Reusable Nappies & Swimming

Baby swimming is a great way to bond with your baby, and can be done from birth. Both of our children were enrolled in swimming lessons from just a couple of weeks old, and they have both developed in confidence and skill over the years they have been swimming

You need very little to take your baby swimming, but the most vital piece of clothing is the swim nappy. Most swim schools and swimming pool require a double nappy system, which consists of a swim nappy (disposable or reusable) with a neoprene ‘happy nappy’ over the top. The double layer is important, as you don’t want your child to be the one that causes the pool to be closed if the nappy leaks!

The first thing to note is that no swim nappy is designed to be absorbent; its sole purpose is to contain any solids. Anything absorbent in a swim nappy would just absorb water from the swimming pool in seconds, and will weigh down your baby

Reusable swim nappies are simple to use and can be used on multiple children. They are generally sized (small/medium/large or size 1/size 2) so they provide a snug fit for your child; a swim nappy that is too small will dig into the skin and may cause discomfort, and a swim nappy that is too big will gape and leak

One thing to be aware of, especially if you are not familiar with reusable nappies in general is that they are designed to fit more snugly than disposable nappies, so will sit more like a pair of traditional pants, so don’t be alarmed if it looks like the swim nappy is too small, it isn’t!

There are two main styles of reusable swim nappies, and it is personal preference which you go for. Pull-up style are easier for older children to put on independently, but swim nappies with poppers or Velcro are easier to remove without making lots of mess if your little one does have an accident. Our personal preference is poppers as we find that Velcro can get brittle over time with repeated exposure to chlorine

Neoprene happy nappies are used over the top of a swim nappy and provide extra security in the event of an accident. The legs and waist are designed to form a seal in case any solids do escape the swim nappy underneath, and they must completely cover the underneath layer. Again, these are sized, and they must fit snugly to perform their job effectively

If you are already using reusable nappies, you can use an empty pocket nappy (make sure you remove the inserts first!) or wrap instead of a ‘proper’ swim nappy; an AIO can also be used if you cut out the absorbent tongue first. This is a great way to utilise nappies where the PUL has gone so they cannot be used in the traditional sense. make sure you pop a neoprene happy nappy over the top still!

Taking care of swim nappies is really simple; we just pop ours into the washing machine with the rest of the swimwear. They dry very quickly, so if you are going on holiday, you should only need two or three to use in rotation; if not soiled, they can be hand-washed and dried in a couple of hours

So, what are you waiting for?! Ditch the disposables and try reusables today!

REVIEW: Nimble Laundry Lover

When Nimble contacted me and said that they had a liquid detergent that was suitable for use on reusable nappies, I’ll admit I was sceptical. The general rule is to use powdered detergent as that doesn’t leave residue on your nappies or washing machine. But I’ll give most things a go, so they sent me some to trial…

Firstly, I was impressed with the packaging; although the cardboard box was larger than it needed to be, I can reuse that (or it is suitable for recycling) and the packaging inside is also recyclable, although I will reuse that too

The liquid is brown in colour, which could be a little off-putting to some users, but I prefer that to having extra colours added just to make it look more appealing

The packaging of the product itself is simple and clear, and the instructions are easy to follow. I would prefer some guidance on whether to add extra liquid if washing reusable nappies, or at the very least what constitutes a ‘normal’ load, as I struggled to work out how much to use initially; several washes down the line though, and I use one full capful plus an extra half a cap for my usual nappy load

Nimble Laundry Liquid produces plenty of bubbles, and my nappies are clean and fresh out of the wash. It does take a little getting used to the scent of the nappies, as I am so used to my nappies not having any scent at all out of the wash; the perfume is intense, but NOT overwhelming and unpleasant

My nappies are clean, and the absorbency has not been affected by using this liquid rather than powder. I measured the absorbency of the same nappies before and after using Nimble Laundry Liquid five times, and there is no measurable difference in absorbency. The PUL is also unaffected by the product so far

If you would like to try this product, you can get a 10% discount on Nimble Laundry Lover over at Nimble Babies using the code WHNAS10

