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Will I really save money by using cloth nappies? TOP
Definitely! It costs approximately $3000 to use disposable nappies on a child from birth until 2 and a half years (approximate age of toilet training). This is based on a disposable nappy costing 45c and the child going through 6-8 nappies per day.
Modern cloth nappies, on the other hand, cost around $700 for a full stash of 24 nappies. This allows for the child to wear 6-8 nappies per day with a load of nappies going in the wash every 2-3 days. As our nappies are one-size-fits-most (tested on bubs from 3.5kg to 20kg), that $700 would cover your complete stash from birth right through to toilet training, and also subsequent children.
Please explain the different types of nappies to me! TOP
We have 2 types of nappies: Pocket nappies and Snap-in-one nappies. Both work in exactly the same way, with the same amount of absorbancy in each one.
Pocket nappies include a layer of microfleece against baby's skin and a layer of PUL (polyurethane laminate) as the outer, sewn in such a way that there is a pocket opening at the back of the nappy where you insert the absorbant inserts. Our minkee and printed nappies have the PUL layer hidden between the microfleece and minkee or printed outer. Pocket nappies are water-resistant so do not require a cover. They can be used as night nappies simply by adding more absorbancy into the pocket opening (we stock extra boosters for this purpose or for heavy wetters).
Snap-in-one nappies include a layer of microfleece against baby's skin and a layer of PUL (polyurethane laminate) as the outer. Our minkee and printed nappies have the PUL layer hidden between the microfleece and minkee or printed outer. These are different from our pocket nappies as they do not have a pocket opening, but rather have 2 snaps at the back of the nappy where the absorbant insert is snapped into place. Snap-in-one nappies are water-resistant so do not require a cover. They can be used as night nappies simply by snapping an absorbant booster onto the available snaps at the front of the nappy (we stock extra boosters for this purpose or for heavy wetters). What are the pro's and con's of both Pocket Nappies and Snap-In-One Nappies? TOP
Both styles of nappy has their benefits and I personally like both of them for different reasons and different times. I've listed all the pro's and con's of each style here:
Pocket Nappies
Pro's -
* Water-resistant so no cover needed.
* Stay-dry fleece inner layer. All moisture is wicked away from bubs bum straight through the fleece into the absorbent fabric (bamboo) where it stays locked in, therefore greatly reducing, if not eliminating, nappy rash.
* Quick drying. You can completely remove the insert for washing and drying, so you are only having to dry through the 2 layers of the nappy - both of which are super-quick to dry - plus the 3 layers of the insert (that when folded correctly to place in the nappy equals 6 layers).
* Neat. All of the absorbency is tucked away nice and neat inside the pocket so that there is no chance of the wet fabric coming into contact with bubs skin, which could increase the chance of nappy rash.
* Super easy to add extra absorbency and no limit as to what sort of fabric can be used (as long as it is absorbent!). For night times or heavy wetters/toddlers, you can stuff as much absorbent inserts or boosters into the pocket and it all stays in place, without bunching up or coming away. Be warned though - night nappied bums can be quite....uh, chunky! ;) What with all the extra absorbency and all. It's only through the night while they are asleep though and if it keeps the pyjamas and sheets dry, anyone will try it, right? :)
* Can be used as a swim nappy simply by removing the absorbent insert and fitting the 'shell' of the nappy onto baby. You don't need or want absorbency in a swim nappy as it will absorb whatever liquid hits it first, which will most likely be the swimming water (whether that is the pool/river/ocean, etc), and will then weigh bub down, unnecessarily. Also, in that case, once the absorbency is full to the brim, it won't be absorbing anything else anyway so by the time bub needs to do a wee, the nappy would be full of swimming water and the wee would be released anyway. Swim nappies are there to catch any solids from being released into the swimming water and the shell of the nappy is very effective at that.
Con's -
* Can be slightly time consuming stuffing inserts into the pocket opening. Personally, I didn't mind it. I did it all at once when I got the load of nappies off the line and would sit down and watch a tv show or listen to some music. I'd hardly even notice I was doing it! I've often been told by pocket-using-mums that they find it very therapeutic and relaxing.
Snap-In-One Nappies
Pro's -
* Water-resistant so no cover needed.
* Stay-dry fleece inner layer, and the snap-in insert is also topped with the stay-dry fabric. All moisture is wicked away from bubs bum straight through the fleece into the absorbent fabric (bamboo) where it stays locked in, therefore greatly reducing, if not eliminating, nappy rash.
* If bub only wets through the snap-in insert without wetting or soiling the actual nappy shell (which can be common in the early months), you can simply snap out the wet insert and snap a new one in, keeping the nappy shell in use for another wear. As soon as the shell gets wet or soiled though, the entire nappy will have to go in the nappy bucket for washing as per usual.
