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How many cloth nappies do I need?
 It depends on how often you want to wash. With 2-in-1’s (easipants)10 inserts and Five covers (5 easipants sets) provide a very basic start for an average baby – you’ll have to wash every day. I find that for fitted nappies with covers around 12-16 nappies and 4-6 covers should do you for 2-3 days depending on how old your baby is (younger babies need to be changed more often)
How do I wash cloth nappies?
 Washing cloth nappies is easi...... and doesn’t take as long as you think!!
Here's how to do it.
Change baby’s nappy. If soiled, hold insert in toilet and flush (or use a product like a little squirt). Most of the poo will go down. Put in an empty nappy bucket, and put lid on securely. (I use a separate bucket for the covers)
When ready to wash, simply tip the inserts into the washing machine. Use a rinse and spin cycle. No detergent. Then add the covers and wash in cold water with half the regular amount of detergent or soap. (If your nappies start to get an ammonia-type smell after baby wets, you are using too much detergent.)
Hang to dry or warm tumble dry. (If you use the dryer most of the time try to hang them on the line once every few weeks for extra stain removal.)
Bring in when dry. Just tuck flaps in (for easipants) or match up boosters (for Heydi Ho nappies) and put away ready to use next time.
Alternatively you can fill the bucket with hot water and small amount of nappy soak (from super-market). Leave for at least an hour. Then wash with no detergent.
Do cloth nappies leak?
 All nappies, cloth and disposables, leak on the odd occasion. Cloth nappies should not leak if you follow these steps:
Check the nappy is on correctly and there are no parts of the nappy/insert showing outside the cover. Do up the tabs firmly. If your baby has skinny legs or is at the smaller end of the size range, tuck the elastic part of the leg in on itself.
Don’t tuck baby’s clothes or singlet into the nappy.
Make sure you are not leaving nappy on too long – once its soaking capacity is filled, the liquids have to go somewhere!
What about going out and nights?
 You don’t need disposable nappies for going out. Just take along a waterproof bag and bring home the wets. Cloth nappies can last all night, especially if you add extra boosters for more absorbency.
How absorbent are easipants?
 Inserts absorb around 330ml (less in smaller size). Fold in a booster strip for night-time or heavy wetting.
Are cloth nappies too hot for babies in warm weather?
Honestly, no. Certainly, no hotter than a disposable nappy made out of plastic and paper! I know babies who have never had heat rash on their bottoms, even when their neck and arms have been covered! Fitted nappies (like Heydi Ho nappies) can be good for warmer weather because you don’t have to put the cover on, this allows for evaporation and is cooler for baby. Easipants covers are breathable so even though they are made from polar fleece they still allow for air movement, this also helps to keep baby cool in summer.
What sizes do easipants come in?
Easipants come in three sizes: newborn (3-6kg), small (5-9kg) and large(9-15kg).
Aren’t cloth nappies too bulky?
It can be a bit of a shock to put a cloth nappy on a little baby – they look, of course, bigger than disposable nappies. Don’t expect cloth nappies to fit like a disposable. When babies are only 5kg, the smaller size can come halfway up their middle. Just put the nappy on securely, tuck in the legs, and enjoy the feel of a soft cuddly big bottom.
Big bottoms on babies are a joy to cuddle. Yes, some clothes might be tight, but consider buying the next size up. Many manufacturers factor in the size of cloth nappies in their designs.
How do cloth nappies impact the environment?
No-one would deny that landfill full of rotting disposable nappies can’t be that great. But a few people do have questions about cloth nappies and the environment, particularly water use in washing. Their arguments are almost like saying that washing up the dishes after dinner wastes water, so it would be better to use plastic cutlery and paper plates for every meal.
Obviously, any product we make and use has an impact on the environment – from the growing stage, through to the manufacturing stage and then onto use.
However, cloth nappies are a product that can be used and re-used, and then recycled. That in itself is better than creating something to be used once and thrown away.
Some facts:
Washing cloth nappies uses about the same amount of water as a single adult flushing the toilet in the same length of time.
It takes as much energy to produce one throwaway nappy as it does to wash a cloth nappy 200 times.
According to ZeroWaste New Zealand, disposable nappies "use 3.5 times more energy, 8 times more non-renewable raw materials and 90 times more renewable materials than washable nappies.”
At production stage, disposables produce 2.3 times more waste water and 60 times more solid waste than washable nappies".
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How can I save even more money?
Use cloth baby wipes instead of disposable wipes. Keep warm water in a thermos by baby’s change table to wet a wipe each time you change her. Put the cloth wipe in the bucket with the nappy. (Alternatively you can use face washers - you can purchase them quite cheaply from $2.00 shops or from Ikea)
Don’t take disposables when you go out — just take an extra cover, some inserts and an easipants waterproof bag for the dirties.
Can I use barrier creams with cloth nappies?
Yes, but as with disposable nappies, a thin layer should do. The creams can clog up the polar fleece lining.
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