Two in cloth!

[MrsScatterbrain]

I was just after some advice on having two kids in cloth! :) My toddler will be around two when his sibling is born, and I don't think he will be a big fan of tt! :laughing: So two in nappies it is!

My big two questions are:

1). Do you have a seperate stash for each bub? (I've noticed some Mums here use fitteds for one and pockets for the other, but I only use pockets and AI2s at the moment).

2). When you wash them together, is there a risk of cross-contamination of bugs? (nappy rash or tummy bug) from the toddler to the newborn? Or can you avoid this by normal sanitation out in the sun?, etc.

Thanks, :D

[bronny-jane]

ohh good question, i'll be in the same boat...i use flats..so i'd love advice too....

[♥Heaven Sent♥]

I was using cloth for both kids at one time,but then dd decided that she was tt'd so i had to give it up lol.

I used to buy seperate ones for then for eg.girly ones for Serena and then Boy one for Sasha.But then i used to have OSFM for both.

I just chucked their nappies in together and then put them out in the sun to dry and sanitise.

[reAllytee]

Ok while i dont have the second baby yet i can somewhat answer these as best as possible !

1). Do you have a seperate stash for each bub? (I've noticed some Mums here use fitteds for one and pockets for the other, but I only use pockets and AI2s at the moment).

Yes i do cause im crazy like that :o

For us GK's work a treat with Boof so while he uses a BBB every so often or flats with a cover i pretty much figure it works im sticking to it !

I have gotten a lot of second hand nappies some AIO's some fitteds as well as buying some brand new. That way i can figure out what works best for this bubs. I was mainly after the AIO's for when we are out & about as they are easier.

2). When you wash them together, is there a risk of cross-contamination of bugs? (nappy rash or tummy bug) from the toddler to the newborn? Or can you avoid this by normal sanitation out in the sun?, etc.

If one does get a virus i wouldnt be worried about cross contamination this way because as long as you are washing them with powder & drying in the sun as you said that would be the best bet. Maybe even doing a hot wash would help too but there was a study done not sure who talked about it in one thread that showed the sun killed more of the germs than using something like Canestan ! Its a wonderful thing & free !

I have a 2yr old who isnt interested in TT either so i figure its easier to wait until summer now to try him out with it plus it wont stress him anymore than he already is at the thought of this new arrival !

[Snugglepot]

I am currently stocking up for Number two bub (girl) and got into MCN for DS about 3 months ago. I have brought mostly OSFA pockets, as I like pockets and they are economical. I have brought small inserts and large inserts so they are not too bulky. As Ds should be out of them first he is wearing a lot of pink and I have more patterns to come!

I have brought a few special sized ones for the new bub as I did for DS (ittis and BP'S)

I am looking forward to my Nappylicious Purple ballerinas arriving, DS will look too cute hey! :laughing:

I must say it has taken me ages to sort out what to get and I would be happy to tell you all about it when bub comes and we settle into it all!

Oh and I think they will be more likely to cross contaminate from toys and sharing food, kisses etc than the nappies. Wash em all together I say!

Allyoo.....snap!

[pookiesossige]

BJ I didn't know your kids were in cloth! :yelclap: Has someone come over with a pile of cute MCN for you to have a go at?


I have a smallish stash that I really brought just for Ariene- but then I decided, as Ronan wasn't ready to train when I thought he would be, that he might as well wear her nappies too. Each nappy has paid for itself over and over!

In answer to the OP, no, I don't have boy nappies/girl nappies. And they are all either a OSFA or a size that fits them both (and will continue to do so up to tt for both of them). This isn't hard as Ronan is just so light and skinny for a 3 yo (around 14 kilos) and Ariene is a normal 10 kilo 1 yo, but looking like she'll be the same type of build as Ronan.

Ronan wears the odd hot pink Fuzzi Bunz and lilac GK :laughing: . But I do prefer the fitteds and flats with woolies for Ariene, and pockets for Ronan. It's just what works for them- Ariene can have her flats changed over as soon as she's done even the smallest of wees without 'wasting' a hemp or bamboo MCN and Ronan needs a ton of both hemp and microfiber to catch what appears to be a waterfall. Both need a nappy that is 'completely' absorbant overnight, ie. a fitted.

I don't worry about germs transferring because UV really is amazing. I prefer any dental instruments to be Autoclaved rather then soaked in Napisan before going anywhere near me! :yes: I love how something that looks a bit discoloured/stained when I'm pegging it out is perfect when bringing it in, too :D

I do wash in hot for peace of mind though- I always know they are rinsed properly of any residue that way and perhaps a few extra bugs are killed in the process too (great for dark wintery days or drying indoors overnight).

