Washable Nappies - A First Timers Simple Guide

I recently swapped my daughter into washable nappies and can honestly say it's the best thing I've done for her. She is now ten months (we started using washables at eight months) and I wish I'd done it sooner.I personally use Wonderoos but have tried a few other types as is recommended to find the right ones for us. I'd strongly recommend buying used or trial packs of several brands and styles as well as reading as much information as possible before making this major investment. Also read all the information you can find. People's opinions differ and even supposedly independant retailers all have their own opinions. No one nappy will work for everyone but it's generally possible to decide what might be best for you, that's the idea of this guide (that and taking the confusion out of all the terms involved!)First of all you need to understand what's available, it took me a while to read up and work out what was what and what did what! I personally wanted the simplest possible nappy system and they had to be quick to dry. Identifying what you want is obviously essential, if you have no tumble dryer (or don't want to use it much) then quick drying is important, if you have a limited budget you might want to consider buying over time or using a cheaper nappy system. If you are particularly concerned about sensitive skin or environmental issues then that might be your most important factor.Having identified what you actually want from your new washable nappy system you need to find the product that best suits your needs. Washable nappies come in a huge range of types the main ones are:Pocket nappies - examples of these are Wonderoos, Swaddlebees, Fuzzi Bunz, Minki's etc. Pocket nappies are particularly versatile as you have essentially what looks like a disposable nappy that you then 'stuff' (they are sometimes also called 'stuffable' nappies) with various absorbant materials to create a nappy. They go on like disposables and are extremely simple to use. Because you can take the stuffing out to wash and dry them they dry really fast. They are usually lined with microfleece making them extremely kind to baby's skin. They don't need any separate wrapper or liner unless you want to use disposable liners. You can buy specialist inserts (stuffing) for them (most nappy manufacturers recommend their own) and they generally come in microfibre, bamboo or hemp with varying absorbencies. You can also use microfibre cloths (as found in pound shops across the land), terry squares or anything absorbent (even a tea towel or old t-shirt will do it in an emergency!) Overall pocket nappies are great because they are so simple to use, even nurseries and childminders won't mind using them as they really are as simple as disposables but without the environmental impact.Shaped two-part nappies - examples of these are Motherease Sandy's, Tots Bots Fluffles and Bamboozles, Bambinex, Bambiseas etc. Shaped two-part nappies are (as the name suggests) nappies in two parts. You use a main nappy and then a 'wrap' over that which is waterproof and prevents leaks. The inner nappy part is usually terry cotton, bamboo or flannelette. The inner part fastens with either applix (velcro to you and I), poppers or a 'nappy nippa' (a funky little rubber device that fastens three ways to keep the nappy on, simpler than it sounds!) Although you have two pieces to put on your baby (the nappy and the wrap) they are still simple to use as there is no folding or pinning necessary with these shaped nappies. Some new types can be fastened together (Motherease Sandy's definitely can) before putting on the baby while they stand to make things even simpler. Great for toddlers! These two-part shaped nappies give excellent 'leakproofness' (usually known as 'containment') and are a great choice for night or when your baby becomes a 'heavy wetter'. They do take a while to dry compared to pocket nappies and inserts but are still fairly easy to keep on top of.All in one nappies (sometimes shortened to AIO nappies) - examples of these are Swaddlebees All In Ones, Magic-Alls, Motherease All In Ones etc. As it says really, completely all in one nappies but washable. They go on just like disposables, you can buy popper fastening or applix (velcro) and they don't come apart for washing. You also don't need a separate wrap. The disadvantage is really the same as the advantage, because they don't come apart and are 'all in one' they dry more slowly (not being separated into smaller pieces). This is being overcome in some of the newer microfleece designs and it's worth looking at AIO nappies if you really are totally against doing any assembly whatsoever.Flat nappies - traditional terry squares or muslins. On paper these look like a nightmare. If you're aged over about 18 you probably wore these at some point and your mum will no doubt tell you what a nightmare they can be! That said they are the cheapest option! A full set of flat nappies (including fasteners and wraps) can be bought for under 60. The same amount will buy you 4 pocket nappies. Quick to dry, useful for keeping handy as burping cloths or stuffing for your pocket nappies. Learning to fold them can take perseverance and I wouldn't like to try and get one on a wriggly toddler but flat nappies definitely have their place. Very good for smaller babies and newborns too!Ok, so you've decided which type of nappies you need - either pocket, shaped, flat or all in one. Now what??Well my next decision was did I want sized nappies (sized by weight of baby) or a one-size birth to potty system. I decided that for my needs (my daughter was eight months already) it made more sense to buy birth to potty. Might seem odd at eight months but I felt buying two sets (medium and large) was going to be expensive and as my husband and I want another child within a year or so birth to potty made sense for us. Generally speaking one sized (birth to potty) nappies are the cheaper option. One size to buy, one