Cloth/Disposable nappies

**Chell** · 13-01-2008, 02:55 PM

Do any of the children that you mind where cloth nappies?

**Cammie Doodle** · 13-01-2008, 03:28 PM

Not at present but I have had them in the past

**Trouble** · 13-01-2008, 03:45 PM

my new baby is going to have ones made from bambo!!!!!!

**sarah707** · 13-01-2008, 03:51 PM

We've always used pampers or huggies here - never been asked to use cloth... are you doing a survey Chell or are you thinking ahead for the bump?

**Chell** · 13-01-2008, 03:58 PM

I just wondered Sarah. A friend of mine posted on another forum about her DD starting at nursery and wondering how they would react to cloth nappies. It made me wonder how many childminders used them.

I think I will use them this time, I recycle everything else so it seems bad to throw nappies into a landfill site.

**sarah707** · 13-01-2008, 04:24 PM

I'm not sure how I would react to them tbh...

I'm not sure it would be particularly healthy to have a nappy bucket (even with a lid) in the corner of the loo (it's a very small house with a very small loo), there would be serious risk assessment processes to go through if children use the toilet independently (I don't want to have to follow them out to the toilet every blooming time they wee just in case they try to get into a nappy bucket and Ofsted don't like standing water in a bird bath so I'm not sure how they'd react to a bucket!) and I don't think I would like the idea of scraping a cloth nappy then flushing someone else's child's waste down the loo.

I wonder would it be smelly? How would I then pass nappies back to parents? I wouldn't want to be washing the things, my poor washer gets enough hammer with my ds who has cream on all his clothes!... I wouldn't want to be buying the sanitiser for soaking either, so parents would need to supply that...

I can see the positives Chell, especially landfill issues, but not sure how I would deal with the negatives...

Perhaps you can convert me?

**Hopscotch** · 13-01-2008, 05:09 PM

One of the children i mind uses cloth nappies, i find them ok but i would not use them as they are not very absorbant at all.
The worst thing is when they have a poo and you have to try and scrape some out (bit graphic i know) the one i have them for gives me a bucket to put them in each day and they get washed. I don't think i would like to wash them.

**Tily Bud** · 13-01-2008, 06:37 PM

I prefer to use disposables for the mindees x

**mrsbumbles** · 13-01-2008, 06:39 PM

One of my mindees wore them, up untill recently, i was dreading it when she first started with me aged 7mths in proper folded cloth nappies with old fashioned pins ,But surprisingly they were ok, mum sent them prefolded with a liner in, so poo wash just flushed away .Dirty nappies were put in nappy sac's and put in a bin outside ready for the parent to collect and deal with herself. That child never used cream or got nappy rash and she was very easy to potty train. I would now think about using them, if i was to have another child, really opened my eyes and changed my way of thinking.

**Monkey1** · 13-01-2008, 06:43 PM

One of mindees has terry nappies.they are revolting. Wouldn't do it if it was my choice.... but have to comply with parents wishes!

**Twinkles** · 13-01-2008, 06:44 PM

I have - in the past- had a mindee who only wore cloth nappies. Not only did he need changing far more often, he was more prone to nappy rash and was quite restricted in his movements because of the bulky nappy. I'm not sure of the environmental benefits when you take into account the extra chemicals used for soaking the nappy, washing powder and electricity for washing it and then possibly ( depending on the weather ) more electricity for the tumble drier.

**Sarsar3NCH** · 13-01-2008, 06:45 PM

One of my mindees used them until recently when she was toilet trained at 20 months. I found them ok but couldn't understand why parent would not use liners (especially as u can get flushable ones now) so scraping was awful. This particular child did smell awful most of the time though but I think that was because the parents didn't soak them and only did a wash twice a week!!
I was able to hang the bag of nappies inside my garage so no smell or buckets inside.
My friend who has just had a baby is using the new Mothercare smart nappy system and they are great, they have an outer and inner bit and u can choose between washable inners but can also get biodegradeable disposable inner pads for if you are out for a while or going on hol.

Sarah

**Chell** · 13-01-2008, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by sarahnev707

I'm not sure how I would react to them tbh...

