How hard is it? Any one who's used cloth

[Sheer Bliss]

OK now ladies - don't get too excited, you haven't converted another to cloth...yet. I am thinking about it & looking into some of the sites to get some of the trial nappies to see how i like them with DD (20months) and with the hope of using with bubs due in may if all goes well. I have a heap of q's - and i can't find another post with similar ones, so please refer me to it if there is one.
The nappies that are OSFA - do they realy fit a newborn & a 2yo with no leaks/comfort issues?
Does the extra washing get difficult? I work 3days a week at the moment, and wont' be going back until bubs is 18months, but worry about how i'd cope.
I remember the old terry nappies being REALLY bulky & people having trouble fitting bubs into capsules/car seats, are the modern ones as slim feeling as disposables?
Do you use cloth or nappies when going out?
by the time you spend all the extra money on washing powder/water etc is it really a saving of $ and the environment?
Any recomendations of where to start with buying (and what to buy)?

I would appreciate ANY experiences on cloth nappies, good or bad, as i really want to try & get an unbiased opinion.
Thanks! :thumbsup:

[draught]

I am by no means an expert - I have been using cloth for only four days - but I did buy them 8 months ago with the intention of using them on my toddler and then the new born. I chickened out of using them on my toddler, thinking that she wouldn't like it, they would leak etc. Now I am using them on the two week old baby and the toddler wants to wear them - and so far so good! I have bought OSFA - but when my nearly 4 year old, who still wears a night nappy, announced that she wanted to wear one too tonight we discovered that there is a limit - even she had to admit that the GreenKids nappy was too small for her.

So - my very limited experience as a new comer is that I am finding the washing to be no drama (and while I am at home at the moment I normally work three days a week too). I have had a couple of leaks on the baby - his little legs are so small that getting the cloth to fit him snugly is not possible - but I was having more leaks with the disposables so this isn't too bad. They are bulkier between the legs on my toddler but she seemed to adjust quite quickly and it hasn't stopped her running around all day. No dramas with the capsule when we went shopping today. He is wearing his first bamboo baby beehinds nappy tonight and that is less bulky than the GreenKids he has been wearing for the last few days.

Hope that helps a bit, although I am sure that the more experienced clothies will be along shortly to add their info!

[borntobemummy]

I'm also quite curious... hope you don't mind me adding a few more questions:o
how many do you need to buy?
and how much will that cost?
how do you wash them?

[Oscar's mum]

I am thinking about it & looking into some of the sites to get some of the trial nappies to see how i like them with DD (20months) and with the hope of using with bubs due in may if all goes well.

Good on you:thumbsup: Here is a couple of sites that are quite useful to begin with:

http://www.ozclothnappies.org/

http://www.allaboutnappies.com/understanding.php
and this last one is a great site on how to fold flat nappies:
http://www.thenappylady.co.uk/Advice/Instructions.asp?InstructionID=2



The nappies that are OSFA - do they realy fit a newborn & a 2yo with no leaks/comfort issues?

I havn't used them on a really newborn (6 weeks old when we began using fitted's). But from what I have seen and heard you won't have a problem using the OSFA on both a newborn and toddler - the only thing I have heard is that on a newborn they can look a little bulky if you are used to disposables. Ask me again in say 2 weeks when I have this baby and I can tell you what I think:thumbsup:


Does the extra washing get difficult?

I don't think it is really that much extra washing - I tend to chuck our clothes into the wash with the nappies to make up a full load anyway. I wash once a day lately but could easily go longer than that.



I remember the old terry nappies being REALLY bulky & people having trouble fitting bubs into capsules/car seats, are the modern ones as slim feeling as disposables?

I guarantee you won't have any problems like fitting bub into the car seat etc at all with modern cloth some really are as slim as a disposable - but remember they may not be as absorbant. I havn't tried the super slim cloth nappies myself but the ones I use I have had no problems with bulkiness at all.


Do you use cloth or nappies when going out?

Sure do use them when out and about and use terry facewashers for wipes.


by the time you spend all the extra money on washing powder/water etc is it really a saving of $ and the environment?

You really do not use that much washing powder to wash the nappies - I tend to use 1/2 - 1/4 the amount recommended per wash. And definately by using cloth it is a big help to the environment but I won't bother going into details as it can cause arguments.


Any recomendations of where to start with buying (and what to buy)?

