How to use your cloth nappy starter kit. 

Welcome to your cloth nappy starter kit - congratulations on taking a step your baby, your planet and your pocket will love!! 

Step 1: Prewash - just like new baby clothes, prewash everything before first use. One standard wash, (no softener) will be fine. 

 

These nappies are Birth To Potty (also called One Size) they will fit from approximately 10-35 lbs, typically 1 month - 3 years old. 

To Use 

Put the two absorbent inserts into the cloth nappy pocket. Adjust the snap risers at the front of the nappy down from a smaller baby or fully for a toddler. 

Use a fleece liner or a disposable nappy liner next to the babies skin, this makes removing solids easier, gives the baby an extra stay dry layer, prevents staining and also absorbs any excess nappy rash cream. 

Fitting the Nappy

Close the nappy onto the baby, pull the nappy up through the middle (slightly higher at the front, squeeze the nappy through the middle (like your holding a burrito) ensure the elastics sit in to the knicker line.

Close the hip snaps so there is enough room to fit two stacked fingers between the babies belly and the nappy -  they don't always need so be symmetrical. The fit is more like structured denim jeans - leave some wiggle room at the waist for when the baby is seated. 

To Wash 

At nappy change, remove any solids into the toilet from the liners (this only applies for babies who are on solids - typically 6 months old +). Put the entire nappy into your wet storage bag, basket or bucket. 

Every 2-3 days put all your nappies into the washing machine and follow the wash routine: 

1. Cold rinse wash - no powder or softener. This step is to fully rinse out each nappy with cold water, this removes most of the urine and excess solids. You want to ensure the water from this step is fully removed from the machine and not used again in the next step of the wash (do not choose "prewash" option for this reason). 

2. Long Hot Cotton Wash - this is the main wash, we want to use a long hot cotton wash cycle on your already rinsed nappies to get them clean. Choose 60 degree wash for 2.5+ hours with biological washing powder. Your nappies should come out of the wash clean and not smelling of anything (not urine and not washing powder). 

3. Extra rinse wash - this is optional, not always necessary, if you have used too much washing powder you can use an extra rinse to remove. If you live in hardwater area, avoid extra rinse. 

4. Spin - this will help with drying process. 

5. Hang to dry. Its useful to sort out the wet nappy laundry once the wash is complete into quick drying / slow drying items. Quick drying items like fleece liners, nappy shells and covers, and wipes can be layed into a sunny window to dry. Slower drying items can be hung on a clothes horse, into a hot press or onto the washing line to dry. Some parts can be tumble dried on low heat to speed up drying if required - avoid putting PUL (waterproof material) parts into the tumble dryer as this can damage the material over time. 

 

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