cotton v disposable

**kingdom** · 04-02-2009, 02:10 PM

Hi, i mind two under 2s ,1 is in disposable the other in cotton nappies. The disposables are so easy compared to the cotton ones. I can change a nappy really quickly and easily with the dispoable but what a faf to do the cotton ones, the nappy is in two parts then i have to put in a liner then on top of all that there is the waterproof wrap which leaks like a sieve so this child is always damp around the edges. To return to mum i have to remove soiled liner and dispose of, which i must say i find truly revolting as it is usually totally covered in poo and has to be peeled off cotton nappy ,i then have to put nappy in nappy sack and put in another plastic bag in her holdall. I would rather not deal with cotton ones at all but it was a major investment for mum so dont really have a choice. Do any of you have to use the cotton nappies and what do you think for or against.

**Trouble** · 04-02-2009, 02:11 PM

cotton definately sorry i have to go now

**Alibali** · 04-02-2009, 02:23 PM

They are a faff, but you get used to them after a while. I would be happy to go with either (as long as I wasn't doing the washing!)

**Daftbat** · 04-02-2009, 02:27 PM

I found the cotton ones awkward at first but then soon got in to the swing of it. I really don't mind which ones i use. The mum who did use cotton ones is pregnant now and i am expecting her to use the same this time - she did supply a few disposables which i could use at my discretion.

Keep persevering

**mushpea** · 04-02-2009, 02:34 PM

i used disposables for my daughter then cotton for my son and would def choose cotton again. he suffered bad from excema but never had any round his bottom nor did he suffer nappy rash. when i emptyed the liner i would hold the nappy upside down over the toilet and it would usualy fall off so didn't need to touch it, they were awkard at first but soon got the hang of it then they were no more of a pain than disposables other than the fact it was so much cheaper. also you say you put them in a nappy bag then in a bag for her to take home, surley this is no difference than puttin a disposable in a nappy sack then in the bin?

if they are leaking make sure that the outside liner is not to big as you can get different size ones and it may bee that they are too lose around the leg allowing the leakage, also check that all the nappy is tucked in the liner around the leg area as i used to find mine would leak if a little bit of the cloth nappy was poking out.
of course the upside is he/she could be trained earlier,, my daughter was still having accidents at school yet my son was trained at 17months (yes i know it don't sound right but he was), and i didn't help him at all, he ust came to me one day saying nappy wet, it was dry so i sent him away then he came back all upset saying nappy wet which it was, poor chap was trying to ask for the potty bless him, after that we had 1 week of the odd accident and he was done.

**madasahatter** · 04-02-2009, 02:55 PM

I'm all for the cotton ones however I haven't had to use the shaped ones. The only two I've had (brother and sister) used the old square terry nappies...I am well versed in the art of nappy folding!!

(and origami LOL) and the mum used a folded muslin instead of nappy liners because she found that nappy liners often fell into the loo when trying to get rid of the contents and led to a blocking hazard (she is a mum of 6!

)

I also think that children in cotton nappies recognise what they are doing earlier and are often potty trained sooner.

**singlewiththree** · 04-02-2009, 04:06 PM

I'm a cotton nappy user too

and would take a mindee with them however I know the downsides, mine were heavy wetters and I had to change them every 2hrs, fleece liners work well inside, and sometimes if they leak its because they are fitting properly or she is washing them with fabric conditioner. Disposables are easier but I find them smell awful and when they break and the gel is everywhere its disgusting

**kingdom** · 04-02-2009, 04:44 PM

I must say i do like the thought of the cotton ones and i used them myself for my daughter 24 years ago,I dont like the idea of all these piles of nappies that dont rot down for years and years, my son had disposable nappies 18 years ago and i was very lucky with both , they were potty trained by 2 and never had a night time accident, my dad did the potty training, he was gifted at doing it and both children were sorted, my dad is fab

**singlewiththree** · 04-02-2009, 04:56 PM

I do think it helps with toilet training.

DD1 - 18mths
DD2 - 20mths
DD3 - with loads of encouragment 23 1/2mths was determined to toilet train before she was 2 however she was mostly in disposables due to going to a childminder who didn't do cloth I just used cloth at weekends.

**PixiePetal** · 04-02-2009, 05:13 PM

I have minded a cotton wearer.