Check out the links that I posted above first and trial packs are a great way to test out what type of nappy you prefer. Also stay away from e-bay unless the nappies are a well known brand too many ppl are stung on there. Here are a few of the ones I have in my stash:

Baby Beehinds
Greenkids
Eenee's
Bum Genius
Itti Bitti's
Fuzzi Bunz
Honey Boy
Raphael

[Oscar's mum]

how many do you need to buy?


If you want to use them fulltime I think around 24 is a good number other's may think different though.


and how much will that cost?

Depends what type of nappy you want to buy - keep in mind that around $20 for a nappy might seem a bit rich but you reuse them and it really does save money but the initial outlay can be a bit daunting. Some nappy sellers actually have layby so keep that in mind too!

how do you wash them?

I have posted about that in the post above but here it is again:

http://www.allaboutnappies.com/washing.php

Pretty easy to wash cloth nappies isn't it:yes:

[Oscar's mum]

I have bought OSFA - but when my nearly 4 year old, who still wears a night nappy, announced that she wanted to wear one too tonight we discovered that there is a limit - even she had to admit that the GreenKids nappy was too small for her.

lol yep perhaps a OSFA may not fit a 4 year old - but for anyone interested there are nappy makers out there that do make sizes that will fit a 4 year old:thumbsup:

[pookiesossige]

This website is GREAT- www.allaboutnappies.com

It clears up a few confusing things, such as 'drypailing', costs, environmental concerns, washing and the different kinds of nappies available.

I have a minute, so just to show you what I do, here is how I wash my nappies:
1. Take off bubs, throw in big, dry bucket with good, well-fitting lid.
2. After two days I put the pooey ones in the machine and do a hot rinse with no powder.
3. Add all the others and do a cold wash with only 1/2 the recommended amount of powder.
4. Sometimes I do an extra rinse.
5. Hang out in sun. Any slight staining is totally gone after a short stint on the line. All our flash, modern sterilising soloutions and powders- and still nothing is as effective as UV at sanitising and whitening nappies.

If my bub wasn't fully breastfed I would be rinsing them first/using flushable liners before putting them in the bucket. She just does tiny, odourless squirts that wash out fine so I don't bother :D

They have been WAY more effective at preventing leaks then premium disposables.
Ariene wears them out and about- instead of throwing the bag away with the nappy, it is put away to take home. Easy.
Terry flats are quiet bulky. Modern fitted, pocket and all-in-one nappies are trimmer and fit under clothes just fine :thumbsup: They are usually still bulkier then disposables- but that just adds to the cuteness!!

I'll PM you a couple of retaillers to check out, k?

[pookiesossige]

Bet me to it again OM!!- But I just love that website, yanno? You gave it to me when I was new to cloth and it solved all my woes :D

[Oscar's mum]

But I just love that website

I think it is a great site too - definately a good site to begin with:yes:

[gremily]

Everyone seems to have answered most of your Q's so I don't think I need to add to them. But on the environmental side of things (which is why I use cloth) check out the link to the photo
1 Childs Nappies over 2 years (http://www.ecoaction.com.au/category.php?id=52)
It puts into perspective how many disposable nappies you'll use. Keep in mind that since their invention in 1961 NONE of those will have biodegraded:thumbsdown:

Cloth really does become 2nd nature once you start. It may seem daunting, all the complicated terms, pins/soaking/folding, etc, which is why so many ppl get turned off. But it really is so much easier than that - no pins, no soaking - and my god does it become addictive!!

[stellarella]

The nappies that are OSFA - do they realy fit a newborn & a 2yo with no leaks/comfort issues?

depends on bub...try different nappies...its about a bit of trial and error but mostly its fine....

Does the extra washing get difficult?

no, not for me.

I remember the old terry nappies being REALLY bulky & people having trouble fitting bubs into capsules/car seats, are the modern ones as slim feeling as disposables?

they are super slim....no one would know my bub was in cloth if he had pants on over his nappy, night nappies are bulky mostly but they are only sleeping so no problem, bubs dont mind at all.


Do you use cloth or nappies when going out?

cloth all the way...its easy peasy

by the time you spend all the extra money on washing powder/water etc is it really a saving of $ and the environment?

yes definately, that is a no brainer....there is no way you could use enough washing powder to compete with the cost of sposies, in terms of environment there is no question with all these enviro washing powders and we dry pail, so not using that much more water....

cloth is FAR better for the environment, undebateable fact!!

Any recomendations of where to start with buying (and what to buy)?

check out other threads

[HoopDeeDoo]

We started using cloth only a few weeks ago, but I'm loving it!

