Washable Nappies

babyboysmommy

Even with the nappies from friends & my £30 refund from the council my washable nappy supplies cost us £100, from birth to potty although I might need to buy some more liners. It's the wraps that bump up the price but I didn't want to use plastic pants. I justified it by selling things on eBay to cover the cost & by using washable wipes, that's going to save us loads over the next 2 years! I chose the nappy lady ones for the same reason as you. For us it will easily be a lot cheaper than buying disposable nappies & wipes

I'm sure you will still save money, especially as you too are using the washable wipes. Whilst the environmental reasons are not why I'm using them at least there will be less in landfill as a result of what we are doing We also have wheelie bins so another plus, we wont be struggling to fit them in.

bexta

I think washables are cheaper in the long run. They seem expensive initially because you're buying everything in one go, rather than chucking a pack in with the weekly shop. There's also the potential for re-using them with subsequent children, or selling them on afterwards.

mummy2mygirls

Hello I use washable nappies on my two little ones and will when the newbaby comes - Will have 3 in nappies for a while which will prob mean washing everyday but it will save me sooo much money.
I use pocket nappies - I managed to get lots on ebay there is a seller that has a very good reputation and ive loved all the nappies i got from her - most i got for about £3-£4 but they are from hongkong so took about 2 weeks to arrive - but well worth the wait!! I also use tots bots easyfits which I got from ebay aswell from totsbots but are seconds (not that i can tell anything wrong with them atall) I Stuff my pockets with the microfiber one they came with. Plus i brought some cheap microfiber shops from homebargains to also help boost my nappies for longer. Also I use littlelamb bamboo boosters if i need the nappies to last a bit longer (holds more wee then Microfiber so lasts longer) Also got them from ebay

For my liners i use fleece liners - I used a old thick fleece blanket that i had anyway and never used and cut it up into the right size and they work really well at keeping babies bottoms dry and stopping stains from poo

Wipes I also use washable ones - if im washing nappies I might aswell wash the wipes aswell I use just water on my wipes or sometimes I make up a mixture of DS's bathwash for them (he used Oilatum from the drs as he has sentivite skin)

For the nappy bin I got a bit screwtop plastic bin from wilkinsons as I found it was bigger then the normal nappy bins and only cost about £4. DD cant open its so its safe around her and also holds just the right amount so when its full its a full wash loads.

Once my nappies are stuffed (put all the boosters/liners into the they are just as easy as using a disposible nappy at nappy changes

And a added bonus is they look sooooo cute :D:D

mummyjane

I used cloth nappies for both my two. I started out with 3 dozen terries and waterproof pants/pins. It worked really well for us and I am sure we must have saved a fortune although the main reason I used them was for environmental reasons and the fact I didn't want all those chemicals on my babies' skin. Lucky really as my youngest had eczema from birth and disposibles made her bum so raw it bled. We had no such problems with cloth - makes you wonder what they put in pampers etc.

At the end of the day it is personal choice and you could always use a mixture. I had friends who used cloth but used disp for babysitters and days out etc. The only thing I will say is that cloth nappies can become an expensive obsession - by the time my two were toddling we could have opened our own shop we had so many types .

mutty_hc

hi all.

We are thinking about reusable instead of disposable.

Which ones really are best to go for?

Bambino mio's I've heard of, but Terrys seem good here but are they a bit fiddly?

budgetboo

If Mum is staying home and you are skint - terry squares are the cheapest option. The ones from twinkleontheweb.co.uk & thenappylady.co.uk are heads and shoulders above those sold in mothercare/boots in terms of quality, and should still be fit for use on the grandkids! Fleece liners can be made yourself. I've heard mixed reports re prefolds so plumped for terry squares myself for laundering simplicity.

If you are going to be using childcare then tbh shaped nappies with velcro fittings are simplest for harrassed nursery staff to deal with. Use paper liners so they can just flush the poo down the loo and you don't have to bring it home with you ; ) By keeping it simple you are more likely to stick with it. A separate nappy and wrap is likely to be more reliable than one of the all-in-one pocket styles as babies vary so much in shape, esp around the thighs.

