Help- I'm officially a cloth nappy user!!

@ Kaye, yes, it'a always such a shock to the system when you have to use disposables. glad you are getting your nappies fixed.

Hi Selatsie

Nice to have you here. Yes, I think the scientific thinking behind Hasie's point on using Bicard &Vinegar together is quite right. I now only use Bicarb in my normal wash to brighten and freshen the nappies and then when I strip then I use Vinegar in the rinsing cycle.

Your little one is very cute, thanks for the picture. Please let me know if I can help you with anything else regarding the nappies that you are intersted in, I would be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

Finn actually helps with the washing - likes to push the buttons, help hang nappies up etc.

I should really strip my nappies again, probably stripped them last over a year ago but they still absorb fine. I'm currently having the edging of the nappies fixed with MN, its come slightly undone and want them perfect for new baby. So my son is in disposables since Thursday and everytime I put them on him I think of all those chemicals!

@Kaye My husband is the same - he is totally sold on cloth nappies! He's even commented on how cute they look and loves all the different colours. (Ha!)

On the washing issue - do people think we wash nappies by hand? It just takes pressing a few buttons on the machine a couple of times a week - how difficult is that? And my little girl either watches, or is asleep in her sling while I hang up the nappies, so we still spend plenty of time together. When I read about all the toxins in disposables I get goosebumps all over - siesa!

For stripping the info I've found says to use bicarb and vinegar together, but not in the same rinse. Eg you'll rinse first with bicarb, then wash, then rinse with vinegar and then do a final rinse without anything in it. If you just use bicarb or just vinegar you could mess up the ph apparently. I do this about once a month and have had no problems so far (though it's only been just under 3 months...)

Forgot to add - I was reading the January Baby & toddler yesterday. One of the moms interviewed said that her most indispensable mommy item is disposable nappies, as she can spend time with her child rather than washing nappies.

I just thought that was such a stupid and uninformed answer! It takes 2 minutes to put a bucket of nappies in the wash and a maximum of 10 minutes to hang them up. Some people have such a negative perception of cloth nappies, its so strange! I know my husband and I were skeptical at first about how 'easy' it would be, but bit the bullet and bought a set of MN nappies before my son was born so we had to use them. Now I need to tell my husband to relax and respect people opinions when he starts telling his friends they're crazy to be buying disposables!

I have the following info regarding stripping, although I've only done it once when my son was struggling with thrush. Turned out the nappies weren't the problem anyway!

From Cherub tree site: ‘Stripping’ simply means washing the nappies in a way that removes excessive build up of washing powder or creams and lotions.
Simply wash the nappies on one cycle up to 60 degrees with NO washing powder. Then, run a second cycle with 1/2 cup of baking soda or white vinegar in the rinse cycle. Rinse again if necessary.
Always dry your nappies in the sun and fresh air where possible.

Would definitely use either bicarb or vinegar, not both together.

Hi all
I have been lurking for a bit, and poring for the second time through loads of old messages, picking out good advice. I am just starting our 14 month old with cloth nappies, and so far have been hugely impressed with how easy it all is, relatively.
What I was actually looking for was an exchange between 2kidmamma and Hasie (I think) discussing stripping -- whether to put the bicarb in together with the vinegar or to do them one after the other. I remember Hasie saying, with her scientific knowledge, that the bicarb and the vinegar would cancel each other out -- but now I can't find those messages.
Any chance anyone can repeat the info?
For interest sake, 2kidmamma, so far I have bought all my trial nappies from the supplier "direct", i.e. Mother Nature, Fancy Pants etc. but wish that I had in fact just done it all through Doodlebums as I would have saved a lot in postage and it would all have happened v much quicker! Oh well, when I buy for real, I will try to get it right and not waste time.
Thanks to everyone making this forum so brilliant.
A pic of the little tyke a while ago. Too cold to show nappy unfortunately.