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“ A mummy – someone who never sends you out into the big wide world, without first wrapping you up in the warmth of her love”
In this section you'll find a selection of articles relevant to our products, we hope you find them both informative and interesting.
We also have a pregnancy and baby in Spain blog where we are constantly posting information and articles about pregnancy and baby in Spain. Everything from giving birth to registering for schools .... plus lots more info on our products, .... visit our blog now and please feel free to leave a comment ...
Real Nappies - A User’s Guide
Why!
Generally babies need nappies for the first two and a half years
of their life therefore, the average baby uses 4.16 nappies per day or 3,796 nappies per baby for two and a half years. This equates to 8 million nappies each day in the
UK alone being disposed of in landfill sites! As you can see the scale of the nappy problem is a huge one as environmentalists estimate that it takes between 200-500 years for a disposable nappy to decompose. The toxicity from the mix of chemicals used in producing disposable nappies is a hazard with harmful consequences both to humans and the environment.
Many parents these days are considering using real nappies often alongside disposables. Both have benefits and often a combination of the two makes for a happier mother, baby and planet. Remember the days of safety pins are long gone!
How to choose which nappy system is best for you
Flat nappies are rectangular pieces of cotton folded different ways for either a boy or a girl. Generally this is the traditional style nappy and less common.
Shaped Nappies are ready prefolded and often come in one size from birth to potty and can be adjusted to accommodate the babies size and weight. Normally fastened with Velcro or poppers and can be kept in place with an outer wrap.
All-In-Ones are shaped nappies with a waterproof outer wrap already attatched, you only need insert a throwaway liner. The lifespan of this type of nappy is shorter as you have to wash the whole thing and they do take longer to dry.
Wraps-terries, shaped nappies and prefolds are made from absorbent cotton but they all need a waterproof layer. They come in a variety of organic cotton, regular cotton, bamboo and are waterproof and breathable. It is possible to buy less wraps than nappies as they only need to be washed once soiled.
Do I need anything else?
Liners take liquid away from the baby’s skin but hold onto solids and are worn next to the baby’s skin inside the nappy. Liners come in many varieties including bio- degradable and can be flushed down the toilet.
You can also buy reusables which you can wash with the nappies but first you need to flush the solid waste down the toilet.
A bucket with a lid is a useful buy for storing the used nappies. We suggest you place a laundry bag inside this as this can be transferred to the washing machine with the nappies inside.
Of course washing powder is required as is a sanitizer as this reduces the need for boil washing or soaking. A few drops of essential oil of tee tree helps to prevent
any odours.
How many do I need?
This depends on how often you want to wash but generally a minimum of 12 nappies and three wraps is recommended if you are combining with disposables although up to 20 is best if only using real. Perhaps in the early days it may be worth having a couple of extra wraps.
Are They Convenient?
Real nappies are a lot easier to use than you think. The internet is a great place for any further information if you are at all uncertain of the benefits of using reusables. Realistically, often when out and about it’s not always easy to carry around used nappies. Perhaps it’s worth checking if your little one is in nursery if the centre is happy to use real nappies in which case it may be worth considering a combination of the two both disposables and reusables. At the end of the day it really is whatever works best for you with reusables
greatly reducing
landfill rubbish
therefore saving you money and saving the planet!
The Real v
Diposables Debate
There are some further ways to reduce the environmental impact of using increased water and electricity by using reusable nappies.
These include:
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Using an A rated (energy efficient) washing machine
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Washing at a lower temperature
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Air drying instead of tumble drying
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Use an ecological detergent
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Use organic products, produce in a more beneficial way to the environment
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Reuse nappies with another baby, or swap/sell them
We at Indybel realise that the desicion to choose which type of nappy system is best for you can be truly daunting. Below is a guideline for how to use each of the nappy systems that we currently sell.
All in one 100% certified organic cotton reusable nappies. One of the best award winning organic all in ones on the market.
Quite simply these work in exactly the same way as a disposable and are by far the easiest to use as they offer a complete nappy system in one piece
Bambino Mio offers a complete nappy system suitable for babies from newborn to potty training. Our nappies are 100% cotton which means they are naturally soft, breathable and absorbent, maintaining a healthy temperature.
