terry nappies

soyeah

hi all,

I'm soon to be a first time mammy, and I'm really drawn to resuable nappies because they are more environmentally friendly. however i am so confused between cloth and bamboo, squares or all in ones and everything else that goese with them and obviously all the different companies say that their nappies are the best.

like most people i'm not made of money so i would like a reasonable option. im worried that if i go with all in ones ill be buying different sizes every couple of weeks, also they seems the much more expensive option when we are already buying so many bits and pieces for baby!

im not so worried about using terry nappies being awkward or inconvient as we are first time parents so we dont have anything to compare it to and hope that once we are organised and get used to different folds, we'll manage.

with regard to nappy services, im not aware of any in Ireland and again im worried about the cost of these.

if anyone has any advise on the subject, id greatly appreciate it!
thanks!

PBroderick

one problem I found with reusable nappies is their inability to absorb any piddle

they were literally soaked after a couple of hours and our lad would always (rightfully) wake up drenched

It is for that reason that we reluctantly moved to disposable

Moonbeam

Have a look around at the eco friendly disposable ones too .

iguana

lounakin wrote: »

- Most of those "new" types of nappies consist of an insert (cotton or bamboo) and a wrap (and sometimes a waterproof one that goes on top of that wrap). This means you have to wash both inserts AND wraps, it takes way too long and you're wasting water. They can be challenging to assemble and believe me when your baby is screaming himself into a stupor on the changing table you just want it over with! Along with this you will also need to rinse and/or soak all of it.
Here is what I'm talking about: http://www.littlelambnappies.com/

I'm not sure where you got this information from but a lot of it is very, very wrong. First off you never, ever soak modern reusable nappies. You would destroy their longevity almost immediately. You just put them in a dry bucket/bin until you are ready to wash them. I have no idea how you figure they take extra washing or use extra water to wash them as they have no more material than terries at all and for the level of absorbency offered often have less. They take longer to dry due to their shape but that is it. Most people find that on average using these nappies takes 2-3 washes a week on 40˚c, with minimal detergent and sometimes an extra final rinse especially for bamboo.

Secondly there are numerous kinds of shaped nappy, not just the kind you linked to.

You have All-in-Ones which as it says on the tin is a waterproof outer layer, cloth nappy and internal absorbent padding all as one piece. Pro: It's all just one nappy which makes changes a little faster. Con: the whole thing has to be washed every time which means slower drying and due to the waterproof layer being attached dryers aren't a good idea.

Pocket nappies which are like the all in one except that the internal padding is a separate pad that is held in a pocket of the main nappy. Pro: It's easier to dry as two separate parts. With some types you have the option of using a disposable pad which may be useful on trips out. You can mix and match with the pads, so a cotton nappy can have a bamboo insert if you need added absorbency at times, eg at night. Con: The nappies themselves can be slow to dry and like the All in Ones may not be dryer safe.

Two part nappies like the Little Lambs in the link. This means you have a shaped nappy and a separate waterproof cover. You also have the option of adding booster pads for extra absorbency. Pro: These wash and dry much faster as the waterproof part is separate. At a low heat they are drier safe. You often only need to change the booster pad rather than the rest of the nappy. Con: Can take a few moments longer to change but it's pretty negligible and is quicker than a traditional terry.

The nappies come in a range of different materials. Cotton, bamboo and minky (soft micro fleece) being the main ones. They all have their own pros and cons. Eg, bamboo is amazingly absorbent but needs more rinsing and takes longer to dry. A good compromise is (if using a two part nappy) is to use a cotton nappy and have some bamboo inserts for when you need more absorbency.

And then there are also the two types mentioned. Traditional terries and prefolds which are like a cross between terries and shaped.

Ultimately all 5 types, like all the different material types, come with their own advantages and disadvantages. So all reusable nappy users will have their own opinions on what works best for them due to preference and lifestyle. The best place I have found to learn about this is the Natural Parenting forum on the baby and bump forums. There are lots of people using these nappies over there and lots of information and opinions. One user there also writes an extremely informative blog; www.theflufflady.co.uk which is a great source of information on using and caring for nappies.

