Washable nappies

Oh the memories of rows of bright white square nappies fluttering in an often cold Scottish winter morning. Yep, I put my babies' nappies outside all year round (unless it was raining of course) They were taken off baby, quickly rinsed off if pooey in my big utility room sink then dropped in a bucket of napisan. Washed in lux flakes in my twin tub machine (didn't have an automatic until the mid 80s) Disposables were hopeless back then and only used on rare occasions. Great to have the choice now but I never thought of washing nappies as a huge chore. We did have throw away inners but that was it. Most mums back then were advised to have about 2 dozen nappies. My MIL gave me some she used for my SIL and they were still snowy white and soft!! :) :D I still have almost two dozen terry squares that were first used on my 17yr old nephew (well, he wasn't 17 at the time ;)), have been used part-time on all three of my children and are now doing the rounds as 'rags'...still white, thick-ish and soft. :D For all of the fancy, pretty, convenient Modern Cloth Nappies, good old terry squares with some decent covers remain the cheapest way to go back to cloth.

That's a shame the Baby Cheeks didn't fit for long Apricot. :( My 2 yr old is a very tall, very chubby toddler (17kg now :D ) and they still fit her with ease. Baby Cheeks are all synthetic and a 'pocket nappy'...because the absorbant layers come out for washing and drying, they are almost dry by the time you finish hanging them out (in Dubai anyway ;) ). Itti bitti's most popular nappies come in two basic styles...one that's all sewn in, so super easy to use but takes a little longer to dry. For people in cold/wet climates, they have a 'snap-in' version that pulls apart and dries much faster. I used to order all of mine direct from the manufacturers in their home countries (itti's from Australia, tots from Scotland etc) because, at the time, there were no licensed re-sellers in the UAE who could offer manufacturer warranties. Later Tots Bots and Baby Cheeks did.

In fact I'm coming around to the idea of cloth just reading this thread, not sure we have a good selection in Doha, whats the situation like in Dubai???There's a nice Australian lady named Sophia who sells Itti Bitti diapers (I guess they're the Ozzie version of Tots Bots) under her May Angels brand. I've bumped into her since at one point our kids attended the same nursery, but I've never bought from her. Also a sweet NZ lady sells the Baby Cheeks diapers and I met her at a nappycino hosted by Green-ish while I was preg with DS2. Sadly her brand didn't fit DS2 well for long. I order all cloth diaper stuff online then have it shipped to relatives in the States, who then either re-post to me or who bring in their luggage annually.

... There is no argument though that disposables are less work, you take them off, roll them up and throw them away. Despite the nasty chemicals, they do keep your baby dryer, which for many means less nappy rash.... 100% honesty here after five years using cloth nappies on the 'extra work'... I have a large bucket with a tight fitting lid sitting in a bathroom nearest to the baby's change table. Wee nappies go straight into the bucket. Poo nappies get a hose with the toilet hose and go into the bucket. Every second day the whole bucket-full goes into the washing machine. (ETA: of course there is hanging out that one extra load and putting them away...20mins max :) ) Disposables may be "less work" but cloth nappies are NOT a lot of work. :) Depending on the cloth nappies used, disposable nappies do not keep baby drier. If a liner is used, which wicks the wee away, the skin is further from the moisture because that liner itself is thicker than the lining in disposables and does not hold ANY moisture in it...unlike the lining of disposables which does not feel dry to touch once it's wee'd in. Cloth nappies also allow more moisture to evaporate out of them than disposables. In a hot climate this keeps the skin much cooler and healthier. edited by Green-ish on 23/12/2011 Sorry I wasn't trying to say cloth were lots of work, just acknowledging that obviously disposables are less work, I'm not trying to convince the OP not to use cloth. I make my own baby-food and obviously that is more work than buying jars, but again totally manageable. I have had friends back home cloth for their first and switch to disposables for their second, thats in NZ though where drying is more of an issue given it rains every other day and people have little houses so drying inside is a pain. I think the climate here is ideal for cloth. My first few months with a reflux baby tbh an extra load f washing would have been a giant pain, the washing machine was going 24/7 as it was (pathetic little front loader :() but after the first 4 months cloth would probably have been really painless, he only pooed once every 8 days (another reason to breastfeed) and now goes only once a day, like clockwork in the morning. I haven't changed a poo-y nappy out and about for around a year. In fact I'm coming around to the idea of cloth just reading this thread, not sure we have a good selection in Doha, whats the situation like in Dubai???

