All our nappies come with fitting instructions and we can provide further help as required.

    Whichever nappy system you use please ensure that it is snug – not tight – to the baby and check the fit around the legs and waist as your child grows. You must ensure that the nappy is tucked inside the outer cover around the legs and at the waist so that there are no leaks (watch out for labels that stick up!).

 

Frequency of nappy changes

 

All nappies should be changed approximately every 4 hours during the day (cloth or disposable), but a soiled nappy should be changed as soon as you become aware of it. Younger babies will need changing more frequently as they poo more often. It will be the absorbency of your nappy that ultimately determines the time between changes, especially on older children. Flat nappies will need to be changed more frequently, as they are able to hold less volume. The time it takes for your cloth nappies to become saturated is going to vary from child to child. As is often the case in life, if you can afford to spend a little bit more on your nappies to start with you will get better performance in the long run.
    Babies who are still being fed at night should not be left in the same nappy all night, as they are more likely to poo at night. Once you are sure the baby is not going to poo until the early hours of the morning you can use one nappy (with or without boosters) for up to 12 hours. Older children will need a booster and may need a bigger nappy if you are using a sized system. A cloth nappy used through the night will be very wet when removed (more of a problem for the parent than the child), but does not contain the chemicals found in disposables. If you are concerned about your child being wet for such a long period of time then you can use a slim stay dry liner or a stay dry booster.

    To increase your nappy’s absorbency you can use a booster at any age, particularly if you are going to be travelling or at an event where changing will be difficult. Boosters are generally not required until your child is over one and has a much bigger bladder. Once your child has pooed you must change them even if the nappy is not wet. If your child is getting sore you will want to change nappies more often, at least until the redness passes.

 

 

I wouldn’t want to teach your grandmother to suck eggs, so I really think the only thing to say is make sure you have your new nappy, wrap, liner, booster etc set out before your take the dirty nappy off your child. There is nothing worse than trying to lay out a cloth nappy with one hand! Make sure that if you are changing away from home you have some waterproof means of getting the dirty nappy home.

 

What you choose to clean your child with is down to personal preference, but when at home and especially for the first few months I would recommend using warm water and cloth wipes as you can wash these with your nappy. By far the cheapest way to get cloth wipes is to cut up a flannelette sheet or towel (you may want to hem the edges so that they do not fray). There are a large number of baby wipes available to purchase, many of which are suitable from birth, but some very young babies can be sensitive to even the most gentle of chemical wipes.

 

Many children are less wriggly if changed on a raised surface such as a changing table. Children should never be left unattended on a raised surface, even if you think your child cannot roll.

Clothing size

  

Many parents are concerned that they will not be able to find clothes to fit over cloth nappies, but in the main you should not have a problem. Cloth nappies are bulkiest on very young babies, the impact of which can be reduced by using sized nappies. Babies grow very quickly and you will find by six months to a year there is considerably less bulk. Users of cloth nappies (even the bulkiest) generally find they move up into the next size of clothes for fitted vests and sleep suits only a couple of weeks before the child’s age dictates – and again, usually only when the baby is very young as their clothes are only designed to fit for a few months.

 

European children's clothes manufacturers cut on the small side. You will find you need a larger size to go over the one size nappies, but if you are using sized nappies this should not be too much of an issue. Expensive brands also tend to cut for slim children and those wearing disposable nappies and do not fit well. Dresses and tights fit over most nappies, as do most high-street labels. There are several manufacturers of clothes to fit over cloth (see links) and these can be great for a few key pieces although I have never purchased clothing specifically for cloth nappies. It’s worth noting that ‘popper under the crotch’ clothes often burst before your child has outgrown the length. Also, some shops cut very short in the waist to crotch measurement which can pull nappies and wraps down a little.

 

Having said all this, I’d like to share two things with you:

 

My children, all of whom have worn cloth, have never been naked due to a shortage of fitting clothes!

Children, like adults, come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes clothes just don't fit properly regardless of the nappy you use. We were given a beautiful pair of trousers for our daughter when she had just turned one and as they would not go over her cloth nappies I bought a pack of eco- friendlier disposables. They still didn't do up in the waist as she was just a little too 'bouncy', but our friend’s daughter looked great in them – with her cloth nappy on!

 

  

It is not advisable to use nappy cream at every change. Continued used of creams when your child does not have a problem will inhibit the skin from healing itself or becoming accustomed to a 'normal' state.

 

Children's skin often pinks when they change from disposables to cloth or vice versa, and if this happens you may feel happiest using a non-medicated cream or vaseline type product. A baby’s skin is very good at healing itself and a short period of nappy-off time will help.

