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Mr P&P and I decided to use cloth nappies before the Bean was born and, as I’ve mentioned before, we love using them and have learned how to make them work very well for us. However, some of the nappies in our stash have recently given up the ghost.
And so I find myself back at my desk, trying to crack the cloth nappy maths: how many do we need? It’s a tough question, and one I think many first-time cloth nappy users struggle with. I don’t have the definitive answer, of course, but in this post I’ll go through the numbers as well as the factors that I focus on in my calculations.
And so I find myself back at my desk, trying to crack the cloth nappy maths: how many do we need? It’s a tough question, and one I think many first-time cloth nappy users struggle with. I don’t have the definitive answer, of course, but in this post I’ll go through the numbers as well as the factors that I focus on in my calculations.
Our stash in numbers
Newborn to ca. 4 months*
7 Tots Bots Bamboozle Stretch, size 1
6 Basic Boosters
3 Motherease Rikki Wraps, size s
This is not enough for full-time use, as a newborn can easily need changing 10 times a day. In our sleep-deprived inexperience, we were just a little too cautious with our cloth nappy use. If and when there is another baby, I would probably go for this:
7 Tots Bots Bamboozle Stretch, size 1
6 Basic Boosters
3 Motherease Rikki Wraps, size s
This is not enough for full-time use, as a newborn can easily need changing 10 times a day. In our sleep-deprived inexperience, we were just a little too cautious with our cloth nappy use. If and when there is another baby, I would probably go for this:
*Note: how long your baby stays in newborn will depend on their size. Tall and/or chunky babies may be able to go to Size 2 nappies or One-size nappies very quickly. Our baby being a small and skinny Bean, he needed tiny nappies!
4 months to potty training - so far
It’s been a good stash, I think, but the Bean is now 21 months and the Bamboozles are falling apart. According to Tots Bots, this is to be expected given how heavily we have been using them. Which may well be, but it means I have to wash almost daily to keep up and it is driving me NUTS. So I need to do some fluffy shopping!
To help me decide which nappies to go for next, I’ve started a Pinterest board with the best cloth nappy deals around at the moment:
http://www.pinterest.com/PastaPatchwork/best-cloth-nappy-deals/
To help me decide which nappies to go for next, I’ve started a Pinterest board with the best cloth nappy deals around at the moment:
http://www.pinterest.com/PastaPatchwork/best-cloth-nappy-deals/
It’s far from complete, but for now I’m particularly interested in:
The MioSolo All-in-One 6-pack kit | £69.99 from the Nappy Lady
Close Pop-in V1 +Minkee | £10 each from Babipur
Tots Bots Bamboozle Stretch (stripey) | £11.04 each from Babipur
Little Lamb Pocket Nappy | 5 for £27 from Fluff Heaven (mega bargain!)
I'm also interested in a 6-pack of Charlie Banana 2-in-1 nappies, but I'm a bit put off by the price... In any case, in the end I'm hoping we will have something like this:
The MioSolo All-in-One 6-pack kit | £69.99 from the Nappy Lady
Close Pop-in V1 +Minkee | £10 each from Babipur
Tots Bots Bamboozle Stretch (stripey) | £11.04 each from Babipur
Little Lamb Pocket Nappy | 5 for £27 from Fluff Heaven (mega bargain!)
I'm also interested in a 6-pack of Charlie Banana 2-in-1 nappies, but I'm a bit put off by the price... In any case, in the end I'm hoping we will have something like this:
4 months to potty training - the ideal stash
As you can see, we'll have gone from 20 to 25 nappies, which should mean fewer washes and also help the nappies to last longer.
I'm still mulling over the options, so...
I'm still mulling over the options, so...
What to consider
The factors that will influence my final decision are:
Price
Obviously. Although I think the Bean will still be in nappies for another 6-12 months, and we could pass them down to another baby when he’s done with them, I don’t want to spend a fortune. Therefore, I’m steering clear of the very best but very expensive All-in-One nappies.
Ease of use
The Bean goes to nursery four days a week. The nursery staff are happy to use any cloth nappy we send him in with, but they do prefer the ones that don’t have a separate wrap. I get this - nappy changes are not exactly a toddler’s favourite activity and the quicker you can get it done, the better! I’m a big fan of the Close Pop-in nappies for excellent ease of use (read our review of the Pop-in V2 here).
Absorbency
Big toddler boy means big wees. Sorry, but there’s just no other way of putting this! We are boosting everything but it would be nice if the new nappies were absorbent themselves, or at least easy to add boosters to. Anything made of bamboo gets plus points!
Drying time
Although good absorbency and fast drying times do seem to be mutually exclusive, I want at least a few fast-drying nappies for when the weather is cold and drying takes that bit longer (i.e. now!).
Looks
How shallow am I… But I do want these nappies to look good, and so I love me a pretty print. I’m also looking for a nappy that isn’t utterly massive. Though I don’t think the Bean is bothered, bulky nappies make finding affordable clothes that fit really hard!
Price
Obviously. Although I think the Bean will still be in nappies for another 6-12 months, and we could pass them down to another baby when he’s done with them, I don’t want to spend a fortune. Therefore, I’m steering clear of the very best but very expensive All-in-One nappies.
Ease of use
The Bean goes to nursery four days a week. The nursery staff are happy to use any cloth nappy we send him in with, but they do prefer the ones that don’t have a separate wrap. I get this - nappy changes are not exactly a toddler’s favourite activity and the quicker you can get it done, the better! I’m a big fan of the Close Pop-in nappies for excellent ease of use (read our review of the Pop-in V2 here).
Absorbency
Big toddler boy means big wees. Sorry, but there’s just no other way of putting this! We are boosting everything but it would be nice if the new nappies were absorbent themselves, or at least easy to add boosters to. Anything made of bamboo gets plus points!
Drying time
Although good absorbency and fast drying times do seem to be mutually exclusive, I want at least a few fast-drying nappies for when the weather is cold and drying takes that bit longer (i.e. now!).
Looks
How shallow am I… But I do want these nappies to look good, and so I love me a pretty print. I’m also looking for a nappy that isn’t utterly massive. Though I don’t think the Bean is bothered, bulky nappies make finding affordable clothes that fit really hard!
Over to you: How many cloth nappies do you have in you stash? Would you recommend any nappies in particular? And have I missed any good deals??