Cloth Nappies & Childcare

One of the most common reasons I hear for people not trying reusable nappies is that nurseries and childminders won’t use them. In fact, there is no reason why childcare providers CANNOT use reusable nappies, and it actually is a good way for them to demonstrate that they are working in partnership with parents, something that Ofsted is hot on

I’m an Ofsted registered childminder whose own children were (eldest) and are (youngest) in reusable nappies; in fact, the youngest has never worn a disposable nappy. The nursery my youngest attends is more than happy for her to stay in reusables, despite this being their first experience of them

I have cared for children in both disposable and reusable nappies, and MUCH prefer reusable, as there is no risk of poo leaks up the back of the nappy! However, I understand that it is parent choice, and I would never expect my parents who use disposable nappies to switch to reusable, so why should the reverse be acceptable?

There are many misconceptions floating around about reusable nappies, and most of them stem from ignorance of what modern reusable nappies are actually like, so I’d like to share a few tips to help get your childcare provider on board with reusable nappies

1. Education

Using reusable nappies is still a relatively rare practice in our modern throw-away society, so a lot of childcare providers won’t have come across reusable nappies in their setting before. Ask your childcare provider if they have seen or used modern reusable nappies previously and be prepared to show them what they are like

If you ask the majority of people in the UK what reusable nappies are, they will usually describe terry squares, plastic pants, soaking in a bucket until wash day… The reality of modern reusable nappies is very different, and by showing providers that no nappy pins or soaking is involved, then they will usually be more open to the suggestion
Find out if your childcare provider has any preconceptions about reusable nappies, for example, that they leak, and be prepared to address those

2. Communication

Have a conversation with your childcare provider about how both you and they could manage reusable nappies in the setting
Things to consider might include:

• Preparation of nappies: could you send nappies already prepared, with all inserts, boosters and liners in place, ready to put straight onto the child?
• Storage of dirty nappies: if the childcare provider has a double bagging policy could you provide small wet bags for individual nappies then another, larger, wet bag for these to go into afterwards?
• Dealing with solids: I always suggest asking the childcare provider to leave any solids for parents to dispose of at homeThis communication shouldn’t happen just when your child starts childcare either; make sure you communicate regularly with your childcare provider, encouraging them to share any issues they may have

3. Stick to what you know

Don’t send in nappies you don’t normally use. Stick to nappies you know suit your child; nappies that you can demonstrate how to fit correctly because you use them every day, where you know how long those nappies should last between changes
There’s absolutely no point in buying loads of nappies especially for nursery because they’re ‘easier’ when actually your child wees through them in half an hour and they aren’t a good fit on your child
If it ain’t broke…

4. Expect leaks

Remember when you first started using reusable nappies on your little one and didn’t fit them properly into the knickerline? And that time you left the fleece liner sticking out and liquid wicked onto trousers? Oh, and when you did the poppers up too tight and got compression leaks?

Your childcare provider will need to go through that learning process, and you will need to be patient…
Pack several pairs of bottoms. Be prepared to demonstrate how to fit a reusable nappy several times to several different people. Send in a picture to show how tight the Velcro at the waist should be. Write a brief set of instructions to leave in the change bag to remind the key worker. Send them a link to a fit video (fab one here!) Use Sharpie to mark the poppers that need to be done up… Do whatever needs to be done to make the transition as smooth as possible for everyone involved

You learnt to do this once, and you didn’t have 20 other children to look after at the same time! I suppose the main lesson to take away from this consists of two words…

Be patient!

Anyone else got any more top tips to share when it comes to cloth nappies and childcare?

REVIEW: Reusable Nappies – EcoBebe All-in-Two Nappy

The EcoBebe nappy (right hand side in the photo below) is designed to fit from 7lb 7oz on the smallest setting up to 33lb on the largest, although if you do have a larger toddler I would be wary that it might not last up until that maximum weight, especially in comparison to the EcoPipo (left hand side in the photo below) which is definitely more generous in size.