Oh the memories of rows of bright white square nappies fluttering in an often cold Scottish winter morning. Yep, I put my babies' nappies outside all year round (unless it was raining of course) They were taken off baby, quickly rinsed off if pooey in my big utility room sink then dropped in a bucket of napisan. Washed in lux flakes in my twin tub machine (didn't have an automatic until the mid 80s) Disposables were hopeless back then and only used on rare occasions. Great to have the choice now but I never thought of washing nappies as a huge chore. We did have throw away inners but that was it. Most mums back then were advised to have about 2 dozen nappies. My MIL gave me some she used for my SIL and they were still snowy white and soft!! :)

Thanks ladies for all your feedback. I am very keen to try the washable nappies and I am already checking in the different brands you mentioned here. Greenish - I really appreciate your passion for reusable nappies and your posts are very convincing. However, I have a lot of sensible friends, both here and in the UK, who are mums and they don't really manage with reusable nappies and I am sure that is for a reason. For example I don't think it is a good option for travelling or if you are spending the day out you will need to use the disposable ones unless you want to be carrying poo around. I work in the environment sector and I am going to try the reusable nappies for environmental reasons, however I don't think my friends are spreading nonsense when they are telling me their experiences. Every mum and baby are different and you need to accept different opinions. Also, I would like to drop the following question: What is better for the environment, to fill the landfill with disposable nappies or spend water and use detergent to wash reusable ones? Thanks for your kind words...I am passionate! :D Your last question I hope I've answered in the previous post. :) You're so right...everyone's experience is different. I do think a lot of the 'failures' are about lack of support or information though. That's the main reason we started Nappycino's in Dubai. To make sure parents had all of the information they needed to purchase and use cloth with confidence. I used disposables overnight and when we went on holidays where I would not have easy access to a washing machine. Using cloth for outings is easy. It means carrying a waterproof 'wet bag' for the soiled nappies but with a quality wet bag there is no smell and no mess. Simply roll the nappy up like you would with a disposable, zip it into the wet bag, then on arrival at home take it out and hose it off (if necessary) before throwing the whole lot into the nappy bucket. I have friends who go bush camping with no established facilities and they use 100% cloth. :D With information and support, cloth is easy.

Also, I would like to drop the following question: What is better for the environment, to fill the landfill with disposable nappies or spend water and use detergent to wash reusable ones? But what about the energy / chemical / water use in producing disposables, distributing them to the shops, plastic packaging waste, additional domestic bin bags, transport of disposables to landfill and then the use of landfill sites for a very long time, chemicals leaching into the soil? I actually don't know the answer, but if Greenish is correct in that it's one additional load every two days, I will bet the reusables win. Sweetlily - that EC sounds incredible. I have never heard of it. edited by Tiptoptoni on 20/12/2011 As I think I mentioned earlier, some research has shown that more water is used in the production of one disposable than will ever be used during the life of one cloth nappy on one baby. There are no chemicals used to 'soak' nappies any more. All modern cloth nappy manufacturers recommend 'dry pailing'...the nappies are placed in an empty bucket with a tight fitting lid. Soaking them even in plain water does two things - ruins the elastic thus shortening the life of the nappy & it creates a bucket of gross, sticky fluid to somehow dipose of. EWWWWWW! Absolutely no bleach, no nappisan etc. For washing cloth nappies, it's recommended to use 1/4 to 1/3 of the normal amount of detergent so no build-up happens in the cloth. I don't use any detergent with my nappies. I bought Eco Balls at Organics. They cost me 60dhs and lasted over two years. I'm almost ready to replace my second set. Not bad really...NO chemicals into the environment and clean nappies (and clothes) for over four years for about 120dhs. <em>edited by Green-ish on 23/12/2011</em>

