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]]>What is the REAL cost of washing nappies? We know it's on your mind, especially given the current cost of living crisis, so we got our thinking caps on, our washing machine manuals out and started crunching the numbers!
The main costs of washing reusable nappies are: water, electricity and detergent. How much that costs will vary from person to person and area to area. Our calculations include the most popular brands of detergent and washing machines so you can see where you best fit.
All figures are correct as of October 2022.
Energy rates are based on the current energy cap; 34p per kWh. If you are on a fixed tariff from before the cap then your energy costs will be lower. Likewise, if you provide your own energy, such as solar, then this will also decrease costs.
If you choose to main wash above 40 degrees then your cost will be slightly increased. More heat = more cost in a nutshell!
Water rates are based on an average cost per litre with major water companies in the UK, they also include sewage costs. If you do not have a water meter then you don't need to include these costs so we have broken the total costs in to 2 parts depending on your situation.
These costs are based on a heavy soiling dose with a 6kg+ drum size. If you use washing detergent in your prewash then that will be an additional cost.
All figures are correct as of October 2022.
The cost of disposable nappies is also likely to increase due to the increased cost of manufacturing. Right now the costs of disposables from birth to potty training is ÂŁ321-ÂŁ1650 depending on the brand you use. You also need to add on the cost of wipes and bags which is another ÂŁ100-ÂŁ450.Â
In the end both cloth nappies and disposable nappies are as cheap as you make them. It is still cost effective to use cloth nappies despite the current increased cost in washing. When you're done using cloth nappies you can also resell them which means you'll recoup more costs.Â
You can wash a load of nappies from as little as 59p - 90p in soft water, 61p-92p in medium water and 63p-94p in hard water. Choosing more expensive detergents and washing on higher heat will increase the cost of each load, so it is worth considering these carefully in line with your budget. Likewise, daily prewashing or very long prewashes will hike up the price, you only need your prewash to be about 30 minutes.Â
Check out our social media channels for more guides and advice on all things cloth nappies.
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❓ Fill in our personalised nappy advice questionnaire here.
]]>In this article, we'll explain how you can tell if your baby needs changing when they're in their reusable nappy.
With disposable nappies you often get a wetness indicator that changes colour when it's time to change a nappy but with reusable nappies you don’t have that so what do you do?
To start with you don’t need a wetness indicator because they get changed at every feed and poo anyway so they’re never in a nappy long. With a newborn the changes are so frequent that you don't really get a change to worry about how long it's been on, they dirty nappies at an extraordinary rate. Once your baby goes longer stretches between feeds and especially for older children who perhaps aren’t having regular feeds you can simply check the legs and back of a cloth nappy for wetness.
Take your finger and run it around the leg elastics, when you feel around the leg it may feel damp and this is a sign that your baby needs changing. You can also feel the insert from the back of the nappy to see how far up the wetness has come - if it’s nearing the back then it’s time for a change. By the time you’ve spent a while in cloth your child’s needs will become second nature and you’ll understand their nappy habits. This goes for disposable nappies too, after the initial period parents just being to know when their child needs changing.
For a newborn: Expect to change at every feed. This can be as much as 8-12 changes in 24 hours or changing every 2-3 hours. This routine is normal and continues for a few months with changes becoming slightly less frequent as your baby goes longer between feeds.
2-3 months: you can expect to change every 3 hours at feeds. Roughly 8 changes per day. This will differ slightly between babies because everyone is different so make sure you're using those techniques above to check the nappy and get used to your little ones habits.
By around 5 months you’ll expect to be changing 6 nappies per day - 5 day time and 1 night time nappy. Generally your baby will have stopped pooing in the night by now so they can wear 1 nappy overnight without any need to change it. This may happen earlier or even later than 5 months for some babies.
At 6 months+ you’ll be changing around 4-5 nappies a day depending on your child’s need. Past this age it can decrease to as little as 3 day time changes a day for toddlers.Â
For optimum comfort we always suggest not leaving your baby for longer than 4-5 hours between nappy changes so if you do have a toddler that is a light wetter then aim for this time frame when you're thinking about changing their nappy.
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That's it! That's all you need to know and do to keep up with your baby's nappy needs. If you're a new parent or parent to be looking in to cloth nappies then just know that this will all become second nature in no time.
As always if you have any questions please leave them below and check out our other blogs, videos and social media for guides and advice on all things cloth nappies.
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]]>When you think about cloth nappies, it can feel daunting. There are just so many options and decisions to make! How do you know where to start? Well, we're here to help you out.
In this article, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about cloth nappies: what kinds of nappies there are, how they work and how to wash them.
