[faithy]

Thanks for your responses and suggestions.

I've bought the itti-bitti's (the tutto's?? the one's that go from birth-toddler with the snap-ons that change the size), I also bought a sample pack from ittibitti with a couple of other one's.

A few other questions! You guys are great

Where can I get the poo-liners from? I wont need to worry about them by the sounds of it til LO is on solids but i like to have a stash just in case it all happens quickly and i forget to order (which knowing me is highly likely).

What's a 'little squirt'? lol

Is there a problem with using a dryer for MCNs? (a part from environmental!) We need to put a clothes line-up in our new place ASAP. We've bought it... hubby just needs the time and to purchase/borrow an electric drill.

How many MCNs do you have and how long do they last (ie are you a part-time or full-time user?)

Also, I was just thinking... do you find the MCNs too bulky or too hot in summer for eg jeans, other pants etc.. do i need to get the next size up or should it be fine?

Thanks so much for your responses.... really really helping me get my head around things !

This post has been edited by faithy: 03/08/2012, 02:30 PM

[lifehacker]

Honestly - washing every single night at 11 pm after everyone was in bed so that the nappies didnt sit and stink overnight which attracts flies to the laundry in summer. If they are left to sit for 2 days as many people say they do the amonia will make your eyes bleed.
Using more water than nigara falls to rinse them and if they aren't rinsed properly they dont absorb, they stink, they cause rashes.
Spending way too much time hanging, snapping, stuffing, folding, stain removing, trying to find creams that are suitable, changing every 1.5 hrs due to leakages and wet rashy bottoms.
Rinsing and sanitising buckets, rinsing/vinegar in machine to clean it. Putting the nappies in the sun to remove stains, bringing them back inside cause they aren't dry after 3 days outside, then still needing to put them in the dryer to finish them off and so they aren't like cardboard on babies bum.
Spending way too much time liasing with nappy stores who fail to deliver on time, deliver nappies that have elastic wear out after 2 months, snaps fall off etc
constantly checking to see if bub is smelling as I think I can smell the wee.
Still having to buy disposables for overnight as nothing cloth works and I really don't want to have to change the entire sheets and jammies every single morning - not to mention that baby rarely sleeps well in a overstuffed night nappy.
Squirting poop that goes all over the laundry and all over me. Spending $30 a pop on a nappy that arrives and is a terrible fit on my baby and then needing to go through the tedious process of selling or simply wasting my money on it.

I could go on and on but in short - DONT DO IT - save yourself the trouble, buy some eco disposables so you dont feel guilty about the environmental factor - give yourself a break and spend all that time and effort sitting playing with your precious bub.

[KristyMum-]

First baby terry flats, pins. Twin tub for a while I think.
Second baby, terry flats, fluffies. Snappi!
two in nappies at one stage.
Third baby - home made MCN + bought MCN
Fifth baby - home made MCN and bought MCN

Cloth nappying for me was normal growing up, and normal when I became a Mum so it wasn't something 'different' if that makes sense?

As to the practical stuff, so long as I had enough nappies, it's all good. Gives you more room between wash days if you need it (sick baby, busy, camping etc). putting a load of nappies through was no biggie and I think I did about every second day?

Panadol can stain nappies (teething poo). Teething poo is nasty stuff anyway for baby's skin. Watch for 'sneaky poos' that you can't smell (well contained). Poo+pee = recipe for rash.

Plain old cornstarch powder (I bought the Gaia one, then used the same container and filled it with White Wings cornstarch from the shop, pure cornstarch ie no wheat) will keep things nice and dry if you need something.

After 6mths with #1 in flats day and night, I was talked into trying disposables overnight. 'she'll sleep better' etc but they always leaked. #2 was prob 20% ? ish in disposable, 80% in flats. #3 and #5 were 100% cloth day and night, at home, out and about, camping (carting own water, hand washing) you name it. We bought a Little Squirt w #3 and I really appreciated it

So yes, I found MCN/cloth pretty much just a part of having a baby. No biggie and definately not the focus of my week!

[CherryAmes]

Hi OP,

I also use Itti Bittis as well as Mandy Macs. I found that the Itti Bittis leaked for breastfed poos so I would advise getting a few covers - Thirsties duos are good. Definitely if she was in the car seat I'd use a cover, as we had an absolute blow-out once and had to wash everything! Now she's a toddler it's pretty rare for her to leak.

I use the dryer every so often and haven't had any issues with that, obviously hanging out in the sun is better but if it's a week of rain then that's life.

I don't use liners as we have a septic system and it's not advised.

I do a load pretty much every day, and like others have said, it's clothing and bedding as much as it is nappies so no big deal.

We got a really big bucket with a lid from bunnings and use that. I just use plastic bags when out and about. It has never been a big deal at all, easy as.

Wanted to add that we got Itti Bittis as they are the trimmest nappies, and bub was in a hip brace - they are very trim, no problem under clothes etc.