... There is no argument though that disposables are less work, you take them off, roll them up and throw them away. Despite the nasty chemicals, they do keep your baby dryer, which for many means less nappy rash.... 100% honesty here after five years using cloth nappies on the 'extra work'... I have a large bucket with a tight fitting lid sitting in a bathroom nearest to the baby's change table. Wee nappies go straight into the bucket. Poo nappies get a hose with the toilet hose and go into the bucket. Every second day the whole bucket-full goes into the washing machine. (ETA: of course there is hanging out that one extra load and putting them away...20mins max :) ) Disposables may be "less work" but cloth nappies are NOT a lot of work. :) Depending on the cloth nappies used, disposable nappies do not keep baby drier. If a liner is used, which wicks the wee away, the skin is further from the moisture because that liner itself is thicker than the lining in disposables and does not hold ANY moisture in it...unlike the lining of disposables which does not feel dry to touch once it's wee'd in. Cloth nappies also allow more moisture to evaporate out of them than disposables. In a hot climate this keeps the skin much cooler and healthier. <em>edited by Green-ish on 23/12/2011</em>

I've been really happy using reusable cloth nappies on my second baby, now 18 months. My stash is: 12 Tiny Tush pockets (recommended by EW user) 1 Bum Genius pocket (freebie) 2 sized Fuzzi Bunz pocket 4 Happy Heineys pocket 2 Tots Bots AIO (bought at Tesco 6 months ago) (which I stuff with extra microfiber liner) 1 Baby Cheeks pocket Stacks of extra microfiber liners in small and large sizes 2 Fuzzi Bunz hemp liners 1 pkt Indian cotton prefolds (folded and used as liners, bought from LULU) 12 small microfiber towels (folded and used as liners, bought from Dragon Mart) 1 roll flushable liners by Bummis (used when nappy rash cream applied) 1 stick CJ's Butt Butter (cloth diaper-friendly nappy rash cream) 1 big hanging wet bag by Fuzzi Bunz 1 pail with lid 2 zippered wet bags rotated in diaper bag to store soiled nappies when out and about. 1 bottle tea trea oil, to combat stench issues with the hanging wet bag and lidded pail (DH sensitive to odors) 1 home-made poop scraper, a U cut out from 2 liter milk jug. I used to wash it all using Eco Balls, then used Purex Free & Clear liquid until the price increased, now I use 1/3 recommended amt of Easy non bio powder detergent, unfragranced. My personal favorite nappy is the Tots Bots. Slim fit under clothes, yet fits my baby's chunky thighs and tummy! Sadly, my baby outgrew the Baby Cheeks within 1 month of purchase. I do "cheat" and use disposables at night and often when outside home.

Yep,good point KS, even if you subsistute only one disposable with washable that's 365 less nappies in landfill per year.

I love the idea of cloth-nappies, my biggest reason for using them would be to avoid the chemicals (that disposables are FULL of) coming into contact with my baby. I think if you were soaking your re-usables in bleach every night, washing in hot water and then using the dryer to dry then there might be an argument for an environmental impact but even then I still think disposables would be worse. (although there are disposables on the market now which do biodegrade eventually, not sure if they are available in the middle east). There is no argument though that disposables are less work, you take them off, roll them up and throw them away. Despite the nasty chemicals, they do keep your baby dryer, which for many means less nappy rash. I have had friends who used both, disposables the first 6 weeks (because they knew that was the hard time, with more leaking and frequent poos), disposables overnight, during cases of nappy rash and while traveling and re-usables the rest of the time. You'd certainly still greatly cut down on your environmental impact that way. Personally I've never been brave enough to take the plunge, but I greatly admire those who make the extra effort. A lot of my cloth-nappy using friends have also practiced EC, it def works (again I like the idea, but wasn't up for the extra effort you have to put in in the beginning).

