Newborn cloth nappies

Birth – 3/4 months

Newborns must use fully absorbent nappies like fitteds and/or flats plus a Superwrap waterproof cover. These nappies are the thirstiest kind and will serve you well with no leaks. This is because a nappy that is fully absorbent (where the fabric wraps around the whole baby) has a huge surface area to absorb and hold. Our blog post explains why a two step system is the best investment.

What to get?
How many

Full time (wash every two days):
Single baby
30 - 36 nappies.
8 - 10 covers for a single child.

Twins
48 nappies, 16 covers(wash every day). See this post.

Part time (use in conjunction with alternate nappies):
Single baby
10 - 18 nappies.
6 - 8 covers.

Twins (wash every day)
24 nappies
10 covers

What nappies are the best?

The Dawn patrol fitted is an easy cloth nappy to use from birth as it mirrors a disposable style. If you are on a budget, flats are such lovely, trim and very easy nappies. Don`t be fooled by folding, it`s not difficult, very satisfying and flats fit for ages! Get a mix if you can. Or just opt for one of the styles. Purchase one extra booster per flat/fitted. Boosters are the key to successful diapering without leaks.

All nappies must have the mini Superwrap waterproof cover over. 

A summary of what you need 

1. Your set of cloth nappies, boosters and covers.
2. A pack of 10 - 20 small fleece liners.
3. A wetbag for outings.
4. A laundry mesh bag to wash your covers in.
5. Kiki vest extenders (usually a part of the set).
6. A plastic wash basket (see storing page).
7. Cloth wipes to clean baby.

    How often do I change a cloth nappy ?

    Day time: change the cloth nappy every two and a half hours. Poop nappies always change immediately. 

    Night time: change before the feed. Generally anything from between two to four hours (max) baby depending. Boost the nappy for longer than three hours. Both the fitted or the flat need have two boosters from three weeks old.
    Tip: Keep a bucket next to the change area/bed, throw in the dirty nappy. Rinse it off in the morning and transfer to the main storage bin when you have a minute. 
    Can covers be reused?

    Three to four covers are rotated through the day. Air dry the used cover on a window/over a chair then use a fresh one. Rotate in this way. 

    How wet do cloth nappies get?

    After a few wees the nappy/boosters will be visibly wet but not so wet that it needs to be changed. A cloth nappy can hold enough newborn wees for a two to three hour period before being changed. Most of the nappy will be saturated. The layers will be soaked through. As long as there is no leaking (wet clothes) the nappy is doing it`s job. Cloth nappies are designed to absorb and hold liquid. Disposable nappies contain a chemical gel that prevents the wetness. The nappy will look like this after about 2.5/3 hours of wear. See the smallish dry patch at the top. 90% of the nappy shell is wet and both inserts are basically 99% visibly wet. No dry patches indicate a nappy that needs another booster or it’s been on too long. 

    Cleaning

    Cleaning modern day reusables is pretty simple and so much easier than the good old days. A rinse and long wash is all they need. Read our blog post. See our washing page.

    Reusable cloth wipes

    Opt for cloth wipes. They are so much better at cleaning. Store bought wet wipes all contain chemicals, often cause a rash and do not clean very effectively. They are a landfill item.The Wipey reusables are easy and effective. Get at least thirty five.

    How to use?

    Keep a water bottle at your changing station to wet your cloth wet wipes. Or wet all your Wipeys in the morning, store in a container and use them for the day then wash with your nappies. 

    The first morning nappy

    Morning output tends to be quite substantial under six months of age (newborns especially). Boost the first morning nappy (add a booster). Change it thirty minutes before you would any other nappy, if very saturated.

    Bum cream

    Generally no bum cream is needed with cloth nappies. Cloth does not cause rashes unless baby is sensitive to wetness. In this case use a fleece liner and make sure the nappies are changed regularly. Use cloth safe bum cream only (one that does not contain zinc). Coconut oil is lovely.

    Read our blog posts about newborn cloth.

    Shop newborn nappies.