a bunch of q's from another newbie

hi all!

We're FINALLY taking the plunge!! :clap:

dd is almost 19mths and we're starting mcn's for the first time (I know we're a bit slow off the mark, but better late than never, right?)

I managed to come across a mcn trial service where you try 6 different types of mcn's for 2 weeks for a small cost. I wanted to do this before forking out a whole lotta dosh, and it has been a great experience. We have tried:-

**genese forge night time nappies with snap in boosters = brilliant!! (i adore this nappy)
**cushi tushies snap in one = quite good, no leaks, but wide crutch led to a bit of a waddle
**itti bitti d'lish snap in one = quite good, love the fit, no waddle, but did leak if left on a teeny bit too long
**issy bear pocket = good; pretty much indenticle to green kids, cuter patterns, but found green kids bamboo inserts much better
**green kids pockets = really good, but not so good at night
**bbh bamboo fitted with snap in boosters = good but leaked at night, even with bbh PUL cover, and seemed to have a lot of wetness next to skin in morning.

Although i have figured out which ones we now have a preference for, i still have a bunch of q's, so i was hoping some mcn experts wouldn't mind helping me out.

I love the more fitted nappies, but we're really trying to do cloth on a budget, so am thinking that green kids may be the way to go as we would be able to reduce costs with a one size fits most design, re-using the nappies for #2 (if we're lucky enough to be blessed with another IVF miracle). I think this will be more economical than having to fork out each time baby needs a new size.
Only probs are, she has just (this morning, bless her) learned how to rip off her sposies napies, so i'm guessing she will learn how to do the same with the velcro on the green kids before long. Are there any decent one size fits most pocket nappies with side snaps? Also, as wonderful as we've found the green kids, I have found the green kids leaked at night (the one time i used it at night), and i had put two lots of double thickness green kids bamboo boosters inside. Did i put too many boosters in perhaps, and this is the reason for leaking iykwim?? I shall re-try tonight with only one lot of boosters.

Overall, at present, I am wondering if perhaps i just use green kids during the day (and clothe her quickly after putting on nappy so that she won't be able to get to those velcro tabs), and then use something like a genese forge at night. Are genese forge sized btw?? If so, how likely am i to find them second hand. I have looked at buyena and have not found anything worth buying. Mostly there are AIO's for sale, and we are preferring to do pockets or SIO's due to quicker drying time (which is a major factor in melbourne).
Are there any other good websites for second hand cloth nappy sales??

Apologies for the lengthy post, but any input would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks a bunch,

Ari

Try Buy for Baby hun.
I love love love my GFs at night. Yes they are sized but worth it. I have 3.

I can't think of any OSFA side snapping pockets. SSs are usually sized.

I've never tried GKs so can't really help you there but I know others swear by them.

I also wouldn't be too quick to buy all of my nappies the one type. What fits your DD may be totally wrong on your next bub. At least if you have a few different types there's some to fall back on.

THere are lots of OSFA pockets out there too.

Hi Ari,

Congratulations on taking the plunge into MCN's. MCN's will never last as long as a sposie (unless you stuff it with heaps of inserts etc) so I've found that I change every 2-3hrs whereas a sposie is every 3-5. This may explain why you had some leaking. Also bamboo and hemp will hold more than microfibre.

If you are planning a 2nd child then OSFA would be my choice. My little ones also have a aplix / little finger syndrome and I found that snaps (not necessarily side snaps) work just fine. So far Happy Heiny's (my only 2 snaps) stay in place regardless of the number of attempts to escape.

Most of the side snaps that I've founds are sized - but maybe someone can help with this.

The 2nd hand nappy sites that I've found / used are 'used nappies', 'buy for baby' and 'monkeys undies' (all are .com.au I think) but if you google you will get them. You might not get exactly what you want but maybe you can buy new the basis of your stash (8-10 I'd think) and then top with with 2nd hand in different brands etc. This way you could make sure you have your 'new/confident they fit & work ones' for out of the house and the 2nd hand ones for at home days where you don't mind changing more frequently and its less of a drama if you get a leak.

Also try BonnieBuns (google) made by a WAHM on the gold coast - friends have used them on their twins for ages and love them - they tried and discarded bumgenius, tots bots and several other brands before deciding to stick with these. She does aplix and snaps.

I'm no help on night napppies, we tried and got leaks every night (sugar peas, BBH with booster etc etc etc) so I use a sposie at night. DD is a prolific wee'er, so I decided that it was a balance between the budget (at one sposie a night) and washing PJ's and bedding every day from leaks. Also decided I'd spent too much on night nappies testing them out to be bothered spending another $30-40 on yet another one to only have it fail.

Not sure this answered all your ?'s but hope that it helps.

good luck on the MCN journey and your next IVF miracle.