I was a tad sceptical when I saw the EcoBebe nappy; it looked a LOT smaller than the EcoPipo pockets I was already using on my youngest, and I wasn’t convinced it wasn’t going to fit her… But it did! She is on the largest setting at just over two years of age, and 50^th centile for weight (I can’t remember what she actually weighs though, classic second child problem!)

The fit is very trim, and a lot less bulky than EcoPipo pockets, partially aided by the insert. EcoPipo pockets come with one long trifold (bamboo and microfibre) which folds into three, whereas the EcoBebe insert only folds into two; it comprises of one long microfibre insert with a cotton velour outer on one side and a microfleece outer on the other for a choice of material to put next to the skin. As the insert folds over to fit into the wrap, it also unfolds for faster drying, which is a definite bonus in the torrential rain we are currently experiencing

The insert fits comfortably into the cover, and I have also added an extra EcoPipo bamboo insert for extra peace of mind on occasion; I was unsure if this would compromise the fit of the nappy, but the double gusset at the leg means that there is no gapping once the nappy is fitted correctly

One slight issue I do have is the proximity of the snaps to the edge of the tab; this can make it tricky to undo the nappy when changing, as there isn’t any material to grab onto, but I am unsure if this is just my particular nappy, or true for all products

Overall, we are very happy with our EcoBebe nappy; the trim fit is great for an active toddler, and absorbency can easily be customised to suit without gaps and leaks occurring

***ALL VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS BLOG POST ARE MY OWN***

Reusable Wipes: The Bottom Line

We started using reusable wipes when my eldest was around three months old; they have served us well for over 3.5 years, and two children. As a mum of two, and childminder of more than two, they have become an invaluable part of our household. Here are a few reasons why…

1. Fewer wipes used each nappy change

Because reusable wipes are made from materials such as cotton and bamboo, they are grippier than disposable wipes, which have a tendency to slide and smear.

As a childminder, I use both reusable and disposable wipes regularly, and while the maximum number of reusable wipes I have used in any single nappy change stands at three, I have needed over double that amount of disposable wipes on more than one occasion!

2. Easy to use at home

Everyone has their nappy changing station set up slightly differently, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to this. Personally, we have them all stored in a tub already wet, so we can just grab and use; other parents store dry and wet under the tap at each change.

Once used, you can throw into the nappy bag or bucket if using reusable nappies too, or the Cheeky Wipes system includes a Mucky Box to store dirty wipes until wash day. Depending on whether your washing machine eats small items, a mesh bag can be useful to stop your wipes going AWOL during washing…

3. Easy to use when out and about

Again, everyone has their own system for this. We have a small wet bag into which we put a few damp reusable wipes; once used they go into the larger wet bag with dirty nappies.

If you prefer to keep your wipes dry until use, a small bottle of water can be carried with them and used to dampen them before use.

4. Cheaper in the long run

Thirty reusable wipes can cost up to £30 if bought new, depending on where you buy; buying preloved brings the cost down further, and making your own out of items in your home will reduce the cost even more, perhaps even costing you nothing but the time to make them.

Compare this to even the cheapest disposable wipes. On a conservative estimate of a pack per week for 2.5 years, which is the average age of toilet training, Aldi wipes (0.49p per pack) will cost you £63.70 [I use Aldi as a comparison as they were the cheapest I could find online!]

5. Reducing landfill and fatbergs

Disposable wipes are made of a mixture of materials, including plastics; this means they will never break down fully. Disposable wipes should NEVER be flushed (even if labelled as such) though too many sadly are, becoming a massive contributor to fatbergs (read more here on these)

Reusable wipes are made of biodegradable materials which will break down over time. You can re-purpose your reusable wipes once your children no longer need them for general cleaning or even family cloth, or sell on to recoup some of your costs.

6. No chemicals (other than water, water is a chemical after all!)

Since reusable wipes are soaked in whatever you choose, water being the cheapest and easiest option. Some soak in chamomile tea, or melt coconut oil in hot water, but plain old-fashioned H₂O is good enough for us!

Disposable wipes contain a lot more chemicals, including preservatives, alcohols and fragrances, some of which have been linked to eczema and allergies. You can read more in a Which report here.

