VICKY - i just did a long post to your question about the cost benefits of putting Aston in MCN for a year approx, in the MCN thread, so won't repeat myself here. One thing i forgot to say, which i feel freer to say here, is that if you are completely new to MCN (as opposed to someone who already knows the types available and has preferences already), i would suggest - to work out what you do and don't prefer, to get a trial pack of a few different types of nappies. Use them for a few days - then you will be able to tell what suits Aston, what suits you and therefore what to get more of. Nurture Nappies does a great trial pack called the Nurture Nappies Stash - good assortment (including a BumGenius 3.0).

Do you sew Vicki? I could point you in some great DIY MCN directions if you do.
DO you knit Vicki? ditto
Two ways to make it even cheaper for yourself.
Even if your sewing skills consist of sewing a straight line around a rectangle, that can still help you with saving money and using MCN. WIll fill in the blanks once i find out whether this interests you or not.

Once i know the size of Aston, shape etc, can help you more.

But i would say, no matter how good teh bulk price packs look e.g buy 24 of product X, unless you ahve already bought ONE of them, tried them and are VERY HAPPY with them on Aston, RESIST the urge to buy the bulk packs. Count to ten and email me if you feel yourself getting weak!

KIMMY! i am so happy you ARE going away on your weekend! Hope you and Craig have lots of lovely cuddles and the chance to relax together. Sounds like the girls are in good hands, how lovely for them to have nice granddies.

Flannels, wipes, washers, facecloths, yes, i guess there are ALOT of names for those! ANother easy thing to sew too vicky!


BLANCHIE - aren't you in Perth hon? i'm sure i've looked up Perth MCN stores before for MCN. on the ozclothnappies database, there is a list of IRL shops allover Aust, and there are a number in perth. It IS wonderful to see LOTS Of brands IRL, to be able to look at them side by side, compare and work out what you prefer. Nothing beats your kid actually roadtesting it! but at least seeing them is better than nothing. You can also join Nappycino and Ozclothnappies and find out when Perth local meetups are on. This is how i got to see MCN in real life, the old timers bring their stash faves to show the newbies. MCN is a very helpful community. I take along a HUGE bag or two of MCN to our local meetups, to help newbies get to see what is out there (cos i remember how much i appreciated people doing that for me in 2006 when i was pregnant).

Just like with Vicki, if you can tell me what you need, i can point you in a few directions. Size, shape, wetting pattern, lifestyle considerations e.g people who have their kids in childcare often have more AIO's cos that's an easy option to send to daycare).

Who asked about eh liners?
In Christy's answer, she talked about microFIBRE, hon i think you might have meant to type MICROFLEECE.

Microfibre is an ABSORBENT fabric, used to soak up the wee
Microfleece is a STAY DRY fabric, used as the inner on nappies, or for liners.

A cost effective thing to do for liners, is to buy a half metre of microfleece at Spotlight, the Little Additions brand is easy to find, the plain colour one is about $9 a metre. Cut that up into liners, e.g 30cm x 10cm strips - sized to fit the nappies you have. More generous size for the night nappies.

You wash these with the nappies and re-use.
No sewing required, the microfleece doesn't fray.

Some kids rash to having anything synthetic next to their skin, if this is your child, avoid the microfleece.

When bilby had really bad nappy rash in mid Jan, i made her a host of liners out of old flannelette sheets. It meant i had to change her nappy more often, obviously flannelette is not a stay dry fabric, and nappy rash also occurs by kids sitting in a wet nappy too long. But i still used the microfleece liners for night nappies, cos that is too long for her to be sitting in wet.

Looking back, i think that rash was caused by toxic poos, cos i had been overfeeding her fruit puree everyday, thinking i was giving her something healthy - but it burnt her bottom coming out.

ANother reason kids rash up is to do with WHAT you wash their nappies in, and HOW MUCH you use. MCN only needs HALF the wash powder you use for a load of clothes, and using a powder for sensitive skin e.g no dyes, perfumes or enzymes is a good idea. If you use full strength wash powder, you risk detergent buildup on the MCN (so it will get less absorbent) and many babies skin reacts to it.

happy to help anyone with MCN stuff (g.j@internode.on.net)

hope some of that helps you out, tell me if it's not and i'll shut up

i am so tired, that's my dash
sweetdreams lovelies!