Nappies

[natalie_1982]

What are your experiences using towelling nappies? I am keen to use them as much as possible (I will also use disposables sometimes) but I don't know where to start as to what I need, etc.

Thanks

[redcrx]

hi nat,
there are lots of ways to do the reusable nappies nowadays. Not just the old terry toweling and the pins of old.
There are companies that even take away soiled ones, launder them and return them for you.
Your local council may also offer some sort of financial assistance to help you buy your first nappies. I had a leaflet in with my maternity notes from midwife.
There is a website that gives info on the options, but my brain wont allow me to remember it so will go search.

[redcrx]

http://www.recyclingconsortium.org.uk/communit y/nappies_info.htm

www.thenappylady.co.uk is, Im sure, the site i was thinking of too

[natalie_1982]

PMSL - I did of course mean your experience using the nappies on babies, not on yourself!

Thanks for the answers red, I will look into it further and mention it to midwife at next appt. I just figured it would probably be cheaper in the long run than disposables.

[redcrx]

probably. I use disposables though, mainly because I didnt want to be washing constantly (little CRX and i live away 2or 3 days a week) and relying heavily on a tumbler to dry them.

[natalie_1982]

Good point. I was hoping to use resuables when at home, but use disposables when out and about. When they start nursery at 6months they will have to use disposables anyway.

(can you tell it's my first? lol)

[redcrx]

hey dont worry about asking questions and worrying, we do it even on 2nd lol
I still cant decide on a pram and yet Ive tried most of the ones out there and should know what i want by now.

Id say also maybe use disposables for first weeks until babys poo is a bit nicer :)

[Psychick]

Wait a minute......... when does baby poo get a bit nicer? lol

I did get a pack of toweling nappies last time round, and used them for sick and dribble. I would use one when feeding and winding and laid one in her moses basket/pram for her head to go on in case she was a bit icky so I didnt have to change the sheets 2 or 3 times a day. I will do the same this time round although now the trend seems to be muslin squares. I will stick to the toweling nappies though.

[redcrx]

i used flannels for sick and dribble, same idea though

Poo doesnt get nice, but that first week or so as baby gets used to milk is messy lol

[Psychick]

Im giving my boyfriend the very first nappy to change, cant wait to see his face when it comes to the "tar" lol

[redcrx]

mr CRX did little CRXs i think. He even gave him his first bath.

[Psychick]

Yes but I bet Mr crx didnt think you only needed to change the nappy once a day lol

[tigwig]

I work in a nursery in the baby room and the odd few parents do use these natural nappies. My personal opinion of them is that they are no way as absorbable, the babies nearly always have really sore bums and they are really unpleasant to change as they smell disgusting when wet and if its a poo then you have to actually lift it off the nappy before putting it in a nappy bag! Some of them are also so bulky they actually force the child's legs outwards and make them walk distorted.

[spudqueen]

When my eldest son was born (16 years ago) I used terry nappies for a while. I didn't have any problem lifting poo off them though (unlike tigwigs experience) as I also used nappy liners with them. I would lay the nappy out in the correct shape (there are different shapes for boys and girls) then a nappy liner on top before laying the baby on top of them. After securing with a pin then you need to put on plastic pants, or the nappy will just leak onto the babys clothes, bedding etc.
I stopped using them after a couple of months as it was just too much like hard work (even though, like yourself I used disposables when out). All nappies had to be soaked (I made a fresh solution out of Napisan) in a bucket, then at the end of the day I would wash them. Unfortunately this was winter and I didn't (still don't have) a tumble dryer so I was really struggling to dry them along with all the other washing (and there is a lot of washing with a small baby). I also don't think that they were terribly environmentally friendly as I used a disposable nappy liner, Napisan, washing power, fabric conditioner and of course, electricity and water for each nappy.
Oh - nearly forgot - the plastic pants need washing out (by hand I think) every so often, especially if there has been a major leak!