Help me understand...please?

**mum2elouise** · 10-10-2006 07:47

Ok, i'm just starting out on cloth nappies and would LOVE some help in understanding it all, please!??

There seem to be so many different types and different things that i need to know about. I need some help!

#I know PUL are the waterproof covers that you can get either as covers or incorporated into the nappy.

#I know that AIO is All In Ones which i understand to mean that you don't need a cover for??

#I know that pocket nappies you have to stuff...but with what?

#I know that you can use boosters for added absorbancy for at night or just generally.

That's about all

I need help with the rest please? What is better, cotton, hemp, bamboo, wool? I need to know everything!

TIA, all you cloth lovers out there

**the_queen** · 10-10-2006 09:48

Hi

and welcome to the obsession

Pocket nappies can be stuffed with pretty much anything absorbent. I have bought hemp boosters, cotton boosters, I've got microfibre boosters. Once all the boosters were in the wash so I used a nice thick handtowel. Whatever is absorbent and will fit in the nappy. Microfibre cloths that you buy from the supermarket are a really good and cheap option.

Microfibre is very very very absorbent and makes a great pocket stuffer. Hemp is also very very very absorbent and is also anti-fungal, and makes great fitted nappies. Bamboo is ultra ultra ultra ultra ultra absorbent and I put bamboo fitteds on DS at night time and it lasts 12 hours.

For a cover, yes PUL is waterproof, fleece is also water-repellant and soft for babies skin. But I think that wool is the best. It breathes, it is cool in summer and warm in winter, they're a cheap option (if you can knit, or know someone who can knit stuff for you) and it's an all-natural fibre so better for babies skin. Wool covers need to be lanolinised, which is easy (and there's even spray on lanolin available - mine smells like biscotti mmmmm) and then it's waterproof, and only needs to be washed about once a month (unless it gets poo on it, obviously

) Just air it between uses - so at a bare minimum you'll need 2 wool covers, and just swap them at each nappy change. I hang them over the rails on the change table inbetween uses.

At the moment my boy is wearing a hemp fitted nappy, with a hemp insert (from Beaut Bots, the insert was included with the nappy) and a wool soaker I got from Ozebaby.

Hope I've helped!!

**the_queen** · 10-10-2006 09:50

oh and yes AIO means no cover required. Pockets don't need a cover either. AIO's take a while to dry, as do bamboo. But to me that's just a good excuse to get me some more bamboo nappies

**mum2elouise** · 10-10-2006 11:23

Wow!! Thank you so much for that queen

I do understand a lot better now!

I've got a few things (alright maybe more than a few

) on order. Just waiting for them to arrive in the post. I think i've almost ordered one of everything just to give it a go and see what i like best!

Thanks again

**the_queen** · 10-10-2006 11:53

No worries Rachael!

Just call me a Koala Brother.... (here to help...) (yes I watch too much ABC Kids

)

**kymmy** · 10-10-2006 22:37

I like fitteds made from bamboo - so soft and I like my wool soakers too.
Other people do prefer pockets (usaually not needing a cover) and AIOs - they are easy to use.

**mum2liv** · 12-10-2006 16:58

I hope I can answer all your questions:

* PUL are waterproof covers which are also breathable. You need a cover over nearly all nappies, but yes, the pocket nappies and all in ones (AIOs) have the PUL incorporated

* You really can stuff a pocket nappy with anything! If you have some old towells, cut them up. Make it about 3 layers thick and just cut it to fit in the pocket. Otherwise, you can buy booster, stuffers, doubler (all essentially the same thing). They generally come to 'match' the pocket nappy you buy, hence fit better. Otherwise, use some traditional flat nappies, folded to fit in the pocket.

* If you have a particularly heavy wetter, you may need a booster all the time. And some nappies are better at absorbing than others, but with the better quality nappies, you shouldn't really need a booster. (unless you are putting them in a pocket nappy like i described above, in which case, you alway need it). People tend to put a booster in over night because the nappy can go upto 12 hours without being changed, so it's just extra insurance.