Don't have a problem with them. dad dropped off with nappies for 2 days and a lidded bucket which I kept in the shed and mum took bucket home Tues eve.

Bucket returned smelling of tea tree with 2 more days worth on Thursdays and took home for weekend.

You get quicker with the changing with practice, if it was a really bad one I put whole thing in nappy sack in bucket and warned mum! She was pleased that I would use them and always left some eco disposable ones for emergencies or if I was going somewhere that I didn't want to carry it about with me all day!! yuck

**emmadines** · 04-02-2009, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by kingdom

Hi, i mind two under 2s ,1 is in disposable the other in cotton nappies. The disposables are so easy compared to the cotton ones. I can change a nappy really quickly and easily with the dispoable but what a faf to do the cotton ones, the nappy is in two parts then i have to put in a liner then on top of all that there is the waterproof wrap which leaks like a sieve so this child is always damp around the edges. To return to mum i have to remove soiled liner and dispose of, which i must say i find truly revolting as it is usually totally covered in poo and has to be peeled off cotton nappy ,i then have to put nappy in nappy sack and put in another plastic bag in her holdall. I would rather not deal with cotton ones at all but it was a major investment for mum so dont really have a choice. Do any of you have to use the cotton nappies and what do you think for or against.

Im actually used for them, I used them for my youngest. I didnt need to worry about not being able to afford a packet when it ran out. I had one pack of disposables for when we ran out or just had one of those days when they just go through them.

I now have them in a cuborad for when I get parents who dont refill the bum bag.

**Schnakes** · 04-02-2009, 10:42 PM

I invite parents to use contton nappies but I dont offer to wash them! They take them home at the end of each day.

I like cotton nappies because they are so eco-friendly. On the other hand, they are really leaky and I do prefer disposables on a day trip out. Or any trip out really - I hate carrying dirty nappies round in my buggy!

Sx

**beerheaven** · 04-02-2009, 10:56 PM

I have used old fashioned terry nappies with all three of my own children, with my youngest being in them at the moment.
It was a bit of a fiddle at first but I soon got into the swing of it all!
Just make sure that all the nappy is inside the outer wrap to prevent leaking.
Have to say that none of my mindees have used them though.
Think of the landfill - at present we are binning approx. 8 million nappies per day!!

No -one has any idea how long they will take to decompose - possible couple of hundred years!!

**jacky** · 05-02-2009, 08:50 AM

i prefer cotton ones. i used them for my daughter and she was dry by 2. i also had a childminder at the time who was happy to accomodate us. we gave her a bucket with a lid and we would take it home each night. the only downside was that when dd started toddling they used to get very heavy and could often leak so needed to change more frequently. we also had eco disposable ones for bedtimes.

**Heaven Scent** · 05-02-2009, 10:47 AM

I had an enquiry from a dad in response to one of my adds asking if I could take on his son who would be 3 in March who was not yet potty trained and was in cloth nappies I agreed and he said he'd talk to his wife but I never heard back. Not sure they always promote early toilet training - I am a firm believer it also depends on the child and whether they mind feeling wet or not - I also think that some children have a fear of the unknown and that they are just afraid to try the potty or toilet.

I have to say I haven't changed a cloth nappy for years and years and have never changed a shaped one - I was a dab hand at folding them though - I think you can get used to anything.

**kingdom** · 05-02-2009, 12:18 PM

I am used to them as mindee has been with me since sept, but i still dont like them

**michellethegooner** · 05-02-2009, 12:45 PM

I have never used cotton or even changed one

never thought about them with my 2 kids just used disposable, for convience my bad

although I do tell new parents I am happy to use any type

**Beckinew** · 26-02-2009, 05:27 PM

Hi,

I use cotton nappies on my own children and I provide and wash them for my childminded children, I change them out of the disposible nappy when I do my first change and put them in a cotton one, the parent then has a bag that goes home with the child that they put the used nappy in, then give back to me the next day, I just then sling it in the wash with the rest of my nappies. I also use washable wipes on the children, not only are the cheeper in the long run and environmentally friendly, the clean the bottoms loads better than baby wipes.

As far as the toilet training goes, I am just about to start training my son at the weekend, but am a little worried as to how it will go as he is used to feeling wet due to the cotton nappies.

Becki :-)