Cloth nappies in day care?

[CrazyCatLady]

What would you think if your day care told you they were going to start using modern cloth nappies? You still drop the kids off with their disposables and get them back in a clean disposable but during the day the day care used their own modern cloths? It's something I've been toying with for a little while. We want to use cloths when we have our own and I thought 'why not introduce it in our FDC?'. We fill an entire wheelie bin a week and it reaks! If I am able to stop that many nappies from poluting over my working career then I feel like I'm actually making a difference.

I'm not sure what the families would think of it though. How would you feel if it were your childs day care?

[Angelmist♥]

I would love it but then again I'm a MCN lover!I think you'd have to ask the parents on their preference.I honestly can't see the difference if you are doing all the work. On the other hand though, some people get funny about using a nappy that someone else has used.

[QTB]

I think its a great idea!!

but again, im a MCN loving mumma, but tell the parents about the smell etc im sure they wont mind - they dont have to wash them! lol

anyway, where in Brissy are you? lol i wanna send my son to you! lol i cant find a good daycare that will allow MCNs!

[MZmama]

I'm a disposable user - and i wouldnt mind at all what my child was wearing, as long as she was in a clean nappy, i wouldnt mind.

I think i would actually secretly like it. I've always been a fan of cloth nappies, but never bothered or wanted to take it further and jump on the bandwagon..

[Ana Gram]

I'd actually be a bit annoyed. Not about them using cloth nappies but making my child wear them.

DD has eczema which has reacted to various materials before and it doesn't take much for it to spread like wide fire. We have just recently got through a bout of eczema on her vagina, and it took weeks to get under control and it was all because I had put her undies on the clothes horse inside while the heater was on.

[Blueberry Crumble]

I think it is a great idea!! If you posed the suggestion to the parents of the kiddies, see what they have to say. Then if they agree, they could sign a form or something saying that they give permission for their kids to wear cloth! Explain about the wheelie bin, and about the environmental concerns. You will prob get a couple of parents who would say no because of irritation etc. But I reckon most parents would be in for it!

Also, lots of people (most people!) Dont know anything about mcn, so I would invite your parents around for a coffee evening/night and show them the nappies you would be using. Then they wouldnt think you were using old terry flats. I think once they see them and feel how soft they are, they will be convinved!!

[QTB]

I'd actually be a bit annoyed. Not about them using cloth nappies but making my child wear them.

DD has eczema which has reacted to various materials before and it doesn't take much for it to spread like wide fire. We have just recently got through a bout of eczema on her vagina, and it took weeks to get under control and it was all because I had put her undies on the clothes horse inside while the heater was on.

I think in this sort of case there would be exceptions, or if the parents just plain didnt agree...

CCL - i think if you sent some info home to the parents about benefits, etc even if only one or 2 parents agreed it would still save alot of rubbish, and alot of smell...

[punkbaby]

Great idea but i would feel wierd using other peoples nappies....i am just paranoid they wouldnt be washed properly etc, although i know they would be, just that thought stiicks in my mind

[RaryGirl]

When DD was in daycare they used cloth nappies (old terry flats) .... we used to have to have a disposable in her bag for home time, otherwise she was in cloth during the day. They used to have them washed by a nappy service according to health regulations ... so you knew they were clean (at least you hoped they were).

As DD used to get a terrible rash from being left in a wet nappy for longer than 10 minutes ... I used to supply my own sposies for them to use during the day.

You'll probably find that some parents will do the same.

[ziggie]

I'm a bit funny about it, TBH, even though I'm an MCN mummy. I'd have to be shown the cleanliness of them before I'd agree.... Or I'd ask you to use ones that I supply myself.
But I think it's a fantastic idea, and even if you get half of the kids into cloth, you'll still be making a difference to our environment :thumbsup: .

[Funkychicken]

When DD was in daycare they used cloth nappies (old terry flats) .... we used to have to have a disposable in her bag for home time, otherwise she was in cloth during the day. They used to have them washed by a nappy service according to health regulations ... so you knew they were clean (at least you hoped they were).