First things first: it's important to understand the basic components that make up a cloth nappy. So let's jump right in!
Cloth nappies can be divided into 5 main categories. The first category is known as all-in-one, or AIO.
These are the kind of nappies that look most like disposable nappies — they have an absorbent inner core and a waterproof outer layer all in one piece. There is no assembly involved; just slip them on your baby and go! The downside of these type of nappies is that they generally take longer to dry because the pieces can't be separated.
Next up is the pocket nappy. These have separate inserts that go in to an opening at the back of the nappy. Once assembled they have all the great benefits of an all-in-one meaning they're easy to use but they're quicker drying because the inserts are separate allowing better airflow. Pockets do require some preparation after washing so you will need to "stuff" them after drying but they still remain the most popular nappy style.
Moving on to all-in-two, or AI2, nappies. Just as it sounds the nappy comes in two parts, a waterproof cover and an absorbent insert that normally snaps in to place before being used. There are more “parts” with this style but it’s a much cheaper and more versatile system overall. The nappy covers can be reused up to 4 times with a fresh insert saving you money and reducing your washing load.
The last two styles are “2 part nappies” either a fitted nappy and wrap or traditional flat nappy and wrap.
For fitted nappies the whole thing is absorbent and really packs a punch! Perfect for over night with a suitable wrap. These tend to be more expensive and slower drying options but as they’re mainly used for night time you only need a few to see you through.
Flats have a bit more variety and come in more absorbent options such as, traditional terry squares or thinner options like cotton birdseye flats. These need a wrap and a fleece liner to keep your baby’s bottom dry. Fleece liners are a stay dry fabric the sit between your baby’s bottom and the material of the nappy - they also help to catch poo!
Flats are by far the cheapest way to use cloth nappies and although they can initially be fiddly they are easily learnt. Our YouTube channel is full of useful tutorials on how to fold and use flat nappies.
Now you have an idea of all the different nappy styles you have probably swayed towards one that will suit your needs. If you haven’t then don’t worry! We’ve helped hundreds of families pick out the right cloth nappy for them and we’ll help you too. Fill in our quick cloth nappy advice questionnaire and you’ll get an in-depth personalised plan to suit you.
Once you get your nappies you’re going to want to jump straight in to using them so let’s go over how to take care of them.
First up... What to do with the poo! This seems like the most daunting part but it’s no big deal. If your baby is exclusively milk fed (breast, formula or combi) then there’s no need to do anything but store and wash - the washing machine takes care of it all. If your baby is weaning and eating solids then you’ll need to do some prep work.
There are many methods to remove poo and they’re all about as glamorous as each other. You can dunk in the toilet, swish and hold under the flush, use a hose or shower head to spray it off or opt for a poo spoon/knife to scrape it off (just be sure to make it obvious it’s for the bathroom and not for eating with). You need to remove the worst of it and anything - how shall I put this... - lumpy? Then it gets stored and wash like normal.
If you’ve opted for velcro waist fastenings then make sure you stick the velcro down on to the laundry tab when you remove a dirty nappy. This stops the velcro catching on laundry in the washing machine which could get in a tangle or cause damage.
Now for the star of the show... The wash routine! Keep this really simple and you’ll be golden. Here’s what you need to do:
- Store dirty nappies for 2-3 days in a large wet bag or basket
- Empty all nappies, wipes and bags in to the machine
- Run a quick wash (30 minutes or so) to remove the worst of the soiling
- Put it on a long cottons wash (about 2 hours) with a full dose of powder detergent
- Dry
That’s literally it, the washing machine does everything for you. There’s no soaking buckets, scrubbing or boiling - simply choose your setting and press go.
Voilà ! You’re all done and ready to reuse.
Fitting your nappy
When it comes time to fit your first cloth nappy you’ll notice a few things are different from disposables. Firstly, rise snaps.
Rise snaps are the poppers or snaps on the front of the nappy that adjust the length. For the smallest setting (around 10lbs) you close them all up so it’s as short as it will go, it stays this way for around 1 year depending on your baby’s size and shape. Once it starts feeling too short you go up a rise and continue to do this until potty training. Unlike disposable nappies you’ll only need 1 set of cloth nappies that simply adjust in size as your baby grows.
Around the waist you will likely find a popper fastening which is the most common option for reusable nappies but there are some velcro (hook & loop) nappies available. It’s a fastening that is easily learnt but the main thing to remember is to keep the tummy loose! It sounds strange but trust me on this one, reusable nappies are designed to have a tummy gap so that it’s super comfortable for them to wear.
