Cloth Nappies onTwins? – You Must be Joking

Ever toyed with the idea of twins in cloth? Enjoy this article by Ainslee Jacobson about her experience with cloth nappying her babies. Many thanks to Ainslee for allowing us to publish this brilliant and immensely helpful article.

Our note: This article was written for a New Zealand audience. For the Australian Nappy Network website, please Click Here. Also please note that the use of Napisan is not recommended with your modern cloth nappies and can void your warranty :)


When I would tell people I was pregnant with twins they would spend at least 2 minutes telling me how hard it was going to be with a pitying look in their eye. Imagine their surprise when I then told them I was going to use cloth nappies. Many thought I was joking or would say “You won't last two weeks, you'll be using disposables in no time!” Well, 14 months down the track I am proud to say that both my boys are still wearing their cloth nappies and I have lived to tell the tale.

When you mention cloth nappies most people's first thoughts are of the white square of fabric with the red stripe hanging by the dozen on a clothesline. The reality is that cloth nappies have undergone a major redesign in the past 15 years and are now much easier to use, more absorbent and dare we say fashionable. Admittedly my decision to use cloth nappies was less about fashion and more about saving money and reducing my impact on the environment.

I first started looking into cloth nappies when I found out I was pregnant. When I subsequently found I was pregnant with twins, I furiously searched the internet for stories of mothers who had successfully wrapped two babies in cloth. The information was limited and so I settled for advice from singleton parents and hoped for the best.

Not one to take the easy option, I decided to make my own nappies. I had looked at one or two nappies and thought “how hard can this be”. Full of the excitement of a new challenge I went onto www.thenappynetwork.org.nz which had loads of information about cloth nappies, and also free nappy patterns to download. I became slightly bamboozled by all the options, and my enthusiasm for the task began to fizzle. After a lot of research I decided on the pocket nappy because it looked the easiest to use and the easiest to make yourself.

The pocket nappy consists of a “nappy” which has a waterproof outer and microfibre inner and a hole between the two layers for the absorbent “stuffer” or “insert”. To secure the pocket nappy you can either go for Velcro or plastic snaps that either do up at the front or on the side of the nappy. I went with plastic snaps that do up at the front because it seemed closest to the style of the disposable and they wouldn't stick to anything in the wash. Even though I then had to purchase a snap machine it was worth it. I have snapped up sleeping bags, bibs and my dad has even used it for his car upholstery. I was able to save money on the stuffers by sewing together a combination of old thin bath towel, flat cloth nappy, or bamboo fabric with a microfibre layer on top.

The purchase of brightly coloured fabric and accessories from Greenbeans.co.nz came to $350 and this included the rather industrial looking snap machine. Once I had modified the original pattern slightly and tested a few samples on my baby doll I started the process of cutting, snapping and sewing. All up making both small and large nappies only took a total of a week. I only threw a small number of tantrums (I blame the baby hormones) and my mum ended up having to sew in the elastic.

When the babies were born I started to wonder if the decision to use cloth was a good one. We used disposables exclusively for the first few weeks while I got my head around caring for two babies. Then when I started using the cloth nappies it did seem to take a long time to get into the routine of using, cleaning, washing and drying. Getting up close and personal with poo was a new experience for me. You do need to be prepared to be grossed out and there's just no way around it. Perseverance was the key and eventually we did get there.

Once using the nappies I changed the process slightly and instead of putting the stuffer inside the nappy, I simply laid it on top of the microfibre inner and placed the liner on top. We used disposables at night because my stuffers weren't as absorbent as commercial types, and we used disposables when we were out and about. I found that I did have to change the nappies more regularly than disposables as there was leakage. This was likely due to the sewing or the absorbency of the fabric used in the stuffer.

There have been times when I have got thoroughly fed-up with the nappies, so I would cut myself some slack and use disposables for a while. After a year of using the nappies those times are much less frequent and I am proud that I have remained committed to my original decision. So if you are thinking about using cloth nappies don't be put off by the doubters - it is easier than you might think.

Here are some key points about cloth nappies, which may help you make your nappy decision:

• Try before you buy – there are so many styles and brands to choose from. Many companies offer trial packs so you can test the waters without investing too much cash. Some ante-natal groups arrange for each mum to try a different brand to compare with the others. For more information on the various styles of nappies available go to www.thenappynetwork.org.nz

• Along with styles, there are securing options – snaps vs. Velcro, or One Size Fits All. One size fits all can work if your kids have different growth spurts.

• If using pocket nappies, different stuffer fabrics offer different levels of absorbency. For daytime, the towel/cloth nappy/microfibre insert combo works well. For night-time consider bamboo fabric inserts.

• Infantisimal in Island Bay run regular nappy workshops (with Honey Child brand nappies) and may be a good source of information.

• I made 24 of the smaller size nappies and 20 of the larger size, with approximately 35 stuffers that have worked with both sizes. The smaller size fitted the boys from newborn until around 11 months and the larger size should fit through to potty training (hopefully). You will need to do the laundry daily in order to have enough nappies for each day.

• Yes, the set up costs can seem inhibitive, but for that your weekly grocery bill will be a lot cheaper (and your rubbish bag will be a lot smaller).

• It doesn't matter when you potty train your kids as keeping them in nappies won't cost you any more.

• A common complaint about cloth nappies is the amount of washing you need to do. You do need to do a wash everyday. It does add extra time to the day – just not enough to be a nuisance. Weather is an issue, and without a dryer I still only used one drying rack for the majority of the winter.

• When washing nappies you can chose to do a warm wash each time. I use a cold wash daily (they are soaked in Napisan overnight) and then put the nappies through a hot wash each month to lift nappy cream residue. It's best to use “sensitive” washing powder, and less than you normally would for regular washing.

• A common misnomer is that cloth nappies cause nappy rash. According to www.thenappylady.co.nz research carried out at Bristol University showed that children in cloth nappies were no more likely to have severe nappy rash than children in disposables. The key is to change the nappy as soon as baby has poohed and keeping their bums clean. “Nappy off” time is a great way to combat nappy rash. Just make sure you keep an eye on the babies.

• You can take your cloth nappies on holiday with you. Camping might challenge the process, however if you have a toilet, a washtub and a washing machine you should be fine. Just be aware that if you plan to travel with your cloth nappies they do take a lot of space in your bag.

• They have a resale value. One mother I spoke with sold the first lot for almost what she paid for them. The next size (the One Size Fits All) were used for 2 years (her children were potty trained at 2.5), and she then sold them to people wishing to try the concept of cloth nappies before buying the whole lot.

• Don't give up! When you bring your babies home it can feel like there is no time to even think let alone worry about cleaning nappies. Don't worry, give yourself some time and start using them when your brain feels like it is finally starting to engage with your body again. I know lots of parents who have started using cloth nappies only once their children have reached their first birthday.

Thank you to Kirsty Prentice and Andrew McLellan for their input.

© Ainslee Jacobson 2011 - first published in the Wellington Multiple Birth Club Newsletter – May 2011