Cloth Nappies In Hospital?

[Hollybolly]

Hi Girls

Just a quick question as to how many used cloth when they were in hospital after giving birth?

I spoke to a nurse today in regards to what the hospital offers & what I need to bring (nappies, maternity pads etc) - when I mentioned cloth nappies she was astounded!
She said she can't remember the last time anyone had asked about using cloth in the hospital and that everyone just used newborn disposables.

She mentioned I was free to do whatever I liked, however obviously there would be no services for washing them (I wouldn't want this anyway).

I'm not sure what to do - I really didn't want to use the disposables - and I like the idea of the prefold & super beautiful covers on his little bottom asap - but here's my issue.

Because the hospital I'm giving birth in is about 1hr 30 mins away from home & the fact that DH is staying with me in the hospital I just don't know what to do!

I'll be staying in for approximately 5 days (DH will only stay a few nights because of work) - so he'll be coming home, but I don't know about getting him to wash the nappies etc & to bring them back & forth (in amongst the chaos & excitement & also with Luke to be bringing back & forth... he's likely to forget them anyway ) - and to have enough to last the hospital visit is a lot of prefolds!

Argh! Just wondering what everyone else did - especially those c/s ladies as I know generally we're in hospital for a little longer.

Thanks in advance

[briggsy's girl]

we had cloth supplied at the hospital (flannel flats) so i didn't have to worry about that aspect - if you wanted to use sposies you had to supply them yourself!

is there there anyone local-ish to the hospital that can wash some flannel flats for you?

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

we had cloth supplied at the hospital (flannel flats) so i didn't have to worry about that aspect - if you wanted to use sposies you had to supply them yourself!

:yeahthat: - our hospital supplied the flannel flats and i wasn't "allowed" to use the sposies i'd packed until the day i was discharged. My hospital likes to use the flannels as they can then check and record how wet the bubs nappies were...

[sas85]

We were in the SCN so the sposies were provided - I think if you were just on the ward and didn't bring your own nappies there may have been cloth ones you could use don't know about washing, in any case I plan on using a pack of sposies at first before moving to my newborn cloth ones. Especially until the meconium is gone and we are home as I know how sticky and revolting DD's first few days poos were. Also, it was bad enough sending DH home with MY washing (ie- even three maternity pads couldn't contain the lochia when they're wedged around a catheter!) so don't think he'd appreciate more 'unfortunate' washing to deal with

[~Kim~]

lol Holly, my MWs were horrified that some city hossy actually supplied sposies!

The hossy I was at used terry flats but DH and I were soooo bad at nappy pins that he (all by himself no less) brought me my entire stash of nappies on day 2. I had a csec so I found my nappies much easier to manage as there was none of that hideous pin pushing.

As for the washing scenario....hmmm have to think about that - we only live 6 minutes from hossy and my DH was already clued up on cloth as it's our second bub in them....

[~Hestia~]

We also weren't allowed to use sposies, given flannel flats for stay. I hated these as I had to call for help with every nappy change as I had NO idea how to get them on DS!!
I didn't start using our MCNs until DS was about 6 weeks old. All those explosive newborn poos...

[~breeze~]

When I had DD in 2005 the hospital supplied the terry flats. When I had DS in 2008 in the very same hospital they supplied a small pack of huggies newborn nappies & wipes. I dont know why it changed in those 3 years, I quite liked using the terry flats in the hospital

In response to your question, I would probably just use disposables whilst in hospital & have a few of my own nappies packed for the day I took him home? But thats just me...

[Mum2Romone]

babies poo is disgusting and like TAR for a week after they are born. Definately use disposable as you will RUIN all your beautiful cloth nappies before the week is up. it is really hard to wash out.....Something you do not know until you have a baby

[~Kim~]

FWIW I have nary a stain from my newborn poo days Holly.

[Trillian]

Would there be a laundromat that he could take them to close by? I know at my hospital they had a washing machine that you could use if you really wanted to - I used it to wash knickers etc if they got blood on them etc. My hospital had terry flats too but they were happy for you to use the flats or sposies.

[Hollybolly]

babies poo is disgusting and like TAR for a week after they are born. Definately use disposable as you will RUIN all your beautiful cloth nappies before the week is up. it is really hard to wash out.....Something you do not know until you have a baby

Thanks hun
Its been a while but I remember!

I'll be using liners regardless to keep my nappies as lovely for as long as possible.

When I was in hospital with DS, the nurses shunned women using disposables... what a difference 12yrs makes, hey?!

I'm not sure if the nurse was stunned that I was going to use cloth full time, yet they have the terry flats while you're in there with the option of the disposable - or if they just use the disposables only.

I'll ask again when we do the hospital tour in 2 weeks time... if there's no terry flats option, I guess I'll use sposies whilst in there & pack a few prefolds/covers for when we're ready to come home

ETA - Trill, I might look at the laundromat as an option too - thanks!
BG - I thought about anyone living close by too but no
My brother lives not far from the hospital.... but children & babies are not in his vocabulary, let alone washing nappies for me!!! I think he'd pass out at the thought of it & then need to drink a bottle of wine or 3 to get over the fact that I actually considered it from him

[briggsy's girl]

i have no stains either - we continued to use flannel flats when we first got home (for the yuk poos and because DD just didn't have the right shape for her other nappies for a while - so flannel flats and MAL covers for about 4 weeks i think. with the flats, if we did have a disgusting nappy, it COULD be soaked before being sunned. i think we had to soak 2 once we came home... we never used pins - if it was folded right, we could tuck the ends in, and then the cover held the nappy in place. by about four weeks, she finally had enough meat on her bones to not fall out of the widdlewuns nappies!

[Hollybolly]

i have no stains either - we continued to use flannel flats when we first got home (for the yuk poos and because DD just didn't have the right shape for her other nappies for a while - so flannel flats and MAL covers for about 4 weeks i think. with the flats, if we did have a disgusting nappy, it COULD be soaked before being sunned. i think we had to soak 2 once we came home... we never used pins - if it was folded right, we could tuck the ends in, and then the cover held the nappy in place. by about four weeks, she finally had enough meat on her bones to not fall out of the widdlewuns nappies!

This is what I'm planning on doing too - I've got 26 prefolds + Maz covers for when we get home, I just know 26 won't be enough to get us through the hospital & home without some washing done.
Maybe I need to train DH up in the washing department before bubba comes

I'll definately have to check the hospital option again - it seems strange that my hospital seems to be the only one without a cloth option

[jesses_girl]

We're not allowed to use cloth I spent so much money on them and i cant even use them when hes first born! I cant believe you ladies get cloth supplied to you, so jelous! I was so surprised when i found out we HAVE to buy disposables for the hospital, not very eco-friendly are they...?

[krisp]

When I had my son in Newcastle Private Hosp they provided Huggies sposies. When my DD was born in Monash (Jessie Mac P.H) they provided flannel flats and I had no idea what to do with them. The midwives told me they were better for a new born as you could see more clearly their urine output in the early days, and they were right as its can be difficult to tell if the Huggies are wet. They were OK after I got the hang of the folding bit but I did go back to sposies when we got home.