Getting started with cloth nappies

This week is real nappy week as most of us already know, and we are trying to do our bit by letting the world know how EASY it is to use real nappies.

Cloth nappies not only save you money, but they also save the environment and help to protect your babies sensitive skin. One of the best things about cloth nappies is that they are so simple to use. A kit of cloth nappies can last your child from birth to potty, and if you have more than one child it is really easy to cloth nappy them at the same time too.

I have found that when I have spoken to newcomers to cloth recently that they are sceptical but once they learn how to use them, what they need, and most convincingly how much they save they soon come round to my way of thinking! We have shown you yesterday how to use the bumGenius New-born nappy and today we are covering 'Getting started with cloth nappies'.

Ok so the first thing is what do you need to get started with cloth nappies? Well it is pretty simple from the beginning. Some people opt for other accessories, but I think it can be a bit confusing at times, and it can seem like there are a million different accessories you can buy. Each accessory has a very specific purpose. Some of those products have a wide audience and others have a small following. So, here is what we would recommend as the basics for most families.

1. You will need a selection of cloth nappies to suit your babies needs, you may decide to choose an A-I-O, or a pocket nappy or a wrap style nappy. Most importantly when choosing your nappies – think about your lifestyle and what will suit your families needs.
2. At a minimum, you need a nappy bucket. A plastic rubbish bag will work as a liner, but it isn't the most environmentally friendly choice available. We recommend a washable nappy liner (the bumGenius ones are great).
3. Cloth baby wipes are absolutely essential. When you are changing a nappy, the wipes usually end up on top of or inside of the dirty nappy. It makes no sense to be trying to keep the wipes separate just so you can throw them in the bin can. If you use cloth wipes, the whole pile just ends up in the nappy bucket.
4. A wet-bag is handy if you are out and about, it means you can store a dirty nappy in your family bag or even your handbag when away from home.
5. A washing machine – mine is 8 years old and still works great, there are more efficient machines on the market now too. I think it’s important to look at any manufacturers washing instructions carefully when getting started with cloth.

There are some other things to think about when deciding to go with cloth, some frequent questions we get are;


How Many Nappies will I need? We recommend 20 nappies for full time use.


What if I am not sure? Most bumgenius nappies come with a unique 14 day money back guarantee. Try one nappy for 14 days, use as much as you like. If you are not happy with the reusable nappy, simple - send it back and get a no quibbles refund!


How do I use them? Well this is the simplest part, open, put on baby and close. Yes,it’s that easy!

And that’s it, cloth nappies really can change the way you take care of your baby, and change the way you see your planet. Why not give it a go? For me getting started with cloth was a simple as 1,2,3.