Flat nappies! yes ones you wash. :-) (Flat Terries)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Flat Terries
Date:	26/03/05 (316 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: reusable

Disadvantages: washing

Flat nappies

Yes I know nobody uses these, these days well not many people anyway. Most of you young things will not even know what a flat nappy is, A flat nappy is a square of terry towelling measuring about 60cmx61 cm Square nappies made of muslin are also available,

A square do I hear you say how do I put that on babies bottom? Well you fold it dear, how? Which fold, the triangle fold or the triple fold, the standard fold or my preferred fold the kite fold well if you are really interested go to http://webhome.idirect.com/~born2luv/FOLDING.HTML here are good diagrams of how to fold.

So lets get on with it babies bum all clean you have a happy smiling baby on the changing mat. You have all your equipment to hand nappy liner, nappy, nappy pins or nappy nippas.
Nappy changing can be a good time a time to give baby your attention eye contact and I am sure all your mums tickled your tummies when putting your nappy on. Now be careful that you do not pin your baby to the nappy like my husband did. Put your hand under nappy where you are going to put the pin in. Nappy nippas are plastic grippers to hold nappy in place instead of pins.
The you need to put on plastic pants over top of nappy some super pattered wraps are available or just plain pull up ones which are cheaper of course

Why flat Terries?
Price. Yes they are cheaper than disposables and the modern terry prefold shaped nappies.
Usually terry nappies will last a second child too.
A relative will be quite happy to buy you a dozen for new baby pressie.
Mothercare sell 6 terry nappy squares for £8 disposables. well expect to pay about £600 pounds more on them for use by one baby cost goes up when there is more than 1 baby as you do not need to buy many new nappies for second baby.
Pampers can cost £8.99 for 56 mid size disposables they will last oh 18 days at 3 nappies a day and not many days you will get away with only 3 nappies a day.

Convenience.
Well ok you have to wash them but you need not keep popping out to the shops to buy more every week like you do disposables.

Environmental.
Disposable nappies are taking up so much room in landfill sites we have to keep finding more places to dig holes in ground for them, and I would rather not think about that untreated poo in a hole in the ground. The nappies take hundreds of years to biodegrade properly

Trees.
A lot of trees are cut down to make nappies.

Chemicals,
I know that with some disposable nappies my grandson gets a rash. Terries are much better for those with exma or sensitive skin.

Dealing with dirty nappies first you need a nappy bucket with a seal able lid. No need to put water and sanitising product in nappy bin if you only have wet nappies or if you wash them frequently.
Wet nappies you can just plonk straight into bin after removing paper liner if used, Dirty nappies, if you use a paper liner easy just tip paper liner and poo into loo and flush rinse of as much poo as poss. by dunking nappy in the flushed loo. There are sanitising products available if you really wish to use them, or a few drops of tea tree oil in the water or a ¼ cup of vinegar and washing soda, just a little vinegar is ok too.

WASHING

This is what puts most people off, but oh you young things dont know how lucky you is now in my mothers day no automatic washer, she used a copper (a big tub that she put water, soap in and the nappies and they boiled for hrs),
So pour out any soaking water into loo then wash your nappies use a non-biological powder, poor Adrian’s bum gets sore if biological powder used. 60 degrees should be hot enough to clean all but the worst nappy. Fabric softener will reduce nappies absorbency also Adrian gets exma rash if it is used. Vinegar will soften them. Use lemon juice or vinegar will also help whiten them.
There are a few nappy washing services available check on line if you are interested

DRYING /
Ah a line of white nappies on the washing line in the sun looks lovely.
Well my poor old mum dried my nappies on the line makes them smell sweeter outside, but you could always tumble dry them or put them on an airier over the radiator, prefolds take longer to dry than the terry squares.
It is possible to get coloured nappies pastel shades available from http://www.babykind.co.uk/flatnappies.htm#terries at £`1.90p each


I am not suggesting that you give over to reusable nappies all the time a mixture is good reusable ones when going out, and if your baby is regular in his/her performances use one when you think you are in for a dirty one.
You can buy square muslin nappies these really are only ok to be used as nappies on tiny new bums.
Oh forgot terry squares are a bit bulkier round babies bum than a disposable is.

I would expect if you are using terries that you would need between 2 and 3 dozen these will last baby nappy days then. Best would be a few squares about 2 dozen prefolds and disposables when you need or want to use them.

I think thats all I can tell you Happy nappy days Mary

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