* Quick drying. You can completely remove the insert for washing and drying, so you are only having to dry through the 2 layers of the nappy - both of which are super-quick to dry - plus the 3 layers of the insert (that when folded correctly to place in the nappy equals 6 layers).
* Quick to put together again after washing. It's very simple and quick to just fold the insert in half and snap it into the nappy onto the 2 snaps provided.
* Can be used as a swim nappy simply by removing the absorbent insert and fitting the 'shell' of the nappy onto baby. You don't need or want absorbency in a swim nappy as it will absorb whatever liquid hits it first, which will most likely be the swimming water (whether that is the pool/river/ocean, etc), and will then weigh bub down, unnecessarily. Also, in that case, once the absorbency is full to the brim, it won't be absorbing anything else anyway so by the time bub needs to do a wee, the nappy would be full of swimming water and the wee would be released anyway. Swim nappies are there to catch any solids from being released into the swimming water and the shell of the nappy is very effective at that.
Con's -
* Because the absorbent fabric is on top of the nappy, rather than tucked away inside, the inserts and boosters can bunch up between bubs legs. If this happens, it can be a little uncomfortable for bub and can also allow the wet fabric to come into contact with bubs skin along the edges where the insert has bunched, therefore increasing the chance of nappy rash in those areas.
* Can be a little more difficult adding extra absorbency for night times or heavy wetters/toddlers, as they have to lay on top of the inside of the nappy and again, can bunch up even more with the extra inserts/boosters in, so causing the same issues as the points above. It can also be quite untidy the more boosters you use.
* Have to be careful using microfibre in snap-ins, as it's not recommended that this fabric sit against the skin. Because of the nature of the fabric, it literally absorbs the moisture from whatever it can, inlcuding bubs skin if that's what's directly against it. We do have a booster in the works at the moment though (which we'll call something along the lines of night-time booster - original, aren't we? ;) ) where we'll sandwich 3 layers of microfibre in between 4 layers of bamboo so that there will be no chance of the microfibre coming into contact with bubs skin.
How many nappies will I need? TOP
Even one cloth nappy will help reduce costs and impact on the environment, but we usually recommend 24 for full-time, or 12 for part-time. Having 24 nappies on rotation allows for washing every 2-3 days, whereas you would need to be washing every 1-2 days with a stash of 12 nappies. Can I use Sunshine Tots nappies as swim nappies? TOP
Yes! Sunshine Tots pocket nappies can be used as a swim nappy simply by removing the insert/s and using just the shell of the nappy on baby at swim time. Sunshine Tots snap-in-one nappies can also be used as a swim nappy by un-snapping the absorbant insert/s and again, using just the shell of the nappy. You do not need absorbancy in your swim nappy, as this will only absorb the swimming water as soon as it touches baby's nappy, leaving no room to absorb urine. A swim nappy's purpose is to catch any solids, preventing them from soiling the water. How do I take care of my Sunshine Tots nappies? TOP
Sunshine Tots nappies are quite simple to take care of, and each purchase comes with a care instructions card. The main points of care are the following:
* Modern cloth nappies need to be washed a minimum of 3 times before wear to increase absorbancy and to rid of any manufacturing residue. Maximum absorbancy occurs after 6-8 washes.
* Scrape any solids into the toilet before removing the absorbant insert/s, giving a quick rinse, and placing in a dry nappy bucket until wash day.
* Dry pail your nappies. This means to place them in a nappy bucket without anything, including water, stain removing soaks, detergents, etc. You do not need to soak your nappies. They actually retain their smell after being washed if they have been soaked.
* Nappies can be washed in a normal cycle in your washing machine. Use a quarter to a half scoop of your normal washing powder/detergent. No stain removers are needed.
* Do not use fabric softeners or more than a quarter to a half scoop of washing powder to wash your nappies. Using softener or more than this recommended amount of powder causes a build up on the nappies, preventing them from reaching maximum absorbancy. It also prevents the urine from being wicked through the fleece into the absorbant layers of the nappy, potentially causing leaks. If you do experience leaking, do a strip wash using dishwashing detergent to scrub your problem nappies by hand. Rinse thoroughly until no suds can be seen before proceeding with your normal cold or warm wash.
* Do not use bleach or stain removers on your nappies. This causes the fabrics to break down and lose effectiveness if they are used more than rarely. Line drying in the sun effectively sanitizes the nappies and removes any stains that may remain after washing. If you do come across a stubborn stain that has not come out in the wash or after hanging facing the sun for a day or two, try squeezing lemon over the stain and hanging in the sun again.
