In the past five years, the reusable nappy scene has exploded. This is great for the planet to reduce disposables being sent to landfill, great for reducing the toxin load that babies are exposed to and of course, making it much easier for Mumma's who wish to venture down this path. We are now so spoilt for choice, new materials, fits and designs, that the whole topic can be overwhelming.
With my first baby, we were renting a house in Auckland that didn't even have a laundry, so needless to say, trying to wrangle reusables were not high on my priority list! You have to pick your battles, right?!
I wanted to do things differently this time, so I reached out on Instagram for some top tips and thought I would share the feedback I received with you all, which by all means is not an exhaustive one, I am sure!
Top tips to get started with modern cloth nappies
1. Use a silicone brush to scrape off wet poop or a nappy sprayer attached to the cistern to spray solids straight into the toilet before dry pailing. You can find nappy sprayers over at Nappy Needz, or google the term 'bidet sprayer'.
2. Pre-washing your new nappies is essential for absorbency, and it also gets rid of any manufacturing residues.
3. Check out the Clean Cloth Nappies group on Facebook and their website for all info/advice, including washing tips and routines.
4. If you are going to the trouble of using cloth nappies, you may as well use reusable cloth wipes and throw them in with your nappy load. Another step to reduce waste is a win in my book!
5. Yes! You can still use nappy/barrier creams with reusable nappies. You can use our Booty Balm without a disposable liner if you use a hot wash with a good detergent (as per Clean Cloth Nappies washing advice).
6. Try a few brands for fit.
7. Lastly, remember to keep it simple. It doesn't have to be hard! Do your best with it; even one a day will make a difference to landfill.
