A misconception about terry squares

One of the great things about Modern Cloth Nappies, is their similarity to disposables in shape and ease of putting on. That's great, as it has introduced a load of people to the idea that cloth nappies are worth investigating, BUT it has also led to the belief that terry squares are bulky, outdated, old fashioned, difficult to use, inefficient, will need changing more often and are generally not as good as MCNs. IMO this is far from fact or the truth.

I am of the opinion that terry squares still can't be beaten for efficiency, length of time between changes, fit, economy, durability, ease of washing, and speed of drying (although I'd never go back to plastic pants LOL) OK, they need a bit of practise to get the fold right, but once you've done a few they are simple. Granted, for out and about, babysitters, nurseries etc MCNs have an invaluable part to play, but for every day, around the house use, terry squares (especially bamboo ones) are the best. They wash and dry superbly, there's no elastic to rot or for babies to be allergic to, they dry really quickly - even bamboo ones - and you always get a good fit, whatever size or shape your baby is.

If you get 60cm squares, they will fit from birth to potty training, unless you have a huge toddler or very late trainer. Yes, a 60cm square will be bulky on a newborn, and if you can run to some 50cm squares for the first few months, that would be better, but for those on a tight budget, 60cm squares are a really good option.

For overnight nappies, just fold 2 terry squares together as one nappy, use a wool cover, and you have an unbeatably efficient combination, which also dries quickly.

The only thing I want to add to this is that poor quality cotton terry squares are probably NOT worth getting, unless you intend to change after every wee. It's REALLY worth getting the very best quality, high density cotton or better still bamboo ones.

So if you've tried terries, please add your thoughts, and if you haven't they are so worth at least a try.

I loved terries with izzy and used 50cm from birth although i mixed them with fancy nappies eventually. I had some for leon I didn't end up using them. My 60 cm ones were too big for newborn but 40 cm were too small and couldn't be bothered to buy any more

Terries are such good value, very cheap. Quick drying too.

For us though I love my fancy fitteds especially super duper night nappies. I have spent a fortune on them and don't care

I can never get terries to not be gappy round the legs and they always wriggle loose after about 10 mins... However I do still like them for the hour before bed or times like that. If I could master them staying on better if use them a lot more!

If you tuck about 1" up underneath around the top of each leg, it makes a really neat fit. Actually I've done a video of my adapted kite fold, which is the best one I've found.

with you 100% on this one

I used disana tie-ons (also a flat nappy for anyone unfamiliar) with Jacob, mainly for the price and drying speed, totally loved them. However I had some terries for MIL, as she wouldn't learn to use the tie-ons if he was there, so it was better for me to buy a few than to have him in disposables if he was there (thrush-bum! Yuk )
I used muslins early on too, and had similar experiences, although again, had to be decent ones not prim ark burp cloths!!!

Plastic pants
my mother bought me some, to go with the terries for MIL - IDK if she thought I couldn't use the other rikkis and bummis which I had, but what a vile monstrosity they were

Love wool over terries too - discovered this at night, later on. Terries better than tie-ons by toddler stage IMO, as easier to boost and thicker (although this was my emergency night nappy, as I bought a couple of fitters for night use by the flooding age)

I had some 40cm bamboo for Asher but they didn't last long before they were too small and I struggled to nippa the bamboo. I have some 60cm bamboo for stuffing night nappies which are great but now have invested in some 75cm cotton terries for DS1 as he had outgrown his Xl minki pockets and they are amazing. I love them, so easy to use and dry and honestly they are as absorbent any bamboo nappies even night ones that I have used. At less than £6 each I am kicking myself that I didn't try them earlier.

I loved terries they made up 90% of my stash and they never failed me ever

[clothmama]

Great post and I agree that they are overlooked and undervalued parts of a nappy stash!

Louis was a summer baby and when we got to the autumn he was just getting out of his small sizes and I was finding that I couldn't dry what I had in one day with the cooler weather and we hadn't yet lit the fire so I was struggling with not having enough nappies. I ended up getting a 6 pack of Bright Bots terry squares and loved them! They were so quick drying and I used the Jo (envelope) fold which I found quite good for containment, I still use it now at work on the little nappies we put on the NBs . I surprised myself when I got on so well with them as I'd poo poo'ed them years earlier when I'd considered them with Josh. This time I'm being much more open to flats after getting on so well with the Bright Bots and I have about 6 little NB sized terries, as well as the BB's and a few prefolds. The other thing I think people don't think of doing is boosting with boosters as you would any MCN in order to customise your absorbency to your baby, I'll certainly be putting hemp / bamboo boosters in to give me what I need, I think the tiny terry squares with a booster will be fab and very very trim

I loved terries they made up 90% of my stash and they never failed me ever

What fold did you use @emmavmorgan ?

now have invested in some 75cm cotton terries for DS1 as he had outgrown his Xl minki pockets and they are amazing. I love them, so easy to use and dry and honestly they are as absorbent any bamboo nappies even night ones that I have used. At less than £6 each I am kicking myself that I didn't try them earlier.

That is a really good point, I'd have never thought of doing that @Sunset , I didn't even realise you can get such big ones!

I can never get terries to not be gappy round the legs and they always wriggle loose after about 10 mins... However I do still like them for the hour before bed or times like that. If I could master them staying on better if use them a lot more!

Have you tried the Jo fold @BekkiLB ? I find it gives really good leg containment, especially with a bit of a tuck as Ali said. I agree they were always great to grab for that before bath nappy I remember!

Am all excited now, going to see if they are all dry and I can prefold them ready to go

I used the jo fold, my mum used either the kite fold or the really old fashioned triangle one when she looked after the boys for me but I never got on with them the jo fold is really easy to boost when they get bigger. I used nippers when they where little and changed to proper pins when they got to the stage of taking them off for nights I used a 60cm terrie with a 40cm bamboo terrie folded together with a hemp booster inserted in the fold and with wool or fleece longies over the top and never had leaks