The washing is easy peasy. I wash mine everyday. I have a little squirt that is attached on the toilet so the pooey nappies get rinsed straight away into the toilet. Then they all go in a dry bucket and thrown into the wash once the bucket is full, which takes a day because I have two in nappies. I put 1 cap of liquid in and then wash then on maxi wash.

I have pocket nappies, most I've made myself. I have two sizes, one size for my 7 month old, one size for my 2 year old. There is no way my two year old would fit into a GK nappy, and I tried him with the hemp baby beehinds, and he cried until I took it off him.
I'm hoping to use my BBs on my baby for night use once I've got some covers in his size which are being knitted by his Nanna.

I've found that the slimmer PUL Nappies need extra boosting on my boys, as they are heavy wetters. The bulkier fleece nappies last much longer, and look so darn cute. So to answer you q about slim or bulky, you can get slimmer MCN but it does have disadvantages. It is a bit tighter in the pants department re the clothes, but its good if you've got a bub with a long legs because they fit into the next size up without thier pants falling down :D or if you use fitteds in summer they can be worn just with a cute cover, or in winter with longies.

if you can sew its a big advantage because it's a lot cheaper to make your own :yes:

[Zada]

The nappies that are OSFA - do they realy fit a newborn & a 2yo with no leaks/comfort issues?

i started using behinds when bub was 8 weeks or so fit him perfect & hes skinny! they also fit my 2.5yr dd perfect
Does the extra washing get difficult?

nope i usually just wash them everyday with normal clothes anyways

I remember the old terry nappies being REALLY bulky & people having trouble fitting bubs into capsules/car seats, are the modern ones as slim feeling as disposables?

the ones i have are fairly trim...

Do you use cloth or nappies when going out?

yep do now..n o diff to using sposies

by the time you spend all the extra money on washing powder/water etc is it really a saving of $ and the environment?

well cos u only use 1/2 the powder its not much extra!
cloth is FAR better for the environment, undebateable fact!!

Any recomendations of where to start with buying (and what to buy)?

try a trial pack from babybeehinds :thumbsup:
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[FourAngelKisses]

I have used terry flats for 9yrs, never ever had trouble putting babies in car seats or baby capsules.

Extra washing is no biggy as it is only 2 extra loads a week. I dry pail in the laundry tub, so no stuffing around with nappy buckets and napisan etc.

Using liners means minimal mess from poop. I use cloth when going out, unless we are going on holidays, then I use disposables.

[Sheer Bliss]

Thanks guys for all the info! I have a heap of reading to do. :thumbsup: It looks like i should get some trials of both GK & Baby behinds as they seem to be the most popular.

I mentioned to my MIL this arvo that i was considering the scary step of using cloth on this bub & she was horrified about washing every 2 days instead of every day & dry pailing. She seemed insistent that they would stink & stain too much to leave for that long. She also flipped at the price and said why not just go for flat terrys. But i think the flats would be more work & think MCN would be better/easier/more comfy for bubs. I tried to tell her some of the stuff that i have read on not staining without soaking, less powder, no sanitiser etc - but she seemed to switch off & not believe me! It was funny to think that before i listened to some of the stuff you guys had to say and read some of the other sites - i would have thought the same!

Thanks again for all the advice! :thumbsup:

[CurlyG]

OSFA nappies?
I haven't used any of the MCNs on a newborn, but I was given a packet of 12 flannel flats as a gift and they were great! Took no time to fold and then I used new sharp pins to pin them = no stress!

My girlfriend used chinese pre-folds with a cover (you can use PUL, wool or a PVC+soft fabric ones from Target) until her bubba fit into the AIOs she made. She gives them the :thumbsup: You can usually get them 12 for approx. $35 or so from Little Koala. And then they can be used later as extra absorbent inserts or for pocket nappy stuffers.

Kmart also has fitted terry towelling nappies (approx. $7/nappy) but I think you get what you pay for with nappies.

I use liners bought from coles, which are ok, but we're upgrading to microfleece (from spotlight). Just buy a couple of meters and chop it up to make liners - no need to hem.

Happy Nappying! :D

[kymmy]

Washing nappies isn't hard at all for me. I rather wash nappies than clothes these days any day. I wash nappies every second day and it equates to about 10 more minutes of washing a week.
We don't buy Napisan at all and we use as little water as possible - we don't soak.
The choices are amazing these days! You can get very trim and absorbent modern nappies or you can save buckets of money and use the humble flat nappy. The choice is yours.
It can be overwhelming but there is many of us here who are willing to hep as much as we can. So ask away.

[kymmy]

Just read your post about talking to your mil.
:thumbsup: It does take time to fully comprehend but then it just clicks doesn't it?