Worcestershire Nappy Library

30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 17: Favourite Brand
Now this question is really the whole point of why nappy libraries exist; everyone's favourite brand will be different!
... There are lots of factors to consider when choosing the right reusable nappies for your family situation including:
* Cost * Fit * Drying time * Absorbency * Which nappy partners / family / childcare get along with * Aesthetics
This is not an exhaustive list, but are the main factors in finding the reusable nappy that works for your family
Which is why our nappy library kits contain a variety of brands which are available to buy new and preloved; pictured below is our BTP kit
So which brands of nappies did you find worked best for your child and why?
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 16: Cloth bumming more than one child at a time
This is actually simpler than it seems, if you already have an established routine before baby is born
... That's not to say that you HAVE to cloth bum from birth if you are already using cloth on older children; many families take time to adjust to the new addition before adding cloth to the mix, and others wait until newborn can fit into BTP nappies like the elder children to save on multiple sets
With 16 months between my two we found that we washed more frequently (in those short months I'd completely forgotten how many nappy changes a newborn goes through!) and although we had planned to just use the same nappies, it was actually easier to get a few more BTP and then set up the rise poppers for each child rather than change them every time
We have had clients who have clothed twins from birth, and volunteers who have had three in cloth at the same time, so where there's a will, there's a way!
Photo courtesy of the lovely Grace over at Cherubums - Cloth Nappy Library, Harrogate
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 15: Washing Line Photo
Who has managed to get a good washing line nappy photo during lockdown?!
... Share your picture on the post in our Nappy Natter group!
I cannot claim credit for the wonderful photo below, that was taken by one of our volunteers!
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 14: Storage of Dirty Wet Nappies
Again, this one will divide opinion as there are two options for this... Wet bag or bucket... Which do YOU prefer and why?
... Wet bags can be hung wherever you like for easy access during nappy changes; we hung ours on the back of the bathroom door away from nosy fingers, but close to the toilet so dirty nappies could be popped in quickly once solids were disposed of. Other families hang them on their changing tables, on the nursery door...
Buckets or bins can also be placed in an accessible place for you; some families leave them in the bathroom or utility room, others have a lockable lidded bucket in the nursery
Wet bags can be washed with the nappies, so no extra cleaning is required, plus they don't take up as much space, but you will need at least two large wetbags to rotate, so one can be filled whilst the other is washing and drying
Buckets will need to be cleaned out once the nappies have been emptied into the washing machine, but as this process doesn't take long, you would only need one bucket for the home
Many clients find that smells are reduced by leaving the lid off the bucket or the zip of the wet bag open (sounds counter productive, but it really does work!)
Make sure you have removed as much of the solids as possible before putting your used nappies into the wet bag or bucket; removing the inserts first can save you time later
Reusable nappies do NOT need to be soaked as this will affect the elastics and PUL on your nappies, so leave them dry in there until wash day...
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 13: How old was your child when you started using reusables?
With my eldest, we borrowed a BTP kit when he was 3 months old and then switched to reusables full time until he toilet trained at 2.5 years
... My youngest never wore a disposable nappy at all, as we were able to cloth bum from birth; that's her in the photo below, in her very first nappy!
There is no 'best' time to start using reusable nappies; some families start from birth, others wait until baby is big enough for BTP, yet others don't start until their child is one or even two years of age. We have had clients who just want to borrow the Toilet Support kit when their child is ready to toilet train
So remember, it's never too late to become a cloth bum family!
https://teammillsblog.wordpress.com/…/r eusable-nappies-clo…/
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 12: Nighttime Nappies
It might seem strange to talk about nappies in terms of 'day' nappies and 'night' nappies, but the truth is, you will probably need different nappies for daytime and nighttime
... Night nappies are designed to last 10-12 hours once baby is sleeping through the night. If your baby is still waking regularly for night feeds then you should expect to change partway through the night
For most children this will mean a two part system, which consists of a fitted or flat nappy with a separate wrap over the top, perhaps even some extra boosting between nappy and wrap
Night nappies can be more time intensive to put on than a day nappy, as they come in several parts which will each need to be fitted and adjusted separately, but it is worth the extra time for the extra containment that they offer
Some children can get away with pockets or AIOs overnight, but they are the minority, as overboosting day nappies can compromise the fit of the nappy, leading to leaks. And let's face it, noone wants to change the bed in the middle of the night!
