Nappy Question (re-useable)

*Shellie_Star* · 09-01-2006, 02:26 PM

I think I needed to put this question on the UK board as what I want to ask is a UK brand and I'm not sure too many if any Americans would have used them.

Have any mothers here use the brand 'Tot Bots'? A Scottish based company that make cloth nappies http://www.totsbots.com/

I know nothing about babies or what size they are what age so this is my question:

Their size 1 nappy fits birth to approx 20lbs

Their size 2 nappy fits 18lbs to toddler but it says it can be used from birth if folded down at the front.

Has anyone tried that? It sounds a bit strange but obviously it's more economical to get size 2 as it'll last longer but not if it's going to be HUGE on the new baby.

If anyone has used these, please let me know

Or even roughly how much a baby can be expected to weigh every few month or so?

I hope this makes sense!

paddy · 09-01-2006, 02:32 PM

I would buy the size 1's. Dara didn't hit 20lbs til she was 12 months - she's on the 50th centile so she's fairly average. I reckon they will get tatty and won't last forever so you'd need to be buying new ones by the time your baby is that size anyway. Also there must be nothing worse for a baby than having a huge big wodge of cloth nappy that they don't need. I also wouldn't buy too many. Reusable's are lots of work, it's questionable whether or not they are better for the environment and with the great bogof offers on nappies they aren't really that expensive.

*Shellie_Star* · 09-01-2006, 03:21 PM

Thanks, that is really helpful, I had no idea on weights etc., I wanted to buy a trial pack from them to see how it goes so will try size 1

Will probably use the cloth nappies whilst at home or just nipping here and there and if we're out for the full day, then maybe use organic disposables. the environment thing does bug me qiute alot as I recycle what I can but the main concern is the chemicals they put in nappies that are by the babies skin 24/7. I've researched it for months now and I know millions of babies do so it must be ok but the stuff they use in them if what was banned from tampons and things back in the 80's as it was dangerous and no tests were done on it in nappies, for that main reason I won't be using anything with that in through personal choice but thanks very much for your help

Saying all this >> I have not tried it yet and I have no patience what so ever so time will tell lmao!!!!!!!!!!!

x

naomi123 · 09-01-2006, 06:02 PM

I planned on using washables too - Im just glad I didnt spend the money before I had her as the initial cost can be quite high even if you buy second hand. We use disposables and they are great. Lola has never once had nappy rash. I would strongly recommend on using disposables in the beginning and then after a couple of weeks then swap to the washables.
I was so overwhelmed by having a baby and would not have been able to cope with having even more washing to do in the early days (bear in mind a newborn will go through about 10 nappies a day). It took all my effort in the first few weeks just to get her fed and keep her and me clean never mind all the extra washing too.
But saying that lots of people do use cloth very successfully but maybe try a nappy lady once the baby is here? That is a service you can use where you can try different nappies for a week then buy them if they suit you and baby (some shaped nappies will suit different babies better). At the RISC cafe in Reading they also do a (i think monthly) event called nappucino where you can go along and find out about differnt types of cloth nappies.

naomi123 · 09-01-2006, 06:09 PM

About the chemical thing- I would be inclined to put that down to an urban legend... but then what do I know??!!

naomi123 · 09-01-2006, 06:21 PM

Sorry just re read your post again lola is over 18lbs at 5 months but she is alot bigger than average and weighs the same as her 1 yr old cousin. They are all different do you know what percentile the baby is on during the pregnancy as that might give you some sort of idea?? I always knew she was going to be big as I had GD and in the end she was born at 9lb at only 38 weeks. also try uk parents as they have a nappy forum on there

09-01-2006, 08:26 PM

I like the sound of those Organic disposables that bio degrade or whatever... I heard about them on a TV show recently...

PollySis · 09-01-2006, 10:12 PM

I doubt 20lbs would get you even up to 1 year old - also doubt the bigger ones would fit a newborn, but never used that brand so don't know...

Used terry nappies with No 1 son, disposables with rest. Got all the terry nappies in those days from Mothercare (said baby just got 8 GCSEs last week!) but there are much more ecologically sound ones out there now. Well worth the initial expense but maybe I wouldn't buy a load until was sure I could cope with all the extra work. With my last son I looked into it, but I knew I wasn't having any more kids so in the end didn't go for it.

If you're into ethical baby care products, there are certain big brands you should avoid as they fund bottle feeding in the Third World, which has caused many babies to die of infections etc they wouldn't have been exposed to, if they'd been breastfed. Also, watch out for things like baby powder (full of aluminium) - it truly is unecessary to use, maybe a hangover from the 1950s. Also the baby bath oils/shampoos etc from mainstream sources (the obvious big name brands but also generic oens and many things marketed as 'natural' are also full of chemicals, etc which are really bad for babies' skin. Everything that goes on the skin is absorbed into the bloodstream. Watch out for ingredients that are petro-chemical derived (anything with a vaseline type base, for example) and other chemicals commonly in bath products/soap etc such as lauryl sulphate have also been implicated with some sinister side effects. These are often used as foaming agents and started off as industrial detergents. Anything bubly (ie: almost anything marketed as a baby bath product) contains surfactants and all sorts of harsh chemical agents you really don't want in baby's bloodstream! Many nappies are bleached, as I'm sure you know, etc etc.

You'd be surprised how many baby products that market themselves as 'natural' etc contain these things! You can find out loads of info online.

paddy · 09-04-2006, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PollySis

I doubt 20lbs would get you even up to 1 year old - also doubt the bigger ones would fit a newborn, but never used that brand so don't know

Well Dara was a small baby, for most of her first year she was on the 25th centile - but she levelled off to the 50th. And now at almost 17 months - she's 24lbs!!!

Vlal · 09-04-2006, 02:22 PM

I was brought up in terry nappies from Mothercare - yay to my mum for coping and washing them out every day, goodness knows where she got the patience! However, she did use disposables sometimes if she was taking me out and about. I mean come to think of it, women used to use TERRY SANITARY PADS on a kind of belt thing before disposable ones were introduced and they coped - that strikes me as a really horrible thing to have to do! Having said that, women probably didn't work outside the home then so they had more time to wash all these things.

I am sure that I remember reading some time ago that there was research over some of these chemicals causing hormonal disorders - like there are hormone inhibitors and stuff in the chemicals we use daily in our toiletries and household products and so on. Perhaps that is why there is increased incidence of problems in this area... might be worth looking into?! I don't think it's just about if a nappy causes a baby to get a rash - I think it's more longterm looking at how the products we use and put ourselves into direct skin contact with... affect development.

Vicky-Louise