumGenius (pockets - one size fits all), baby beehinds fitteds, and itti bittis.

I also try to get nappies (if they are sized nappies) to get ones that have a huge weight range - for example, widdlewuns - mediums are from 7kg to 15kg or something like that - so thats like a year that they could be in them.... what a great nappy!!!! DS can wear both the medium and the large (large is 10kg plus) so while I'm waiting for her to get big enough, he can wear them

However, having said all that - its all trial and error to what suits your kid - cos all babies are built differently.

Good luck!!!

[Livinthedream]

Thanx Arimeh,
Just bit the bullet and ordered the deluxe trial pack from Baby Beehinds. I got the ones that need a top cover too as further up this forum it mentioned that they help contain the "explosions" (ooooh, I sooo cant wait) better. I think I get 1 hemp 1 bamboo + some over the top thingies and I had to choose a size. $102 all up and you get some boosters and a bag as well. It says you save $30 so bugger it.
Sooo, anyone wanna lend me their newborn so I can try em out??
Have ages to wait, (13wks now) So will keep reading what you guys have to say.
Thanx heaps, Shell (ps looks like my order was what you told me to get, so good pick)

[Sammiejane]

I use BBH as the main nappies, the rest i hhave divided up into types...
I have a couple of night only nappies
Some cr@ppy nappies, not for the poo, but they are useless and are ones that i will chuck on for an hour before bed or something like that
and going out nappies and covers. These generally consist of the AIO's and are really cute and nice to touch too.
I like her to have on a cool (as in trendy/awesome looking) nappy if i am going to be stripping her down so i can show them off (vain i know, but im not paying for cute ones just to have them covered all the time - bring on summer, hopefully she is crawling by then!!!)

Shell - in my opinion the Hemp ones are useless and not very absorbent at all - they dry quicker but you use them quicker iykwim...

If you want to be doing full time nappies you are going to need about 24+ nappies, that way you have a load drying and a load for wearing... a NB will have b/w 8-12 wet nappies a day.
Also to note i didnt start using the BBH until MJ was about 3 weeks old, they were just huge on her, would use prefolds and a cover - the bambino mio inserts were good for this

You might also want to head to spotlight or something similar and get some fleece, cut this into rectangles and use them as liners inside the nappies - makes the poosplosions easier to clean up!
I got extra and use squares as bum wipes with some camomile and calendula flower tea diluted with water.. yucky colour but she has never had nappy rash and if she is red it helps sooth.

Sorry for the novel but hope this helps