New to MCN

Ok so can someone please fill me in on what you recommend is the BEST and EASIEST mcn to use.

Also how do you wash them? what do you use? can you still use bottom creams and powders with them?

Im such a novice with this and my sis has just handed me a WHOLE bundle of them plus I have some new itti bitti delish too

TIA

Well, whats easiest depends on you really.

There are flats/fitteds/prefolds & covers. Pockets & inserts/boosters. AIO's & AI2's.

I use prefolds/flats/fitteds on DD3 for now, coz she's so small I think for me, its the cheapest, so best way to go. You can get through a day with only 2 covers, rotating.. (well I do). But you will have to fold flats/prefolds & then put a cover on, so can be fiddly. Flats are so fast to dry though, the main reason I love them.

Pockets & inserts/boosters. You fill a pocket with an insert, add a booster if you need extra absorbancy & put it on lika a nappy. You need to stuff them, but if you do this as you put them away, its easy enough. The shells/pockets are usually very fast drying. Can add absorbancy as you need. I used a few of these with DS.

AIO's/AI2's. There aren't many true AIO's out there anymore. They can take too long to dry, as all absorbancy layers are sewn into the nappy. So most are AI2's. That way they seperate for faster drying. Some are sewn in inners, some snap in. Usually the easiest option, but usually need to be put back together after washing too.

There are one or 2 nappy rash creams you can use, but I can't remember what they are. Best to use liners when using creams, as they can affect the absorbancy of the nappies. I use fleece liners :)

I wash in hot or cold water, depending on what the nappies are like (wet/dirty), usually cold with a soak. I don't use any powders at all. Occasionally bi carb (if I have some) & am adding dettol in the rinse just while DD is so little. Just something I like to do.

Then hang in the sun for best results! Sun will kill any germs & bleach any stains :) You can use a dryer, but best used on warm rather than hot. Too much heat can affect the elastic & PUL in them.

I personally don't think any are any easier than the others. Like I said, its just what works for you :) I had a mix of everything for DS & will have a mix for DD3 as well.

OMG Now i am more confused. What a prefold? or fitted?
Can you tell ive never done this before?

Reusable Nappy Info | Australian Nappy Network

Try that :) Might make more sense than me ;)

Thanks CLover

oh! Thanks Clover, coz I was going to ask too! :D

Ok so can someone please fill me in on what you recommend is the BEST and EASIEST mcn to use. That would depend upon the situation. I personally find fitteds (i.e. BBH Bamboo) to be a good failsafe nappy for going out and he might be in it a while and for night time. Fitteds need covers as they don't have a built in waterproofing layer and can have a tendency to be a bit bulky in comparison to other types of MCN's You usually have to go up a clothing size when using them. For night time, it is best to use a fleece or wool cover, rather than a PUl, as they breath better.

When outter fashion (i.e. clothing) is the main priority I'll go for an Itti Bitti SIO or Tutto, as they are a nice trim nappy that looks nice under clothing, but I do find I have to change this brand/type more often (every 2 hours) to avoid leaks.

When the nappy itself is the fashion statement, I'll go for an issy bear print. These are my "pretties" but there are other types out there like Goochi baby, WiddleWuns etc that are much fancier with cute embroideries that are just too gorgeous to hide under clothes.

Also how do you wash them? what do you use? I use a tablespoon of just plain bicarb soda and 1/3 cup of powdered washing soda as my washing powder and I use a couple of drops of Tea Tree Oil diluted in water in the fabric softener dispenser. Don't soak. Don't use bleachers. Rinse off than dry pail until wash time. Don't leave for any longer than 2-3 days before washing.

i have a mixture of fitteds and pockets here. i also have an AI2 coming that has side snaps to see if they fit better then the front snaps with DS.

to be honest it all depends on what your baby is like in size as to what will fit them best. i suggest buying a couple of different ones from different brands before going out and spending large amounts of money on just one brand (like i did) only to find they dont fit well and you really dont like them :doh:

there is a group on fb that sell second hand (and sometimes brand new ones) cheap if you want to check them out. that way if you get something you dont like, you can always sell it on too.

i use about 1/4 of a scoop of washing powder or a tea spoon of bi carb (depending on whether i remember or not) in my wash and wash either on a warm or cold cycle. i dont have a dryer so they either go on the clothes airer inside during wet/cold days or outside on the line on warm to hot days. come and check out the cloth nappy discussion thread as there are a few of us who talk about cloth all the time

yeddi - goochi are selling up and closing their business!