Now the last things to remember are to keep the nappy low and in the groin. All this means it that the back of the nappy only sits just above the bum and the leg elastics are more like a pair of underwear so they get tucked in to the “knicker line”. If you’ve used disposable nappies you’re likely used to a very high fitting design but it’s quite the opposite with cloth.
What on earth do you do when you’re out and you need to change a cloth nappy? Well, it’s quite simple really… There is a reusable alternative to everything so just like you have disposable nappy sacks we have reusable ones called wet bags.
Wet bags provide a waterproof and mess free place to pop all of your days nappies while you’re out of the house. If little one is weaning then try to remove solids like you would at home or simply roll it up and deal with it when you’re back.
Oh, and no, they don’t smell!
I hope that covers everything on your mind but for an in depth look at everything cloth nappy make sure you check out our YouTube video which will guide you through every step of the way.
Check out our other blogs, videos and social media for guides and advice on all things cloth nappies.
🧷 Download your FREE guide to reusable nappies here https://mailchi.mp/e5003d9722c1/free-nappy-guide
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]]>Whether you're an experienced cloth nappy user or not the idea of folding nappies can be daunting but we’re here to tell you that it’s actually really easy. We’ve put together 3 of the simplest and most reliable folds to get you started the right way.
What you’ll need…
You’ve decided that you want to give muslins a go but what do you need?
Let me start by saying that you really only need one muslin to get you started. If you’re unsure or just want to trial them then grab a couple to test them out and see what you think. You can always go back for more once you’re confident in using them. You could also hire everything you need to use flats full time if you don’t want to invest in everything new.
The Jo fold
The first and most common fold we’re talking about is the Jo fold. It’s arguably the most used fold for newborn babies and it offers great containment and a trim fit.
Start by laying your muslin square out flat, next you want to take one of the points in the outer corner and bring that in to the middle of the square. Repeat for all 4 corners until you have a smaller square. Alternatively you can do this by starting with the square out flat, folding in half and half again.
Now you have this smaller square you want to fold it in to 3 by taking the left or right hand side and folding it by a third, repeat with the other side and you should have a long rectangle
All that’s left to do is open up the back half slightly by fanning out the folds to create a space where your baby’s bottom will sit. Lay your fleece liner on top, pull up between the legs and secure in place. Cover with your wrap and you're good to go.Â
For a visual guide on all of these folds watch this tutorial:
The Jelly Roll fold
The Jelly Roll is a go to fold for excellent containment! Again, you start with your muslin out flat and fold the corners in to create a smaller square - you will likely need to fold a portion down at the front to make it shorter. Lay your fleece liner in the centre of the square and you're ready to fit it.
Place your baby's bottom at the back of the muslin and begin to roll up the front corners/sides. You will slowly roll inwards taking more of the side fabric as you go and creating a kind of triangular shape with the muslin. Fold up between the legs and secure in place - covering with our wrap.
Pad fold
Without a doubt the easiest way to use a muslin that will work for children of all ages - you don't even need a nappy fastener! Start by laying your muslin flat and pulling in the corners as we have done before - you can also use the method we talked about previously where you fold it in half 2 times. Now fold that in to three to create 1 long rectangle and that's it!Â
You can adjust the length by folding a front section over before folding in to 3. Place your liner on top and simply lay everything flat inside your wrap. It's ready to put on your baby just like that.
That's our 3 easy ways to use muslins on a newborn baby and this is a perfect way to get started with newborn cloth nappies - it's really cheap and affordable plus they dry super fast.
Check out our other blog posts, YouTube videos and social media channels for guides and advice on all things cloth nappies.
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]]>Our cloth nappy journey started when our littlest one was born. We took the plunge and started to use our hired newborn stash as soon as we got home from the hospital and fell in love with everything cloth nappy!
When T was 5 months old I decided to go to Hungary for 3 weeks with the kids to visit my family whom I've not seen for over two years at that point due to various lockdowns.Â
This is where the dilemma started...
Should I buy some disposable nappies over there? Should I take cloth? If I take cloth, which ones would be the best? My choice fell on the easiest, most versatile and cheapest option, FLAT NAPPIES!!
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Flat nappies are an amazing way to use cloth while traveling. They can be easily adjusted to daytime or night time by boosting it, they dry super fast, easy to hand wash if needed and super cheap.
I bought 6 birdseye cotton flats to add to my already existing 6 and took 4 cotton terries too. That's 16 nappies in total which means I only had to wash every second day.
As these nappies are super slim, they hardly took up any space in my luggage!Â
Now I only had to decide on what covers should I take.