Do you use reusable wipes already? What extra uses do you have for them?!
Or, perhaps you haven’t taken the plunge yet… Hopefully now you can see how easy it can be!
Share your experiences with me…

Reusable Nappies: Cloth Bumming on a Budget

‘I can’t afford to fork out hundreds of pounds all at once to buy reusable nappies’

I agree, not many people can. But reusable nappies don’t have to be expensive; not when starting out, and definitely not in the long run. There are several things you can do to make reusable nappies affordable and accessible to your family…

1. Use your local nappy library

Nappy libraries are run by volunteers and allow you to trial a selection of reusable nappies before buying anything. You can save money by finding out which nappies work best for your child, so you can then go and buy exactly what you need, rather than wasting money through trial and error. Find your local nappy library here to get started on your cloth bum journey.

2. Buy preloved

Once you know the type of nappies you are looking for, there are dozens of selling pages specifically for buying and selling preloved nappies. You can pick up bargain bundles for a few pounds, as well as selling on your own nappies once you have finished with them to recoup some of your costs.

3. Don’t discount the simple options!

Sometimes the simple options can be the best; prefolds are often overlooked in the era of modern cloth nappies, but they are cheap to buy (usually 50p each preloved), can be folded to fit any body shape, are extremely hardwearing and can be used around the house once their lifespan as nappies has ended. Similarly wraps can be picked up for a couple of quid, so you can cloth from birth to toilet training for £20 through this method (assuming 20 prefolds and 5 wraps)

4. Build up your stash gradually

Cloth bumming doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Building up your stash gradually can be a great way to reduce your landfill without splurging all your hard-earned cash at once. A couple of nappies per month, and in a year you will have enough to cloth full time.

5. Use on multiple children

If you are planning on having more than one child, then using the same nappies on them means no outlay for additional children. Even with two in cloth for a year we didn’t need double the amount of nappies, as we washed more frequently.

Do you have any more tips to help save money when cloth bumming? Share them below!

Plastic Free July 2018

Since the introduction of the 5p charge for single use plastic bags in October 2015, plastic litter has been drastically reduced in my neighbourhood. Pretty much every shopper at my local supermarket takes their own bags and doesn’t even complain anymore! However, plastic litter is still prevalent in our environment, and there is more that we can do as a society to reduce our plastic consumption. As today marks the start of Plastic Free July, I want to share with you six ways that our family have reduced our plastic usage with very little effort at all; hopefully it can encourage some of my readers to make a small change this month too.

1. Nappies and wipes

25-30% of a disposable nappy is plastic (mainly polypropylene and polyethylene) and can take between 200 and 500 years to decompose in landfill. They account for approximately 3% of household waste, and approximately 8 million disposable nappies are thrown away each day in the UK alone. Disposable wipes are generally made of polyester and propropylene, and the packaging is made of non-recyclable plastics.

Reusable nappies do have some plastics components, mainly the waterproof PUL (polyurethane laminate) layer, and some of the absorbent materials such as microfibre (polyester, polyamide, and polypropylene), but consider that these are a multiple use item and that the plastic component will be reused hundreds of times. You can also choose plastic-free alternatives such as a wool wrap instead of a PUL one, and bamboo, hemp or cotton instead of microfibre. Reusable wipes are usually made from cotton or bamboo, and are dampened with water to use.

There is a network of nappy libraries across the country to help, support and advise parents who want to trial reusable nappies. Why not get in touch with your local volunteer to find the reusable nappies that work for you
http://www.uknappynetwork.org/map.html

2. Deodorant

Roll-on and stick deodorants are packaged in plastic, usually polyethylene and polypropylene, which can generally be recycled.

There are alternatives which use compostable cardboard packaging; once the product has been used, simply add to your compost bin or in to your garden waste bin. The additional benefit of natural deodorants is that they do not contain aluminium, which is absorbed into the skin and has a potential link to certain cancers and Alzheimers.