Sweetlily - that EC sounds incredible. I have never heard of it. edited by Tiptoptoni on 20/12/2011 Don't want to hijack the thread but it is really amazing. It is one of my favourite things my husband and I have done as parents. :)

Also, I would like to drop the following question: What is better for the environment, to fill the landfill with disposable nappies or spend water and use detergent to wash reusable ones? But what about the energy / chemical / water use in producing disposables, distributing them to the shops, plastic packaging waste, additional domestic bin bags, transport of disposables to landfill and then the use of landfill sites for a very long time, chemicals leaching into the soil? I actually don't know the answer, but if Greenish is correct in that it's one additional load every two days, I will bet the reusables win. Sweetlily - that EC sounds incredible. I have never heard of it. <em>edited by Tiptoptoni on 20/12/2011</em>

Also, I would like to drop the following question: What is better for the environment, to fill the landfill with disposable nappies or spend water and use detergent to wash reusable ones? Quite the debate. You'll find a lot of pros and cons for both. I'll throw something else out there for you if you want to really be environmentally sustainable. :) We've done Elimination Communication since birth and have used very few nappies overall. Our daughter has used the potty since she was born. We listen to her cues and let her use it when she needs to go. She's 15 months now and has been in underpants much of the time since she was 7 months. On the days that we need to be out and about we use cloth but still let her use the potty also. I love EC and, although I know it's not for everyone, I feel that it really is the best for our communication with our daughter, it helps her trust that we'll take care of all of her needs including her elimination and it reduces waste associated with washing nappies all of the time. On good days from day one we only used one or two a day and now can go the whole day without using a nappy. Just thought I'd throw that out there. :) Some links on EC: www.diaperfreebaby.com www.bornready.co.uk

Thanks ladies for all your feedback. I am very keen to try the washable nappies and I am already checking in the different brands you mentioned here. Greenish - I really appreciate your passion for reusable nappies and your posts are very convincing. However, I have a lot of sensible friends, both here and in the UK, who are mums and they don't really manage with reusable nappies and I am sure that is for a reason. For example I don't think it is a good option for travelling or if you are spending the day out you will need to use the disposable ones unless you want to be carrying poo around. I work in the environment sector and I am going to try the reusable nappies for environmental reasons, however I don't think my friends are spreading nonsense when they are telling me their experiences. Every mum and baby are different and you need to accept different opinions. Also, I would like to drop the following question: What is better for the environment, to fill the landfill with disposable nappies or spend water and use detergent to wash reusable ones?

Just to reiterate previous posters, I used totsbots which were fine but then discovered Itti Bitti which i think are amazing. Bit more pricey than some but no leakage and really lovely soft outers. Inners took little while to dry in UK winters but sure would be no prob here. Honestly can say that it was one of my best choices with DS2 for many already mentioned reasons. I am also sure that it helped him to be dry night and day by second birthday. And you get to feel all green too!

I am also interested in Nappycino morning if anything gets organized. Baby #3 due in April - wish I had started cloth with baby #1!

Hi ladies Im due in Feb. and definitely interested in a Nappycino morning!...

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!! I'm a mad keen cloth nappy advocate and we MUST NOT spread such nonsense! :D LOL Well said Greenish : ) I just wanted to lend my support for washable nappies. I have totbots and are using them on child no 2 now. They are perfect for out here - you can't get better drying weather. It really is a no brainer along with the cost of disposables vs washables. The thing I can never get over is that every nappy ever used is still in existence, not rotting in a land fill - every time I think "Can't be bothered to wash nappies" I remember that. How truly revolting that is what we are leaving in this world! Hope this thread persuades a few more mums to go with washables!

I would definitely be interested in a Nappycino morning! One problem for me...I live in an apartment and don't have anywhere to dry the nappies in the sun...do you think this is a problem...I hope not! :( Hi gingercat. Of course you can use them in apartment life. :) It's absolutely fine to wash nappies and put them through the clothes dryer (according to the manufacturers instructions). In your case there are two reasons you would want to find some sun...if baby is unwell or if you get any staining after washing. The sun will kill any residual bacteria and remove all stains (except paracetamol for some reason!). If you can, put them in direct sun through a window or on the balcony for just an hour, then finish them in the dryer if necessary.