 

Getting used to the idea of cloth

 

Everyone has an opinion on using cloth nappies (some very outdated) and I am not going to add mine here. What I am going to do, however, is give you a few things to consider if you are still undecided:

 

Caring for the environment is a positive thing and should not be undervalued.

 

You can choose to start off with a small variety of styles to see what suits you and your budget best, rather than buying a full set of one particular system.

 

You do not need to use cloth all the time if that does not suit. There are no rules that say you have to use them day and night, in and out of the home, although that is more than possible. Some users, myself included, use disposables when we travel.

 

Using cloth when everyone you know is using disposables is not going to make you look silly, poor, backward or a 'hippie'. Rather it is going to show that you have made a reasoned decision about what you want for your child and that you have cottoned (excuse the pun!) on to the fact they work.

 

If it is your partner that is making you hesitate ask him or her to have a look at a site like this one and ask us some questions. Often their hesitancy is based on tales from their mothers, some thirty years out of date, or negative comments from non-cloth users. If you live locally to us then please arrange a demonstration –seeing the nappies debunks a lot of the myths.

 

Many people would have you believe that your child is more likely to get nappy rash in cloth nappies, but if cloth nappies caused nappy rash no one would use them – especially not us – and we would not be selling them to anyone else!

A study carried out at Bristol University into the causes of nappy rash concluded that it is the interaction of poo and wee and the continuing contact of poo against a baby’s skin which cause nappy rash. In all cases the instances of nappy rash occurred approximately equally, regardless of the type of nappy worn. The ammonia created when the urine and faeces remain in contact with each other ‘burns’ the baby’s skin. This soreness then forms blisters which burst and form open sores if untreated. The good news though is that the whole unpleasant and painful process can be avoided by prompt changing and cleaning of your baby’s bottom following a poo – regardless of the nappy you use.

 

Manufactures and users of disposable nappies continue to assert that drier bottoms are better because they are less likely to get nappy rash. Disposable nappies may be very good at drawing wee away from the baby’s skin but they do nothing to remove the poo. This will still have interacted with the wee and therefore will still cause nappy rash. The upshot is that regardless of the type of nappy you’re using, unless you change your baby as soon as you are aware they have pooed they are going to be equally prone to a sore bottom.

 

Not all rashes in the nappy area are nappy rash. Children can get rashes for a variety of other reasons including: teething, having a cold virus or thrush, or changes in their diet. Some children are also prone to heat rash (this will be evident on other parts of the body as well - armpits, hairline). Using too much detergent when washing cloth nappies can also be a cause (detergent that has not been rinsed out of the nappy properly can cause a rash of small red spots all over the nappy area). It is also worth bearing in mind that people, including babies, can develop a sensitivity to a washing detergent, bath lotion or cream that has previously not caused a problem.

 

If you feel worried about your baby's health or bottom you should seek medical advice, especially if you suspect thrush or that they may be ill. Persistent nappy rash may need medical treatment to resolve it. However, as a good first course of action, or when there is only slight pinking in the nappy area, you can use non-medicated lotion or a product such as vaseline or non-petroleum based jelly which can give your baby's skin the extra help it needs to mend itself. Plenty of nappy off time is also great regardless of the type of nappy you use.

 

If your baby has thrush you must wash your nappies at 60˚c until the infection is resolved.

 

If the rash seems to be the result of too much detergent in the wash then a rinse cycle

or full cycle without detergent should resolve the matter. As a guide, if there are any bubbles or frothing in the final rinse of the wash there has been too much detergent used and the nappies will need to be rinsed again. Rashes caused by detergent can take up to a week to clear but generally do not cause the baby any upset as long as the detergent is rinsed out of the nappies properly and promptly.

 

If you have any other advice on dealing with nappy rash please let us know so that we can include it for others to see.

 

 

Are TAMBA members eligible for a discount on cloth nappies?

 

Yes but please contact me before placing your order.

 

 

I stock both Moltex Oko and Bamboo Nature eco-disposables which are both produced according to the most eco-friendly principles (and have won environmental awards).

Moltex are an unbleached, chlorine free nappy which you can compost in a veri-composter (see link). They contain some super-absorbers, mostly cellulose rather than the synthetic polymers in modern disposables, and so they do not ‘puff up’ when wet. They contain no perfumes or lotions. There is tea-tree extract within the core for the reduction of odour. Cost-wise, they are comparable with standard disposables. From a landfill point of view, they are no different from a conventional disposable although some would argue that they get a fair stab at degrading before sites are sealed as long as you use a biodegradable nappy sack.