PBroderick

Moonbeam wrote: »

Have a look around at the eco friendly disposable ones too .

never knew there was such a thing...will definitely check out

lounakin

iguana wrote: »

I'm not sure where you got this information from but a lot of it is very, very wrong. First off you never, ever soak modern reusable nappies. You would destroy their longevity almost immediately. You just put them in a dry bucket/bin until you are ready to wash them. I have no idea how you figure they take extra washing or use extra water to wash them as they have no more material than terries at all and for the level of absorbency offered often have less. They take longer to dry due to their shape but that is it. Most people find that on average using these nappies takes 2-3 washes a week on 40˚c, with minimal detergent and sometimes an extra final rinse especially for bamboo.

Secondly there are numerous kinds of shaped nappy, not just the kind you linked to.

First of all some of them have to be soaked, hence the and/or which implies that not all of them do. I have been advised by a professional to actually soak mine.
By extra washing I mean twice as much washing when you have to clean the outer wrap as well. Extra bulk ultimately means more washing...
Also, of course the ones I linked to aren't the only ones! Jeese!! That was an example of the ones that take a lot of work and I wouldn't advise to get. This is why I mentioned the plastic covered ones afterwards and yes, of course there are different types!
And I was pointing out that I didn't find many Irish manufacturers, the only one was like the kind I linked to.

lounakin

PBroderick wrote: »

one problem I found with reusable nappies is their inability to absorb any piddle

they were literally soaked after a couple of hours and our lad would always (rightfully) wake up drenched

It is for that reason that we reluctantly moved to disposable

I must say you are right! My baby is only one month old and while the pee doesn't come out, the insert is soaked almost through and through. But I believe the more you wash them the more absorbent they become and you can always add another insert. Mine come with a special night time pee insert.

iguana

lounakin wrote: »

First of all some of them have to be soaked, hence the and/or which implies that not all of them do. I have been advised by a professional to actually soak mine.
By extra washing I mean twice as much washing when you have to clean the outer wrap as well. Extra bulk ultimately means more washing...
Also, of course the ones I linked to aren't the only ones! Jeese!! That was an example of the ones that take a lot of work and I wouldn't advise to get.

You never, ever soak a shaped nappy. It would destroy the elastic which they all have and also the velcro if that's how it fastens. And they don't have extra material, even including the booster they have the same amount or less than a regular terry. They are just shaped differently, the mass is the same but the absorbency is greater. All of the reasons you gave for them making extra work were factually incorrect. Most people find they take less work than normal terries, it's why they are a lot more popular although as terries have other advantages, like faster drying times, there are plenty of people who prefer terries.

lounakin

I was talking about soaking the inserts.

iguana

lounakin wrote: »

I was talking about soaking the inserts.

You don't soak them either. They all go in the same dry bucket.

lounakin

I was advised to soak mine by the shop owner who specialises in cloth nappies and who used them exclusively for all her children. She says the ones I've got are the number 1 seller and the best second-hand seller too because they keep so well. I'm sorry, I know you want the last word but this is just what I've been told, I'm only trying to help. From now on I'll keep my advice to myself.

iguana

lounakin wrote: »

I was advised to soak mine by the shop owner who specialises in cloth nappies and who used them exclusively for all her children. She says the ones I've got are the number 1 seller and the best second-hand seller too because they keep so well. I'm sorry, I know you want the last word but this is just what I've been told, I'm only trying to help. From now on I'll keep my advice to myself.

It's not about having the last word, it's about correcting wrong information that if followed could ruin the nappies and would invalidate the warranty. In fact if you look at the website that you linked to in your first post you'll see that the manufacturer gives the exact opposite washing instructions as the ones you gave.

littlelambnappies.com wrote:

Always use the dry bucket system (this means no soaking, no bleaching- just pop any poo down the loo then fold over the Velcro onto the laundry tabs and pop it into the bucket with the lid on to prevent any pong) then when you have a days worth of nappies (or two if you have enough), chuck it all into the washing machine with half a scoop of powder. When your machine has done all the hard work for you dry the nappies either on the line or in the dryer.

lounakin

I'm talking about the ones I got, not the ones from this site, which I find inconvenient. I'm done now, you can disregard all I said before, after all I'm doing just fine with my nappies.

iguana

I'm not disregarding everything you've said. You prefer plain terries and lots of people do as they do have certain advantages. They dry faster and lots of people prefer the adaptability of being able to shape them in different ways to suit specific needs. There is nothing wrong with advising someone about the nappies you have and saying why you are happy with them. But if you give the wrong information about a product you don't use, then don't be surprised if it gets corrected.