Every single day I recommend flats to new moms wanting to use cloth nappies. Flats... flats... flats.
When I started cloth diapering (five years ago) the first nappies I ever made were flats. I dug out my old sewing machine which Mum had left me and gave it an oil and off I went. I loved it so much I turned it into a business- but that is another story :)
The first cloth nappy I used was a flat. Gosh it was a different experience than when practicing on a teddy!! Those wriggly, kicking legs just would not be still even for a moment. It took a few tries to finally get it on and hmmmm there were gaps everywhere, loose fabric at the hip and over all was just quite messy. I was determined to get it right and just kept going- one after the other I put them on and before my eyes it started to get better and better. Until one day I looked down and thought "nailed it".
This is flats- well my experience anyway- five years down the line I can proudly say I am a pro- as you will also be one day or perhaps you already are. It really does not take long to master the flat- what it takes is a bit of perseverance and a realistic expectation of yourself. Expecting to throw a flat on your two day old baby (through the screaming) while trying to coochi coo and enjoy the challenge can be frustrating in the beginning. Remember this though - whether it`s a single use plastic (that goes in the bin) or a cloth nappy- the crying may very well still be present. This does pass mamma, and one day (not long from then) that all changes and the little face beams up at you and by then you will be throwing that flat around like a man making pizza. Life goes by very fast.
Flats are wonderful, affordable, fast drying, totally versatile pieces of cloth.Not only can a medium sized flat fit for eight to ten months, it will fit any size baby no matter how skinny or chubby those little legs are. No other nappy on the market can achieve the same fit as the flat.It takes a day or two to understand how to put it on, but mamma it is nothing you cannot manage. In my humble opinion, breastfeeding takes way more practice than putting on a cloth nappy.
Never ever feel intimated by anything you have not tried. A lot of mums feel nervous because it "looks" difficult- it is not difficult.Anyone who has tried skydiving knows that once they hit the bottom they want to do it all over again - it`s kind of like that. Life is like that - preconceptions and assumptions get in the way of the real experience. Remember that generation after generation of children have been raised in huge terri towelling flats. Our modern day flats are trim, stretchy and super thirsty. Sadly, the disposable diaper infiltrated the market before the environmental impact became apparent. We are now sat with a massive problem on our hands- thousands of kilograms of poopy plastic nappies get thrown into holes in our earth on a daily basis.
Using flats is the most economical way to cloth diaper your babies. Cloth is better for your baby, better for your pocket and better for our earth. Pokkelokkie offers full support with your flats to make sure you get them on and we trouble shoot any fit issues until you get it right. Do not leave flats out of your stash because you think you wont manage this type of nappy. I dare say they will be your favorite type :)
"Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realise that we can not eat money" Indian proverb
