Cloth nappies cheaply

[Becbabe]

Hi guys,

Wondering if anyone has any tips for doing cloth nappies on the cheap? (I know they're cheaper than sposies in the long run but I'm talking about immediate capital here!)

We have been using plain old terry flats (kite fold) with old fashioned Cuty covers but DP is threatening to start using disposables as we are having serious leak issues!!

(we use a rotation of our two BBH's and one VBSN at night with a wool soaker)

I should mention I own a sewing machine but am a complete novice...

Big thanks...
Bec.

[jembelina]

To start with I would suggest you grab some pul covers. I have recenly started using my terry flats again since I got myself some of the baby beehind pul covers - they are only $11.50 - they fit and work wonderfully!
Otherwise peapods(pockets) are a cheaper option as well as bb magic alls(aio). I'm sure there are other cheaper nappies out there, these are jsut a couple that spring to mind.
Yopu could aslo just try boosting your flats with hemp, bamboo or even jsut a microfibre cloth.
HTH!!

[Oscar's mum]

Check out buyforbaby for 2nd hand nappies:thumbsup:

[BiNdI86]

The best thing I did was to make my own. You don't need all the bells and whistles for them to be absorbant and work well.

Mine are just cotton terry (like flats) and bamboo boosters. I have never had a leak yet!

PM me if you want to know more.:thumbsup:

and if you can sew a straight line, you can sew a nappy!:D

[HoopDeeDoo]

Yep absolutly try making them yourself ozclothnappies.org has heaps of great info, and don't forget we have our own cloth nappy sewing section here on the hub, so pop in if you have any questions :D

As the other girls have said peapods are really cheap pockets, and babybeehinds are probably the the best quality for fitteds at the lowest price (bamboo is best), mandy mac hemp nappies are pretty cheap (but they need a snappy), and Babybeehinds magicalls are cheap AIOs (but if you have a heavy wetter I'd recommened getting boosters to go in them).
Just be on the look out for sales and bargain prices, join up to all the newsletters of all the nappy sites, and keep an eye out right here for people with tip offs about sales. I managed to get 2 baby kanga one size nappies for $15 ea recently because a fellow hubber shared :D

But making your own is definately the way to go :thumbsup: Because you can make a stash with the best quality fabrics for about half the price :thumbsup:

[Adria]

Id suggest pockets, I have started making my own and are so simply!!
The best thing is you can use your terry flats inside them:thumbsup:

[Becbabe]

Great thanks everyone, I'm actually fired up to dig out the sewing machine this weekend & make something of the terry flats that are too small for the little chick.

Oscar's mum I bought her "night nappies" from buyforbaby! but unfortunately I also got a VBSN and cover that were really past their best use, and it put me off a bit:(

jembelina how durable are the PUL covers? Seriously long lasting, can dry them in the sun etc?

I wonder if my family would think it was weird if I asked for nappies for Christmas:D

Thanks again!!

[HoopDeeDoo]

PUL is only supposed to last for 150 washes, but most last a lot longer then that. Covers like Baby Beehinds PUL are more heavy duty than the PUL most plain nappies are made from

[beeware]

The BBH PUL covers are a great idea- give them a go. If you can knit you could knit some covers (called soakers) Ozcloth nappies has more info.

If you could buy some bamboo fleecy fabric and make your own boosters that would be a great cheap and effective addition to your terry flats.

[jembelina]

TBH I have only had the bb pul covers for a few weeks, but tehy appear to be great quality, I really don't think the price is a good indication of quality in this instance. I don't have other pul covers to compare them to, but I have stacks of pul nappies.
I only use them with un boosted terry flats, so not hugely absorbent and they have not leaked once, even when bub fell asleep in one. I must say I am really impressed with them!

[jembelina]

I have also been meaning to pop in na drecomment mandy mac fitted nappies, they are a really good price and fit and perform well. You do however ned to fasten them with a snappy.

[~J'dore~]

Hi:wave:

I feel like I've posted this a million times, so sorry to everyone who's sick of seeing them:o But this is what I have done to see me through as I build up my stash of MCN's, it's really cheap and easy to set up.

I brought PUL covers from Baby Beehinds and then made little mini pockets out of microfleece that wicks the mositure to keep bub's bottom dry, they can be stuffed with either the terry flats or I made bamboo prefolds to go in mine.

