Using cloth nappies

I'm currently pregnant and i'm thinking when bubs comes along i'd like to use cloth nappies. Just got a couple of questions.
How does everyone feel about cloth nappies are there benefits / negatives with cloth nappies vs disposable ones.
When did you start using cloth nappies?

Thanks in advance

With 2 in nappies at the same time cost is the biggest factor for us. I don't have a huge stash, I wash every day so that kept the cost down.

I started using them when my girls were 4 months, they were prem so too small for them until then.

I've actually started using disposables quite a bit now my girls are older and holding on to their wee, had a few leaks but I'm planning to toilet train soon so not worth investing in any different MCN's or boosters etc. But the weekly cost is killing me! So glad I used cloth!

Edited by Danda08

I used cloth nappies from birth. I had a newborn hire kit from Jan at YoYo nappies which was brilliant, and then from about three months we started using a combination of bamboo fitteds and covers, and pocket nappies.

I'm a waste management consultant so the landfill issue and the waste of resources used in making disposables were the biggest issue for me. I wasna going to be a hypocrite after all my years of telling people they should be using cloth nappies! We've used disposables on occasion, but have probably gone through three packs in 20 months. We don't use wipes either - cloths and soapy water.

don't believe anybody who quotes that UK study at you, saying that overall when considering washing the environmental impact is similar. It was totally discredited and was based on washing nappies in 90 degree water or something ridiculous, and drying them in a dryer every time.

Also bear in mind that if unless biodegradable nappies are composted, the order of preference would be cloth - disposables - biodegradable nappies absolute last option. few people know this. the manufacturers don't exactly go out of their way to clarify it either.

because... the big issue with landfills is that they are anaerobic (no oxygen). When biodegradable waste breaks down anaerobically, it lets off methane. Methane is, approximately (mfe are about to change their conversation factor) 21 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than CO2.

so, if you're going to be sticking stuff in a landfill, it's better if it's not biodegradable, so disposables are better.

I wish the manufacturers of biodegradable nappies (and the retailers, for that matter) would be more informative about this, because otherwise the outcome is people like you who think you're doing the right thing, but in actual fact are likely to have a bigger impact than if you just used disposables.

But then I guess they'd not sell as many, cos how many people are really honestly going to compost a poo-ey nappy. And they are actually quite difficult to compost as well.

edited: to correct spelling and apologise for the techy lecture. Good on you for trying to do the right thing - I'm pissed off at the manufacturers and retailers though.

Edited by lisame

Wombles wrote: Thank you for your help. The main reasons for wanting to use cloth nappies is 1. the cost of disposable but the main reason 2. is I really hate making lots of rubbish and I'm not keen on having to put all those nappies in the landfill (currently our rubbish only goes out every 2nd or 3rd week).

I use cloth but for the first 6 weeks and every time I put a supermarket bag full of nappies into my rubbish bag I was cursing and muttering about waste. I went from a bag every 3 weeks to one a week!

For this alone you'll love cloth

AandCsmum wrote: Wombles wrote: Thank you for your help. The main reasons for wanting to use cloth nappies is 1. the cost of disposable but the main reason 2. is I really hate making lots of rubbish and I'm not keen on having to put all those nappies in the landfill (currently our rubbish only goes out every 2nd or 3rd week). I use cloth but for the first 6 weeks and every time I put a supermarket bag full of nappies into my rubbish bag I was cursing and muttering about waste. I went from a bag every 3 weeks to one a week! For this alone you'll love cloth

So, so true! We usually put out one bag/week of rubbish but with the girls in disposables more often now that has doubled and it STINKS!! And that's with still using cloth part-time, imagine how much it would be in full time sposies

We have used cloth for both kids and find them easy to use and wash, and have never had a problem with them getting smelly. I have always just stuck with pocket nappies (mostly fuzzibunz)as they are more cost effective for us - it meant I could have more and wash less! Also most of mine I have bought 2nd hand off trade me.
I wash in hot water and use a disinfectant rinse like dettol rinse, then pop them on the line or drying rack depending on weather.
It can be a bit of trial and error to find the right absorbancy for each child especially overnight, but we use a mix of bamboo, microfibre and prefolds to stuff them without any problems.
You do have to change them more regularly than a disposable (say every 2-3 hours) but in my opinion there is nothing worse than a child with disposable nappy so full it is hanging around there knees!
As a big plus, there is nothing cuter than a cloth nappy on a baby :)

Also if you are wanting to start from birth I would recommend prefolds to start (check out the snazzipants website). They are cheap and can fit any baby no matter how small. I used them on my two at the beginning and now use them to stuff my pocket nappies :)