I'm not sure it would be particularly healthy to have a nappy bucket (even with a lid) in the corner of the loo (it's a very small house with a very small loo), there would be serious risk assessment processes to go through if children use the toilet independently (I don't want to have to follow them out to the toilet every blooming time they wee just in case they try to get into a nappy bucket and Ofsted don't like standing water in a bird bath so I'm not sure how they'd react to a bucket!) and I don't think I would like the idea of scraping a cloth nappy then flushing someone else's child's waste down the loo.

I wonder would it be smelly? How would I then pass nappies back to parents? I wouldn't want to be washing the things, my poor washer gets enough hammer with my ds who has cream on all his clothes!... I wouldn't want to be buying the sanitiser for soaking either, so parents would need to supply that...

I can see the positives Chell, especially landfill issues, but not sure how I would deal with the negatives...

Perhaps you can convert me?

You dry pail nappies, it isn't smelly in a bucket with a closed lid. A few drops of tea tree oil can make them smell fresher and it has natural antibacterial properties.

They would just be tied in a bag to give back to the parents. You can use a fleece liner. You hold this in the loo as you flush, the poo falls off then you pop it in the bucket/sack. An alternative is a flushable liner, just flush this down the loo.

www.clothnappytree.com has lots of articles about nappies and 'how to' type guides. I used Tots Bots very briefly with DS but never bought enough to properly get into the rountine if using them so stopped.

**Chell** · 13-01-2008, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by Twinkles

I have - in the past- had a mindee who only wore cloth nappies. Not only did he need changing far more often, he was more prone to nappy rash and was quite restricted in his movements because of the bulky nappy. I'm not sure of the environmental benefits when you take into account the extra chemicals used for soaking the nappy, washing powder and electricity for washing it and then possibly ( depending on the weather ) more electricity for the tumble drier.

No extra chemicals needed especially if you used soapnuts or ecoballs to wash them. Tea tree oil is non harmful to the environment. Nappies are dry pailed, not soaked as I said above.

Drying - buy the right nappies and they don't take long to dry. This depends on the design, thickness, material, etc. I'd go for shaped nappies. I have read that Tots Bots Fluffles are bulky and take time to dry but others are far better. www.twinkleontheweb.co.uk gives honest descriptions, factors like drying time are in the product descriptions. The Baby Kind website is the same.

**sarah707** · 13-01-2008, 08:17 PM

I am interested now Chell .... I will go and do some more research. Though I'm not having another baby (ever) you never know what you'll be asked to do as a childminder in the future do you...?

Thank you for the links!

**Chell** · 13-01-2008, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by mrsbumbles

One of my mindees wore them, up untill recently, i was dreading it when she first started with me aged 7mths in proper folded cloth nappies with old fashioned pins ,But surprisingly they were ok, mum sent them prefolded with a liner in, so poo wash just flushed away .Dirty nappies were put in nappy sac's and put in a bin outside ready for the parent to collect and deal with herself. That child never used cream or got nappy rash and she was very easy to potty train. I would now think about using them, if i was to have another child, really opened my eyes and changed my way of thinking.

I would use shaped nappies like these. I am thinking of the Diddy Diaper. You then put a waterproof or fleece wrap round them. Nowadays safety pins aren't need, you either get nappies with poppers or use a nappi nippa - see the blue thing on the Easy Peasy Bumble nappy in the link above.

**Chell** · 13-01-2008, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by sarahnev707

I am interested now Chell .... I will go and do some more research. Though I'm not having another baby (ever) you never know what you'll be asked to do as a childminder in the future do you...?

Thank you for the links!

There is lots of information to take in. I spent several evenings looking at shop online and forums for information. I think I understand a little more now. Dh isn't convinced but I wear the trousers

**mummyspice** · 13-01-2008, 11:24 PM

My baby is in cloth nappies I think they're great-but do need changing more often. My mindee starting soon will also be in cloth-the same ones

-hope I don't get them muddled up lol
I think what I'll do is just put wet ones straight into a carrier bag, and shake the poo off the dirty ones first.
I use fleece liners and it's really easy to shake into loo.
hth, Lisa x

**LittleMissSparkles** · 14-01-2008, 10:58 AM

i no its not very eco friendly but i have used disposable one withboth my children xxx

**fionamal** · 14-01-2008, 11:11 AM

I also used disposable nappies for both mine aswell. Did look at cloth nappies but wasnt really impressed with them. Friend used them on her daughter and she was constantly changing her as they were leaking, she too ended up using disposable ones when going out for the convenience.