|
|
|
|
|||||
Using and Caring for your Nappies |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||
|
You can read this guide in one go by just scrolling down or click on the quick links below:
BASIC INSTRUCTIONS:
EXTRA INFO:
It may be useful to also refer to Cloth Nappy Terminology when reading this guide.
Pocket Nappies: Pocket nappies are made from an outer waterproof layer and an inner stay-dry layer (such as fleece). Neither of these layers are absorbent so you need to stuff your pocket nappies with an absorbent insert. (See “What to stuff your pocket nappies with” below.) Place the insert inside the pocket, making sure that is goes right to the front. Even out any ridges (especially if you are using folded inserts). Place the nappy on the changing mat with the waterproof side down and the front nearest you. Place a fleece or paper liner on top (to make disposal of nappy contents down the toilet easier). Then place the baby on top of the nappy and fasten with the poppers or Velcro to give a snug, but not tight, fit around the legs and waist. Make sure that there is no part of the absorbent insert sticking out of the pocket at the back. If is fine for the fleece layer to stick out as this does not absorb moisture so will not make clothes wet. Two-Part Shaped Nappies: Open out the nappy with the inside and front of the nappy facing you. Place any boosters on top if needed for extra absorbency. You may like to add a stay-dry / stay-soft fleece liner on top of the booster or nappy. This will also prevent staining and aid removal of the contents of the nappy. Some people like to use a flushable paper liner on top of this to make life even easier when the nappy is soiled. Place the baby on the nappy and liners and fasten with the poppers, Velcro or Nappi Nippa fastener to give a snug but not tight fit around the waist and legs. Lift up baby’s legs and slide the wrap underneath their bottom (making sure the back is at the back!) then fasten around the nappy with the poppers or Velcro. Don’t feel you have to do the wrap up really tightly against baby’s skin, a two-part system has two layers of defense against leaks (the nappy and the wrap) so such a close fit does not have to be achieved. Make sure that all of the nappy is tucked into the wrap around the waist and legs. Flat Nappies or Prefolds follow the same principle as this though you will obviously have to fold the nappy first to the desired shape and with a terry square, fasten with a Nappi Nippa fastener before putting the wrap on. All-In-One Nappies: Place the nappy on the changing mat with the waterproof side down and the front nearest you. Place a fleece or paper liner on top (to make disposal of nappy contents down the toilet easier). Then place the baby on top of the nappy and fasten with the poppers or Velcro to give a snug, but not tight, fit around the legs and waist.
Newborn babies will need to be changed up to 12 times per day, because they tend to soil often and have very sensitive skin. Once your baby is past that initial newborn stage, you should change your washable nappies roughly every 3-4 hours or when soiled. However, some experts say that all nappies (disposable and reusable) should be changed more frequently, every 2 hours. You will soon learn what level of absorbency you need (i.e. if you need boosters & how many inserts for pocket nappies) to achieve the time lapse that suits your baby. Disposable nappies contain a gel, which traps moisture, keeping the nappy feeling dry even when it is full of urine. Fleece liners or a nappy that has a fleece inner layer will help to keep baby’s skin dry when wearing washable nappies. But even if you do not want to use fleece, the nappy being wet does not cause any know harm and does not increase that chances of nappy rash - research has shown that the main factors causing nappy rash are diarrhea and infrequent changing (or accidentally leaving on a dirty nappy without noticing). If you are finding that you are having to change more frequently or if you are getting leaks, make sure that for two-part nappies all of the nappy is tucked into the wrap. For pocket nappies, make sure that the fit around the legs is snug, that you have not over-stuffed the nappy (this can sometimes cause the legs openings to gape), and that the clothes worn on top are not too tight (you may need to go up a size for vest-tops that popper between the legs).
You will need to have a nappy bucket ready with your nappy mesh bag lining the inside (stretch over the rim to hold it in place). Wet nappy – Remove the nappy. With a pocket nappy shake the insert out of the nappy over your nappy bucket and drop the nappy into the bucket with the insert. With nappies and wraps, check that any Velcro tabs are fastened back to their “washing” position and put both nappy and wrap (and any boosters, liners) into the bucket. Put the lid on. Soiled nappy – If you have used a paper liner, remove the liner and contents and flush down the toilet. If you have used a fleece liner, remove the liner and contents and shake the liner over the toilet until everything is off the liner. If everything comes away clean then just pop everything into the nappy bucket as above. If the fleece liner or the nappy itself is very dirty you may like to soak them before washing (this is not essential, it just prevents staining). A separate bucket can be useful for this so that you don’t have to soak all of you nappies. Place a mesh bag inside the bucket and stretch it over the rim to hold it in place. Put enough water in the bucket to cover the nappy, but not too much that you can’t lift it, add a couple of drops of tea tree oil for its antibacterial properties and put the nappy and liner in. Put the lid on and put the bucket out of reach of toddlers.
