reusable nappies??

[petchy]

i can't make my mind up whether to use disposables or reusables!!!! for the sake of the environment i'd like to use reusables, but then there are all the other issues that creep up in my mind.

- we don't have a tumble dryer, so i'm worried that we'll end up having nappies all over the house constantly (imagine trying to dry things outside in february...)

- nappy rash?? do reusables make your baby more prone to nappy rash??

- time and effort to clean??

- leaks??

- the one-off cost? it's a big one off amount of money.. of course it will be cheaper over time, but what about the cost of extra electricity and washing powder/fabric softener used? will it really be cheaper, or is this something that people are just saying?

- is it REALLY better for the environment? is the extra electricity and washing powder/fabric softener not harmful too?

HELP! this is confusing! - if anyone has any experiences with using reusables, please reply!

what brand do you prefer? bambino mio looks good, but is it? experiences with different brands would be appreciated!

 

[Tara & Liam]

Hi Petchy

I had the same problem as you, i didnt know (and still dont) what to do for the best.

i have been told that the babies will incur less nappy rash if you use reusable nappies as disposables are supposed to hold bacteria onto their bottoms.

We still are not decided. it would be helpful to hear from people that are already using them. maybe put a post on the forum for people who have already had their babies to see what they are using.

x

 

[Skidoo]

There was a study recently - I'll see if I can find any info on it later - that worked out that there's no difference environmentally between the two. As you suggest, Petchy, there's a cost to the environment in the water, detergent, and power used to wash reusables.

I think there are recycled nappies available now, perhaps that would allow us to have the convenience of disposables with the peace of mind of reusables?

 

[Sarah W Baby Belly]

We are getting a tumble drier from my mum as a late wedding present as I think that reusable nappies are inevitable in our house as the DH is a recycling freak. There is nothing he won't recycle LOL.

So we are definitely getting reusables, but which brand?

I have heard that Bambino Mio are supposed to leak quite a bit but the one life ones are not?

I would like to know more about that though before we commit because, as you say, its not a cheap initial cost and I don't want to be stuck using sub-standard nappies for two and a half years!

 

[Rosebay]

Hi,

I've looked into this a lot. Apparently there isn't much difference to the environment if you always wash them at 60 degrees and tumble dry them but if you wash say the wet but not messy ones at a lower temperature and don't tumble dry it does make a difference.

We don't have a tumble drier either but was interested in reuseables and so I emailed The Nappy Lady online for free advice on kinds of nappies, and talked to a lady at our local recycling unit and a few shop owners of baby stores. The answer I got was that the new Fluffle nappies are supposed to be the best for those of us without tumble driers as they are practically dry by the time you get them out of the machine. They are shaped nappies with a pop in booster pad for extra protection and have a very comfy looking fleecey inner bit. You need the nappy, nappy nippers to close them, a nappy liner (that can be washed a few times apparently and then composted if you want or flushed) and a water proof cover. There are two sizes- the size 2 can kind of go from birth to potty if you fold the end bit in but they also do a smaller nappy. They are not cheap however- £8.50 a go in my local shop and you need between 16-20 plus the waterproof covers (come in three sizes- need about 3 per size) but according to several sources I've checked buying disposables can cost about £2k in total and of course once you have the reuseables you can use them on another baby as well.

My local Council gives a £30 voucher towards buying reuseables, they also have a nappy service that costs about £8 a week where they deliver nappies for you to use and then take them away and wash them for you etc if you want to do it that way. Everyone suggests getting a few different kinds of reuseables to try out and see what you think. I have heard that resuseables are less likely to cause nappy rash- mostly because nappy rash occurs when the urine is next to the skin and with reuseables the baby feels wetter sooner therefore you know they need changing before they've been sitting in it too long. For this reason they reckon that babies in resuseables tend to potty train earlier as well.

Frankly I can't face the thought of thowing all of that nappy waste away with disposables plus they are just so expensive. Although buying about £200 of nappies in one go seems hard going if you have enough nappies you should be able to go further between washes also saving on energy. Without a drier you're also saving energy. I've felt a Fluffle too and it is so so soft that I wouldn't mind it on my bottom! Whereas the Newborn Pampers I've bought for the first few weeks just look and feel like those far too plasticy sanitary towels that I personally find uncomfy (despite their efficiency).