3.Nappy Cover
Bambino Mio’s nappies and covers have been designed with comfort and simplicity in mind, which make them convenient and easy to use.
The nappy cover has Velcro style fasteners to make them quick and simple to use, and allow adjustment to suit the shape of each baby. The edges of the covers have soft binding on the waist and leg cuffs. The waist and cuffs are elasticated to ensure a snug fit.
A 100% pure cotton nappy. Our cloth nappies have a three panel construction with a thicker centre panel giving maximum absorbency with minimum bulk.
The nappy can be separated from the cover so that there is no need to change the cover with every nappy change, simply place a fresh nappy inside the cover and fasten back onto your baby.
For added convenience we recommend the use of our biodegradable Mio Liners. The nappy liners retain solids and are safe to flush down the toilet. They are designed with a one-way action that allows moisture to pass through but prevent it seeping back
Nappy folding methods
Standard Fold
Lay the nappy with the two parallel stitched lines running horizontally. Fold the right vertical edge and left vertical edge over each other.
For extra absorbency at the front (or boy fold)
Lay the nappy with the two parallel stitched lines running horizontally. Fold the right vertical edge over the centre. Fold the top and bottom panels over the middle and tuck into each other. With this type of fold, the length of the nappy may be altered to fit the cover accordingly.
For loose stools
Follow steps for fold 2. Lay the nappy with the thicker pad at the front and fold back the outer panels to form a fan shape.
Assembling the nappy
Place the folded nappy with the nappy liner around the centre into the cover. Ensure that the nappy fits to the front and back of the cover and is not sticking out.
Nappy covers
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Close Velcro tabs.
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Machine wash at 60 C in non-biological detergent.
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Hand wash or rinse in cool water.
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Tumble dry on low or line dry.
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Dry away from direct heat.
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Do not use chlorine bleach or borax.
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Do not iron.
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Do not use fabric softener.
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Do not soak the nappy cover.
Soiled nappy covers
Occasionally there may be some soiling inside the nappy cover. In some cases, not using a liner can help. Due to the nature of the product, however we cannot guarantee that this can be completely prevented. If staining occurs - use only mild or natural stain removing agents so as not to irritate the baby’s skin and/ or cause premature deterioration of the fabric.
Guidelines for both types of nappy systems
Nappy liners
Mio Liners and Imse Vimse Liners help prevent heavy soiling of the nappies reducing the need for soaking or sluicing. Remove soiled liners from the nappy and flush. Liners can be used in a septic tank system.
Caution: Flushing liners may cause blockage in old or damaged drains. No responsibility can be accepted for individual drain systems.
Changing
Change the nappy frequently. Approximately 2-4 hourly (with the exception of night time nappies). A bigger, more absorbent nappy may be required for night-time. Alternatively use a small nappy as a booster pad.
Laundry
Wash in accordance with the washing instructions on the garment label.
Soak method
Soak nappies in a solution (15ml of Bio D Nappy Fresh for every 5 litres of water) of Bio D nappy fresh cleanser for a minimum of 2 hours. Nappies can then be rinsed in cold water or washed in non-biological detergent.
No soak method
Add 15ml Bio D Nappy Fresh to the wash with a non-biological detergent. Nappies can be washed in temperatures up to 90°C but 60°C is adequate. Tumble dry on low or line dry.
Nappy size
Please note: as babies’ shapes and sizes vary a lot these sizes can only be taken as approximate.
Troubleshooting Checklist
If the nappies are leaking check the following:
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Have you pre-washed your nappies at 60° C? The nappies become more absorbent after the first few washes.
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Check that you have the right size nappy and cover for your child.
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Change frequently as nappies should be changed every 2-4 hours depending on the size of your child and the time of day.
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Do not use fabric conditioner. This will reduce absorbency of the nappy.
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Check that the nappy is completely tucked in the cover at the waist and leg holes. Do not use a double layer of the nappy liner. Remove the liner to improve the containment of loose stools particularly for breastfed babies. Use sunlight as a natural bleaching agent.
We stock a number of accessories to help you get the most from your cotton nappies. If you require any further information about our accessories please don't hesitate to contact us at
info@indybel.com
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