3. Shampoo, conditioner and shower gel

In a similar fashion to deodorants, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel are packaged in plastic, most of which can be widely recycled (although not usually the lids)

Shampoo and conditioner bars are a simple plastic-free alternative that can be found on the high street or online; simply lather up and then rinse. Some users report that the bars can leave hair slightly waxy, but a rinse with diluted apple cider vinegar (easy to find in your local supermarket, and you can opt for a glass bottle) helps to remove any residues. Similarly, with shower gel, you can buy shower gel bars, or even use old-fashioned soap!

4. Straws

It is estimated that 8.5 BILLION plastic straws are used in the UK every year; many are not disposed of correctly and end up as litter. They will degrade over time (approximately 200 years) but will never fully break down (biodegrade); this means that tiny particles remain in the environment and are toxic to wildlife. Even before they break down, plastics are ingested by wildlife, causing suffocation and death.

There are several alternatives to disposable plastic straws; many fast food chains are now committed to paper straws (some are even using pasta straws!) which is a massive improvement, even though they are still disposable. Reusable options include stainless steel and bamboo straws. These can be carried with you for use on the go; they are easy to clean (they usually come with a small brush to clean the inside) and take up very little room in your bag

5. Menstrual products

On average, a woman will use 11,000 disposable tampons or pads in her lifetime; these obviously can’t be recycled, and therefore end up in landfill (or worse, flushed down the toilet, helping to create fatbergs) They contain polypropylene and polyethylene, as do disposable pads. Menstrual products aren’t a ‘luxury’ (despite what the UK government would have us believe, but this isn’t a political post!) and your period can be comfortable and plastic-free.

Cloth sanitary pads are comfortable and the absorbency and length can be tailored to your specific requirements; in addition, the toppers can be made in a variety of fabrics and designs, so your period can even be pretty! Menstrual cups are the internal option; these are made of silicon and can be boiled in between uses to ensure cleanliness.

6. Takeaway coffee

Most people would argue that the disposable cups that you get in coffee shops for your takeaway coffee are made of paper; that is true, but they need a waterproof coating to prevent the liquid leaking through, which is actually polyethylene, a plastic. Add to that that the lids are generally made of hard polystyrene which is not widely recycled, plus the fact that 7 million disposable cups are used in the UK every day, and that adds up to a lot of landfill…

A simple switch to a reusable travel mug and not only will you be helping the environment, but you can also save yourself some money! Most coffee shops offer money off to customers who choose to reuse, and the insulated cups will also keep your drink hotter for longer!

So what’s next?

This month we are going to try and reduce our plastic use further; buying loose from the supermarket, making a beeswax cover for food so we don’t use clingfilm and I’m also looking into getting milk from a local dairy in glass bottles rather than plastic.

What will you try this month to reduce the amount of plastic you use?

Reusable Nappies: Cloth Bumming from Birth

I’ll be honest, I never thought I’d have two children in nappies at the same time! We’d ‘planned’ on two children, probably two years apart (give or take a couple of months), so when I found out I was 12 weeks pregnant when Thomas was not even a year old, you could say it came as a bit of a shock; turns out breastfeeding as a contraceptive is an old wives’ tale, who’d have thunk it 😉  But after the initial shock (and joy, obviously!) I started planning cloth bumming from birth…

With my eldest, we borrowed a BTP kit from my local nappy library when he was a couple of months old, so we had no experience of newborn reusable nappies. Through volunteering for my local nappy library and anecdotal evidence, we decided that two parters were the best system for us, supplemented by a newborn kit from the library. We went for two parters as we had learnt the hard way with Thomas that breastfed poos could be explosive, so the separate wrap would be vital for containment, and the newborn pockets and AIOs from the library kit would be useful if we were staying home in the day.

Prewashing the newborn nappies (everything else for youngest was second hand so we opted for brand new nappies for her) was a pleasant ritual at the start of May when the sun shone, though the size difference between them and the BTP nappies Thomas was in was astounding! I was already massive at this stage (SPD had put me on crutches, so I wasn’t as mobile as during my first pregnancy, plus this one was measuring much larger…) and I found myself doubting that this baby would manage to squeeze into the tiny nappies.