Ask about and go and have a poke at different styles of nappy- everyone has been really helpful in my search I have to say and all of the people above had used them with their own babies and so knew lots about it.

Hope this helps
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[Sarah W Baby Belly]

On the other had, you can get sample packs of lots of the reusable ones and you could try them out for a week or so to see how easy they are to live with.

 

[Lucy]

Hi Petchy

I am hoping that I will use re-usables when the baby doesn't need changing as often as when they are newborns, I guess for me also it depends if I am breastfeeing (my 1st choice) or bottlefeeding (if for some reason I can't bfeed) as this has a big effect on their nappy contents I believe? I don't think I'd be able to keep up with the washing and drying of all the nappies when the baby is really wee.

I've been recommended to use these:
http://www.soorganic.com/home.php?cat=20

HTH

Lucy
27 + 3

 

[Sarah W Baby Belly]

Thanks Rosebay for all that info, it was really helpful!

 

[Urchin]

I tried re-usables with my first, but found he drank so much he'd get an absolutley soaking wet nappy every couple of hours (this was when he was about 6 month old)
His skin was wet all the time, even with the special absorbant extra layer you can buy. This was 4 years ago, maybe they'd be better now?
Anyhow, I really found them to "fill up" too quickly.....he did get nappy rash and I had to stop using them.

 

[beanie]

We are using reusables, though as not used them yet can't tell you how I have found them. We got the birth to potty bambino mios, £160 from kiddicare.com. This has all the nappies you will need apparently. I have washed the nappies twice as suggested and have them all ready to use. They do seem a bit fiddly at first but then again so does a babygro to me and I guess we will very quickly get used to them. I just love them, they are so soft and look really comfy. The main reasons I went for re-usables was the fact that there are no chemicals next to babies skin, and the cost is a lot lower. Also our bin gets collected once a fortnight and the thought of having a bin of dirty nappies for that long didn't appeal. Plus I like the look of them. We will have disposables for when we are going on a day trip etc for ease but will mainly use reusables. People keep saying oh just you wait you will soon be using disposables but I just think I'm going to washing more anyway so one extra load every other day is hardly going to kill me. There are loads of internet sites about reusables, the choice is overwhelming. I went with the mios in the end as I know someone who has used them and she said she had no probs with them, apart from baby wanting changing more but that is because they feel the wet a lot quicker then with disposables, hence the lower chance of nappy rash. Good luck choosing, hope you find the right ones for you. Its like every baby thing you use was you prefer I guess.

 

[Lucy]

Hi Beanie

Would you mind if I asked you some questions about the nappies that's confusing me? I've read that you need to soak the nappies - is this just the insert part or the whole thing? Do you buy soaking tablets or is it just water that they need to go in?

Thanks

Lucy
27 + 4

 

[melanieyeah]

ive read that reusables called cottom bottoms are good... but I duno, i would like to use reusables, its getting that much money together in one go. If you dont have much dosh like me, then get some off ebay!

 

[Rosebay]

As far as the soaking goes one of the booklets that my council gave me said that you could use any of the following to soak the nappies in if you wanted too although you don't have to soak them because a washing machine at 60 degrees should be fine (if you soak you can wash them at a slightly lower temp):-

(one of the following)

1 tbs bicarb of soda (ask at the chemist for bulk amounts apparently)
2-3 tbs white vinegar
5 drops of tea tree oil
1 tbs Nappy Fresh
2 tbs lemon juice

Hope this helps
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[beanie]

Rosebay answered the question miles better then I could, and has given me some great tips. From what I understand Lucy, you don't have to soak the nappies though if they are soiled not just wet then they recommend that you do. The makers say that soaking is not absolutely necessary providing soilin gis removed or sluiced. With mio nappies there is a solution you can buy to soak the nappies in, it is antibacterial nappy cleanser but as Rosebay sid any of the other suggestions are just as good. I'm thinking of using bicarb but I guess I'll see what suits when baby arrives. With mios it is just the nappy that you soak, the wrap can be washed if soiled but this should just be a rinse not soaked. To see the mio nappies I recommend their website www.bambino.co.uk