Nappyneedz

Last weekend we were really busy at the Auckland babyshow. It was a great chance to meet up with lots of you, and get to talk to people about trying cloth nappies.  I’m still recovering, because it’s such a full on weekend, so I thought that I’d share some pictures from the weekend with you. I was really pleased with the stand this year, and it was great to chat to everyone. We had some great babyshow specials on, and if you’re going to the Dunedin baby and child show on September 21st, then you’ll be able to take advantage of them too. On the last day we had the girls with us, and they had a great time at the babyshow. There was a duplo pit to play in, colouring in to do, lots of free things and a giant buzzy bee.       That’s it for another year at the Auckland baby show, but we’ll be back again another year. Post babyshow special For those of you who couldn’t make the Auckland baby show this year, we’ve got a little special running until this Sunday, 31st of August.  Get one of our

When you decide to use reusable nappies, one of the first questions that you may have is “how many cloth nappies do I need?”  Although you will find various guidelines that will help answer this question, it actually depends on a number of things.  First of all you need to decide how often you will be using the reusable nappies, and then how often you want to be washing them.  There is no right or wrong answer to how many cloth nappies do I need, some people will happily get by with just a few that they wash and dry regularly, and then other people have large collections that they rotate over a much longer period of time. Full time cloth nappy use If you are planning on using cloth nappies full time on one child, then as an absolute minimum you will need around twenty nappies.  If you are using a system that has separate covers that you do not change every time such as Ecobots, then you will need at least twenty inners, and around four or five outers.  If you are using a pocket or all

When it comes to night nappies, woollen covers have always been one of my favourite options. They are also great during the day, and if you are looking to use a totally natural cloth nappy system, then woollen nappy covers are the ideal choice.  So, here is a bit more information about woollen nappy covers and how to use them. Shop now How woollen nappy covers work Woollen nappy covers are a little different to most other nappy covers on the market, this is because they do not act as a waterproof layer.  Instead, wool actually absorbs quite a lot of water, it can absorb up to 32% of it’s own body weight in water.  This is actually more than cotton will hold, which absorbs around 25% of it’s weight in water.  You may think that this would actually make it perfect to make a cloth nappy out of, but here is where the big difference is.  Most cloth nappy fabrics, such as cotton, hemp and bamboo can be totally dried out, wool on the other hand absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, and is alw

I’ve been meaning for ages to share a few more folds on the website, which I will do soon. Then the other day on facebook I heard about a great new fold; the double wing prefold fold, so they thought that I’d share it here.  The lovely lady who invented it posted a video on You tube, so here you go, how to do a double wing prefold fold:    Double wing prefold fold The double wing prefold fold is great for reducing the length of long prefold nappies, and it’s also a good fold when the prefold nappies are getting a little narrow to fold around your baby.  It also reduces the bulk between the legs.  Give it a try and see what you think of it.  I’ll be including it soon in our list of prefold folds with step by step pictures. You can use this fold on most prefolds such as the one above, but it would work particularly well on the infant, regular and super size.  If you have a favourite prefold fold that you’d like to share with us, then please pop by our facebook page  and tell us about the

In just under two weeks, we’re heading off to the Auckland baby show again.  Last year was our first time, and it was such a great weekend, that we’re doing it again this year.  If you’re in the Auckland area, and planning on going to the show, then make sure that you pop along and say hi. You can check out our profile now, on the Auckland baby show website, and our stand is M22 in the ‘marketplace’ Learn about the dinky nappy We’ll be on hand to show you how our dinky nappy works and all of it’s great features, our Ecobots range and our fantastic snappi nappy fasteners.  We’ll also be able to answer any questions you might have about using cloth nappies.  We’ve got some great “Show only” special deals for you to, so if you’re wanting to try one of our nappies, it’s a great chance to get one at a great price. Auckland baby show The great thing about going to Auckland baby show is that you get to see lots of great baby and children related businesses, so you can find all that you need f

