Cloth Nappies - my tried-and-tested little baby system

As I mentioned in my last post, we copied our nappy system directly from my sister. The way we work it could be applied to any nappies, but the specific types of nappies are a big part of what has made it successful (and leakproof – not an attribute I take lightly!) for us. Different people prefer different nappies (which is why there are so many kinds) but these are the ones that get my tick of approval right now.

Note that the Snazzipants fitted nappies we use are quite bulky on very wee babies so it took about five weeks before we hit our stride (smaller babies might take longer still). We mostly used disposables at the beginning. We did have two adorable Omaiki newborn nappies which we used in the early days, and also had some prefolds and Snappies we planned to use but never really got that system working. If we have a round two I think I’d be tempted to get some more newborn-specific ones.

Stuff you'll need for this system: 

Snazzipants fitteds (size 1; 20-24 nappies)

Thirsties Duo Wrap covers (size 1; 6 covers)

Boosters for overnight (any kind; we have 3, unsure of brand but similar to this)

Nappy bin (we have this illustrious model) and liner or standalone wetbag

1-2 small wet bags for out and about

Cloth wipes (about 24, or stick with disposable if you prefer)

A washing machine!

(All links are to products I have or the closest equivalent I can find. I recommend shopping around on price and definitely check out secondhand as well)

Using the nappies:

The fitted and cover system means you have to put on (and take off) two layers for each nappy change. The fitted inner works just like a disposable, with velcro tabs – and the cover is much the same, but you want to make sure all the bits of the fitted inner are completely inside the cover. If bits are sticking out the leg or the top then once the nappy is wet it’ll wick onto the baby’s clothes.

If using cloth wipes just wet a wipe before each nappy change. We keep our stack of wipes in the bathroom beside Young Sir’s bedroom so we can run them under the tap. Some people keep a spray bottle handy or you can even make your own cleaning solution and pre-wet them all and keep in a dispenser.

When we change nappies we dump the dirty nappy and cloth (and cover if soiled) into our lined nappy bin, put the new nappy and cover on the small person and Bob’s your Aunty! We alternate covers, just keeping two in circulation at a time, which gives them a chance to dry and air between uses, though this is optional.

When the nappy bin is nearing full or we only have a few clean nappies left (every 2-3 days, erring towards 3 most of the time) we remove the wet bag liner from the bin, tote it down to the laundry and upend the whole thing into our washing machine. We have a front loader which makes the upending a little tricker than for a top loader, but it is still definitely possibly to not touch the nappies! We usually run a 30 degree everyday wash (though we probably could pinch more pennies and do mostly cold washes) with about half as much washing powder as recommended on the box (we just use regular old Surf powder from the supermarket). Then stick ‘em on the line – or in the dryer if you’d rather.

The fitteds take longer than clothes to dry but we have mostly managed to avoid using the dryer. However, we do often need to hang them on an airer inside to finish – so I velcro them all together on the line and just peg either end so I can remove the nappy bunting as one piece and hang inside very quickly. Usually on an airer but when we were staying with family recently I couldn't find one and this happened:

Why I like these specific nappies:

The Snazzipants fitteds are a snug fit with elasticated legs so seem to hold almost everything in. Because they’re separate from the waterproof shell they don’t take too long to dry and they’re not too costly compared with some. They’re readily available secondhand on TradeMe or new from Brolly Sheets. They are a two-size system which means each size is reasonably versatile (though we have found our size one nappies aren’t exactly the same size, so some take slightly more adjusting to get properly covered up).

The Thirsties covers are also a two-size system and can adjust up and down through use of sizing domes – so if you are more adept than us at putting prefolds on a newborn they work perfectly for that as well (or even as a bonus layer of protection over a disposable). They have a gusseted leg which means a better (more leakproof) fit around skinny wee thighs. And they come in plenty of cute designs!

Tips for success:

• Make sure all the cloth bits are inside the waterproof cover each time to avoid leaks
•  Fold the Velcro tabs back on themselves and stick them down before putting nappies in the wash – this stops them all sticking to each other as they jumble around in the machine and helps them last longer
• Wet bags and covers will retain their useful waterproofness longer if they don’t go in the dryer or very hot washes. Because they dry quite quickly we’ve never had an issue getting these dry on the line or on a rack inside if the weather’s bad
• Wet bags are waterproof and therefore may still have a bit of water in them at the end of the wash – hold them upside down away from you before hanging to avoid getting wet! 
• If you buy nappies new you usually have to soak them first to make them more absorbent 

We anticipate that one Young Sir eats real food (changes the output!) and can crawl (i.e. escape) we might want a one piece system - but this one will last for a good while yet.

Have you tried any cloth nappies? What did you think?