17 Tips For Expectant Parents Hoping To Use Cloth Nappies

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The only way to really get to grips with cloth nappies is to give them a go.

So where does that leave you, an expectant parent?

Confused, mostly.

As washable nappies aren’t very mainstream,3w2 chances are higher that you don’t know another parent that uses them.

This can make it harder to get started because you have to work it out alone.

Well, today is your lucky day!

I asked 17 parents and cloth nappy users for one piece of advice they would give a pregnant parent or caregiver who wants to try washable nappies.

This may also be helpful if you have an older baby or toddler you’d like to transition to cloth (it’s never too late to start cloth diapers).

After reading this, you will (hopefully) feel less alone, get some valuable advice, and realise how important it is to prioritise your wellbeing along the way.

Pssst - I’m an affiliate for The Nappy Gurus (UK) and they have kindly provided my readers with a 10% off code for full-price items on their website - SUSTAINABLYLAZY

17 Tips for parents planning on swapping to cloth nappies

1. Don’t spend all your money on one brand because you might find you don’t like it. - Lynsey
   

2. I felt too much pressure to get it perfect right from the start because I wanted to be plastic-free. I bought a full stash of second-hand nappies but I waited until I felt ready and then it was much easier than I thought. Don’t feel pressured to do it right away. - Stephanie
   

3. Don’t feel you have to dive in full-time from birth, you’ll have a lot of healing and bonding to do. Start with a few and build up as you gain confidence - it’s never too late to start using cloth. - Hannah
   

4. My advice is to not get in a pickle with the washing, I see so many complicated routines being talked about and it makes it all sound like so much work when in reality it’s not. - Nicola
   

5. We used muslins in the Jo Fold into he was about 12 weeks old and I can highly recommend them. Super cheap, wash really well, and dry fast. Consider using wool shorties instead of PUL covers too, I wish I’d found them sooner. - Naomi
   

6. See if you’re entitled to any vouchers or free nappies from your local council. The one in Hertfordshire gave me a mix of two brands which helped me get started.
   

7. Don’t think that you have to purchase entire kits because it’s pricey and you might not like them. When my baby was born we used muslins and prefolds with covers that we bought from eBay. - Nina
   

8. We started using muslins for nappies from around 10 days old and were in birth to potty size nappies by 1.5 months old because our boy is a chunk. The plus side is we still use the muslins for sicky mop-ups and other things. - Samantha
   

9. We bought a mix of second-hand AIOs, AI2s, pockets and fitted nappies to work out what works best for us and then sold everything that didn’t work out. The second-hand market is great! - Sam
   

10. If it’s stressing you out it’s not worth it when you have a newborn. Even one a day is a big difference but you can always start later. - Hannah
    

11. Consider terries - old-fashioned but cost-effective, versatile and wash and dry like a dream! - Jen
    

12. You might find you’re washing daily at first so you might want something quick drying. - Jo
    

13. Consider using cloth wipes too and make sure you have loads - Tina
    

14. I personally wouldn’t advocate for buying brand new newborn cloth unless you’re planning on having 2+ children. There are postal hire cloth nappy companies and Facebook buy and sell groups but my baby was heavy so I went straight into birth to potty size. - Laurie
    

15. See if you have a nappy library near you. I didn’t start until my baby was 7 months but I was able to hire a kit from my local library to see which nappies I liked best. - Emma
    

16. Don’t beat yourself up about using disposables. I love using cloth but sometimes you’re so damn tired after a night of hourly wake-ups in those early days and need to give yourself a break. - Hayley
    

17. Some cloth nappies can be bulkier than disposables so make sure you get some vest extenders. I didn’t know about cut-for-cloth trousers when I started out so I ended up buying lots of dresses! You can find a lot of Frugi trousers on eBay and Facebook to save money. - Gemma

I hope you found these tips from real cloth nappy parents useful today. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments below and I’ll get back to you.

Don’t forget to share this post and spread the word!

For more cloth nappy tips, check out these posts: