Cloth Diaper Update Part 2 - What We Bought
What we settled on and why
After renting a set of newborn nappies we got a sense for what worked for us and what didn't. There are a wide range of options which can all be very confusing (all-in-ones, all-in-twos, prefolds etc) but we found that most insert fabrics did not whisk away wetness as well as disposables which ended up causing nappy rash despite us changing the baby very frequently. That is until we found the Flip brand by Bum Genius.
Flip system
The flip system is made up of 2 parts, an outer waterproof shell and an inner absorbent insert. This makes it cheaper as you only need half the number of shells to inserts since you can reuse the outer shell until it gets dirty and just replace the inner insert each change.
Inserts
The inner insert is called a stay-dry insert with micro-fleece on top and micro-fibre on bottom. The micro-fleece allows the pee to seep through and is absorbed by the micro-fibre underneath keeping baby dry. The website says this is only good for the day time as absorption is medium and won't last 6-8 hours, however you can use boosters underneath like bamboo or hemp inserts which are extra absorbent. That said, we don't have the luxury of 8 hours sleep yet so haven't needed the boosters yet.
We did buy the bamboo and hemp inserts as well but have been using them as pee pads to protect furniture or bedding from leaks or nappies on their own using a nappy-nippa clip - this is more useful for elimination communication when you are trying to go nappy free. More on that in a separate post. Different inserts below - from left to right - stay-dry insert, bamboo booster and hemp booster.
Sizing
The other benefit of the flip system is that they are "birth to potty" size which means they grow with your child. Different size settings shown below (small, medium and large setting from left to right). The 2 rows of snaps at the top also allow customisable sizing for waist and legs as you can snap them at a diagonal should your baby have a bigger waist than legs or vice versa. The bands on the sides are a bit stretchy too which allows for a better fit.
Rash Creams
Most cloth nappy instructions will say not to use nappy rash creams as they can affect absorption of the inserts or damage the waterproof lining. Not the most realistic when you have a baby with a sore bum and "airing it out" isn't cutting it. From what I read there are some more natural creams that are ok. The one we found on forums is available at boots and is called Weleda Nappy Change Cream. It is just as if not more effective than Sudocrem and more natural ingredients.
Tips
Do the nappies up tighter than you think they should be to ensure no pee leaks, check the fit around the legs and at the back and pull the side portions tight. We have not had any poo leaks to date (only pee).
The system also has disposable inserts should you need them for trips where no laundering facilities are available.
Just because the top feels dry do not leave the insert on for too long as it will still cause a rash. Feel the underside at each change to see how wet it actually is.
If you have a boy, put the folded portion of the insert to the front and if you have a girl, put it towards the back as more absorption is required in those areas. Also if you have a boy, point the penis downwards when putting on the nappy - this is true for disposables too and something I would have had no clue about until the midwife showed us by chance.
Cost
~340€ for all of the below:
30 stay dry inserts
10 bamboo boosters
5 hemp boosters
8 outer waterproof shells
32 reusable bamboo wipes
This could have been done cheaper again if we'd been able to find second hand. Also I wouldn't have ordered as many since we started doing elimination communication but I will sell on when we are done to re-coup the costs somewhat there. That said, having the extra is nice as it means less frequent laundry and I can keep spares in my nappy changing bag and have some stocked upstairs and downstairs.
I estimate this will save at least 1,760€ in comparison to using disposables nappies and wipes.
Details below:
Cost of cloth
300€ once off for nappy supplies
40€ once off for wipes and
50€ for added laundering costs for 18 months (doing elimination communication means baby will be potty trained in 12 - 18 months as opposed to the average 2.5 years with disposables).
390€ Total
Cost of disposables
580€/year for nappies
280€/year for wipes
860/year * 2.5 years to potty training
2,150€ Total
Difference = 1,760€ not including pay by weight waste removal and later resale of nappies, that's 60€/month. How many weeks or months of your take-home salary amounts to this? I often find looking at savings this way puts things into perspective ie: did you trade 1 month of your life to pay for the convenience of disposable nappies?