As DD used to get a terrible rash from being left in a wet nappy for longer than 10 minutes ... I used to supply my own sposies for them to use during the day.

You'll probably find that some parents will do the same.
When DS#1 was little, there were a number of centres that did use cloth nappies. A disposable needed to be supplied for going home in but they used Nappy Wash service for all the cloth nappies.
I think it is a fantastic idea. :thumbsup:

[~J'dore~]

If they were washed by a nappy service then I would probably be ok with it. And if they were a good quality one that wasn't going to feel yucky on bub skin and cause rashes:)

I think it's a good idea:thumbsup:

[youngones]

I would love it. Our daycare centre told us that they don't have a nappy service, which I think is actually really appalling - however, we send around 6 MCNs and a small bucket each day DD goes and the leftover clean ones go into her clothes bag and I just stick the bucket over my arm and they go into the wash when I get home.

I would also love to be able to have DD in FDC, but as she is peanut anaphylactic, FDC won't take her :thumbsdown: , as it isn't as heavily regulated as a centre in terms of what food the kiddies have and where they eat etc. I did wonder if we had been able to get her into FDC how the carer would feel about us using MCNs. I would not permit my baby to be in disposables unless she has a really bad nappy rash, in which case, they are the only thing that help to clear it up.

[BeautifulBoys]

:thumbsup: I wouldn't mind as long as his nappy is changed reg( our daycare supplies disposables).. we use disposable nappys at home.
Think its Great!!

[BeautifulBoys]

I also agree with good Quality & wash service
:thumbsup:

[CrazyCatLady]

I'm getting a good vibe that most people are pretty happy with the idea especially if there is a laundry service. Here's the catch. Laundry services will only to terry flats and the likes and if I go ahead with it I would want to use a very good brand modern cloth nappy like baby beehinds. So not only would I not trust the laundry service to clean them using low allergenic products and products that won't effect the absorbancy but they won't do them anyway.

So in short it would be done at homeby me on a daily basis in a sterilising wash (above 60 degrees). This is exactly how hospy sheets are sanitised. Would this change anyone's mind about being ok with it. The thought that comes to mind is if I'm not trusted to sanitise the nappies how on earth can a parent trust me with the health and well being of their child anyway?

[~J'dore~]

I just had an idea... why don't you start a thread in the the general chat section with a poll asking people if they would go for it. Make sure you give people all the relevent info and maybe even a pic of the type of mcn you would plan to use.

That way you would probably get a better picture of the general population's view on mcn's in daycare... not us cloth crazy addicts that hang out in this section:p

[CrazyCatLady]

I did a thread in the childcare options section and got a similar response. A few people were appalled by the idea but I bet they have never actually seen an mcn. It all seemed to come down to a hygeine issue even though I'd be laundering them in the required way. I think I'm going to do up an information pack for the families I look after and say it has been an idea but wanted their opinions on it.

So here we go with more research and typing.

[~J'dore~]

All the best with it all:thumbsup:

[Cheeky Little Monkey]

GREAT IDEA to give the parents an option, but I would personally prefer to supply my own and wash my own nappies.

[greenie]

Good on you for having a go! :yes:

I'm sure some people may have issues, and prefer to continue with their disposables, but I think if you inform them as well as you can, and supply info about the hygiene issue (eg. details of washing temps etc needed for sterilising, etc and how you plan to wash), you may get more support.

This may be a really crazy idea, but if you are using BBHs or something, would it be possible to try separating nappies for different children? E.g. different colours for different kids?
Even if you couldn't guarantee they never share, it could reduce the number of children using the same nappies.
Of course, that could be completely unworkable for you!!

I personally wouldn't have a problem with it either way and would be delighted that my kids could be in cloth. I have my ds in FDC at the moment, and was told by the scheme that children must be in disposables due to hygiene risks for carers! I think this is quite crazy and don't really see how there's any difference in hygiene changing a pooey disposable or cloth nappy.

Anyway, best of luck. I think it's terrific you're considering this and hope that you have some success with it. Like some others have said, even if you only get a couple of converts, that's a huge saving in terms of rubbish and cost to the environment!

I'll keep my :fingerscrossed: !