... We can try again ladies if anyone willing to meet up What about a park since weather is so nice Or a coffee shop Somewhere convenient for the majority Beginning of next year may be best Hi pancakemum. If you want to try and arrange a Nappycino :D, it would be a good idea to run it past the EW admin first. They always used to be very supportive of these information sessions...best to double check since it's been some time and given the rules about meets outside of EW events etc... If admin isn't keen on a separate meet, maybe ask about incorporating it in one of the existing mum & baby meets? I hope you can pull one together! It's SO lovely to be able to show nappies to new Mums and share our research about what works and what doesn't etc.

I used Tots Bots and loved using them, so easy and saved loads of money and we only have one child. I have 10 white ones for sale if you are interested. My email is my username at gmail dot com.

I second Green-ish It hardly takes 10 additional minutes to put the nappies in the washing machine, out on the laundy line in the sun and back on their shelf They dry so fast in Dubai as well Love the colors when they are all lined up Last Nappycino was like an year and a half ago hosted by txjuliet but unfortunately she just left Dubai We were just four ladies including the lady selling the Baby Cheeks that time We can try again ladies if anyone willing to meet up What about a park since weather is so nice Or a coffee shop Somewhere convenient for the majority Beginning of next year may be best

Oh...on brands...if you don't want to try a lot before you settle on your perfect set, I think you can't go past itti bitti or tots bots. (ETA - My fav's because they both work brilliantly, last forever and are mostly natural fibres. I don't love 100% synthetic nappies like BumGenius and Baby Cheeks but that's just my environmentalist-ish personal preference. BG's and BC's definitely do the job). itti bitti (Aus brand) - http://www.ittibitti.com.au/ Tots Bots (Scottish) - http://www.totsbots.com/ With the utmost respect to Sophia...as I say with anything like this, please check with the manufacturer that any brands she carries will be backed by their warranty. Cloth nappies are brilliant, but there are sometimes faults and you need to know your investment is covered. It would also be worth sitting down with her and looking at the nappies. There's no faster way to learn about the different styles than by actually looking at them. Is anyone still running Nappycino's???? <em>edited by Green-ish on 12/12/2011</em>