This post has been edited by CherryAmes: 03/08/2012, 07:35 PM

[jemso]

i started DD1 in MCN when she was about 4 months. back then i loved it, washed everyday (though this did take some getting used to as pre kids i washed when i ran out of clean undies, about once a fortnight LOL, and even when DD1 came along she wasnt a spewy baby so still only washed once or twice a week) but i loved hanging, stuffing etc.

DD2 i started in MCN from about 5 weeks. i am literally so over nappies now, and only wash every 2/3 days. the clean nappies sit unsnapped on the lounge until i run out of ready to use ones. LOL in saying that though i still love them.

for me, i never use the dryer unless i HAVE to (cos i am a tight wad haha) so it only gets used maybe once a month for 30 mins if that. i would NEVER put the shells in the dryer (just the inserts) and only when i am in dire need of some dry nappies or washing line space. using a dryer can deteriorate the elastic, which is why i dont put shells in the dryer, that said they always dry faster than the inserts anyway.

definately buy a clothes airer, they are awesome. our washing line gets almost no sun in winter so even on sunny days there seems little point in hanging them on the line. i have 4 clothes airers that i hang all our washing on and on sunny days i open the garage door and let them sit in the sun all day.

i have liners, but havent even used 1/4 of a box over 2 kids. some people love them, but i just find them annoying to lay in the nappy. DD2 went from newborn poos to roll-straight-off poos within days of starting solids.

i think we have about 36 nappies (plus 12 small BBH that DD2 obviously doesnt fit into anymore) and it usually lasts me 5-7 days, so even in winter i have enough to account for slow drying time. she is in sposies at night though.

in summer i find that MCN are better - they are more breathable than disposables. i would change DD1s nappy and her crack would be all sweaty.

the biggest tip i can give is make sure you do a rinse cycle when washing them. our washing machine is basic, so i have to "wash" them twice. first with no powder, then second time with powder. i wish i had known this a couple of years ago when DD1 started getting horrible rashes after being in MCN for 2-3 days, it got so bad we had to switch her to disposables until she TTd. apparently if you put powder in with dirty unrinsed nappies the powder doesnt work to its full potential, therefore not giving them a proper clean.

[missjoads1234]

Ive currently got my 6 month old twins in MCN.

Its alot of work But for us we would rather save the earth and $$$

We started out with newborn MCN as we didnt like flat and pre folds.

There are 5 of us in this house we have to do at least 2 loads a day. This weather is terrible here in Melb for MCN at the moment. Im using air driers everywhere, and rarely use the dryer, so it is doable.

[Joey11]

I put the nappies in a pail in next to the change table in DS's bedroom. Poo nappies I use a spatula to scrape into the loo, then wash off the poo and leave in a bucket of water in the laundry (for stains, otherwise I wouldn't bother). I also have a wetbag in the laundry for times I change DS there (bathtime) - that's just 'cos I'm too lazy to walk back to the pail. I just do the wash whenever I have time and the bucket is full, I pull out the inserts as I put the nappies in the wash. It's not hard or time-consuming to put on a load of washing!

I throw in DS's clothes, bedding etc with the nappies and wash cold with a 1/2 scoop of earth choice powder. Occasionally I'll finish with an extra rinse cycle if they still smell a little wee - usually only if I've overloaded the machine. I don't have a dryer. I'm in Melbourne. If it's rainy I put them on a clotheshorse outside under shelter, inside if it's really bad (I just hang them over the bars, no pegs), if not they're on the line pegged the way the manufacturer's say. I have some octopus hanging things from Ikea (they have 8 arms with two attached pegs each) I use for the inserts - great for space saving and easy to grab off the line if it rains.

They usually dry in a day - two in the worst of winter (although the nappies I had with bamboo inserts would take longer - now I have microfibre). Then I snap or stuff the nappies whenever, or DP does them in the evening - it really doesn't take long,

Once a week I swish out the nappy bucket with hot water and 1-2 drops tea tree oil and leave outside (sun if possible) to dry.

I have used disposable liners. I got them online. I wish I'd realised you don't really need them. I still have some leftover for days when DS has nappy cream on (rare), when they run out I'll just make a few washable ones from microfibre to do that job. I don't know what cream you don't need liners for (I am still using all the sample creams from the bounty bag!).

You can get little squirts online (ebay and others) or from some Eco stores. If you have someone handy you can get the parts from Bunnings plumbing area and put it together much cheaper.

In terms of a dryer, I'm not sure. It may reduce the life or affect the elastic? A clotheshorse can do you until you get your clothesline.

I use full time (just with an extra insert overnight) and I have *mumble mumble* ok I have like 4 dozen but that's 'cos I went overboard and obsessive not cos I need them! I think you need minimum 24, though, washing every second day. I wash every second day and it's about 18 nappies a wash.