There are lots of different combinations out there for night nappies. Borrow a kit (once the pandemic is over and we are allowed out again!) and trial a selection to see which nappies work for your child
http://www.uknappynetwork.org/map.html
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 11: Fitting
Reusable nappies fit differently to disposable nappies, so if making the switch then it can take a little time to adjust
... Start out with the back elastic of the nappy just above the bum crack, then 'fold' the front of the nappy into a V shape to bring up between the legs at the front
This helps to get the leg elastics into the knickerline, which will prevent leaks and chafing
Secure the poppers or Velcro at the front, allowing a two finger gap around the waist
Double check that the leg elastics are in the leg creases and voila!
Penny's fit video below shows you the process a lot better than I have explained it!
https://www.worcestershirenappylibrary.uk /fitting/
How long did it take you to get to grips with fitting a reusable nappy?
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 10: Favourite material
All reusable nappies are made up of the same basic components; absorbency within a waterproof layer
... When it comes to that absorbency, different materials are used with different properties
Microfibre is cheap and cheerful and doesn't need washing multiple times to increase absorbency; however, it doesn't hold much liquid compared to other materials and is bulky to boot, though it does dry relatively quickly as it is a synthetic fabric. Microfibre acts like a sponge when squeezed and can lead to compression leaks
Charcoal inserts come into the microfibre category as they are microfibre with charcoal fleece around them, so they hold the same amount as standard microfibre
Bamboo holds more liquid than microfibre and is slimmer, but it is more expensive to buy, and builds up absorbency over the first few washes, as do all natural fibres
Hemp is even more expensive, but holds more liquid even than bamboo. Again it is a natural fibre so needs lots of washing to build up absorbency if bought new, and can be stiff once dried. Hemp boosters are generally a 55% hemp / 45% cotton blend NOT pure hemp fibre
Cotton is cheap and cheerful and holds more liquid than microfibre; again it tends to be bulky but it can withstand washing at high temperatures if required, and will generally last the longest of all the materials mentioned; we have had clients who are using the cotton prefolds that their mums used on them when they were babies!
General rule of thumb is the more absorbent the material, the more liquid it will hold and therefore the longer it will take to dry. An increased surface area also helps to speed up the drying process, so a bamboo trifold that folds into three and unfolds again for drying will dry quicker than the equivalent amount of bamboo in a standard sized booster
Which combination of materials do you use in your nappies? Share below!
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 9: Biggest challenge
What was the biggest hurdle you faced when starting out with reusable nappies?
... One of the most common reasons we hear at the nappy library for not using reusables, or for only using part time is that childcare providers can't / won't use them
I'm a childminder who uses reusable nappies on my mindees, and there are even some nurseries who use reusables full time on their children, so it can be done! My own daughter went to nursery whilst in reusables and they were more than happy to accommodate our parental choice
The key is to be patient and to show your childcare provider how to fit and use reusable nappies correctly; the blog post below gives some tips to make the transition easier for all parties
https://teammillsblog.wordpress.com/…/c loth-nappies-childc…/
Was this a hurdle for your family? Or were there others that you had to overcome? Share your stories below
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 8: Nappy Rainbow
Let's brighten up today with pictures of your nappy rainbows! Pictured is a nappy rainbow courtesy of one of our fantastic volunteers!

30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 7: Storage of Clean Dry Nappies
Now this one will divide opinion!
... Stored in plain sight or tucked out of view in a drawer / cupboard? Upstairs or downstairs? Ready to go or make up as you go?
And the truth is... There is no right or wrong way to do this! It is about finding a sorage system that works for your family
When we first started using reusables, all nappy changes were done upstairs, so nappies were chucked (ready to go) in a huge basket
But when I developed SPD when pregnant with my second child, I couldn't manage the stairs so a small number of nappies were brought downstairs each morning, enough to last the day while the rest stayed upstairs
Now I use reusables on my mindees, nappies remain upstairs, but the storage has changed; smaller boxes with different sized items in each (size 1 prefolds, size 2 prefolds, wraps, wipes, etc) so I can grab what each individual child needs
Show us your nappy storage!
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 6: Motivations for using cloth
This year at WNL we have introduced online feedback, which a third of our clients filled in (thank you!) Our main interest is which nappies are most popular, so we can keep kits as up to date as possible, but we have also included the question
... 'What is your motivation for using reusable nappies?'