Packing for hospital lead to a dilemma… How many nappies do we take? I was booked in for induction on the Bank Holiday Monday (busy busy!) and had also tested positive for Strep B, so knew the hospital would want me to stay in for a few hours after birth to check everything was safe with both me and the baby. We settled on ten fitted nappies and four wraps, as well as Cheeky Wipes and a large wet bag; this meant that even if I did have to stay in for any reason, Paul could easily take the wet bag home with any dirty nappies in and bring back a fresh supply.

The birth went relatively smoothly; turns out baby didn’t want to be induced after all, and my waters went before they could induce me. Katherine was finally born on the Bank Holiday evening weighing 9lb 7oz; I remember looking at her and thinking ‘crumbs, she looks massive.’ Thomas had only weighed 7lb at birth, despite being two weeks overdue, the same as Katherine, so she seemed like a giant in comparison. Her first nappy was a reusable nappy (she doesn’t look too happy in the photo, does she?!) put on by daddy, and she has never worn a disposable nappy in her whole life, despite turning two last month.

The hospital was more than happy for me to use cloth; as Katherine was born at 22:23 at night, I needed to stay in anyway for us both to be monitored for Strep B, and didn’t leave until lunchtime the following day. The older midwives all came to have a nosy at the ‘modern’ cloth nappies, and although the young paediatrician looked at me like I had two heads, after I’d given her the run down on them she conceded that they were ‘cute’

Once we got home, it wasn’t hard to get into a new washing routine; we had washed Thomas’s nappies every three days and having another set of nappies just meant that we washed every other day. Having different types of nappies helped us, as we could save the two parters for the longer stints between feeds at night, while the pockets and AIOs from the library kit were great as back ups in the day, especially as they dried a lot quicker. One thing I had forgotten, even in the short sixteen months between having my two kids, was how often you have to change a newborn; factor in 8-12 nappies per 24 hour period, and make sure you allow for drying time too. We were fortunate that the summer weather held while we were washing and drying so frequently, but if you have a winter baby a few more nappies would make things a lot easier for you…

I was fortunate to have had a stress-free birth and lots of support at home, so it was easy for us to continue using cloth when we had our second child. I completely understand that everyone has a different experience, and clothing from birth won’t be an option for all families, for any number of reasons. I always advise first time parents who borrow from the WHNAS to get to grips with keeping a baby alive in the first place, before adding reusable nappies into the mix, and even if this is your second, third, fourth child, give yourself a break if you need to. Reusable nappies don’t have to be all or nothing. And remember, advice and support is always available from your friendly local nappy library volunteer!

REVIEW: Reusable Nappies – Smart Bottoms

About a month ago, Smart Bottoms kindly sent me five items of my choosing to feed back on; I chose a range of items that covered the breadth of their stock, including:

• Smart Bottoms Dream Diaper 2.0
• Smart Bottoms Two Smart Cover
• Smart Bottoms Hemp Inserts
• Smart Bottoms Oval Wet Bag
• Smart Bottoms Diaper Clutch

Smart Bottoms Dream Diaper

The blurb on this one intrigued me; a hemp/organic cotton snap-in one with a pocket for extra boosting, and no need for multiple prewashes to build up absorbency as the materials had already been processed to remove the oils already. It all sounded too good to be true! So, after one wash, it was straight on the bum… with no leaks.

My youngest has just turned two, and the nappy fitted best with the rise poppers fully open, but there is still some leeway for more growth in there. The nappy is streamlined and not too bulky, which is perfect for an active toddler, even with extra boosters in the generous pocket. The rolled leg seams allow for easy fitting into the knickerline without leaks and red marks and the snap-in insert is narrower than the nappy itself, so no risk of the insert poking out when fitting the nappy.

Smart Bottoms Two Smart Cover

This is my daughter’s current favourite, because of the doggy print! At night she wears a fitted nappy with extra boosting between nappy and wrap; the generous flaps at either end of the wrap were perfect for holding the extra booster in place while trying to fit the wrap onto a toddler bent on escaping. The double gusset is also good for allowing the room for extra boosting between nappy and wrap.

