Real nappies

[lissyl78]

Have recently developed an environment conscience and want to start using real nappies.Does anyone know approx how many you need to get? Manufacturers suggest 24 but I would take a parent's advice over theirs anyday!

Also, how did you find them? (I don't mean what shop, but how you got on with them!) Thanks, Lissy x

[Stinkerbell]

24 seems a good amount.  but i would say you also need chemicals to clean them, nappy liners and rubber pants both of which are non-biodegradable.  Also they wear out with a lot of washing.  not to mention the smell, the constant washing, the excess water you use etc etc have i changed your mind yet!!??!

[lissyl78]

No not put off yet! Have to start using real ones - I feel guilty every time I throw a 'disposable' in the bin and I don't do guilt! Thanks for honest advice anyway though! x

[silly moo]

i used terry nappies - think I had 24 . Would do the same again if I were to have babies. (too old for that now ! )
Well done

[silly moo]

PS
they lasted for 2 children, and were still goog enough t o pass onto a friend.

[B00]

Oh i loved the sight of nappies out on my line when I had my eldest!

Sad to say, I've never used Terry ones with my now 10 month old, don't seem to have the time for the endless washing that's involved!

[simsfreq]

Have you seen this website about different nappy options?
http://www.kittykins.co.uk/kits/type/24

[maggie01]

Yes it was always suggested 24 nappies plus liners.
We used to have two buckets in the bathroom. one for soiled and one for just wet ones. The soiled ones needed soaking in napisan. We didn't have a washing machine when I first got married. We had a boiler and a spin dryer. It was nice to see them out on the line and I do appreciate what the disposable ones do to the enviroment, but unless everyone stopped using them I don't think I would put myself through the hassle of terry nappies. One other thing they do not soak up urine like disposable ones. Best of Luck

[lissyl78]

Thanks for all of your advice. Not going to get the terry nappies but the 'new' real nappies that have biodegradable liners that go inside the nappy which you dispose of and then the nappies themselves go in the normal washing machine. Couldn't be doing with all that soaking of the terries!

Thanks again all x

[Solarjunkie]

I timed myself one day doing everything necessary to nappies - washing, drying, folding, changing etc.

It took 15mins for a whole day!

So personally I think they take a lot less time than the rumours say.

Napisan rots the nappies, but you don't need it. I used "paper" liners which sorted out any solid matter, and then popped the nappies into simple water in a covered bucket. They went in the washing machine each evening & out on the line each morning ready for the next day.

Don't use fabric conditioner, btw, it makes them less absorbent.

24 good quality nappies are still as good as new after two babies. 

Plastic pants can be reused many times, each disposable in effect discards a pair after a single use.

Oh,and you an use the nappies in the future as towels or small sheets etc.

The only time I used disposables was the day before a holiday so the nappies were all ready to go away! Like you,I could not live with the guilt.

[Cathy]

Just have to say that I use The "new" nappies as well and they are great. They're shaped just like a disposable, so no folding! A good site is www.nappylady.co.uk as they will give you loads of advice. I personally find them a lot less work than going to bottle feeding. It's not like we have to wash them by hand! Just throw them in a bucket and wash them when the bucket's full. And don't forget that you can still use the disposables if you're going on holiday or whatever. There are the eco-baby nappies which are supposed to be better environmentally than normal disposables.

[ursula62]

I can't remember which site it was on, but they compared the cost of terry vs disposable nappies. Not just the financial cost, but the environmental cost, and there was virtually no difference - I think the terries worked out more expensive (because they included the electricity costs of tumble drying them in winter), but with all the chemicals etc the terry ones ended up affecting the environment as much as using disposables.

[hmc]

Started using cloth nappies (mix tots bots/prefolds) with my 8 month old daughter.  I have 14 but I'd get 24 or more so you fill the washing machine every 2nd 3rd day rather than wash 10 each day - not environmentally friendley!  Check out www.twinkleontheweb.com/co.uk.  I'm getting really hacked off with the cotton nappies because baby clothes are cut for babies in disposables and am so sick of not being able to shoe horn her into her clothes espically BabyGap.