Once your bucket is full it is time to do a nappy wash. This may be anything from every day to every three days depending on the age of your baby. If all your nappies have been stored in a dry bucket – Simply lift the nappy mesh bag containing the nappies out of the bucket and place in the washing machine. Leave the top of the bag open and the nappies will work their way out during the wash. Give the bucket a quick rinse and add a drop of tea tree or lavender oil to keep it smelling fresh. If your nappies have been soaked – Place the bucket right up to the door of the washing machine. Place an old towel or cloth or terry square over the edge of the washing machine door and behind the bucket to catch any drips. Lift the mesh bag containing the nappies out of the bucket and put into the machine. Chuck the drip-catching cloth in as well. Empty the dirty water into the toilet and wash out the bucket with water and tea tree oil (a washable wipe is good for this). Some machines have a short pre-wash that will give the nappies a quick rinse and get rid of the dirty water. If you do this then once finished add in your dry-pailed nappies to the load and you are ready to wash. Wash at 40 or 60 degrees with about half the amount of non-biological detergent you would use for a normal wash to prevent build-up on the nappies. Do not use fabric softner as this will decrease the absorbency of your nappies. If you find that you miss the smell of fabric softner you can add a few drops of lavender oil to the softner drawer. Hang dry your nappies if possible. Outside in the sun is obviously ideal as your nappies will dry quickly, smell gorgeous and any left-over stains will be bleached out by the sun. Obviously this is not always possible so drying on a rack indoors is the next best option. Close to (but not on) a radiator will speed things up. Last resort is the tumble dryer, this does nothing to preserve the life of your nappies, nor the environment or your electricity bill, but can be handy when pushed for time. If you only have a small number of nappies and you find you are resorting to using a dryer more than you would like to, consider buying more nappies so that you have enough to use while others are drying – you will save some money by not using as much electricity which can offset a little of the cost.
Wash your nappies prior to use to remove manufacture residues and boost absorbency (2-3 times for natural materials (cotton, hemp, bamboo) and once for synthetic materials (wraps, pocket nappies, micro-terry, fleece). There is no need to dry between washes. Wash bright or deep colours separately initially. You will find that bamboo and hemp will take about 10 washes to reach full absorbency. You can use the nappies after just a couple of washes, but be aware that you might need to change them more frequently.
Wash coloured nappies separately from white ones for the first couple of washes just in case the colour runs. Most manufacturers recommend that you soak coloured nappies as little as possible as it can lead to the colour fading over time.
Cotton terry will go hard and scratchy after a while. You can make them softer by giving them an extra rinse in the machine to get rid of washing powder build-up. Tumble Drying them will also soften them up. Do not be tempted to use fabric softener as it will decrease absorbency. White vinegar is often recommended instead of softener but many nappy manufacturers warn against using this as it can damage the waterproof fabric in wraps and pocket nappies that are in the wash with the cotton nappies.
What to stuff your pocket nappies with You can use almost anything absorbent to stuff your pocket nappies and you will soon discover which inserts you prefer and how much stuffing to use for your baby. The specially designed inserts made by the pocket nappy manufacturers give the trimmest fit, but folded terry squares and prefolds also make reliable inserts. Boosters for shaped nappies or microfibre cleaning cloths (folded) can be used to add additional layers if needed but are not usually big enough to use on their own (except for the smallest newborn size pocket nappies).
Once your baby starts to walk you may find that they will just get up and walk / run off instead of lying and patiently letting you change their nappy! Now nappy changing gets really interesting! We have found that a selection of interesting objects and toys kept only for the changing mat and rotated frequently can give you a few extra vital minutes. Old remote controls and mobiles can be a particularly useful addition to this collection. Make sure everything is ready before you start, pocket nappy stuffed, or nappy and wrap combination ready with liners etc. A wipe ready to wipe. If you find that you can get as far as getting the nappy on, but not the wrap, try doing the wrap up first and then putting it on over the nappy while your baby is standing up (hopefully looking at something interesting). Obviously pocket nappies and all-in-one nappies come into their own when you hit this problem, as there is only one piece to put on, but many people still manage with two-part nappies – they just have to be a bit quicker! The wipes you use can also sometimes make a difference; washable wipes with warm water are better than cold wipes from a packet.
Disposable wipes are very convenient but also quite expensive for something you just throw away. They cost between £2 - £4 for a pack that would last about a week for one baby (not newborns!). If you are using washable nappies it makes sense to use washable wipes too as they can simply be washed with your nappies for no extra effort. They also allow you to decide what you use on your baby’s skin, from plain warm water, to a solution containing your favourite essential oils for cleansing. For full-time use you would need 30 wipes (cost about £15) so after a few weeks you would be saving lots of money.
What to use to moisten
the wipes Water Plain, warm water is kindest on newborn bottoms and works really well straight from the tap! If you don’t change your baby next to a tap you will need to either use a bowl or a spray bottle to moisten the wipes.
Wipes solution Adding things to the water will enhance the cleansing and antibacterial qualities of the wipes. You can make up a solution in a spray bottle or use a Tupperware box with a tightly fitting lid that you can soak the wipes in before use. A couple of drops of Tea Tree oil works well and has both antibacterial and cleansing properties. Some other recipes include using a few drops of liquid baby soap in water, a drop of baby oil (to make the wipes glide more easily) or a solution of cold chamomile tea. Whatever you experiment with, make sure the quantities are suitable for a baby’s delicate skin and test on a small area first. Most solutions will keep for a couple of days as they will not contain the preservatives of packet wipes. If you use a Tupperware box to keep pre-moistened wipes in they will need to be changed at least every couple of days, so only make up what you need.
|
•
All text and original images © 2005-2007 The Totnes Nappy Company
