Reusable/washable/cloth nappies

ToryB_2

I use cloth on my DD and have done since she was born in Nov 2006...I have tried alot of nappies are here are my favs~

Prefolds, despite what people think i actually love them...so easy, cheap and versatile, i like motherease rikki wraps over the top and normally fold the prefold into the angel wing fold and fasten with a snappie...cuts down on the bulk! (i have a mix of bambino mio, junior joy and some imported from the USA)

Pocket nappies, i loved bumgenuis untill DD was about 8 months old...then they started getting too small on her (not BTP as far as we were concerned and still not at 20 months!). My FAV is happy heniy one size pockets...they are fantastic and i will be buying many more of these for the next baby due in may!

Shaped, i never got on with these, far too bulky and faffy for my liking

maggie5

i have decided to try the reusable nappies but i dont think im doing them right, i have the wrap, cloth and liners but every time i use them my wee girl ends up soaking, so i dont know if i am doing it right or if thats just what happens (stupid question i know but when she uses disposables she aint no where near as wet)

any suggestions

thanks

flea72

ok, when you say wet, is it leaking out the nappy and making her clothes wet?

or, do you just mean, when you take the nappy off, her skin feels wet?

if its the first, then perhaps you arent changing often enough, or your baby is a heavy wetter and needs the nappy boosting, so there is more absorbency

if its the latter, then that is normal. the skin will feel wet, as you have the wet cloth right against it. one reason why you should change nappies as soon as they become wet

hth Flea

Krystaltips

Another thing to check if it's her clothes is that every bit of the nappy is tucked into the wrap, if a bit of nappy is poking out of the leg for eg then it will have a 'wicking' effect where whatever touches the nappy will soak up the wee...

maggie5

thank you both

flea72 i think its a bit of both, maybe im not changing her enough cause today she wasnt changed in 4 hours but to be honest i thought it would be ok to use them for that long. i also use the fleece liner plus a paper one. dont know if thats right but thought it might have added her protection.

krystaltips thanks for that hint will remeber that next time although i am sure it was all tucked up inside

also do i have to wash them all at 60 degrees or is it safe enough to wash at 30/40 degrees. sorry for all the questions i just dont want to give up before trying them properly

Gingham_Ribbon

Washable nappies don't have the chemicals in them that keep the moisture trapped inside, so the baby's skin will feel wet. Baby talc is useful. I found that 4 hours is really too long to leave a washable. Mine both needed changing every couple of hours. I agree about making sure no clothing is accidentally caught in the nappy.

Most nappies need to be washed at 60 degrees, and I'd recommend napisan or similar to prevent nappy rash and keep them white. But depending on what type of wrap you have, you may need to wash that at 40.

hth In my opinion, there's nothing nicer to see on a washing line than a row of white nappies!

cazscoob

can i ask if your using fabric softner as i did this with my first lot and took the waterproofing off lol! also i was told to buy tent waterproofer to seal the nappies

maggie5

thank you gingham i really did think that it would be ok for a couple of hours...now i know i was wrong , however im a bit worried now as i washed them all at 40 degrees, will i need to wash them again do you think?

cazcoop, i havent used fabric conditioner on them was told not to but i didnt know about the waterproof stuff, where can i buy that from?? and do i wash the nappys with that everytime?

onlyroz

I used washables with my first, and yes they do get quite wet, and you need to make sure the whole thing is covered by the wrap. 4 hours seems about right - which is why I tended to use a disposable at night time when he started to sleep for longer.

Apparently, washables can help with potty training for this very reason - because with disposables the child never feels wet and so it doesn't bother them to wee in the nappy. But with washables the child is more aware when they've wet themselves, which provides more motivation to use the potty.

squashy

I wash mine at 40, after all it's a shame to do all that saving the planet stuff then go and whack the dial up on your machine! I have never done any additional waterproofing or anything like that.

You do have to change them more regularly than disposables though. And yes I remember being slightly surprised that babys skin was a little clammy the first time I used them, but that is normal. That is why I like the fleece liners right against the skin with no paper liner, as this draws away some of the moisture. (The paper liners are useful for poo to stick to though I guess, it's just I prefer it without and don't mind swilling the fleece out!)