If you have to return to work after having your baby, you may think that it’s the end of reusable nappies, but as many child care places now allow cloth you might be interested in our tips for using cloth nappies at daycare. Tips for using cloth nappies at daycare Research before you start; find out if the daycare you have chosen has used cloth nappies on many babies before. Ask about the types and brands of cloth nappies they are used to.  Try speaking to parents that have children there and use cloth nappies at daycare to see how they found it. Take time to go through the cloth nappies with the person who will be doing the changing.  Show them exactly how to put the nappy on and how to change it.  I’ve heard many stories of babies coming home with nappies on back to front, or the inserts done wrong. Use all one type of nappy; if you are planning on using cloth nappies at daycare, try to make it as easy for them as possible, by using one brand or style of nappy so that it’s not too co

Cloth nappy stains are sadly a fact of life, cloth nappies are after all designed to catch poo and wee, and so you have to expect stains.  Stained cloth nappies don’t mean that they are actually dirty, but if you want to remove cloth nappy stains and get them looking white once again, what is the best way of dealing with cloth nappy stains? Does it matter? Nappies are designed for one thing; to catch poo and wee, so a few stains are to be expected.  It doesn’t mean that the cloth nappies haven’t been washed properly and won’t effect their use, so it doesn’t actually matter if there are a few marks on the nappies.  Having said that, it is nice to pick up a nice clean, white, nappy and place it on your baby.  Some people (and I include myself here) love to see a washing line full of snowy white nappies too. While cloth nappy stains might not actually matter, it is nice to be able to get rid of them. Newborn cloth nappy stains Most cloth nappy stains are caused by poo, while your baby is

Our dinky pocket nappy has got lots of different size settings, so that it fits right from tiny newborn, right up to toddler size.  At first glance though, the range of different snaps on it can be quite confusing, so here is our guide showing how to use the dinky pocket nappy:    Front sizing snaps Like many OSFM nappies, the dinky pocket nappy has a range of size snaps on the front of it.  These snaps can be used to reduce the overall length or ‘rise’ of the nappy, making it smaller. There are four different size settings on the dinky pocket nappy using these sizing snaps.  This photo shows it in it’s smallest setting using the front sizing snaps. Back snaps One of the unique features of the dinky pocket nappy, is the back snaps which make it narrower across the bottom and trimmer between the legs in the smallest size setting.  These snaps close on the inside of the nappy and help to make it even smaller. Stuffing the dinky pocket nappy The dinky pocket nappy comes with an absorbent

This week (Friday 1st August to Thursday 7th of August) is Word Breastfeeding Week 2014.  As you may or may not know, I am a breastfeeding peer supporter in the Dunedin area,  and having breastfed all four of my children (with varying degrees of success) supporting women who wish to breastfeed is something very close to my heart. Five Degrees of Chaos The five degrees of chaos blog, which I often read, is hosting a bit of a world breastfeeding week celebration. They are posting readers breastfeeding stories and links to fellow bloggers who are sharing their breastfeeding stories.  As part of this, they have a range of different prizes that can be won including a pair of breastpads from Nappyneedz.  Pop over to the blog, read the stories, look at the photos and perhaps submit your own. World Breastfeeding Week There are quite a few events, both online and locally for world breastfeeding week, and it’s worth looking out for what’s going on in your area.  The Breastroom in Dunedin is host

Taking your little one swimming can be lots of fun but what kind of swimming nappies should you be using?  If you’re wondering what to look for in swimming nappies, then read on. What swimming nappies are for Unlike other types of nappies, swimming nappies are not designed to take in any water. Even disposable swim nappies, which do contain a small amount of padding are not really used to absorb liquid.  The main reason for this is that it would also soak up the water in the pool or sea while you were swimming, become heavy and possibly even start to weigh your little one down.  Unless there was a perfect waterproof seal around the legs and waist, it would also be impossible to separate out any urine from the water you were swimming in.  The point of swim nappies is actually to stop any solid accidents from escaping into the water.  Although many parents take their little ones swimming regularly without having to deal with a ‘poo in the pool’ situation, being prepared just in case it s