Disposable nappies are without a doubt easier to use and less hassle, but reusables are obviously better for the environment and can save you a lot of money in the long run.Some councils offer incentives/ cashback schemes for using cloth nappies (unfortunately ours doesn’t!)Approximately 3 billion disposable nappies are thrown away every year in the UK.
I haven’t yet found a reusable nappy that will last through the night (no matter how many inserts and boosters I include) as The Pickle wees for England!!So at night (and on long journeys, etc) we use Pampers Simply Dry, which have been the best disposables we've tried so far.
Washing the nappies
Some brands, such as Bambino Mio, suggest soaking the nappies in a nappy bucket with some nappy cleanser, such as Bambino Mio’s ‘Mio Fresh’ powder before washing.Other brands, such as Fuzzi Bunz suggest storing in a dry nappy bucket until washing.If you do this it is a good idea to put a few drops of a nice smelling oil, such as lavender, onto a muslin and put this on top of the nappies so you don’t let out any nasty smells when you open the lid!Nappies can usually be washed at 40 degrees with a normal powder such as Fairy non bio, but never use fabric conditioner as this can affect the absorbency of the nappies.The Pickle gets through around 6 nappies a day, so I have 12 and wash them every other day.I dry them on an airer and they are usually dry within 24 hours, but most brands can be tumble dried and an occasional 10 minutes in the drier keeps them nice and soft.
Which nappies?
Here are four brands tried and tested by my little boy!
Bambino Mio(my rating 3/5)
Mionappies from £12.99 per pack, Miosoft covers from £9.85 per cover at www.bambinomioshop.co.uk
I used Bambino Mio Prefold ‘Mionappies’ and covers soon after The Pickle was born.The nappy itself is a square, made up of layers of cotton, which you fold and place inside the cover.The covers are elasticated at the legs and fasten at the waist with velcro.
Pros: The covers come in a range of bright designs, and because it is a 2 part nappy you can just change the insert unless the cover itself is soiled.
Cons:They are quite bulky on a newborn and unfortunately we had quite a few leaks.
These are an ‘all in one’ nappy with 5 layers of cotton, plus an added soaker, and a waterproof outer.They have adjustable hook and loop (like velcro) fastenings for a snug fit around the waist.
Pros: As easy to put on as a disposable, ideal for when you’re out and about.
Cons: We had a few leaks as they didn’t fit very snugly around the legs.They were quite bulky but there is now an ‘Ultra-Lite’ version available.
I have recently discovered these nappies and have to say I am very impressed with them.They are a ‘pocket’ nappy with a soft fleecy inner, a pocket to place the nappy insert, and a soft PL outer.They fasten with poppers.
Pros:We have only had one or two small leaks when I haven’t fastened them tightly enough.They are soft, fairly lightweight, they wash easily and dry quickly.They are a good fit.They come in a range of brights and pastel colours.
Cons:The designs aren’t quite as funky as the Tots Bots, but they are by far the best reusable nappies I’ve tried.
Although I love the Fuzzi Bunz nappies, I am finding it increasingly difficult to get The Pickle to lie down to have his nappies changed and he often tries to crawl off dragging the half fastened nappy behind him!So I am on the look out for a ‘pull up’ style reusable nappy but can’t seem to find them anywhere.The Pickle is only 10 months old and is way off potty training yet so I don’t need training pants, I need pull ups which have the same level of absorbency as a nappy... If anyone knows where I can find these please do let me know!!