outlay and that's that. Of course it's also the simplest option but you do have to realise that at either end of the 'baby spectrum' the nappies might not be the best fit. For example most one-size nappies say they fit from 8lb, my daughter was slightly premature and weighed only 6lb 3oz at birth. She was two months old before she reached 8lb. I don't think looking at my Wonderoos even folded right down that they would have fitted her before about 10lb. Again at the top end of the spectrum you may find your toddler grows out of their nappies before being potty trained. My two and a bit year old son still fits fine into his sister's Wonderoos (he's a chunky boy) but then he's way off being potty trained despite best efforts. The other consideration is how bulky you want the nappies to be. One sized nappies obviously have to be folded down to fit tiny babies and that means they can't be as absorbant for bigger toddlers. Boosters might help with this but if your baby seems a 'heavy wetter' it might be worth considering multi-sized nappies. You can usually get away with missing a size here and there and might manage with two sets. Also it's worth remembering that washable nappies have great re-sale value here on eBay so it might well be worth considering multi-size if say mum and dad are tall or big or if you want to guarantee a good fit throughout your baby's time in nappies.Also to be considered is cost. Washable nappies are an expense that's for sure. But then so are disposables. I reckon I spent around 20 a month on disposables, I also reckon my daughter will be at least two by the time she's potty trained. That means I'd have spent 480 on disposables (plus the cost of wipes) over two years. That's buying Pampers/Huggies big economy boxes. I bought instead 14 x Wonderoos at 14 each, costing me just under 200. I save around 280!! If I then use the same nappies for a second child I save that 480 again. A total saving of 760. That you can't argue with.That brings me neatly on to the next issue. How many?? I swapped late into washables and so needed less than I'd need for a newborn. For a new baby (changing nappies up to 10 times a day) I'd say you'd want 20 nappies and would wash every other day (a machine load ish). For an older baby, for example my eight month old I found 14 was enough washing every other day. For my toddler (now two) we only change him 4-5 times a day so 10-12 nappies would be ample. It really depends how often you want to wash!Most nappies can be washed with the family washing (if you're happy to do that) at 40 degrees. I do a separate nappy wash every other day (I just don't like the idea of poop in my washing!) I find a quick wash (or a long rinse cycle) first with no detergent and then a full 40 degree cycle with half detergent (if you use too much it stops the nappies being so absorbent!) works perfectly. I then tumble them for about 45 minutes if it's wet out or ideally line dry them (the sun bleaches any stains out too). Oh yes, NEVER EVER use fabric conditioner on your washable nappies, they'll leak like crazy if you do!!!! Tumble dryer sheets do the same thing.Well you should now be able to decide which nappies you at least want to try. As I said I'd recommend trying 3-4 different types and considering having two or three different types for different occasions (possibly day and night, or childminder/nursery or out and about etc) too. There are a few other things you'll need/want to get started with your washables. I'd recommend:Nappy bin/bucket - I have two, one upstairs, one downstairs - the downstairs one usually ends up full of bibs and washable wipes but it's still handy to have there! The bin should have a tight fitting lid to prevent smells. You don't need to soak nappies anymore, some manufacturers actually discourage it as it shortens the life of some nappies (check your labels). Dry pailing (dry bucket) is fine, I add 3-4 drops of tea tree essential oil and 3-4 drop of lavender essential oil (smells amazing!) to prevent niffsNets for your buckets - handy these, little drawstring nets you place in the nappy bucket so you can just lift the lot out and shove it in the machine not handling any nasties. As long as you leave the drawstring open you can usually get away with not tipping them out, if I find after the rinse there are any in the bag still I empty it then.Boosters - at some point your nappies will probably need boosting, especially at night. I use bamboo boosters (way more absorbant than cotton) and find they are perfect. I live in a hard-water area so it wasn't practical for us to use hemp at all. All sorts of boosters are available, depending on your nappy type you can use 'sit in' (loose) or 'snap-in' (fastens to the nappy) you can put them inside pockets or next to babies skin. Remember microfleece is great as it acts as a one-way barrier and draws wetness away, anything next to babies skin should remain as dry as possible to prevent rashes.Nappy nippas - if you're not using popper fit or applix (velcro). I've referred to these before and they are a funky modern alternative to pins. They have three stretchy 'wings' off a bit of rubbery stuff in the middle and they stretch out to grab the sides and crotch of the nappy. They are simple to use when you've got the hang of them and come in a range of colours.Multi-purpose wet bag - handy when out and about, if you've got to carry a poopy nappy around you at least want it stored safely! Waterproof lined handy bags that drawstring closed. I have a 'stinky minki' bag and use their washable wipes too.Washable wipes - I could write a whole other guide about these (and possibly will!) I strongly recommend them, my toddler actually begs to be wiped they're so lovely!Other than that it's really quite simple to get going with washable nappies. A quick look around eBay or around the net in general should allow you to compare prices and do remember to check with your local council, many give grants or cashback when you buy washable nappies!!!