tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post6473699851259586213..comments2024-03-28T10:54:32.803+11:00Comments on Zero waste and sustainable living blog : Our cloth nappy story: what we use, how we wash and what they cost usUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-75704813074168383522018-12-23T05:22:41.091+11:002018-12-23T05:22:41.091+11:00I picked up a whole Motherease from birth to potty...I picked up a whole Motherease from birth to potty nappy system for £25 this time last year, via Facebook Marketplace! It's worth many hundreds, and unbelievably one lady had purchased it new and not used it. Another lady bought it and hadn't used it, so it was brand, spanking new. However, I'll admit I almost didn't use it too! I tried it on my bub at 2 months old and we were having a very hot summer here in the UK. He just hated it, wouldn't sleep because it made him even hotter. It was sooo bulky on him because they have to be folded over for smaller babies. I was not coping well with the lack of sleep and post c-section, plus my partner had developed the male form of postnatal depression. I had to accept that it just wasn't working for us. However, I really hated throwing those disposables in the bin, so I tried again a few weeks ago because bub had a fungal eczema infection.<br /><br />We've almost totally converted, only using 1 or 2 disposables at night now because bub gets bad nappy rash otherwise. Although I will try cloth with the boosters soon. I love them, they're so easy - ours have snaps on them, so there's zero faffing about. I wash them at 60 degrees on a special hygiene wash, the same as I would do for any sheets or towels because personally, I believe that's the most hygienic thing to do.<br /><br />We do use liners, but only because they were thrown in - they are paper and flushable, though I do worry whether this is true and we're going to find our drains are blocked, but they seem just like thick toilet paper. I picked up a nappy bucket on eBay for 50p and another one for free on Freecycle. I made my own cloth wipes and we just use water also. I need to write up on my blog about the nappies finally working out for us, but I wrote a cloth wipe tutorial here: https://minimalistexposure.wordpress.com/2018/01/24/tutorial-how-to-make-reusable-baby-wipes/ Personally, I won't be trying wool because I'm allergic to it and I think there's a high chance bub will be too. But the PUL wraps are working well for us and it has to be better than all those disposables!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-55801968502230328712018-06-15T22:19:24.584+10:002018-06-15T22:19:24.584+10:00They are so lovely too. It just feels nice to wrap...They are so lovely too. It just feels nice to wrap your bub up in wool, especially in the cooler months. Erin Rhoadshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13225185498560687113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-64299535066505944092018-06-15T22:18:26.940+10:002018-06-15T22:18:26.940+10:00Chris, every time I think i can't be bothered ...Chris, every time I think i can't be bothered to wash my nappies i just conjure up images of doing it all by hand like my own great grandmother and others of your generation did. Most of us have it pretty easy these days. Erin Rhoadshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13225185498560687113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-7855736212802465112018-06-15T22:16:28.767+10:002018-06-15T22:16:28.767+10:00I've met many parents with children in nappies...I've met many parents with children in nappies at age four. And the research I found pointed to 2.5-3 years of age to be the time most were toilet trained. I wouldn't be surprised if the nappy industry wanted to extend beyond what was necessary. <br /><br />I tried EC around the 2 month mark but was so tired at night, I struggled to continue. But it's something we are going to be introducing when we move house and have a backyard. My mother in law used to send her children (my husband) into the backyard with no nappy on and said they were quick to learn when they were going to the toilet. So hoping to follow her idea. I will look at your websites you mentioned though :) Thanks for sharing your story. Erin Rhoadshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13225185498560687113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-64993768960667773572018-06-15T10:08:43.761+10:002018-06-15T10:08:43.761+10:00What a joy it is to connect with another parent wh...What a joy it is to connect with another parent who loved cloth nappies. I'm currently watching a tutorial on the pickman fold. I might have a go and see if i can adjust the panel width for my sons wider bottom. <br /><br />There is a growing appreciation for upcycled wool covers and they often are snapped up quickly on the nappy sale facebook groups. I'll keep my eye out for partially felted wool sweaters and give myself the challenge to make some wool pants or diaper covers.Erin Rhoadshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13225185498560687113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-47404841685336882782018-06-15T09:59:28.852+10:002018-06-15T09:59:28.852+10:00I hope so :) I like sharing the speed bumps we fac...I hope so :) I like sharing the speed bumps we face so others can learn and prepare accordingly. Erin Rhoadshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13225185498560687113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-79172490655688575612018-04-28T22:16:53.628+10:002018-04-28T22:16:53.628+10:00This was really interesting to me! I have worked i...This was really interesting to me! I have worked in childcare for 13 years in a lot of different settings and I didn't know you could get woollen nappy covers. I'll be mentioning those to parents who want to use cloth nappies.Cassandra Louisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08870780766883077181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-47671148799182259902018-04-28T02:47:33.214+10:002018-04-28T02:47:33.214+10:00I am a grandmother now and the were only terry nap...I am a grandmother now and the were only terry nappies when my kids were born both were out of nappies at 18 months, most babies were by then. I think it is only disposables that extended the time babiess used nappies. Most of us wanted to stop washing nappies especially those doing the washing by hand and we did not have tumble driers so we prayed for good weather.<br />Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-24920398915161520522018-04-20T21:59:46.472+10:002018-04-20T21:59:46.472+10:00Thanks for your thoughtful article! You've mad...Thanks for your thoughtful article! You've made an interesting assumption that you will need nappies for 2.5-3 years. The disposable nappy industry has perpetuated this modenr idea. While pregnant with my second bub I came across elimination communication (see www.godiaperfree.com or www.bornready.co.uk . This is what our great-grandmothers did, and what people with scarce resources around the world still do today.<br /><br />I started toileting bub at 2 weeks old. She's now 7 months and does all her poos and about a quarter of her wees on the toilet. As there are no pooey nappies, I dry pail my MCNs for 3 days and they don't need a prewash. Baby is very happy! She should be out of nappies entirely by 12-18 months, depending on when she starts walkingAlbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06110587786679789324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-14643624826395641842018-04-20T05:21:20.091+10:002018-04-20T05:21:20.091+10:00I loved reading your journey. I started with flats...I loved reading your journey. I started with flats and wool and I found one size flats to be soooo bulky for my (over 8 lb) newborn. Luckily we had gotten some newborn prefolds from someone, as well, and we used those almost exclusively for a month or so. I found that I started disliking the fit of the one size flats again around 12 months or so and had to look around for a new fold that had enough rise, but I did finally find one. In case anyone who is reading is wondering: pickman fold! I have a couple larger size flats that would be idea for this age, though, especially since the absorbency is waaaayyyy to low on the one size flats and I have to use something extra as a booster. <br /><br />I'm actually pregnant with my second and am sewing a stash of newborn fitteds so that I won't get poop on my wool as much. I have sewn some fitteds that are more one size and I am thinking that I could get away with only two sizes of fitteds since I made them snappi-able and they are more versatile in size than if they were velcro or snap closures. I will probably be doing primarily fitteds for subsequent babies but I am making "shells" essentially that I can lay flats inside so they are as quick to dry and easy to wash as flats. <br /><br />The last thing I wanted to touch on is affordability and materials. Flats are amazing because you can make sooooo many things into flats. Flour sack towels make perfect flats, receiving blankets make super absorbent larger size flats (they need pinning because the material doesn't snappi well), XL t-shirts can be cut into flats. Wool is also amazing because you can get or make upcycled wool made out of old sweaters. I don't know how common it is in AUS, but in the US there are many makers of upcycled wool. If you ever see those partially felted wool sweaters at thrift stores that no one will buy because they are felted, those are exactly the perfect thing for diaper covers and wool pants. If you have moderate sewing skills they are very easy to make, too. <br /><br />Anyway, this was a lot of rambling, but it's been fun figuring out cloth!Hannah Ransomhttp://holistichormonalhealth.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9033465662037447681.post-67816176956068602652018-04-20T03:21:48.150+10:002018-04-20T03:21:48.150+10:00I have zero babies and zero nappies, but I love it...I have zero babies and zero nappies, but I love it that you're so thorough and thoughtful. This post will be a great resource for many, many people. Rebekah Jauntynoreply@blogger.com