... Having said that, one of my friends in Dubai who has recently being a dad and who is a very keen environmentalist told me that it is very difficult to use washable nappies and they are not trying because to wash 10 nappies a day is quite a lot of work.... NO NO NO NO NO!!!!! I'm a mad keen cloth nappy advocate and we MUST NOT spread such nonsense! :D LOL I started using cloth nappies when my second child was born...I had two in nappies so the disposable land-fill contribution was making me sick! I switched and never looked back. Those same nappies that I bought over four years ago are still being used on my third child and almost all are perfectly good for another baby...I'll be offering them free to good home (in Australia :) ) in a few months. If you get yourself well set up, cloth nappies literally mean a sealed storage bucket and one extra load of washing every two days. Does that sound like "quite a lot of work"??? There is no soaking, no special chemicals or soaking solution required...just wash in non-bio detergent and dry in the sun. Especially in the early days, newborn nappies just go in with the rest of the wash so there are no 'extra' loads! A thorough wash and drying in the SUN will ensure everything is clean and hygienic. The single best resource I ever found for getting started is http://www.thenappylady.co.uk/ - click on the 'advice' tab near the top and there's an obligation free advice sheet to fill out. Every parent considering cloth nappies should do this form!!! In a nutshell...when you are considering cloth nappies, you need to think about WHY you want to use cloth. The honest answer to that question will determine which way you should go in the minefield that is selection-of-your-ultimate-cloth-nappy. :D Reasons: [u'>To save money[/u'> - cheapest is terry flats or pre-folds with a modern, fitted leak-proof cover. [u'>For the environment[/u'> - Bamboo is the way to go. It is the most environmentally friendly natural fibre out there. It's also far more absorbent than any other natural fibre. Organic cotton is possibly the next best bet, but if you're passionate about the environment, you'll know there's no such thing as 'green' cotton farming! [u'>'Cause there's nothing a cute as a cloth bot[/u'> - If money is no object, then there is an endless array of utterly gorgeous, often one-of-a-kind nappies out there. Yes, there is every chance you'll start choosing your baby's clothes according to the nappy you'll pair them with. :D Doing the Nappy Lady questionnaire will also teach you a lot about the types of nappies...flats, pre-folds, pockets, AIO, AI2 etc etc etc Once you've done the questionnaire, you will be presented with various suggested nappies. You *can* buy a full or trial pack of your chosen nappies...Nappy Lady prices are a tad higher than elsewhere, but you'll get free advice and support for the life of your nappies!! (note...the questionnaire really is obligation free. You can just use it for information gathering and not make a purchase) A couple of facts made my decision to switch very, very easy. - It takes more water to produce ONE disposable nappy than it does to wash a cloth nappy for the entire period of its use on a baby/toddler - Every single disposable nappy EVER MADE is STILL in landfill somewhere in the world. That's SHAMEFUL! - Even budget disposables will cost a minimum of 3500dhs (very conservative) from birth to potty training for one child. Use premium nappies, and you can double that. If you're on a budget, you can be set up with cloth nappies for well under 1000dhs and use those same nappies now and for one or two subsequent children. OK...enough for now. I could talk all day about cloth nappies!!! edited by Green-ish on 12/12/2011 <em>edited by Green-ish on 12/12/2011</em>

I have been using four different brands of modern cloth nappies on my DD e.g. Tots Bots, Itti Bitti, Baby Cheeks and Bum Genius. I can recommend Tots Bots and Itti Bitti. Unfortunately, Tini-tots is no longer selling Tots Bots here in UAE. I bought my Itti Bitti nappies from Sophia. She is very knowledgeable on different types of nappies (pocket nappies, AIO, SIO, etc). If you want to know more about modern cloth nappies - her email add is [email protected]. Sophia is selling different brands of modern cloth nappies here in UAE.

Hi there. I am also due in March and very keen to use washable nappies. I found some very bad ones in Baby Shop, which I bought anyway because if they don´t work (and I am pretty sure hey won´t) I will use them on top of the normal nappy, to cover it. I am very interested in your research and I am also tempted to make my in-laws to bring them from the UK, but I would love to try them first (on my baby). I have been looking into Baby Cheeks and it seems a very good idea, I am definitely interested in hearing some reviews. Having said that, one of my friends in Dubai who has recently being a dad and who is a very keen environmentalist told me that it is very difficult to use washable nappies and they are not trying because to wash 10 nappies a day is quite a lot of work! So I am still thinking on it. My husband is very keen, but obviously he will be working 8 hours per day so he won´t be in charge of the laundry.... What are your thoughts?

Hi gingercat Glad to hear you're thinking about using the modern cloth nappies! I've been using them on my DS for the last 18 months and I love using them I had the same worries about buying something and not being sure if I will like them or not After reading some reviews I decided to pick 2 brands that were highly recommended Bum Genius is one of them But I've ordered them in UK as they were in packs of 5 and the price was much lower than Dubai one To be on the safe side I've ordered only 10 to start with in total Bought one Baby Cheek so 11 in total Of course if I was happy using the nappies I would have ordered more I was and still am very happy but I manage with 11 of them only Bum Genius is my favorite to be honest Tot Bots is great as well Just for my son Baby Cheeks one is too bulky but that is just my subjective opinion I've met ladies using he Baby Cheeks and very happy with them So my advice either you start with a lower number with what is available in Dubai and see how you like using them Or if your mind is set in using them go ahead and order and have them brought over to you If you don't know any different you'll use them just fine I hope it makes sense what I'm saying as a little baby mush brain with the new pregnancy If you have any questions please go ahead and I'll be happy to reply to you