Like the Dream Diaper, rise poppers are fully open (unsurprisingly over a bulky night nappy plus additional boosting) but the wrap fitted well into the knickerline without leaks or leaving red marks. My youngest is in her night nappy combination for 10-13 hours at night, and the wrap has not once leaked.

Smart Bottoms Hemp Inserts

Extra boosting between nappy and wrap is a must for my daughter at night. The hourglass shape means that these boosters fit comfortably into all of the various brands of wrap that we use; the narrower middle section means she can still walk in her night nappy combination without the extra booster rubbing the inside of her legs (this has happened previously with rectangular boosters) They also fit into the pocket of the Dream Diaper, in case you need to boost that too, and are slim enough to add boosting without the bulk.

The only negative with the boosters is that they quickly have a bobbly appearance after a few washes; this is just aesthetic, and does not affect the performance of them in any way.

Smart Bottoms Oval Wet Bag

I’m always on the look out for a large wet bag suitable for holding three days’ worth of nappies; we currently use PlanetWise hanging wet/dry bags (two in rotation) but can now replace the older one with this in our rotation. The two sturdy straps allow for secure hanging on the back of the bathroom door, away from inquisitive fingers. I particularly like that you can change whether the straps go across the zip or one either side of the zip due to the poppers on each; personally we preferred the straps either side of the zip, which meant we could unzip the bag without unhooking the straps first.

I’ll admit I wasn’t sure if I would get along with a vertical zip, but it actually works well; it is easy to pull down with one hand, which is important if you are holding a dirty nappy in the other! The bag holds 12-15 nappies comfortably, and the fact that the zip goes nearly all the way down both sides of the bag means that it is easy to empty into the washing machine on wash day. Despite the weather being warm, no smells escaped from this wet bag, and it dries surprisingly quickly.

Smart Bottoms Diaper Clutch

I have a variety of different sized wet bags in my collection, so I can choose the most appropriate size for the length of time we will be out; as a childminder I regularly have at least three children with me, plus a double buggy (and sometimes a very active dog!) so a strap that will attach to the buggy is a must, as well as not taking up too much space on the buggy itself.

The Diaper Clutch has proven to be the perfect size and shape for my ‘emergency nappies’, several spare disposable nappies and a pack of disposable wipes that hangs on my buggy at all time, in case of emergency. Deceptively spacious, the Diaper Clutch easily fits in all the emergency supplies, and the sturdy handle that poppers closed hangs safely on the handlebar of the buggy; it has even survived the eldest tugging on it in a strop of the way home from pre-school!

I’d like to thank Smart Bottoms for sending these items to me to test drive, and I am happy to answer any further questions my readers have on them!

***ALL VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS BLOG POST ARE MY OWN***

Reusable Nappies: The Differences Explained

Just as every disposable nappy user has a favourite brand they use on their child, the same is true with reusable nappies. All reusable nappies have the same two basic parts, an absorbent inner and a waterproof outer; there are basic differences between the three main types of reusable nappy, which are as follows:

• Pockets
• All-in-ones (AIOs); also incorporating snap-in-ones (SIOs)
• Fitted nappies (and wraps); sometimes called a two-parter

Pocket nappies

These have a waterproof layer and a non-absorbent fleece layer which are sewn together with an opening left to form the ‘pocket’ between the two layers; they have no absorbency built into them, so all absorbency must be added in the form of inserts.

The main advantages of pocket nappies are that you can tailor the combination of inserts specifically for each child, and that you can separate all of the parts out for faster drying; it also means you can have extra inserts and use those in the pockets (which dry very quickly), meaning you can get away with fewer nappies overall.

The main disadvantages of pocket nappies are that they can be time-consuming to stuff with the inserts after each wash and that overboosting (adding too many inserts) can compromise the fit of the nappy, causing it to leak.

Pockets are a popular choice for a day nappy, particularly for families where drying space is at a premium.

All-in-one (AIO) nappies

These have absorbent materials attached to the waterproof layer already. Extra absorbency can be added in the form of boosters.

