New 
Reusable Nappies Advice Page
Need help choosing nappies?
Can’t decide between Tots Bots, FLIP, bumGenius, Wonderoo or Itti Bitti? Pocket nappies, all in one nappies, sized nappies? Confused by nappy sizing? Don’t know where to begin with cloth nappies? E-mail us at info@lizziesrealnappies.co.uk or call 0808 120 1004 (free from landlines).
Which reusable nappy will suit me best?
For detailed advice on real nappies, specific to you and your baby, we offer:
- ONLINE ADVICE Complete our Questionnaire for advice via e-mail
- PHONE ADVICE Call us on: 0808 120 1004 (free from landlines).
- ONE-TO-ONE ADVICE If you live close to Chester call for an appointment.
FAQs on reuseable nappies:
Benefits of reusable nappiesHow to use real nappies
Compare the cost of real nappies & disposables
Real nappy types - a glossary
Finding the right brands for you
What will I need?
Trial nappies
Benefits of reusable nappies?
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Soft comfortable fabrics. Modern washable nappies can be made from a variety of different fabrics including the traditional terry cotton, super-soft bamboo, and soft, quick-drying man-made fabrics such as micro-terry and micro-fleece. They also come in a great range of colours and are designed to make a far more comfortable and natural alternative to disposable nappies. Give us a call if you’d like advice on how to choose the most suitable fabrics.
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No more pins! Reusable nappies can be fastened with either poppers, velcro or ’Nappi Nippas’, making them nice and easy to put on. Gone are the days of the old nappy pin!
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Great containment. Used in combination with nappy liners and waterproof covers they provide a convenient and reliable alternative to disposables. Parents are often suprised to find that real nappes are more successful at containing solids than dispoable nappies.
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Early potty training. Experience also shows that babies in reusable nappies tend to potty train around 6 months earlier than those in disposables.
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Cut down on waste. Even just using washable nappies part time will have a significant effect on the volume of waste you throw away each week - reducing the size of your bin and helping to relieve some of the pressure on our landills.
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Less impact on the environment. Washing terry nappies below 60 degrees in just a small amount of detergent and minimising the use of tumble dryers ensures that reusable nappies have less effect on the environment, in terms of carbon emissions, than disposables.
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Save you money. See below for financial comparisons.
How to use real nappies
The nappy: this is the part of the nappy which provides the absorbency. It can be made of terry towelling, organic cotton, bamboo or man-made fabrics such as micro-fleece. Some fabrics are considerably easier to dry than others so it’s definately worth taking this into account if you need to dry nappies naturally. They are generally shaped like disposable nappies with elastication around the legs and waist for a really good fit. They are fastened with poppers, velcro or a ’Nappi Nippa’. Most brands provide sufficient absorbency for most situations however you can increase the absorbency for night time using nappy boosters.
The liner: On the inside of the nappy (between the nappy and baby’s bottom) you place a ’liner’. This is a paper-based slim layer which allows wee to soak through but not pass back to baby’s skin, and for the solids to be easily
removed from the nappy. You simply pick it off the nappy and throw it down the toilet leaving a relatively clean nappy, ready to be stored in a nappy bucket before washing.
Wrap: On the outside of the nappy you place a waterproof wrap (fastened with velcro or poppers). The nappy itself will become damp once baby starts to wee and so this waterproof layer is needed to stop the nappy leaking out onto clothes. The wrap is generally made of PUL (polyurethane laminate). It is very thin and and doesn’t add to the bulkiness of the nappy.
Cost comparison
between reusable nappies & disposables
Save money with washable nappies.
If using real nappies full time, a newborn will need around:
- 18 nappies
- 4 waterproof wraps,
- accessories such as nappi nippas, nappy liners, bucket.
A full kit, including everything you need, will cost around £200. (Although opting for a cheaper brand such as terry squares will cut costs further!)
Cost comparisons:
- Real Nappies £300-£450 approx depending on the brands used. This includes the nappies plus washing costs (electricity, water, washing powder) up to potty training.
- Disposable nappies £700 -£900 per child.
THIS AMOUNTS TO QUITE A SIZABLE COST SAVING OF £250-£600.
Also remember that reusable nappies can be used again on siblings, making the savings even more substantial.
For a more detailed analysis of the cost comparison between disposables and real nappies take a look at the Womens’s Environmental Network website.
