Cloth Nappies - the Essentials

So you are considering going with cloth nappies... What else do you need to get a system set up? Well, here is what I recommend. It always helps to see how others do it. I think anyway :P

Pail - Personally, I use a dry pail. I do NOT like the idea of a big wet yuck mess fermenting in babes room or in the laundry. Plus, its easier. We have a large stainless steel pedal bin with a pail liner in it. Every now and then I air out the pail between washes, and sometimes use a drop or two of tea tree oil in it to freshen it up.

Pail liner - I recommend Planet Wise - arrgghh they are so good. I got a couple online when I was in the States. And they are worth the money. For several reasons. Firstly, they don't leak, so you don't need to constantly clean out your pail. Secondly, they make the whole process easier, because you can empty the bag into the washing machine and chuck the bag in too. And they dry easily. Definitely stoked that I found these. Oh, and they come in cute colors haha. My tip, is get two. That way, while one is being washed, the second one can be in the pail, collecting naps.

Wet bag - If you want to leave the house, these are the practical and eco-friendly way of storing a used nappy till you get home. I have heaps, as each of my Pea Pods came with one. If your nappies don't come with one, you can always buy them online from most nappy companies.

Wipes - I have already mentioned that I use cloth wipes. It started mostly just because its easier to have one spot that the nappies and wipes go into. It streamlines the process so to speak. Then, when she was a newborn I used some of the packet wipes that we were gifted. And eww they were so strong smelling and so full of chemicals. Now I am really glad we use the cloth wipes. I got mine from Marley's Monsters on Etsy.

Spray bottle - gotta wet that butt somehow right?

Bum wipe goo - there are sooo many different solutions you can look up on Pinterest. Here is whats in mine:
3 drops of lavender oil
3 drops of tea tree oil
1 C coconut oil
1 C water
3 drops of eco friendly baby body wash

Hanging pegs - you know those things that hang and have all the little hanging pegs? They make the drying of the cloth wipes WAY easier.

Strip Wash - I haven't used ours yet, but I have read its pretty essential to get old detergent out of the fabric. 

Clothes Horse - I think this is a super handy way to dry your nappies. When the weather is nice it can stay outside, and if the weather gets crap you just bring them in. You can fit a lot onto it, and it folds up and doesn't take any space up. I would definitely recommend one of these.

 An indoor, outdoor solution - super easy!

Onesie extenders - we use "Onesie Bummsies" - while the idea of using onesie extenders wasn't totally up my street, they are much more a) economical and b) practical than Sophie growing out of onesies early because of the size of cloth nappies. Now that we have the extenders we use them most days, it's just easier that way!

 Extenders in action

Laundry powder - some people recommend special nappy or diaper detergents, but I just use plain old eco-friendly washing powder. And I have no complaints.

Sprayer Thing - Um, so I don't have one of these but lots of people swear by them. Let me know if use one - I would love to hear what you think. 

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Hmmm... Am I missing anything? I can't think. I feel like I have covered all the extra little things. I am sure as soon as I press publish I will think of something else haha. Do you cloth diaper? Is there anything extra you need on hand to help out with the nappies?

Two months in... Cloth Nappies!

If you recall, in my final weeks of pregnancy I blogged about my cloth nappy anxiety. I say anxiety but it was more aimed at joking how my very pregnant mind stressing about anything I could focus on. Well, its been two months, and lots of people have been asking how I am finding them so here is an update!

First of all, well there was no need to stress because I love using them! Sophie has been in them since she was 2 weeks old. My biggest piece of advice about cloth nappies would be - they are only nappies - it really isn't a big deal. Once you get a system sorted they are the easiest thing ever.

What Sophie Wears

When we first started using them she was in Charlie Banana XS, Bumgenius NB and XS. She has just outgrown them (at 2 months) and is now in "one size" (OS) nappies from Pea Pods, Designer Bums, Little Angels, and Baby Trenz.

Sophie's first day in cloth nappies at two weeks old. These are BumGenius in XS.

Looking very small - in a pair of XS FuzziBunz

One of her first smiles in XS Charlie Bananas.

Her first time in OSFA nappies, these are Pea Pods. She wore both newborn and the onesize for awhile, but was in the OS pairs solely from 2 months.

In a OS soft minky pair from Baby Trenz.

One of my favorite patterns, strawberries from Little Angel nappies.

My other favorite pattern - a OS pair from Designers Bums!

We have been using cloth wipes from Marleys Monsters on Etsy. I am super happy with how they have worked out, and am happy not to be coating babes butt in chemicals every time we wipe!  

Our Nappy "Process"

When Soph needs a change we use cloth wipes. We spray the wipe with a homemade solution and do what needs to be done. 

The cloth and the nappy go straight into the nappy bag. I use a wet bag in a stainless steel pedal bin. The bag and bin act as a dry pail.

Every third morning the bag gets emptied into the washing machine, and then the bag is chucked in too.

The washing cycle is as follows, 

Rinse x 2 - 17 minutes

Daily cycle at 60 deg C plus EcoStore laundry powder - 55 minutes

Rinse and spin x 2 - 29 minutes 

Then they are hung outside in the sun all day - the sun takes out any stains in the fabric. 

Our drying rack - its amazing what the sun does to marks!

Do you use cloth wipes? Are you considering using them? What is your wash system? I would love to hear any tips you have?