Nappyneedz

Sometimes the wet and cold weather in winter makes using cloth nappies hard, no matter how much you like using cloth, keeping the cloth nappy love in winter can be difficult.  Here are a few reasons why cloth nappies are still great. Saving money Even though washing and more importantly drying in winter can be a real nightmare, you’re still saving money.  It might cost a little bit more than usual, as you perhaps have to use the tumble dryer from time to time, but it’s still WAY cheaper than buying disposables every week.  You’d also be spending extra on rubbish bags, or collections each week too, with stinky nappies sitting around waiting to be collected if you didn’t use cloth, nice…. You get to be creative with drying The wet and cold weather often means that you have to dry everything inside, although it can make your house look like a laundry, and the washing seems never ending.  It does mean that you can get quite creative with where and how you dry.  Clothes horses over night ar

Every now and again you may find that you need to make cloth nappies more absorbent.  Your child might be weeing more, or perhaps you are in need of a cloth nappy that will last all night long, and therefore needs more absorbency.  What options do you have to make cloth nappies more absorbent? Boosting to make cloth nappies more absorbent One of the best ways to make cloth nappies more absorbent is to add extra padding, or a booster to them.  This means that you can continue to use the same cloth nappies as you are currently using, just with the addition of boosters.  Boosters are generally sewn pads of fabric, that sit in the centre of the nappy.  In the case of prefolds, you would normally place the booster, which is also sometimes called a doubler in the centre of the nappy, and then fold the nappy around it. Cotton Doublers One of the best types of booster to use is a cotton booster or doubler.  Our organic cotton boosters are ideal for increasing the absorbency of your ecobots na

No matter how prepared you think you are before having kids, there is always something about your life post baby that you didn’t expect. These are the things they don’t tell you before you have children.  We asked some of our friends and fellow businesses what they wish they had known before they started a family. Things they don’t tell you before you have children Stacy from Art out loud said ‘I was told to make the most of my freedom to be spontaneous – as nothing would ever go unplanned again, having a child can change the face of many of your relationships (try to prioritise time to nurture all others whom you hold dear) and time, well – may you be highly organised or cope with being late to almost everything (allow at least an hour to leave the house).’  www.artoutloudnz.co.nz Louise from Scamps Boutique ‘s comment was short and to the point, and I have to say I wholeheartedly agree: ‘They grow up far too fast.’ As a Mum of four, I can’t really agree with Rachael from The Pressie

The benefits of cloth nappies There are lots of great benefits to using cloth nappies, here is a quick round up of the main ones: Choosing cloth nappies can save you between $1000 and $4000 on your first child alone. Using cloth nappies rather than disposables is around 40% better for the environment (carbon consumption). Disposable nappies contain chemicals which can be harmful to your babies skin. Modern cloth nappies are simple to care for and use, with no folding, pinning, soaking or boiling. Why choose cloth nappies There are lots of great reasons to choose cloth nappies, and this brief round up of the benefits of cloth nappies is just a starting point. Want to know more? Have a look at some of our other articles on cloth nappy use, care and information .  Find out why cloth might be the choice for your family and what the benefits of cloth nappies are.

The cloth nappies versus disposable nappies debate: When it comes to cloth nappies versus disposable nappies, I suppose that it goes without saying that we at Ecobots are likely to come down on the side of cloth nappies.  Still it would be foolish to say that there were no advantages to disposables and no disadvantages to cloth.  There are things that you need to consider on both sides when it comes to cloth nappies versus disposable nappies. Advantages of cloth nappies Cost – Cloth nappies win hands down when it comes to cost.  Although they can be expensive to set yourself up with initially, in the long run you will save save save.  Especially as you won’t be paying extra to throw nappies away. Natural – Disposable nappies use various chemicals to lock moisture away, some babies can react quite badly to these, and long term we don’t know what the health implications of using chemicial filled plastic nappies are.  Cloth nappies like Ecobots are made from natural, breathable cotton. Cu

