With over 10 years retail, laundering and advising on cloth nappies as a business. Combined with 14 years and three cloth bums I have made a fair few mistakes.
Here are 10 pointers to help you avoid common pitfalls along your cloth journey.
1. If you have a boy always ensure his penis is pointing down. If you forget this simple strategy you will have endless leaks around the front of the waistband.
2. Do not store you nappy bin next to a radiator or on a heated floor, your nappies will cook and the smell….well you don’t want to know!
3. Babysitters need to be given instructions on how to use a cloth nappy. Otherwise you will come home to the baby at one end of the cot and nappy at the other, or a nappy put on back to front – now that is a skill!
4. Don’t forget to stuff your pocket nappy! A nappy with no absorbency will not work, and what is worse if you are having one of those day – you are likely to discover your error while sitting in foils at the hairdressers.
5. Do not put your cloth nappy in the industrial nappy bin in the baby change at your local store. These are designed so you can’t get into them….and would you want to?
6. Always ensure your nappy bag, changing bag, or car boot is empty of all soiled cloth nappies at the end of the day. You do not….I repeat …do not want to find one lurking in the boot of the car 3 months later.
7. Don’t accidently flush a fleece nappy liner. Have you tried plunging your hand into a flushing toilet, swirling with baby poo, while trying to grab the end of a fleece strip before it disappears round the U-bend? And if you miss it you then have weeks to worry about it blocking the entire neighbourhoods sewerage system!
8. In a rush to get laundry done? Don’t put your Velcro fastening nappies in with your tights…no,no,no! Your tights will be in bits and you will be untangling that mess for hours.
9. If you are using two-part nappies don’t forget the wrap, cover, whatever you want to call it – the waterproof outer. Yes, if you don’t have the waterproof bit you’re in trouble, the damp, soggy sort.
10. Finally, beware of buying pre-loved nappies online. When your “lightly used and in good condition” nappies arrive, there is nothing worse than the disappointment of finding grey, stained and slightly crusty specimens landing on your mat.
Good luck on you cloth nappy journey…and remember I have made these mistakes so you don’t have too.
I’m Nicole Hepburn and I run Nurtured Baby specialising in cloth nappies, baby carriers and baby massage. Find out more at www.nurtured-baby.com.
