Welcome to the world of reusable nappies...

So you've started your forays into the world of cloth - welcome! When I first started thinking about using reusable nappies, I was immediately full of so many questions such as:

• How many do you need?

• What sizes do you need?

• How much will they cost?

• Which brands are best?

• How do you wash them?

• Will they leak?

• What do all the different terms mean?

and the all time favourite:

• What do you do with the poo????

With the launch of this blog, combined with our social media channels, we are going to attempt to answer all these questions - and more! - so stay tuned for many informative posts. If you have any suggestions for a post you'd like to see, get in touch!

I thought I would start off with a brief overview of what is generally accepted as the basics needed to use reusable nappies full time. The quantities can vary - for example, newborns can use up to 12 nappies a day (!) but I have a 10 month old and I find I use fewer nappies than suggested.

So, to get you going, you will need:

Nappies (obviously!) - 15-20 for full time use

Bucket or large wet bag for used nappies

Small / medium wet bag for going out and about

Then additionally you may find you want to use:

Boosters / inserts to increase the absorbency of the nappy

Liners to catch poo / keep baby drier

A mesh laundry bag to put the nappies directly into the wash in

Cloth wipes - 30-40 for full time use

This may have caused many more questions to arise (what are boosters?? absorbency?? agh!)! We have created a mini glossary of many of the terms you may encounter when looking into reusable nappies, which can be found here.

The nappy library has a lot of different kits that can get you started on your journey, with different combinations of brands and styles so you can try them out without having to invest in a style that turns out not to suit you. Please get in touch if you would like to try out any of our kits or have any questions at all. Additionally, if you are thinking about this while you are pregnant, our Antenatal Nappy Natter Workshop is still running online and you can book your space here.