Thanks Kim and OnePossum for your very helpful replies.

I feel like I'm on the right track with OSFA nappies, if thinking about more kids, so thanks for helping confirm that for me. I just hope I'm not being too presumptuous, given there's no guarantees with IVF, but I'm choosing to be positive (thanks for wishing me luck!).

I too think the GF's are worth the investment Kim, however yesterday morning I noticed it had made a decent indent / line mark on her inner crotch skin. There was even some bruising?? Would this be due to putting on the nappy wrong / too tight (DH put that one on, LOL!) ??

Oh, and about snaps / side snaps / aplixes. I don't think I'm clear on the differences. As mentioned, we've tried the itti bitti d'lish SIO. Is this what you call side snaps?? If you wouldn't mind enlightening me, that'd be wonderful.

Also - what is wicking?? I have read about it, but can't seem to find a description.

Thanks again for your fabulous advice. I am feeling much closer to being able to make some decisions now.

Warm regards,
Ari

P.S. very good idea i think to not buy all one brand. Will probably end up doing 8-10 GK's, and then buy some 2nd handies online. Have already put some bids on a few.

ooh no...gee they must have been on tight if there is bruising!! Nate does get the line around his legs, but he gets the same from a sposie...so not sure on that one.

Ittis are front snapping closure. Nappies like blueberries come in side snapping, my GFs are side snapping...hmmm can't think of any more off the top of my head. The snapp is like the press stud.
Aplix is a type of velcro.

Wicking happens sometimes when clothes are too tight against the nappy. So the moisture in the nappy leaks from the inside usually via the leg opening if there is some of the inner material that reaches to the outside. When the inner if the nappy comes into contact with clothes the moisture 'wicks' from the nappy to the clothes. Does that make sense?

Look out Missy - they are addicitve :D

Hi Ari,
sounds like the nappy was on too tight - if the mark was also on one side only it might have been the position she was sleeping in (eg on her side ). Mind you I have the opposite issue with DH - he's sorry worried about things being too tight that when one wee goes in the nappy its starts to sag a little, by the time there is a second it sliding towards her knees with huge gaps around the legs!!!
Aplix v's snaps is a personal decision as to what works best for you. Aplix can be prone to little fingers getting hold of it and zooop off comes the nappy. And of course if makes a great sound and gets a reaction every time we do it! Different nappies have different aplix arrangements. I've mainly got bumgenius and their aplix is shaped like an elongated semicircle and it prone to the edges curling up - very inviting for little lingers but I'm also finding catches on clothes when you are picking up / putting down etc. I've also used a bubblebuns and their aplix is much larger and covered with fabric on the outer which was much better - but I got a AIO minky that I've decided I don't like it - because its both AIO and minky. Aplix is great for novice nappy changers as its much like a sposie so easy if you have grandparents etc helping out and you also get a 'exact' fit.

Snaps take a few seconds longer do up but seem to be more resistant to nappy removal fingers.
There are ones with snaps at the side (imagine cutting your knickers up the side seam and joining it with press studs) or towards the front. I've not tried side snaps but have just picked up some 2nd hand to try. There are some reviews on side snap nappies that I've read that say they are good for toilet training as they generally have elastic in the rear and front so much like a pull-up.

Iv'e got a couple with front snaps and yes that take longer to do up but I like them - and you avoid the velcro issues as noted above.

Different brands have different configurations, some have 4 on each tab in a square shape (eg happy heiny) so 8 snaps to do up each change, other like fuzzibuns have 2 but it looks like the current model has 3.

Most OFSA have rows of snaps along the front that you use to adjust the size - one you've got it set to what you want you don't need to undo etc for washing - or at least I don't! Some OSFA have adjustable elastic in the legs (like the elastic in maternity clothes and some kids clothes waistbands) rather than the snaps.

Good luck with your bidding..... Hope you get some great deals.

Sorry for the delayed reply ladies. DD and I went away camping for a few fun-filled days.

Thanks again for sharing your wealth of knowledge with me. I am feeling far more confident with it all now.
I now get the difference b/w side and front snaps thanks to your explanations, and I saw the difference in some pics on the genesa forge website. I have used 2 different front snapping nappies, and quite liked them even though they took slightly longer to do up, but perhaps we should consider some side snapping mcn's too, as toilet training will no doubt be here before we know it, and they do sound like they could come in handy here.

BTW would either of you know what the bonnibuns night nappies are like? They look and sound quite good, but I've not yet come across any reviews.

Thanks once again for your advice. Hugely appreciated!
Oh, and you're so right Kim - mcn's really can be quite addictive. They're about all I've been looking at online for the last couple of weeks.

All the best to you both

Arielle

Sorry I'm no help with the BB nights'. Maybe post a new thread with that as the topic and see what you get - someone is bound to have used them.