* Do not tumble dry for long periods or regularly. Short tumble dries occasionally are fine. How does the microfleece keep my baby's bum dry? TOP
Microfleece will not absorb. This means that when baby wets his/her nappy, the urine will wick straight through the fleece into the absorbant bamboo or hemp insert. This means that even after baby has wet his/her nappy, the layer directly against baby's skin will still be dry, which is very effective in preventing nappy rash. Are Sunshine Tots nappies breathable? TOP
Sunshine Tots nappies are breathable. They are made with an outer layer of PUL (or polyurethane laminate), which is a water-resistant laminate that is applied to the fabric. PUL is breathable so lets the air flow in (which does a fantastic job of preventing nappy rash) while also keeping all the moisture in, so doesn't feel wet to the touch on the outside. There is very little chance of getting nappy rash while using our modern cloth nappies due to the outer PUL being breathable and the inner microfleece being stay-dry, which means that the wee passes straight through the microfleece (which is the fabric that touches baby's skin) and is absorbed up into the bamboo, which leaves the fleece and baby's skin feeling dry. Can I use Sunshine Tots nappies when I'm out? TOP
Absolutely! They are simple to use and don't take up that much room in your nappy bag. Just be sure to take along a wetbag (available in our Nappy Accessories category) or plastic bag to store the soiled nappy in. Simply roll the nappy up, snap the two front tabs together to keep the nappy in a bundle and pop into your wetbag or plastic bag. There is no need to scrape solids into public toilets; as long as you roll the nappy up tightly and store in a sealed wetbag or plastic bag, you (or anyone else!) will not be able to smell it. You can even place a few drops of essential oils onto a small piece of fabric or cardboard and pop into your wetbag if you desire. Can I use Sunshine Tots Nappies at night? TOP
Yes! Simply add an extra booster or 2 to your tots nappy to increase absorbency and voila! You'll wake to a happy baby with dry pj's and a dry bed! For a baby under 12 months, I'd suggest using the 6 layer bamboo insert (that comes with each nappy when you purchase) and an additional bamboo OR microfibre booster. For a child over 12 months, chances are you will need more absorbency to allow for your childs larger wee capacity! For this, I'd suggest using the 6 layer bamboo insert and an additional night-time booster OR a bamboo booster AND a microfibre booster. Will cloth nappies leave marks on my baby's skin? TOP
Cloth nappies may leave slight marks on bubs skin when fitted correctly, just like sometimes when us adults wear fitted jeans or bra and we end up with slight red marks on our skin after a period of time. It's not uncomfortable for us or baby, and it is necessary to fit the nappy firmly to prevent leaks. Won't I end up with stained nappies? TOP
We use microfleece as the inside layer of our nappies and it is quite a stain-resistant fabric. Glorious sunshine is actually a wonderful tool for modern cloth nappy users, as it sanitises the nappies (so you don't need to use harsh chemicals like bleach do to the same job), and is also a fantastic natural stain remover. Generally any stains will wash out within 1 or 2 washes, but if you do find you have a stubborn stain, simply squeeze some lemon juice over the stain and leave in the sunshine for as long as is needed to remove the stain. Can I use nappy rash cream in the unlikely event that my baby gets nappy rash? TOP
Generally, nappy rash is not an issue with our modern cloth nappies due the fact that they are breathable and have a stay-dry inner, keeping baby dry. Sometimes nappy rash can occur during teething or when bub has a tummy bug like gastro and generally cornflour is the best thing to use during those times. If you use oil-based nappy rash creams, you will need to use a nappy liner or the oil will effectively clog up the nappy fabrics, causing them to repel and not absorb. Using a liner prevents that from happening. I'd recommend microfleece liners. Once you finish using the nappy rash cream after a bout of nappy rash, you will need to strip wash the nappy liners to get rid of the build up of cream or they won't work effectively. To do a strip wash, you simply need to scrub your liners by hand with dishwashing detergent to break down the oil/cream and rinse thoroughly until there are no more bubbles. Wash as per normal. My nappies aren't absorbing properly. What do I do? TOP
This can sometimes happen and it is caused by a build-up of washing powder/detergent residue over time or nappy rash creams. Both of these effectively clog up the fabric fibres causing the nappy to repel the urine. When washing Sunshine Tots nappies, you need to use only 1/4 to 1/2 of a scoop of washing powder/detergent to prevent this from happening. Even while using only this amount, you can sometimes end up with a build up on your nappies from months and months of washing them. Oil based nappy rash creams also clog up the nappies, causing them to repel and therefore not absorb properly. This is easy fixed by doing a strip wash, which you can do by simply scrubbing the problem nappies by hand with dishwashing detergent to break down the barrier of powder/detergent/nappy rash cream and rinsing thoroughly until the are no more bubbles. Wash as per normal. This should make a huge difference to the absorbency, but if you find that they are still not up up to full absorbency, repeat the process again.
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