Modern Cloth Nappies
It can be confusing when you're trying to decide which nappy system to use. Hello, Charlie! founder, Vanessa Layton, answers some of our most frequently asked questions about nappies. Vanessa, a working mother, has always used a combination of cloth and eco disposables. As ever, if you're still unsure of what you need, please phone us on 1300 725 876 or email us at info@hellocharlie.com.au. We're here to help you find the best products for you and your baby!
Why do we stock Motherease cloth nappies?
When I was pregnant with my first baby, I was determined to use cloth nappies. My mother had used them on us, and I saw no reason to do any differently with my children. My husband, however, didn't agree. He had no time for what he called 'origami' nappies that needed complicated folds and pins, so the search for a compromise was on. We were living in the UK, and found a service that hired out different types of cloth nappies on a trial basis. We tried no less than twenty different kinds of cloth nappies.
Motherease nappies were the clear winner. They are one size fits all, and shaped like an ordinary disposable with durable easy pop fasteners. They were so easy to use that my husband, in the manner of all converts, was soon boring all our friends at dinner parties with stories of how fantastic they were. We began to use them in combination with the Bambo Nature eco disposable nappies (see About Us for how we discovered Bambo Nature nappies).
When we took our young son travelling around Europe in a campervan for six months, our Motherease cloth nappies came with us. When we couldn't get to a washing machine, we handwashed them and hung them outside our van to dry.
When our second son arrived, out came the nappies again. He's nearly two now, so that's five years we've been using our original 24 Motherease cloth nappies, and I've promised them to my brothers for when they have children! Of the 24 nappies, there's only one nappy that's got anything wrong with it, and that's one slightly chewed popper that took the passing fancy of one of our Jack Russell puppies! That's great value and eco friendly by anyone's standards.
We now use our Motherease cloth nappies part time in combination with the Bambo Nature eco disposable nappies, as our youngest son wears disposables at daycare.
So many people ask me to recommend a brand of cloth nappies, we're now stocking my personal favourites, MotherEase cloth nappies in order to make life as easy as possible for you and your new baby!
What will I need?
1. Nappy
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The first thing you need is a nappy. We stock the Mother-ease™ One-size™ Nappy, because they really are a one-size-fits-all nappy. They can be folded down for a newborn, and expanded for an older baby.
We stock them in different fabrics:
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2. Booster pads
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Snap-In Liners™ |
The second thing you may need are some booster pads for extra absorbency. Very useful for night time use or for heavy wetters. Snap-In Liners™ attach to the nappy with poppers, or you may use a Sandy's Liner™ which simply sits loosely in the nappy.
The boosters are available in small or large sizes, and are also available in different fabrics:
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Sandy's Liner™ |
3. Liners
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Reusable Stay-Dry Liners |
The third thing you'll need are liners. Liners are placed on top of the booster, and allows wetness to pass through and away from baby's skin. Liners collect solids for easy disposal, and make washing nappies much easier.
You can choose from reusable or flushable liners.
If you're using a flushable liner, simply flush the liner and the poo down the toilet. With reusables, take a firm hold on the liner, dunk it in the toilet bowl a couple of times, then flush the poo away and wash with your nappies.
Liners should also be used with disposable nappies, and the poo flushed down your toilet, rather than thrown into your bin. |
Flushable Liners |
4. Waterproof cover
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Air-flow™ Cover |
Finally, you'll need some waterproof covers. These are designed to be breathable and waterproof, so that wet nappies don't mean wet clothes.
Outer wraps don't need to be washed at every nappy change, only when they are soiled. You should be able to use one or two wraps a day. Washing too often can mean that their waterproof material can be damaged.
If it's a warm day, your baby won't need to wear a waterproof wrap, and can simply wear a nappy and perhaps a t-shirt.
Mother-ease™ covers come in two designs, the main difference being the fasteners. Air-flow™ Covers have durable poppers, like the nappies, and the Rikki™ cover has an Aplix™ (similar to Velcro™) fastening. |
Rikki™ cover |
How many nappies will I need?
How often do you plan on using cloth nappies? Are you planning on combining cloth with disposables?
Trial Pack
If you're not sure about using cloth nappies, why not start with a trial pack? One nappy plus one waterproof wrap will give you an idea of how MotherEase cloth nappies work, and whether you think you'd like to upgrade to a larger pack.
Starter Pack
Planning on using cloth nappies during the day only? Even using one cloth nappy a day will help the environment, and save you money.
- 4 nappies
- 1 cover (plain)
- 2 boosters
Part-time Pack
Enough nappies to get you through three days of part time use. Wash every two days to ensure you don't run out of nappies.
- 12 nappies
- 3 covers (2 plain, 1 print)
- 6 boosters
Full-time Pack
Allows full time use when washing every two days.
- 24 nappies
- 4 covers (2 plain, 2 print)
- 12 boosters
Convenience Pack
Allows full time use with washing every three days.
- 36 nappies
- 6 covers (3 plain, 3 print)
- 16 boosters
How do we care for our cloth nappies?
1. Collect poo in the liner. If you're using a biodegradable liner, simply flush the liner and the poo down the toilet. If you're using a reusable liner, or if there is poo on the nappy, simply hold the nappy firmly, dunk it in the toilet bowl a few times then flush the poo away.
2. You can either rinse the nappies and keep them in a waterproof nappy bag until you're ready to wash, or you can use a soak bucket.
3. Soak the nappies until you have a full load, adding a few drops of tea tree and lavender oils to deodorise and provide natural anti-bacterial protection.
4. Wash the nappies at 40 degrees. You can wash them at 60 degrees, but it's not always necessary. You'll need to use an eco friendly washing powder, too. The nappy wraps do not need to be washed after every change. In fact, it is better to wash them less often as too much washing can damage the waterproof material.
5. Hang your nappies on the line or buy a clothes horse for wet weather. Hanging your nappies in the sun will naturally bleach any stains. You can tumble dry cloth nappies, but try not to except in emergencies. Consider buying more nappies than you need so that you always have some clean.
How often do we change our baby?
Paediatricians recommend that newborn babies are changed 10-12 times per day (i.e. every 2-3 hours). As your baby gets older, they'll only need to be changed 6-8 times a day, depending on how wet your baby gets, how sensitive his skin is, and whether they have nappy rash. Always make sure that you change your baby immediately that they have a dirty nappy.
It's a good idea to let your baby have some 'nappy free' time every day. In the warmer months, outside in the shade is ideal. In winter, just before bath time is probably best!
What do I use for wipes?
Cotton wool and water is all that a newborn baby really needs.
You may find later that you'd like to use disposable wipes, and you can rest assured that all the disposable wipes that we stock are ones that I have used on my own babies and am happy with.
You may decide, especially if you are using cloth nappies, that you'd like to use reusable, washable wipes. I always used face washers in different colours (one colour for wet nappies, one for dirty nappies, and another colour for wipes hands and faces), but you can just as easily use terry wipes or cut up muslin squares.
I used to wash mine, and indeed still do, in with the cloth nappies, and hang them to dry in the sunshine. I'd then put them into a big glass bowl, pour boiling water over the top and add a few drops of tea tree and lavender oils, then wring them out and pop them into a Tupperware container to grab when I need them. If I'm disorganised, I simply wet them and use the damp cloths as they are. The great thing is that you can use the cloths later for general cleaning and wiping up spills.
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