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No soaking needed... not hot washes either. We wash daily...I do a prerinse with just the nappies in to rinse all the poo out then I throw in the rest of the washing and the powder (we use euca powder) and do a full warm wash....a cold wash would do just as well I guess but definitely not a hot hot wash...it ruins the laminate and the elastic in the nappies. I don't use liners generally, only time I use a liner is if I put a zinc type cream on his bum for bad nappy rash which is once in a blue moon
and definitely no bleach or napisan..bad bad things they are!!
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I wouldn't worry too much about liners. You can grab a little squirt, or we just have on e of those things you can connect to the tap to make it like a garden hose, and just wash it off :) We did use liners but if you can, try some cloth ones and just rinse them out afterwards. It does feel a bit annoying to change a wet nappy and just chuck the wet liner because they aren't washable/rinseable. Fleece is good because you don't have to edge/hem it.
We do soak, only because even after two years of saying YOU DON'T NEED TO SOAK my partner flat out refuses not too, so I lost that battle (but have won the war, which was suing cloth in the first place so I'm ok with that!). We do only soak in some water though, definitely not chemicals! They do say don't let bamboo sit with urine on it for more than a day or it can start to eat the bamboo. I think others counter that by rinsing them before dry-pailing.
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I had to use fleece liners with DD#4 because almost all cloth nappies would cause her bum to turn red... DS has no problems at all!!
If you are having lots of trouble with nappy rash it is highly likely to be fungal (DD#4 has a stubburn rash and it turned out to be fungal) just try an anti fungal on it for a couple of days and see if it improves.
xx
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After our phonecall this afternoon I sent you a big message, let me know if I left anything off!
I do use the fleece liners, because for me it helps to keep the BF poo contained on the liner, and so less mess to clean up on the MCN :)
I just ordered my first lot of Rockin Green and I love it - but its pretty exxy to use regularly. (Although I am considering purchasing it for the work stuff, the tea towels and aprons etc) - I found it great for soaking, (like our work stuff) but you don't really have a need to soak mcn's, so the planet ark you're using would be fine!
I also use a little lavender in Carmelo's bath... he has not had a hint of nappy rash up until his teeth started a few weeks ago :(
I also have the black tube of paw paw & that seems to make a difference.
Let me know if I've left anything off the message I sent... I think I got everything!!!
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i gave my nb bad nappy rash by using J&J and Amolin (both say suitable for sensitive nb skin - piffle). I later worked out the propylene glycol in them agrravated her skin. Switched to cotton velour facewashers and water - no more rash.
Nappy rash is a variable thang
soooo many possibilities
- mother's diet (e.g i od'd on orange juice and that made my child have very acidic poos that "burnt" her little bottom)
- too much or too strong washing detergent ie the chemicals in said washing detergent (you can get a Aware SENSITIVE version of the Planet Ark wash powder too - you might already be using it)
- washing routine
pre-wash cycle, longest cotton wash cycle, long rinse - i did mine daily, at 60 degrees.
- baby skin can react to napisan and other chemicals that some people put the nappies in, even perfume in some washing powders
- chemicals in commercial baby wipes
- fabric - some bubs react to synthetic fleece, and for them, nappies with a microfleece inner, or microfleece liners, are a no-go
some bubs react to suedecloth, you find this used as the inner layer for some pockets and aio nappies
- fungal infections, thrush
- when you change baby, you've wiped them clean, use another dry cloth wipe to PAT the skin dry, just to ensure you are putting on the next nappy, with their skin dry. Bacteria thrive in moist dark conditions.
- nappy rash medications are either petroleum (barrier) based, or water based. i used the water based ones at the first sign, and kept the petroleum based ones, ONLY for The Bad Rash times.
and example of a water based nappy rash solution is Simmons Paw Paw Salve (whereas Lucas Paw Paw Salve is petroleum based)
an example of a petroleum based nappy rash solution is Sudocream. Make sure you use nappy liners if you use a petroleum based one. the reason is, they will soak into teh nappy fabrics and make them stop being effective. the absorbent fabrics will decrease their absorbency. the waterproof fabrics will decrease their waterproofness. the fabric fibres get coated, and will need to be strip washed. so just avoid that hoo haa by using liners, and you won't have to do that.
LINERS
for a six week old, watery poop i'm guessing, wait for the formed poos before you spend up on the flushable liners. they don't help with watery poo.
microfleece liners can help at the six week stage. buy a metre (nappiescovered, fairy fabrics, tiny tush, bubba earth etc) and cut it up into liners e.g 15cm x 35cm. no hemming needed.
microFIBRE is an absorbent fabric (used for boosters) great for soaking up liquid
don't confuse that with microFLEECE
microFIBRE is not to be put against baby's skin
microFLLECE is a synthetic "stay dry" fabric - which is why it's useful for liners.
LITTLE SQUIRT
for me, this is hands down the best thing to have, to make dealing with pooey nappies a breeze.
so then you end up putting a poo free nappy into the nappy bucket (great smell and stain preventer)
in our home, it proved a great way to get child's father to change nappies too, man + water toy = SMILES
SOme people use soapnuts as an alternative to washing machine powder or liquid. Why not get a small quantity, try them out and see what you think?
some good advocacy mcn sites are ozclothnappies (an org site) and nappycino.
hth
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Im so greatful to all that have taken the time to read and post in here, yesterday was not a good day for me, i had a mirgrain and was OCD wanting to get this started, today i am a bit more relaxed and hoping to implement what has been suggested,
RE napisan ooooops too late, but have been wasked since lol one off wont hurt i hope
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Hi Loula, seeing you are in Melbourne you could always trial different types of naps through ecobubs depending upon your budget. They have a trial pack of all the brands they stock for $25 a week, and that way you can see what you like and what works for you without having to buy first. I would suggest trying one of each type of nappy (i.e. AI1, AI2, pocket, flats) first before investing too much in one type. For instance, I like the sound of an AI1 because it's easy but in practicality they take too long to dry in Canberra weather and I have discovered I need to go for AI2's or pockets, even if they are more work to initially to put together - at least I can use them by lunchtime the next day if I put them on the airer the night before - and that's in cooler weather not taking into account I can put the inserts in the dryer if I need to. With Melbourne weather you might have to take similar factors into account, because having mainly AI1's will most likely mean you need a larger stash or back ups for slow drying days.