[Sheer Bliss]

You will be in the same boat as me!! DD is 2y 3m, and DS is 2months.

I use mostly OSFA pockets & fitteds. Plus a few sized ones for show-off puurposes. lol. DS was tiny, so i had to get some little ones for him to start with, but he is fitting OK now into the BBH, BBB, GK pockets & bumgenious pockets. I have found that it is great to have som trim smaller nappies like itti's for DS as clothes dont' always got that well over the OSFA. I just go up a size in clothes a bit early to make sure they go over the crotch - it's fine really. I also bought colours that either can wear - green, orange, red.

I don't do their washing separately, i have a separate nappy bucket for DD's poos since they ar so awful. But other than that, another nappy bucket for wet nappies and one for DS's poos - which is almost every one ATM. I always wash in warm, with detergent & sun dry where possible, so there is at least 2 sanitising agents.

[HoopDeeDoo]

1). Do you have a seperate stash for each bub? (I've noticed some Mums here use fitteds for one and pockets for the other, but I only use pockets and AI2s at the moment).

I have a seperate stash for each boy. Lachlan is little and skinny for his age, and Noah is big and chubby for his age. So Lachlan is in med, and OSFM nappies. Noah was fitting into BBB 7 months ago, but has outgrown them so I've made my own XL fitteds for him, GKs never fit him (we only switched about 7 months ago). They wear pockets and AITs through the day, and fitteds at night.

For the first few days Noah wasn't so sure, but now he loves his nappies, loves to choose which ones he wants to wear, it's really great, he actually wants to get his nappy changed :D



2). When you wash them together, is there a risk of cross-contamination of bugs? (nappy rash or tummy bug) from the toddler to the newborn? Or can you avoid this by normal sanitation out in the sun?, etc.


I wash them together, I wash on hot, not because I worried about cross contamination, but otherwise they smell. We don't get a huge amount of sun here ATM either so I've had to add some canisten in wash on occasions.

They chew on thier toys, and kiss each other, Lachlan sucks on his fingers, and then shares them with everyone.... I don't worry about them catching things from each other, I expect it

It is a lot of work but well worth it. The money we have saved, not to metion the health benifets :thumbsup: although I was get comments like :eek: "woah thats a lot of nappies" When people come over on nappy washing/folding day. Which is every second day

[Tea Lady]

I used the same nappies for both of them and washed them together.

The only thing I'd add is to make things as easy as possible for yourself to streamline the washing process - there is SUCH alot of washing with 2 in cloth, and it's not really easy when the 2nd one is tiny. I found it helped to have 2 nappy buckets in rotation (esp because my laundry is downstairs) and I also used my dryer a bit. I also got my change table alot more organised with shoe boxes for wipes , liners and boosters so they could just be shoved in rather than folded, and that sped things up a bit too. Also, I'd say let yourself have a break when you need it and use disposables for a few days if you've really had enough. I found that the washing started affecting my mood a bit when I was tired and emotional after having DS (now I sound really weird don't I?) so I found it helped to try to make things as easy as possible.

Good luck with it - it's heaps of work but a whole lot cheaper than disposables all the time :)

[Kat'smum]

I have two in cloth (thank god for my DD#1 just toilet trained before DD#2 came along)

I have a main stash of nappies that can go on both - then I have a few different "special" nappies for DS and a few "special" nappies for DD.

With washing - I do them all togeather - though if one of them has gastro ect I would wash them with some dettol laundry rise or canesten rinse.

Amanda-Jane

[MrsScatterbrain]

Thanks everyone for the tips - they are fantastic! :)


As Ds should be out of them first he is wearing a lot of pink and I have more patterns to come!

:laughing: :laughing: I just bought DS his first Berry Haute!! I figure he won't know the difference at this age!!

[HoopDeeDoo]

Noah's favourite colour is pink if you ask him :laughing:

[FourAngelKisses]

1). Do you have a seperate stash for each bub? I had 2 15mths apart, both were in terry flats. Now I have 2 3yrs apart and both are in flats again. Change them at the same time, makes things easier.


2). When you wash them together, is there a risk of cross-contamination of bugs? If there is, I've never heard about it, so I just throw them all in together and do a hot wash.

[Duchessa]

I had two in MCN stuffables. I didn't have separate stashes and didn't have any problems with cross contamination, but I did always line dry them in the sun. Fortunately the mcns I used were a one fits all design and fitted them really well throughout their mcn careers.

Good luck with it all :)

[tybella]

I have a newborn and a 2yo and they have a stash each.

I use the same inserts for them though.

I wash them together.

I plan on using the ones my 2yo is wearing on my newborn when he fits into them.