The main advantage of AIO nappies is that they require no extra preparation to use (no stuffing) as the absorbency is already attached.

The main disadvantages of AIOs are that they are less customisable in terms of absorbency as you cannot remove the absorbency that is already built in, plus you have to wait for the whole nappy to dry before reusing it, and (like pockets) overboosting can compromise the fit of the nappy, causing it to leak.

AIOs are a popular choice for a day nappy, especially for parents sending reusable nappies to nurseries or childminders as there are no parts to get lost.

Snap-in-ones (SIOs) are slightly modified AIO nappies, where the inserts snap onto the waterproof layer. This means you can have the benefits of an AIO, but with the added advantage of being able to separate out the parts for faster drying like a pocket nappy.

Fitted nappies

Fitted nappies are completely absorbent and have no waterproof layer built in, so the whole nappy absorbs liquid. This means that they can hold more liquid overall, but require a separate wrap over the top to contain the liquid, hence why they are sometime called ‘two-parters’.

Flat nappies (prefolds and terry towels) can also be used as a fitted nappy; they can be folded in various ways (You Tube is your friend here!) and held in place with a nappy nippa (the modern equivalent of a safety pin) before the wrap is added, or simply folded into a rectangle and placed inside the wrap before being fitted.

The main advantage of fitted/flat nappies is the increased capacity, especially as you can add extra boosting between nappy and wrap without compromising the fit of the nappy. The separate wrap over the top also means they contain better, so the risk of a poonami is reduced; this is especially useful with newborn babies whose poos are very liquid in consistency.

The main disadvantage is drying time; as they can hold more liquid, they will take longer to dry. Fitted nappies are usually used as night nappies and for newborns due to their ability to hold lots of liquid, but if you have a heavy wetting child, they will be your main option during the day too.

BTP vs sized nappies

The sizing of reusable nappies is completely different to disposable nappies too. Whereas disposable nappies come in lots of sizes which each cover a small weight range, reusable nappies fall into two categories, birth-to-potty (BTP) and sized (size 1,2,3)

BTP nappies usually fit your baby from 10-35lb in weight; the reason they can fit over such a wide weight range is due to rise poppers on the front of the nappy, which can be changed as your baby grows. The advantage of BTP nappies over sized nappies is that (in theory) you only need to buy one set of nappies to see your child from birth until toilet-training; in reality, BTP nappies are unlikely to fit most newborns properly until they are a few weeks old.

Sized reusable nappies cover smaller weight ranges but can offer a better fit. Size 1 covers newborn-15lb, size 2 covers 15-30lb, size 3 covers 30lb plus (all weight ranges are approximate and will vary between sized nappy brands); however, it can mean buying two, or even three, sets of nappies before your baby toilet-trains.

Inserts, boosters and liners

I have used these terms earlier and wanted to clarify what they are. Inserts and boosters are the same thing, anything absorbent that is added to a reusable nappy is an insert/booster. They tend to be called ‘inserts’ when used in pocket nappies, as they are ‘inserted’ into the pocket, and ‘boosters’ when added to AIOs and two-parters as they are additional to the absorbency that is there already and are being used to ‘boost’ that absorbency and increase it.

The most common materials used for inserts/boosters are microfibre, charcoal (microfibre with charcoal fleece around the outside) bamboo, cotton, hemp (left to right in the photo below) and, more recently, zorb.

Liners can also get confused with inserts/boosters. Liners are NOT absorbent; their primary function is to aid with easier disposal of solids from the nappy. Options for liners are fleece and disposable and they are completely optional (definitely not flushable though, despite what the packaging might say! See my earlier blog post for more details on why disposable liners should not be flushed)

The added benefit of a fleece liner is that it can help to keep baby’s skin drier, but most pocket nappies already have a fleece inner anyway, so an additional liner isn’t always needed.

Finding the right nappies for your child

There are reusable nappies out there that will suit your baby. The most cost-effective way to find which nappies those are is to find your local nappy library and borrow a kit. The volunteers there will help and support you to find the perfect nappy for your child. Find yours using the link below!

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