So Your Thinking Of Using Cloth Nappies/Diapers???

 Seeing that a lot of Mummies on OD are starting to look into the cloth world of Nappies/Diapers, I just wanted to re-fresh what I have wrote about them and share my knowledge.

Modern Cloth: What’s New?

If this is really your first go at trying cloth nappies/diapers, then the world of covers shorten names is all very new. Modern cloth nappies have come a long way since the days of terry toweling squares and safety pins. These days cloth nappies come in a wide range of materials and styles to suit all bottoms and budgets—and the best part is, they’re simple to use and they care for baby and the environment.

What Kind of Nappies/Diapers are out there??

COVERS: Gone are the days of sweaty PVC covers! Improved materials are used today (including polar fleece, nylon, wool and Polyurethane Laminates or PUL) that are easyto maintain and keep waste products in while allowing yourbaby’s skin to breathe. Modern covers can either be pull-up oruse fasteners such as hook & loop(e.g. Velcro®) or snaps, and are an unbeatable companion to any modern cloth nappy.

Here is a PUL http://www.Bubbaj.com.au Nappy/diaper cover. Closes with snaps at the side.

LINERS: These can act as an extra line of defence in anycloth nappy. The most versatile liners today are made of microfleece—an inexpensive material that is durable and easyto clean (you can even purchase the material and cut ityourself—no sewing required!). Alternatively you may choose a biodegradable or flushable liner. Liners help to keep baby dry and make disposing of solid waste far easier.

Once again from bubba J, a mircofleece Liner.

FLATS AND PREFOLDS: Terry,muslin, hemp or flannelette squares are the traditional face of cloth nappies.While still a practical and affordable option, these are just the beginning!Standard flat squares and their modern variation, the prefold (a rectangular shaped nappy with an absorbent panel sewndown the middle), can be folded to fit most baby sizes and arefastened with safety pins or products like the Snappi™ NappyFastener. Flat nappies and prefolds should be used with a cover.

A Hemp Pre-fold, folded to fit inside of a nappy/diaper cover.

FITTED: Fitted nappies are shaped to suit your baby perfectly, ensuring no leaks and acomfortable fit. They have elastic in the legs and waist and most have hook & loop or snap fasteners. They come in arange of sizes or a one-size-fits-all style. Fitted nappies can be boosted with additionalabsorbent pads for night-time or heavy wetters,and should also be accompanied by a cover.

Fitted Nappies/diapers. Made by me.

ALL-IN-ONE: A shaped absorbent nappy with a waterproof cover built-in, the all-in-one is fastened with either hook & loop or snaps. Like the fitted nappy, these come invarious sizes from birth to toddler, with some being sizead  so they grow with your baby.

 

AIO, Made by myself. Sized to fit from bith to toddlerhood. Shown is the inside, inner lay is all cream mircofleece. Nappy/diaper comes with a booster, made from microflecee.

POCKET NAPPIES: Similar to the all-in-one, pocket nappies are a cover and liner sewn together to form (as the name suggests) a pocket. The pocket is stuffed with an absorbent material—such as a flat nappy or a pre-sewn stuffer—to give the versatility of an all-in-one, with variable absorbency and a fraction of the drying time!

One of the very famous pocket Sandra Stuffables.

How Many Nappies?

A set of up to 24 nappies (and optional nappy liners) and 8 covers should be enough to see your baby from birth to toilet training. (This figure assumes that you wash your nappies every three days. Depending on how often you want to wash and the nappy system you choose, this quantity may vary slightly.)

What About Washing?

With today’s washing machines and laundry detergents, you no longer need to soak cloth nappies. Of course, we don’t suggest throwing your soiled nappies in the laundry basket with the rest of your clothes! After disposing of any solid waste, you can store soiled nappies in an empty lidded bucket or bin until washing—this method is called “dry pailing”. Dry pailing takes the fuss and smell out of using cloth nappies, while also reducing the risks involved in keeping water buckets and dangerous chemicals inside your home. Once you have a full load of nappies (generally 2-3 days),  are ready to throw into the washing machine with half the detergent you would use for a similarly sized load. When the washing cycle has finished, just hang your nappies in the sun (or inside on a clothes horse) or tumble dry them, and they’ll be ready to use again in no time!

For more info on Dry pailing/gulid lines are aa read of this entry, I wrote a couple of months ago.

 

Cloth Can $ave You Money!

Take a look at the graph below. It shows how cloth nappies can save you up to several thousand dollars over the nappy wearing life of your baby compared to disposables. The initial cost may seem high, but you only need to buy them once! A basic full-time cloth nappy system can cost you as little as $200 while a top of the range system might cost up to $1000.

The advantage is that these nappies will not only last through one child’s usage, but can be used again for additional children! An average brand of disposables, on the other hand, will cost you over $2000 for 2½ years per child. If the initial outlay seems out of your reach, you can start with some basic nappies and covers, and then add to your collection over time. With the money you’ll save by not using disposables, you’ll have a complete set before you know it!

* Wonderful info by modern nappies.org.

Thanks to bubbaj and sandra for some photos of there highly loved nappies/diapers. All nappies/diapers picuted here are made by WAMH’s – Work At Home Mum’s. Australia at it’s best.

 

Kell

 

 

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