Modern wraps are expensive but a worthwhile investment in either scenario as the modern fabrics used are so much more comfy for baby. The old fashioned plastic pants boots et all still sell should really be consigned to history. Motherease, onelife and littlelambs are al very popular brands for reliiabilty and lasting through several babies.

thenappylady.co.uk offers a wonderful questionnaire based on your lifestyle (twins, childcare, drying facilities, budget) that I can't rec highly enough. It's well worth doing it as there is such a massive range of styles and fabrics nowadays. Her questionnaire will help you avoid any expensive mistakes.

A trial pack is an ideal gift for a newborn. I asked for a few as gifts and people were more than happy to oblige as after all, people knew I'd use them! Nappies are an essential and a far more practical gift than those fancy newborn outfits that only get worn once so you can take a photo for the M-I-L. Older relatives were especially kind in responding to this request I found. Don't be scared to sample a few brands and different trial packs before making your final selection - it's likely to be more cost effective in the long run than buying a complete birth to potty system on a whim.

At the time I had my son Tescos did a "value" flannel for 12 pence. I bought about 20 of these and used them instead of wipes together with a little water spray bottle I bought from the holiday travel section at Superdrug. This saved me an absolute fortune as you can get through a packet of wipes on a single day out with a mucky toddler. Even on special offer wipes are rarely less than 99p a packet for the unscented ones. I purchased 2 colours. I used a different colour to wipe face & hands & kept the white ones for his bum.

I added white vinegar to my fabric conditioner draw to remove any detergent residue from the nappies. All you need is a tablespoon full and it can be bought from oriental supermarkets, hardware shops et in 5l containers for approx £3.99. I added a couple of drops of lavender oil for the scent, (lavender is also mildy discinfectant) to my vinegar. Sounds mad but it stopped my terry towelling nappies going hard and "scrunchy" on slow drying days.

Do think about how you are going to get them dry. I purchased a concertiner airer to pop over the bath and get them dry in winter. A friend bought a half size tumble dryer for emergencies. If line drying I really think you need 2 dozen for the 1st year. I had a mix of shaped (for childcare) and terry squares for this reason.

A massive advantage is that in high summer you don't have dirty disposables stinking the place out - how people cope in areas with fortnightly rubbish collections I'll never know.

Pound shops often sell mesh bags you can hang over the edge of the nappy bucket. I loved mine as it meant I could yank the whole bag out and shove it in the machine so didn't have to "handle" the dirty nappies more than the bare minimum (tip for the squeamish that!). Go to the hardware store and purchase a large bucket with a clip tight lid (think it'll need to be toddler proof!) twice as large as the standard nappy buckets sold in mothercare and the like. A plastic dustbin style is ideal. It'll probably be cheaper then one sold by the nappy sellers. Buying a standard "nappy bucket" is often an expensive mistake for many newbies as they are just not big enough for more than 1/2 a dozen nappies and a new born can easily get through about 10 in a day if you are changing frequently.

happy35

if you are going to use childcare I would make sure that they are willing to use nappies that are not disposable as some won't

sueeve

It's the second and subsequent child that really makes them win financially. I believe some comparison sites base findings on 1 child and 90C wash.

budgetboo

Legally they are not allowed to refuse to use cloth nappies so complain to your local council's children's information service (who are in charge of childcare registration) if a provider refuses.

Childcare with a reputable registered provider should NEVER be a deterrent to using cloth, though it's a gesture of goodwill on your part to choose a reasonably simple style. Generally they prefer velco to popper styles for convenience.

You should provide a strong, waterproof drawstring bag to keep them in, and expect to be responsible for laundering any nappies your child uses in registered childcare though.

babyboysmommy

For those who used the old style terry square nappies...what brand did you buy? It's easy to find information on the prefolds but not as easy to find reviews on flat nappies. Many thanks