Useful tips

Nappies & the environment

Nappy systems

Changing nappies

Storing nappies

Washing nappies

Sterilising nappies

Drying nappies

Rashes

Night & swim nappies

Flat nappy folds

Useful tips

Jargon buster

FAQ

Nappucinos

Before you use your nappies
Before first use, wash your nappies several times. Brand new nappies have softeners on their fibres that reduce their absorbency. By washing, you remove these, which immediately improves the absorbency of your nappies.

Wash your colour nappies on a hot wash to get rid of any colour runs that may happen. (Remember to wash each colour separately!) Remember that hot washes may cause nappies to shrink slightly.

Using your nappies
Newborns have very runny stools so you are bound to get a few leaks. For newborns, paper liners tend to be useless as the liquid poo just goes straight through, soiling the nappy. Washable liners like fleece or silk liners are better. For all other ages though, I prefer to use a biodegradeable paper liner. These can be flushed down the loo and make cleaning the soiled nappy a breeze. Paper liners can be washed and reused if the nappy was only wet, rather than soiled.

Shaped and pinned flat nappies are best at keeping poo explosions off the wrap, so avoid using prefolds with newborns who are prone to explosive poos. The 'Poo Catcher' fold (see the 'Nappy folds' page) for flat nappies is particularly good at preventing poo leaks. You can use the same idea with your liners to make them more effective at preventing the nappy itself from getting soiled.

In general, two-part nappy systems are the best for preventing the explosions from leaking - far better than disposables too! But if your older baby becomes ill or suffers from a runny tummy while teething you can always put a second wrap on, or put a wrap over an AIO to help prevent leaks.

Babies tend to poo first thing in the morning (not while sleeping) and after meals. Use this fact to plan your nappy changes effectively.

Once the nappy is on, check that no part of it is sticking out of the wrap as this will allow wicking of moisture and your nappy will leak. Also check that there is no gaping around the legs as this will lead to leaks. However, don't fasten the nappy too tightly either as that will create marks on your baby's legs and tummy, and may inhibit circulation. You should be able to get a finger under the elastics without too much trouble.

With older, more wriggly babies, once the nappy is on check that the liner is in place correctly by feeling around with your fingers as it may have shifted while you were putting the nappy on. (Paper liners shift very easily. Reuseable liners tend to stay in place.) One way to avoid this is to use a press-stud nappy partially done up like pull-on pants or to have your baby sitting up while you fasten the nappy.

As your baby gets older, her wetting routine will change - she will wee less frequently, but each wee will be a larger quantity. Nappies don't cope very well with the sudden influx of large amounts of wee. If her nappy starts to leak when you've had no problems before, this could be the reason. Simply start using a booster.

For two-part systems the booster can either go between the nappy and the wrap, or inside the nappy. If you're using a flat nappy, you can also change the way you fold the nappy in order to have more thickness towards the front or middle.