| You’ll
need to lay your nappy out ready, in this order, laid out
flat and ready to put baby on, listed from changing mat upwards!
A waterproof or breathable wrap *
An absorbent nappy (either a flat one ready
folded or a shaped and fitted one) *
A booster liner for extra absorbency (optional)
Either a flushable liner or a polyester or
fleece washable liner (optional) on top
Troubleshooting
When putting the nappy on, always make sure
that you check around the legs and waist to ensure the nappy
is not protruding from the wrap, otherwise wet will wick from
the nappy into baby’s clothing. With a small baby, you
may need to add a booster liner to pad the nappy out so that
it fits better.
If you use a flushable liner, this will catch
the poo in most instances, just ensure the liner doesn’t
protrude from the nappy, tuck any corners in. Do be careful
as you take the nappy off if breastfeeding as the poo is likely
to be fairly runny and just the act of taking the nappy off
can cause the poo to leak out and off the liner.
If you get a leak, first consider a) was some
part of the nappy protruding From the wrap and coming into
contact with baby’s clothing and/or b) was there sufficient
absorbency for the amount of wee/length of time the nappy
was on – if not add extra booster layers (use cut up
old towel if you have no boosters). You may need to experiment
a few times to get it right.
Dealing with poo– All about Liners
You have a choice of methods:
No liner—often easiest especially for
newborn breastfed poo which hasn’t much in the way of
‘solids’, although it may stain the nappies. Tip
any solids into the toilet, you can rinse off the nappy in
the toilet bowl and/or in the flush of the toilet.
Washable polyester/fleece liner—Polyester
fleece isn’t absorbent but allows the moisture through
the liner to soak up in the nappy, leaving the solids on the
surface. Newborn poo will usually wash or rinse off in the
toilet flush, large poo may be a little more sticky but can
often be removed by stretching the fleece liner over the toilet
for it to drop off.
Some people will use a showerhead to rinse
off the nappy into a bucket or the toilet or may use a long
handled brush, others will remove the worst and let the washing
machine do the rest. Thinner knitted polyester liners are
also available as are fleece or polyester topped boosters.
Disposable biodegradable liner—these
are largely made of paper, and provided you do not have an
antiquated plumbing system that might block or a septic tank
system that isn’t suitable for flushing them they may
be flushed.
Alternatively they may be bagged and binned.
They are also handy to use on top of a fleece liner for out
and about with an older baby, as the fleece keeps the surface
nearest baby dry, and then your baby’s poo will land
on a dry surface and thus be less sticky and easier to remove.
Ultra liners—these are thicker and made
of cellulose. Whilst they are biodegradable they shouldn’t
really be flushed as they do take several washes to thus germs
into the vagina. Boys should be cleaned around the penis and
testicles, but you do not need to pull the foreskin back when
cleaning the penis.
It is just as important to clean carefully
when the nappy is wet as when your baby has pooed, be sure
to pay attention to skin folds and creases. Use a further
dry washable wipe to gently pat (not rub) your baby dry. Leaving
the nappy off for a while is a good idea as it allows air
to circulate and dry your baby.
Real
Nappy Article | Nappy
Changing—What to Expect! | Washing
& Care Instructions |
Terminology—what
is what in the nappy world? | How
do I assemble a cloth nappy? |
Nappy
creams, barrier creams and nappy rash | Why
Choose Cloth Nappies 1 |
Why Choose
Cloth Nappies 2 | Why
Choose Cloth Nappies 3 | How
do I choose which nappies to use? |
How many
nappies will I need? | Washing
- Frequently Asked Questions | What
are Real Nappies |
Real
Nappy Project |