I thought the main reason would be to get the £30 cashback generously offered by Worcestershire County Council to clients who borrow from us
But actually, the overwhelming majority (95% of all respondees) said the environment was their main motivation for choosing reusable nappies
Parents nowadays are more aware of the impact their decisions will make on the future of their children, and let's face it, who wants to know that they have sent thousands of nappies to landfill where they will stay for hundreds of years?
So, is the environment YOUR motivation to use cloth? Or do you have another reason? Feel free to share below!
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 5: Daytime Nappies
It might seem strange to talk about nappies in terms of 'day' nappies and 'night' nappies, but the truth is, you will probably need different nappies for daytime and nighttime
... Day nappies are designed to last 2-4 hours between changes (exactly the same as you should change a disposable nappy during the day)
For most children, pockets, AIOs or SIOs will be sufficient, with appropriate boosting (e.g. a bamboo booster)
However, some children are termed 'heavy wetters'; these children (usually toddlers who are drinking lots of liquid and then holding their bladder to release the urine all at once) will require a two part system (again boosted) to last 2-4 hours, but these children are in the minority
Day nappies are usually nappies that are quick to prepare in advance and allow a speedy nappy change; different nappies suit different babies, so you will need to find out which works best for your child
This is where your local nappy library comes in handy! Borrow a kit (once the pandemic is over and we are allowed out again!) and trial a selection to see which nappies work for your child
http://www.uknappynetwork.org/map.html
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 4: Washing
Fear of washing reusable nappies is the most common reason I hear for why people don't want to use reusable nappies
... 'My nappies will smell' 'I don't want poo in my washing machine' 'Washing nappies is time-consuming'
The truth is, if washed properly, reusable nappies won't smell, if you trust your washing machine to do its job there won't be poo left in your machine, and reusable nappies have come a long way since the age of soaking and sluicing
In fact, washing reusable nappies is as simple as 123!
1. Cold rinse / prewash to remove any remaining solids 2. Long wash at 40 / 60 degrees with a FULL dose of powdered detergent 3. Rinse
It can take a few washes to optimise your wash routine, and find the correct dosage of powder for your water hardness, load size, etc, but once you have figured that out, your nappies will be clean and fresh all the time
https://teammillsblog.wordpress.com/…/d ispelling-the-myths…/
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 3: Misconceptions / surprises
What was the biggest misconception about reusable nappies that you had that was proved wrong?
... What [positive] surprise did reusable nappies have for your family?
For me, it was threefold
1. No leaks! No escaping poonamis, no changes of clothes during the day... What a difference an elastiacated waistband makes!
2. Ease of use. Once we had got into a routine, reusable nappies were no harder to use than disposables, just reallocation of the time spent in washing and stuffing pockets rather than heading to the supermarket to buy more
3. Cost. So many people told me that reusable nappies were expensive, but we clothed two kids from birth to potty for under £200. And that was buying mainly new nappies. If I'd found out about preloved nappies earlier, that would have even less...
What about you? What surprised you about reusable nappies?
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 2: Favourite type of reusable nappy
Different nappies suit different babies and lifestyles, and most families have a particular type of reusable nappy that gets the most love in their house
... Pockets separate out for faster drying and their absorbency is the most flexible, but overstuffing will compromise fit
AIOs do not require stuffing so are quick and easy to prepare, but can be bulky
Fitted and flat nappies hold more liquid overall due to the separate wrap but take longer to dry accordingly
Which is most popular in your house? When my children were in nappies we used pockets for day and fitted nappies for night; now I only have my mindees in reusable nappies I use prefolds and wraps as these can be adjusted to fit different shapes and can be washed at high temperatures
For more information on the different types of reusable nappies see the blog post below
https://teammillsblog.wordpress.com/…/r eusable-nappies-the…/
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30 DAYS OF REUSABLES
Day 1: First nappy
This could be the first nappy you bought, the first one you put on the bum, the first one you plan to use...
... The nappy below was a gift from a friend when I had my eldest, and is the reason we even considered reusable nappies. We are huge Doctor Who fans, and my friend used this nappy to persuade me to trial from the nappy library... five years on and I now run that nappy library!
What a difference one nappy can make...?!
Share your 'first' nappies below!
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Pop those nappies on the washing line then stick the washing machine on for its monthlt maintenance clean!