Here's a few pics:)

Pockets (http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x49/jdore07/?action=view&current=144_3121.jpg)

With Covers (http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x49/jdore07/?action=view&current=144_3120.jpg)

With covers again (http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x49/jdore07/?action=view&current=144_3122.jpg)

On Bub's (http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x49/jdore07/?action=view&current=144_3124.jpg)

I hope this helps:)

[waawa]

Decent covers make all the difference, and boosting if the nappy is absolutely saturated despite changing often enough.

You can do cloth nappies for basically nothing. Flats from friends or freecycle, sew covers from old fleece jumpers or 100% wool jumpers from the back of the cupboard or an op shop. Double the fleece if it's not premium thick stuff.

The patterns for a no-elastic fleece pull-up cover and for pull-on recycled bum jumpers are all in the ozclothnappies links. No sewing machine or extra notions required other than polyester thread. (and a bit of waist elastic if you want it for the wool cover, though a wool drawstring can be used).

Sew boosters from spare flat nappies, all-cotton receiving blankets, or from old flannelette shirts or sheets.

Sensible laundry can cost around fifty cents a week, and even if you're pretty wasteful with your laundry practices, over a dollar a week would be on the high end. And spring a couple of bucks for a Snappi.

[Becbabe]

Thanks again so much, this is really great stuff and exactly what I was looking for!

waawa they are some great ideas for materials. TBH I have lots of flannelette bunny rugs that were hand me downs and were never big enough to wrap her in - so I'm glad to know they can find another purpose. Also my sister gave me all her terry flats & snappies, so we got a great start. It's only recently as she's become a heavier wetter that the standard flats have started to let me down.

j'dore, that's really interesting, it had never occurred to me that you could use a cover with less than a full nappy inside!

Off to check out Ozcloth now!

[waawa]

Oh, I forgot to add - while you're there, check out the folding links! The kite fold puts little absorbency in the wet zone especially for a front wetter. Try out the Jo fold or the Maria fold, if you haven't already. (Maria takes a little while to work out but it's easy when you know how!)

[pookiesossige]

Hi:wave:

I feel like I've posted this a million times, so sorry to everyone who's sick of seeing them:o But this is what I have done to see me through as I build up my stash of MCN's, it's really cheap and easy to set up.

I brought PUL covers from Baby Beehinds and then made little mini pockets out of microfleece that wicks the mositure to keep bub's bottom dry, they can be stuffed with either the terry flats or I made bamboo prefolds to go in mine.

Here's a few pics:)

Pockets (http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x49/jdore07/?action=view&current=144_3121.jpg)

With Covers (http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x49/jdore07/?action=view&current=144_3120.jpg)

With covers again (http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x49/jdore07/?action=view&current=144_3122.jpg)

On Bub's (http://s183.photobucket.com/albums/x49/jdore07/?action=view&current=144_3124.jpg)

I hope this helps:)


Now THAT is clever... simple, cute and cheap. Yet sophisticated :D Well done! What a fab effort!!

[Becbabe]

Weewa, the reason I keep using the kite fold is that she needs the width from point to point across the hips so I can do it up - I used a few different ones when she was smaller! Got any tips for the best one for a bigger baby?

[~J'dore~]

Now THAT is clever... simple, cute and cheap. Yet sophisticated :D Well done! What a fab effort!!


Thanks:o :)

[BiNdI86]

J'dore - that is a fantastic set-up!! I've never thought of doing that. :thumbsup: Great job!:yelclap:

[waawa]

Weewa, the reason I keep using the kite fold is that she needs the width from point to point across the hips so I can do it up - I used a few different ones when she was smaller! Got any tips for the best one for a bigger baby?

I can get either of those folds on my five year old :) I just fold the Jo fold more loosely - the first fold not in completely to the centre, the second fold not so tight either. More like a V fold.

[pookiesossige]

I love my Baby Beehinds pul cover!
Definetly grab a few of those!!

With all this warm weather though, I have Ariene waddling around the backyard in flats a lot of the time. No covers, just terry flats (tie-died :D ) with a snappi fastener. Change after each wee (no biggie imo). Talk about budget!!

But for quality, affordable MCNs, my Green Kids Anytimes pockets have been fantastic :thumbsup: Their bamboo hourglass inserts are great too, and they have good value packages.

[Little_Toad]

Cheapest way would to befriend someone who has a kid just about to Toilet train!

[Becbabe]

haha Little Toad, that would be great, but the only other clothie mums I know have babies much the same age as Ella!

Waawa, I've experimented with the Jo fold and now I just think it rocks... even DP is converted!

Bindi86 - I've (almost) made my first Wee Weka using old cloth nappies & a flannelette sheet... just need to put the leg elastic on and I can try it out. Very excited that I managed to sew something!