The different reusable nappy types (glossary):
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Shaped, Sized Nappy (eg. Tots Bots Bamboozles, Flexitots and Organics, Bambinex Teddy and Bamboo)
Birth-to-potty (eg. Easy Peasy Bumble, Motherease One-size. Many ’pocket nappies’ will also fit from birth to potty such as bumGenius One-size, Wonderoo, Tots Bots Easyfit and Blueberry Onesize)
All-in-one (eg. Tots Bots Easyfit, bumGenius, Itti Bitti)
(eg. bumGenius One-size, Wonderoo, Tots Bots Easyfit & Blueberry)
Traditional terry towelling nappy (eg. Little Ewe)
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Finding reusable nappies to suit your needs
To help you identify the brands most suited to your requirements here is a quick summary of the main characteristics of different nappy brands.
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Quick drying (if no tumble dryer) |
Wonderoo, FLIP, bumGenius, Bambinex Teddy, Easy Peasy Bumble, Tots Bots Fluffle Easyfit |
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Organic/natural fabric nappies |
Tots Bots Organic, BumGenius Organic, Tots Bots Bamboozle, Bambinex Bamboo, Motherease Onesize, Pop-in |
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Slim fitting nappies |
Wonderoo, FLIP, bumGenius, Tots Bots Bamboozle, Flexitots, Bambinex Bamboo, Itti Bitti D’lish, Pop-in |
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Economy nappies |
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Luxury nappies |
I want to use real nappies - what do I need?
If using real nappies full time you’ll need:
16- 20 Nappies (Essential)
18 reusable nappies will allow you to wash every other day (or every third day once baby is older). If using a tumble dryer you can get away with less (say 16), if you’d prefer to wash less often then go for a few more.
If you’re buying for an older baby (1 year or more) you can generally get away with 12-14 nappies, as you won’t need to change the baby so often.
3-4 Waterproof Wraps (Essential)
If you’re using shaped nappies, 4 wraps (nappy covers) should be sufficient. Remember you don’t need to change the wrapper every time you change the nappy; you only change the wrap if it gets poo on it or if it becomes very wet.
You will not need seperate wraps for pocket nappies and all-in-one nappies such as Wonderoo, Itti Bitti and BumGenius. Here the waterproof element is sewn into the nappy itself (making them very easy to put on - practically as easy to put on as a disposable nappy).
Nappi Nippas (Essential)
Unless your washable nappies have poppers or ‘aplix’ (Velcro), you’ll need Nappi Nippas. A pack of 3 should last you right through until potty training.
Nappy Bucket - large (Essential)
You’ll need something to store the dirty nappies in prior to washing. A standard 9 litre bucket is generally far too small - 14 litre is ideal. The bucket will need a handle and a lid.
Flushable or washable liners (Recommended)
Nappy liners help removal of poo from the nappy a lot easier.
A pack of 100 flushable liners will last around 1 month (although if they’ve only been ‘wetted’ they can be rinsed, dried, and used again!)
A pack of 20 washable (fleece) liners will last right through to potty training. Don’t forget that fleece liners are also excellent, when damp, for use as baby wipes.
Mesh bag (Recommended)
Mesh bags are placed inside the nappy bucket, and the nappies placed inside the bag. They allow for easier transfer of nappies from the bucket to the washing machine. Ideal if you’re ’dry pailing’.
Wet bags (Recommended)
These waterproof bags are used when out and about for bringing home dirty nappies. They’re also ideal for use at nursery and weekends away.
TWINS in REAL NAPPIES - what will I need?
From experience, we have found that, as long as you are prepared to wash a little more often, you can get away with around 26 nappies (and around 6 wraps if necesary) for twins. If you need very small nappies to suit smaller twins take a look at Easy Peasy Bimbles (these will fit from around 5 lbs). BumGenius V3 can fit from around 7lbs.
Reusable nappy Trial packs
Trial nappy kits allow you to try out different nappy brands before paying out for a full set of nappies. Trial packs give you the opportunity to get a feel for the fit, absorbency, containment, drying times etc and to be able to compare different brands.
Cashback Schemes: Remember that many local councils offer cashback on real nappies. In some cases this means that you get to try trial nappies for free. Please contact your local council as sometimes you will need to register with the scheme before purchasing nappies from this site.
Other real nappy kits available
Starter Nappy Kits - provide everything you need to get up and running - nappies, wraps, liners, buckets - the lot!
Multibuy packs - special offers when you buy the most popular real nappy brands.
More useful nappy information:
Cost Comparisons: washable nappies and disposables
Finding the right brands of nappy for YOU
Real Nappy trial packs and starter kits
