Help needed from formula users

Well, last night we used our first cloth nappy. We used a Sandys XS (barely fits ) with a fleece liner and Prorap wrap and everything went superperb. It lasted from 10pm to 7am (Leo is only 4 days old) because I didn't want to deal with a nighttime change. It was great being able to feel that the nappy was wet when I went to change him in the morning. I could only tell if he'd done a poo with the disposables and while I knew he was weeing (because he was weeing on me usually ) the extra reassurance is nice.

My problem is this: I thought I would be breastfeeding and I had a grip on how to handle all that went with EBF poos (i.e. just throw in the wash). However with having had a section and Leo having huge problems establishing a latch we are using mostlly formula. I have no idea how I am supposed to handle these diapers when it comes to washing. They need to be rinsed off, right? So for every poo (which Is every nappy change) I have to bring it to the toilet and spray or hold and flush? If I want to use cloth wipes do I have to rinse those after use as well? My mommy brain is not coping with all the details well so I've just been throwing everything in a bucket to deal with until after I get advice from you guys. Luckily my husband is on laundry duty which he's great about but I don't think he wants as much extra work as I think this going to be. Maybe I could just do one big rinse off with the shower hose before washing? Then could I jskip the cold rinse of the wash cycle (so just basically one hot wash with an extra rinse)?

One other thing: Is it okay if the nappy covers his umblical cord stump? I wipe it when it gets poo on it but he's so chunky that the nappies which with the cut out just don't fit so it does get poo on it quite a bit.

I am 100% commited to using cloth nappies so any help and advice for a brand new mum would be great. I've read through all the threads and done tons of research but still just feel lost. I didn't have a natural birth, and breastfeeding is not going well, but I will get this to work!

Thanks everyone!

Congratulations on your little Leo, his name is lovely btw!

Kieren is formula fed now and he is 4 months old, when he has a pooy nappy I just dump as much off the fleece liner into the toilet and then put the nappy into the bucket...when i was (everyother day...nappies not me haha!) I do a cold rinse cycle first with no detergent at all, then a wash cycle with detergent and then everyother wash or so I add another rinse at the end...we havent had any problems with smells or stains or anything... i guess you culd put them all in the bath and rinse them by hand if you dont mind doing that...

If the cloth wipe has 'grabable' poo (sorry lol) on it then i take that to the toilet with the fleece liners and shake it down the loo...then put it in the bucket and wash with the nappies...

Most of my nappies are minkee lined, not sure if that makes a difference to staining or not, I ALWAYS use a fleece liner as if i dont then ds gets a sore bum..

I dont have any advice re the wraps and cord stump as I used disps till his cord fell off (i had my second section with ds and just wasnt up on my feet enough with both kids to handle the extra washing....)

It will all fall into place, there is no rush, take your time and rest when you get chance

Firstly It's all very overwhelming at first and you've had more to deal with with the CS recovery.

As you say you want to make this as easy as possible. I'd just shake of what you can and just chuck them in the bucket and then cold rinse in the machine before washing. The liquid stuff will rinse out in machine without problems. It's a long time since I had a formula fed baby (Lockie) so I can't remember how solid it is.

Like Tory says with wipes unless there are solid bits which you can shake off don't worry about rinsing them either.

I've never worried too much about the cord stump. I tried to stop the actual nappy covering it because it's better that it stays dry but sometimes you can't. Just keep it clean and it'll be off in a couple of days anyway.

I know it all seems so much to deal with right now but it does become easy, I promise. Enjoy your (not so) little man.

I agree with Tory about the washing, if it falls off then put it in the loo, otherwise just put in bucket and do a cold rinse in the machine before you wash.

I really wouldn't worry too much about getting all the poo off before putting them in the wash, it will rinse off. Even with ff I am sure it is pretty liquid still isn't it?

Even now, Ben rarely has anything solid in his nappy, so I do have a bucket next to the toilet, and I use the shower from the bath to rinse off what I can, but it is so sticky and yuk (sorry tmi) I rely on the cold rinse to get the remainder off.

Don't worry about the stump - I didn't have any cut out ones for Charlotte, just MEOS and ME wraps and it was fine. It soon falls off and you don't need to worry anymore.

Oh and huge congratulations. Don't worry if things seem a little daunting at the moment, it is very early days. Relax and try to enjoy it

Bella was formula fed, and any poopy nappies were just put in the machine as it was still liquid enough for the machine to deal with. Once weaning starts then sluicing starts

Huge congratulations on the birth of Leo, hope you are recovering well from the section. Ok I use flushable liners from Boots so just chuck them down the toilet but anything that is on the nappy I just try to give a quick rinse in the toilet while its flushing (hope that makes sense) When I wash I use an extra rinse and so far we haven't had any problems with staining. I would do the same with the wipes as the nappies. Don't worry about covering the cord up that's fine Lastly it sounds like you are doing a great job don't put too much pressure on yourself you have a new baby and its all very overwhelming at the beginning, you will get there I promise

Thanks everyone for the advice. His poops are quite runny and I tried to see if I could wipe anything off with a wet wipe and you all are right that there is nothing solid there to wipe off. I'm so glad to know that otheres are have been able to just throw them in the wash with no problems. It makes me feel much better. Has anyone had any problems with poo being left in the machine?

The midwife came today and looked at his stump and said it looked good so no worries there either.

I'm really loving the cloth nappies and am so glad something is going as planned. I've started to take some pictures and can't wait to post my reviews.

ooooh can't wait to see the action shots of his nappies