Cloth Nappies

Even before I was pregnant I had wanted to use cloth nappies for my baby. I didn't know anything about modern cloth nappies so during my pregnancy I did some research and became quickly overwhelmed by the conflicting information and opinions. There are so many styles and abbreviations people use, not to mention complicated washing systems etc.

I use cloth nappies when I'm at home and disposables for overnight/away from home. Using cloth nappies and washable wipes (muslin flannels that we keep separate) saves us money but lightens our burden on the environment. 

We have found them brilliant and quite simple now that we have a routine.  I wash the nappies daily and have approximately 15 nappies. Initially we used 8 Green Beginnings newborn nappies as these were too bulky for our little girl. We changed to a variety of modern pocket style nappy with inserts when she was about three months old. Ours have domes and the inserts are removable.

We have a dry bucket system (which just means there is no water to soak the nappies in) in the laundry. The bucket has a lid. I have a hook above the sink with a old dish-brush to help rinse soiled nappies

My routine is as follows;

• If nappy is just wet, I remove inserts and place the outer and inserts into the bucket.
• If the nappy is soiled I put the solids into the toilet and then use the brush and cold water to rinse the inserts and outer. Then place them in the bucket.
• I do exactly the same with the washable wipes/flannels.
• At the end of the day I run the whole lot through a cold rinse cycle in the washing machine. 
• After that I set the washing machine to warm regular wash with a medium spin cycle. I use Ecostore Laundry Liquid. 
• I hang the nappies and inserts outside during the day. If they are still a bit damp I finish them off in the dryer. (Normally only the bamboo liners need this as they take longer to dry)
• It only takes about ten minutes to pop the liners into the outers in the evenings. 

It takes less time than I imagined and certainly less water. I use the lowest water setting on our machine and this is fine. The nappies are still white and fresh. I haven't had any problems with them leaking or not fitting well

. I am borrowing about half of our stash from a friend (Cheek Boutique Nappies) and the other half I got new off Trademe (ten for about $80). Anyway I hope this helps if you are just getting started or are thinking about using reusable nappies.