Knowing that my mum will want to give cloth nappies a try I took mainly Velcro fastening nappies. As cotton flats are super slim even pad folded I took a few empty pocket shells as well as wraps for ease of use. I also took some bamboo and hemp inserts to boost the nappies if needed and for night time.
As we use terries at nights at home, I knew that we'll need a bamboo booster for them. I also took our favourite wool cover for the night nappy which I washed and lanolised just before we went so I didn't have to worry about washing it while in Hungary.Â
Now that I had all the flat nappies, empty pocket shells, wraps and boosters/inserts packed it was time for us to go!Â
The first part of our trip was fairly straightforward and easy. We stayed with my dad and used their washing machine, bought some Ariel powder googled the machines settings and got on with our normal wash routine. As we went at the end of July/ beginning of August it was super hot, 35-38 degrees, and all the flat nappies were dry within hours of washing them!Â
The second part of our trip is where it became interesting...
We rented accommodation by lake Balaton for a few days with my mum. There wasn't any washing machine or a laundrette anywhere near, so I had to hand wash the flat nappies and covers. I bought some washing powder in the local Tesco and hoped for the best!
As Theo was still only breastfeeding at this point I didn't have to worry about getting rid of the poo. We gave the nappies a quick rinse if the shower every morning and night (basically everyone had a shower with the nappies in the bath and filled the bath to about 1/3 with the recommended amount of detergent for hand wash then started the workout!
Who knew hand washing nappies is a good workout?
After the squeezing, squishing, rubbing I emptied the tub, squeezed as much water out as I could, then filled the tub with clean water without detergent and rinsed the nappies.
We always did the washing either last thing at night or first thing in the morning so we can hang the nappies outside straight away.
During the summer months it's always above 20-25 degrees in Hungary, even through the night. With the summer sun all the flat nappies were dry within hours and hand washing them was a real experience!
I would definitely do it all over again, and choose to travel with cloth!
Check out our other blog posts, YouTube videos and social media channels for guides and advice on all things cloth nappies.
🧷 Download your FREE guide to reusable nappies here.
❓ Fill in our personalised nappy advice questionnaire here.
]]>We started our cloth nappy journey when Dexter was around seven months old and I very quickly fell in love with it… my husband might say borderline obsessed, but with such beautiful prints and amazing brands, who can blame me?!
As my maternity leave came to an end I was keen to find a nursery that would support us in using cloth nappies. I was pleasantly surprised that all of the nurseries I looked around were more than happy to give it a go, even if they’ve never had a cloth bum baby before! Don’t be afraid to ask your setting, after all, it’s your baby and their needs must be met by the setting. And if that need is cloth… then so be it!
How to help support your nursery or childcare setting...
I found the cloth nappy fit guide super helpful on the Peanut and Poppet website and sent a copy in with Dexter’s nappies so the staff could familiarise themselves with how to fit the nappies.
We have a variety of brands and types of nappies including terrys, two part systems, pockets and all-in-ones and I’m not going to lie, some are easier to use and fit than others! For nursery I found pockets and all-in-ones the best to send in. I’d make sure the pockets were pre-stuffed and lined with a disposable liner and then popped them in a nappy pod. For a full day at nursery I usually pack 6 nappies – it’s always better to overpack than underpack! Our go to nappies for nursery are Fiyyah Pokkit, Modern Cloth Nappies Pearl AIO and Yoho & Co pockets.
Storing your nappies...
You can’t go wrong with a Little Lovebum nappy pod – plently of room to pop your nappies and a wet bag. I also love using the EcoNaps Day Tripper bag which had more than enough room for nappies, a wet bag and the fifty-seven thousand changes of clothes Dexter needs for a day at nursery! Some nurseries will ask for individual wet bags for each nappy but mine were happy to just pop everything in one! I always said if they weren’t sure what to do with the nappy to just take it off and put it straight in the bag… a pooey nappy doesn’t phase you after a while does it?!
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It does take some settings a bit of getting used to using cloth, but our experience has been so positive! Dexter has started a new nursery recently due to me being back on maternity leave and they were super enthusiastic to have another baby in cloth!
Check out our other blog posts, YouTube videos and social media channels for guides and advice on all things cloth nappies.
🧷 Download your FREE guide to reusable nappies here.
❓ Fill in our personalised nappy advice questionnaire here.
]]>It might seem complex, but we promise it's actually just laundry - and you'll be doing plenty of that with a newborn anyway.
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Here are 5 top tips for using cloth with a newborn.