I haven't had a summer in them yet. But I do find that DS goes up quicker in pants sizes as they're a little bulky (the OSFM nappies, when he was in the sized small ones it wasn't so bad) and he's still small.

[tamjk]

Little squirt, easy to install and worth their weight in gold!
http://www.babybeehinds.com.au/store/pc/Li...prayer-4p13.htm

At the moment I have two in cloth and not quite enough nappies so am washing daily. I dry pail them keeping a bucket under the change table and one beside the bed for night time changes of DS2 after feeds. I'm so glad he has finally bulked up enough to ditch those horrible, stinky plastic nappies!
When I get up in the morning I put them through the washing machine on the intensive cycle then while they're washing I get myself and the kids dressed and fed. Actually at the moment DH is doing most of that while I sit on the verandah cuddling DS2 and enjoying a hot chocolate
Once they are washed I peg them out on the outside line if it's sunny, on clothes airers on the verandah if it's rainy then transferred to the dryer once I get down to the last couple of dry ones.
In the evenings I sit on the couch stuffing them. It's actually very relaxing and a nice unwind task to do before bed.

What I wish I had known was just how invaluable little squirts were. I held off on getting one for ages with DS1 because of the price and then purchased an ebay cheapie that fell apart after a couple of months. The ebay cheapie was enough to convince DH to go to Bunnings and get the fittings to make a better quality one for us!

[HeroOfCanton]

A few other questions!

Where can I get the poo-liners from? most online nappy shops sell flushable liners, and you can get them from baby bunting (and probably any baby store). You could also buy a big sheet of polar fleece & cut your own reusable liners. They don't need any sewing, just cut them to the size you want.

What's a 'little squirt'? a nappy sprayer that attaches to the hose on the toilet - its a great way of dealing with poo once baby is a bit older - DH won't deal with toddler nappies without one!

Is there a problem with using a dryer for MCNs? (a part from environmental!) We need to put a clothes line-up in our new place ASAP. We've bought it... hubby just needs the time and to purchase/borrow an electric drill.
Most manufacturers recommend that if you use a dryer, use it on a warm/low setting, as the hot setting can degrade the elastic & waterproofing. Occasional use is okay though.

How many MCNs do you have and how long do they last (ie are you a part-time or full-time user?)
I have 2 babies in cloth, and have way too many nappies - around 65 . I wash every second day, but could go longer than that (the bin just gets full!) 24-30 nappies shoud be fine for one baby washing every 2 days. If you're using itti bitty tuttos you could get away with having a few less to start with, as baby should only need 'half' the inserts (ie just the long one, or just the short & mini ones). The shells will dry super fast, so you can just take them off the line & use the other half if the boosters while the first set dries.


Also, I was just thinking... do you find the MCNs too bulky or too hot in summer for eg jeans, other pants etc.. do i need to get the next size up or should it be fine?
Itti bitty tuttos probably won't be too bulky - maybe just a bit bigger than a disposable to start with, but as baby gets bigger, youll hardly notice the difference. A few brands did mean I had to 'upsize' DDs pants a few times, but she didn't wear anything too tight to begin with anyway. Now she's quite skinny, and MCNs help to hold her pants up! DS, who is 5 weeks hasn't had any issues wearing OSFM nappies either - his clothes all it fine.
They aren't any hotter in summer than a disposable would be - if given the choice, I'd much rather be warm in breathable fabric than in plastic!

Like PPs have said, MCN hardly adds any time to my day - perhaps 10 minutes to hang out, 5 to put in the machine & 10 to put them all together again. Probably the same amount of time I'd spend walking out to our bins to get rid of stinky disposables!

[nott]

After reading some of the replies, I still don't get it exactly how to treat those MCN with poos ( newborn stage).

My parents probably will come and lend a hand at that time, they haven't heard about MCN and I even haven't told them I will be using them! ( Though I also bought a box of disposables). My husband is half half with MCNs, but he will let me since I will be the one mainly washing them.

I am quite worried about how they will react to MCN and honestly, i think i can't convince them strongly if even myself doesn't know how to deal with the daily routine. My dad always used to hand wash all his clothes.

These are the points I got, please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks!

or newborns, breastfeeding babies stage:
# after they loo, the used MCN is put in a covered bucket, in the laundry.

# No soaking/ treatment is necessary at that time

# When the bucket is full ( maybe after 1 day or 2), separate the MCN inserts and cover, put the nappies inside straight to the washing machine. Wash with cold water, washing powder. Or can wash with warm water, washing powder

$ Dry it under the sun if possible.

# When there is poo on the MCN inserts ( should be quite soft for BF newborn babies), do I need to use tissue to wipe that out first? Or just as put it in the covered bucket like those " looed" MCN? Will the smell be very nasty if such thinig is covered for a day in the bucket? Or will the washing machine smell very bad when those "pooed" nappies are washed that way?

# Then wash the pooed nappies with the looed nappies in the washing machine, dry as above

Thanks very very much!