CSP - Noob

I have always hated standard San Pro, i always found the sticky bits sticking to me in weird and wonderful ways. So i've used Tampons for about 12 years, i know i'm not going to be able to go back to tampons for a while after the birth anyway.

so as we're doing cloth nappies soon, i looked into Cloth San pro too - i thought well i'll be doing nappy washes anyway, what difference will it make! DH is ok with the idea as he doesn't do the washing anyway.

So few q's
how many should i need? if i'm washing every other day with the nappies.

is there much difference in absorbency on the different material?

How do you store them after use - obviously at hope they can go in nappy bucket - but how do you deal with them out and about? do you just pop it in a bio-degradable nappy sack until you get home (thinking more for when i'm back at work so i would be without the changing bag.

Also i've seen a started pack on Angelpadz http://www.angeltots.co.uk/ourshop/prod_316592-Angelpadz-Starter-set.html and wondered if this would be a good way to start.

Thanks in advance

So few q's
how many should i need? if i'm washing every other day with the nappies.

I have 20 pads plus few tiny liners but you probably won't need that many it's just i got carried away!!

is there much difference in absorbency on the different material?
The pads come in different flows so light use/regular through to heavy flow. They can come topped with different materials. I like minkee and Bamboo Velour topped ones in particular but you can also get cotton/lycra/flannel/Hemp etc.
A really good site to see all the different ones is luxury moon. Link here: http://luxurymoon.info/

How do you store them after use - obviously at hope they can go in nappy bucket - but how do you deal with them out and about? do you just pop it in a bio-degradable nappy sack until you get home (thinking more for when i'm back at work so i would be without the changing bag.

I have a slim line lidded bin in my bathroom that i just pop them in and they go in the next wash. After taking them off i run mine under cold water first so as not to set any stains and then under warm till the water runs clear. Then fold and pop in the bin. When out and about i don't rinse till i get them home. There are special bags to hold the pads (again luxury moon sells these) for this purpose. Simply have one bag for clean and one for the used ones and deal with them just as easily outside the home too.

Also i've seen a started pack on Angelpadz http://www.angeltots.co.uk/ourshop/prod_316592-Angelpadz-Starter-set.html and wondered if this would be a good way to start.

Not used the angeltots ones but luxury moon have starter sets. Might be an idea though to just get one or two of a particular make first just in case that style you chose doesn't suit you and if it does then you can invest in a starter set then maybe?

Thanks in advance

Hope these answers help abit and any further questions fire away!!

Thanx Nic1

I do have another question, and if i apply the same theory as disposable nappies (ie chemicals) to it i think i have my answer but here it goes anyway.

I was always self-concious of the smell when using towels, i always felt dirty and felt like i smelt funny. i am assuming this would caused by the chemicals in the standard pads.

have you noticed a reduction of smell since swapping to cloth san pro?

i guess i just need to be clear in my own mind before committing to buying some.

I always used tampons before CSP so not used disp pads since just after giving birth and then it was when i was a teen. I get no smells from the CSP at all. HTH

I had to use disposable pads when SF unexpectedly showed up one weekend and we were on holiday, and i found i hated them, because id got so used to lovely cloth ones They felt like wearing a disposable nappy, were itchy and sweaty etc. Cant remember much about the smell, but I havent noticed that my cloth ones smell at all. Maybe when i accidentally leave it the bathroom corner for several weeks... but you'd be changing them regularly anyway so there's not much reason for them to smell.

I used to store mine in a old ice-cream tub besdie the loo, when i could be bothered id put a little bit of water in it and a drop of tea tree oil to help prevent stains and smells, but if you just want to throw them in dry then thats fine too. Other rinse their pads under the cold tap before putting in the bucket. They can also go in the nappy bucket too if thats handy for you. You could use a nappy bag when out of the house but a plain carrier bag, or wetbag for the purpose (weenotions do them too, they're called fairy cosys ) is fine too.

Depending on how heavy your flow is, you might like to start off with couple of each size. My periods were always quite light and i only ever used heavy pads at night and could get away with medims mostly, or light pads during the day!