1) Just get started
It's easy to be overwhelmed by all the well-meant but conflicting advice out there and procrastinate trying your first cloth nappy. Cut out the noise, choose one reliable source of information such as Peanut and Poppet, pick up a nappy from your collection and pop it on baby. The best way to get to grips with cloth and really understand it is to try it out for yourself.
2) Try a variety
Rather than stocking up on just one brand ahead of baby's arrival, hire a kit or buy a few different types (all in ones, all in twos, pockets, flats, whatever takes your fancy) to experiment with. There's nothing worse than having twenty nappies in the same style only to find that they're not a great fit for your little one! If you're buying rather than hiring, invest in a small number and build up your stash once you've found out what works best. It's worth knowing that most 'birth to potty' (BTP) nappies actually don't fit a lot of babies until around 10lb, so it's a good idea to get your hands on some specific newborn nappies for this stage. Some BTPs are a smaller fit, for example Crakadacks and Designer Bums, so you'll be able to use those relatively quickly.Â
3) Trust your instincts
Just because something has worked for your friend or is mentioned as the best option doesn't necessarily mean it's right for you. A lot of people love using muslins with a wrap (nappy cover) for the newborn stage, but I knew I didn't want to be mastering folds while learning to care for my first baby. Do what appeals to you and what will fit your lifestyle. For us, that was a mix of all in twos and pockets.
4) It doesn't have to be all or nothing
It's easy to feel like if you don't use cloth all the time, you're letting the planet down. Remember that even if you're using one cloth nappy a day, you're still saving 365 disposables from landfill every year, so don't be hard on yourself. Maybe you want to ease yourself in with reusable wipes first, or just cloth during the day or when you're at home. If it gets overwhelming, it's fine to step back to the disposables until you're ready to try again. There are no medals to be won here, so take the pressure off yourself!Â
5) It's just laundry
Comments from friends such as 'wow you're brave' can make using cloth seem like a complicated, time consuming thing you have to be incredibly courageous to attempt. It's actually just a bit more laundry! This is particularly the case for the newborn stage as all pre-weaning poop can go straight in the washing machine with no need to rinse first. Find a simple washing routine that works for you and skip the daily prewash - it's not necessary and is only going to bump up your electricity bill.
If in doubt, reach out - the cloth community is full of friendly folk who will be more than happy to check your nappy fit or suggest ways to avoid leaks if you get them. Hopefully this has helped to make you feel more confident about using reusable nappies with your new baby.Â
Join the Peanut and Poppet community Facebook group for chat, advice and support from other cloth users.
Make sure you check out our YouTube videos and social media channels for more guides and advice on all things cloth nappies.
🧷 Download your FREE guide to reusable nappies here.
❓ Fill in our personalised nappy advice questionnaire here.
]]>Whether you're an eco warrior or just looking to save a bit of money, cloth nappies are the way to go for your baby's bum. You need to have a few things for cloth nappies to be successful. We'll cover the basics here so you can get off to the very best start.
First and foremost, you need nappies, obviously...     Â
How many you need depends on how often you want to do laundry. The more nappies you have, the less often you need to wash them and vice versa.
For newborns who go through a lot of nappies (8-12 in 24 hours), you’ll want 25-30 nappies to use cloth full time.
Older babies will use less than that so if you're starting a little later then aiming for around 20 one-size nappies is a good starting point. One-size nappies fit from around 10lbs+ - or roughly 2 months.
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The next thing you need is cloth wipes.
They do a much better job than disposable wipes and if you're washing nappies it just makes sense to wash wipes too. 20 - 25 reusable wipes will see you through a 2 day wash routine. If you’re using them from birth you will want a few extra for the newborn stage.
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This set up is based on one baby and washing every 2 days. As your baby gets older and has less nappy changes per day it will stretch to 3 days. Of course if you prefer to wash every 3 days then you can, you'll just need a little more of everything to see you through. If you have multiples then you'll need to multiply by the number of children you have.
It may seem like a lot but you are essentially buying a lifetime supply of nappies, wipes and bags! Compared to the cost of disposable nappies and wipes you will save a small fortune. To put it in to perspective a baby will go through around 4500 disposable nappies before toilet training.
Quick shopping list:
That’s it! To get started all you really need is one nappy, just try one, get the experience and build up your entire stash from there.
A quick note to add that you will likely need some increased absorbency when your child starts sleeping through the night / isn’t having a nappy change at night anymore. Keep an eye out for upcoming content specifically on night nappies.
Make sure you check out our YouTube videos and social media channels for guides and advice on all things cloth nappies.
🧷 Download your FREE guide to reusable nappies here.
âť“Â Fill in our personalised nappy advice questionnaire here.
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