The Nappyneedz blog has been nominated in the Best in Home Business Awards 2014 on The Baby View.  We’ve been nominated for the Best Parenting Blog and we’d really really like to have your vote. Best in Home Business Awards The Baby view Best in Home Business Awards recognises small home based businesses that are often over looked in other awards.  There are a range of different categories, including the one that we have been nominated for.  There is also an over all Baby View Business of the Year, and you can also vote for us to win overall. Vote here Best Parenting Blog If this is the first time that you’ve read our blog, or your not sure if you want to vote for us, please have a quick read through our blog and see what you think.  Hopefully you’ll enjoy it and vote for us.  If there are any topics that we haven’t covered before that you’d like to see though, please let us know. Vote here:  http://www.thebabyview.com/awards-2014/

Baby showers are a great way to celebrate the impending birth of a new baby before the baby arrives.  Here is a quick round up of great baby shower gift ideas from a some great New Zealand based websites and businesses. Baby shower gift ideas Jackie from baby life magazine and  cute suggests a Doidy Cup – the unique sloping cup that helps prevent long term health issues such as poor feeding, food refusal and speech problems. http://www.2cute.co.nz/shop/doidy-cup/   www.2cute.co.nz   www.babylifemagazine.co.nz Sian from Cobalt heights tells us ‘ I always buy something for mum, a new book or movie for when she is feeding, a voucher for a manicure or even some nice new clothes or jewellery for when she is finally able to get out and about. When I had my babies the best feeling ever was being able to feel at least half human with a nice new top or earrings once things have settled down.’   www.cobaltheights.co.nz  Sarah from Thingamajigs also suggests that you buy something for Mum ‘I alwa

For many years here at Ecobots we’ve sold pure cotton nappies, but now we can offer bamboo nappies as well. Bamboo seems to be everywhere at the moment, it’s being used for towels, clothing, biodegradable nappy liners, sheets and of course cloth nappies.  You name it and it seems to be made out of bamboo.  So, what’s so great about bamboo, and more importantly bamboo nappies? Why bamboo nappies? Bamboo when made into fabric has a number of great qualities that makes it ideal to be used as a cloth nappy.  Firstly it is more absorbent than cotton, so bamboo nappies will last for longer between changes than cotton nappies without being bulkier.  Secondly it is very soft, so bamboo nappies remain soft and silky against your little ones skin no matter how often they are washed and reused.  Some people also claim that bamboo nappies are naturally anti-bactirial, although there is some debate as to whether this anti-bacterial quality remains after the bamboo has been processed into fabric.  E

You may have heard the term modern cloth nappies, or even MCN if you have started to look into cloth nappies, and wondered what exactly it all means.  MCN is simply the abbreviation for modern cloth nappies, but what are they? What are modern cloth nappies? In the past, a cloth nappy (or for that matter a nappy) was a piece of cloth, usually square that was folded and secured with pins and then covered with pull on plastic pants or a knitted pilcher (also known as a soaker). These days, cloth nappies have evolved somewhat, and this is where the modern cloth nappy comes in.  Usually shaped in some way to fit onto your baby in a similar way to a disposable nappy, MCN are the new generation of reusable nappies.  Made from a wide variety of fabrics, and with different patterns shapes and designs on the outside, modern cloth nappies are a world away from old fashioned cloth nappies. Types of modern cloth nappy There are many types of modern cloth nappies on the market.  These break down int

Confused by cloth nappy covers? Not sure if you need to use them or not? Want to know what the best kind of cloth nappy cover would be for you? Using cloth nappy covers Some varieties of cloth nappies, such as Ecobots, need a waterproof cover.  Other varieties of cloth nappy have a waterproof layer built into them, but with prefolds, flat nappies or fitted two part nappies, then you will also need some cloth nappy covers.  There are a number of advantages to using a system that uses separate cloth nappy covers: You will not need to change the cloth nappy cover at every change, only when actually soiled, a quick wipe will be enough the rest of the time. Cloth nappy covers give an extra layer of protection, against leaks and spills. You can boost your nappy as much as you want, and then fasten the cover over the top. As you only need a few cloth nappy covers, it can work out as a cheaper option. Cloth nappy cover features There are a number of things that you should look for in a good cl