Advice please - just started with cloth!

Hi all,

I've done so much research my head is going to fall off. I think I know what I want, but need some advice from you cloth experts.

I have a big/tall 11 month old girl - 76cm tall and 12kg which is around 98percentile, she wears 18 - 24 month clothes (but she's still my gorgeous little baby). I have tried most of the eco disposables and find Moltex to be the best and too expensive. So I'm giving cloth a go....

I have bought 3 pre-loved Bumgenius to start me off and I hope I have 2 large pre-loved Itti SIO's on their way to me. The Bumgenius are ok, BUT her rash seemed worse (could this be the pocket material, feels very synthetic), they left big red marks around her waist and legs and they make her trouser inner seams pop open because of their bulk - is that normal?

So what I think I want is;
- a Pocket, AIO or AI2
- quick drying (I live in an old, dark house with no tumble drier)
- big sized nappy (she'll be out of the Bumgenius in a matter of months at the rate she's growing)
- with natural fibre next to skin for relief on her rash
- a slimline nappy, so her trousers don't pop open

Any help, advice would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks

I don't have much knowledge for you, but hopefully someone else will be along soon to help you more.

My comments would be that Bum Genius are my 'cure' for nappy rash - the littlest rash, a few hours in one of those and her rash clears completely. having said that, i think i remember some people on here saying their little one's reacted to it. i think though it's hard to tell if she already had rash before starting cloth.

As for natural fibres, I'm not sure if that would help to be honest - usually the natural fibres are not stay dry, and it's the wetness which often causes rash. So adding something synthetic like a minkee or fleece liner will keep the bottom dryer, and more rash free, although if you use pockets these will have a stay-dry inner already available.

Silk is meant to be fabulous for healing, and beth at luscious little somethings has just started selling silk liners i believe, you can see her website here: www.lusciouslittlesomethings.co.uk - or pm her on here (username beffys). Silk liners will not be the cheapest option though.

for sizes of trousers, it's not uncommon for cloth-bummed kids to 'up size', so wear the next size up to make room for the cloth nappy. Personally I never had to do that with my son, I just moved him up a size maybe a month earlier than i would have otherwise.

Good advice above. I think it can be difficult to get used to the reality of cloth after using disposables. They are bulkier and they need changing slight more often. If you have preloved nappies sometimes a build up of detergents can stop them working effectivly so 'stripping' might be called for. See the washing nappies section for some fab advice here.

Fuzzi bunz nappies are similar to BG's but are sized so come up bigger. Worth a look. Some red marks are normal as you need to ensure there are nop leaks from the leg but if you think they might be on the small side it might be the nappy.

Some children are sensitive to man made fibres so natural might be the way to. In this case have a look at bamboo and hemp nappies.

Very many thanks.

I understand the need to have fleece next to the skin to take the moisture away - so it could just mean the nappy needs stripping (I looked that up as suggested, nappies are getting a rinse through right now....) I also have an old ripped silk shirt that I've been wondering what to do with, I'll make some liners - can't be that difficult?!!

I've been looking out for larger nappies too, Fuzzi Bunz look good, but I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for more. One of the ebay sellers from China said that she can make a bigger nappy, which could be good!

You may also be better trying a sized nappy rather than a one-size nappy. Sometimes o/s nappies can appear bulkier and you may get a slimmer fit with a sized nappy. We like blueberry, wee notions & upsy daisy - upsy daisy ones are no longer made but you can pick them up on here & they are big for a large IMO.

DS2 gets rashes when I uses paper liners so switched to fleece which is fine for him. I make my own fleece liners but have never tried making silk ones but hopefully someone else could answer that for you

I had the same issue with bumgenious re: the red marks, so I switched Tots Bots Easyfits are very slim and absorbant, but because they are bamboo they may take longer to dry than you need. I don't tumble dry and I don't find it an issue. though. Quick drying fabrics would be microfibre which is synthetic, so may not be the answer. Bamboo is obviously natural, though, so aren't stay dry, so you may want to use fleece (or similar) liners. My daughter is 18 months and tall and skinny, and I find they fit the best out of all the nappies we use. They are the nappies that my husband and in-laws etc reach for first. And the prints are lush -


I think if you want slim and absorbant, I'd go with something like the TB and get a few more so the drying time isn't an issue (P.S. the 5 pack brights are on bargainbots on ebay right now, v. v. good deal!http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TotsBots-Easyfit-Bamboo-Brights-5-pack-/270620762906?pt=UK_Baby_Baby_Changing_Nappies_LE )

if the nappies are pre-loved they may need a strip wash, build up round the elastic could be causing the rash.
Size wise as a pp said you will probably be better going off for a size nappy rather than a one size if you have a bigger child, itti's are very trim and small by the way so may not suit.
Fleece is a good stay dry layer to have next to lo's skin either that or minkee, natural fibres such as bamboo are not stay dry.
As for clothes many trousers are just not hight enough in the rise for cloth bums which is the perfect excuse to get some WHAM clothing, Julie at Snugglebots make gorgeous fleece skirties, you can get them with or without a soaker, the soaker acts as a nappy cover when wearing fitteds, our youngest is toilet trained but wears both with or without a soaker. Have a look through the WHAM section on here for some ideas, there are many many very talented ladies on here

I had the same issue with bumgenious re: the red marks, so I switched Tots Bots Easyfits are very slim and absorbant, but because they are bamboo they may take longer to dry than you need. I don't tumble dry and I don't find it an issue. though. Quick drying fabrics would be microfibre which is synthetic, so may not be the answer. Bamboo is obviously natural, though, so aren't stay dry, so you may want to use fleece (or similar) liners. My daughter is 18 months and tall and skinny, and I find they fit the best out of all the nappies we use. They are the nappies that my husband and in-laws etc reach for first. And the prints are lush -


I think if you want slim and absorbant, I'd go with something like the TB and get a few more so the drying time isn't an issue (P.S. the 5 pack brights are on bargainbots on ebay right now, v. v. good deal!http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TotsBots-Easyfit-Bamboo-Brights-5-pack-/270620762906?pt=UK_Baby_Baby_Changing_Nappies_LE )

i have the tots nappies in the link and find them fab, and they come with an extra bamboo booster, which annoyingly the tots stars etc do not. they are very trim fitting, i'd say the star ones etc slightly trimmer than the bargainbots ones, but not a huge difference. i like them so much i've just bought another pack tumble dried quite quickly too if that's ur kinda thing, fit my new born and well built one yr old, we are not at the highest setting yet.


re bumgenius, i think they are also more hipster nappies, so more inline with the hips for fit. this is going from memory, but just a thought. that's how myson always wore them

mr T in his v2 easyfit, these i find very trim.