· A clean, damp washcloth/baby wipes (to clean your 
   baby)

· A dry towel or washcloth (to dry your baby)

· A clean cloth to place under your baby

· Any ointments you may use (these aren't necessary, 
   but can be helpful in treating any diaper rashes. 

· And last but not least, a clean nappy!

On the other hand, cloth diapers are made from, you guessed it, cloth! They can be composed from many fabrics such as cotton, hemp or bamboo. Unlike disposable diapers, they can be washed and reused again and again, making them more affordable then disposables. Cloth diapers have come a long way from originally being fastened together with safety pins to now being either elasticized or having Velcro-like closures.  

Cloth diapers are usually picked as the favourites as they are better for the environment, cheaper and arguably cuter than disposable diapers.  

The primary qualities of Microfibre and Bamboo inserts are detailed below:

Microfibre

• Plush and bulkier insert
• Absorbs faster
• Dries faster
• Holds less liquid
• Can cause compression leaks if full
• Little to no first time prep required
• OK to put against baby's skin, but not recommended - may cause dryness or skin reactions in sensitive babies
• Synthetic material that may hold smells if not cleaned thoroughly

Three -layer Bamboo 

• All natural fibres, doesn't hold smells
• Safe to put next to baby's skin if needed
• Thinner insert to reduce bulk
• Absorbs slower
• Dries slower
• Holds more liquid
• Requires a first time prep before washing or using

We prefer (and so do many of our customers) to use a microfibre insert on top to absorb and wick away the liquid fast, then underneath, a three -layer bamboo insert to increase absorbency without adding the bulk of a second microfibre insert. As an alternative, you can also use the FIVE-layer BLENDED INSERT (Microfibre and Bamboo)

Minky is a type of fabric that is on the outer part of some nappy. The fabric has a soft short pile that resembles the feel of cashmere or a soft fleece. 

Minky is not recommended for overnight use because it will sometimes wick moisture from the inside of the nappy if it is saturated for more than four hours. They work wonderfully for daytime use though!

• How to Prevent Nappy Leaks
  
• How to Prep your Bamboo Nappy Liners
  
• How to Strip Modern Cloth Nappies
  

Not sure what to Buy for the new mums in your life? Why not give them a KindyNews Gift Certificate? You can purchase one for anything above $5 and know that your gift will be the best quality eco-baby product available!

When your nappies start to leak or even get a smell, whether it's ammonia buildup or 'barnyard stinkies', it's time to STRIP! The diapers that is. Below are the instructions, but please note that if you are constantly having smells, there is more to look into. 

        Ammonia buildup comes from either containing urine in a wet bag for more than 48 hours, or from not getting your diapers truly clean during the last wash. 

This can be 'fixed' by stripping and then either leaving your wet bag open (it helps smells believe it or not!) or adding 1/3c of white vinegar to your pre-soak. Vinegar is a mild acid, which will help neutralize the pH of the base, ammonia. It's also really great at getting rid of smells.

        Barnyard stink (think horse stalls) comes from not using enough detergent or from detergent buildup.

Barnyard stink can be 'fixed' by stripping and then either using more detergent (approx 1.5 of the amount you were previously using) or by looking into another detergent. Please review our recommended detergents list here. 

So you have chosen to use cloth nappies for your new baby. Here are a few tips to ensuring your little one stays dry and snug. While leaks happen from time to time, there are simple techniques to help reduce discomfort. Here are some issues and how to resolve them:  

1.  Nappy was not prepped properly or prepped at all.  To resolve, follow our instructions on how to prep your new nappies/inserts on the right of this article.  This includes drying on high heat for approximately 20 minutes when you first receive your nappy to seal it around all of the snaps & stitching.  After prepping, DO NOT wash or dry on hot or high heat.

2.  The interior of the nappy is repelling liquid.  You can test this by taking the clean nappies and dropping a few drops of water on the interior. If the water sits there for more than a few seconds and you can 'roll' a bead of water around, your diaper is repelling. This is often caused by using non-nappy safe detergents or nappy creams that cause a build up.  The easiest way to correct this is to wash your nappy like normal, then wash once more using Nappy Laundry Treatment.  

3.  Your child is a heavy wetter.  Each baby is different and some urinate more than others.  When using a pocket nappy, you can add additional microfibre, bamboo, bamboo blend or charcoal bamboo inserts which will usually resolve most leak issues.  

4.  The seal around the legs is not tight.  When putting the nappy on your baby, make sure that there are no gaps in between the elastic and their leg.  To tighten, simply adjust the size of the nappy using the three riser snaps that run up the middle of the nappy.  While they should be snug, the elastics around baby's thigh should not be so tight they are causing red marks. If you over stuff your nappy with too many inserts, you may cause gaps that can't be closed even if they are tight on most of baby's leg.

How Do I Prep My Bamboo Inserts?


Our Bamboo inserts (five layers - three microfibre and two bamboo) also known as Blend Inserts, are inserts that have two types of fabric. 
Typically - and in our case, this is bamboo on the outside and microfibre on the inside.

 We sell FIVE-layer Bamboo Blend inserts & Five-layer Charcoal Bamboo Blend inserts. 

For the best results, pre-prep all of our Charcoal Bamboo Blends. 

The Five layer Bamboo Blends will need to be prepped by following EITHER set of these directions.
TRY THIS:

1. Depending on how many inserts you are prepping, fill your washing machine with the hottest water setting you have, add all of your blend inserts (if you have 3-layer bamboo or any hemp inserts you've purchased elsewhere and need to prep, you can add them too!) and run it through a wash cycle. If your washing machine has an extra rinse/spin cycle, set it for that. You need to rinse/spin on HOT for at least four to five rinse/spin cycles. Dry in the dryer and they are ready to use. 
   
   OR TRY THIS:
   
2. Fill your washing machine to it's highest setting full of HOT water. Add a packet of Nappy RLR Laundry Detergent - you can buy it on Ebay from the US. (or 1/2 packet for front loaders) and all inserts you'd like to prep. Soak for 30 minutes, run a full cycle on your washer and then add 2 rinse/spin cycles. Dry in the dryer and they are ready to use.
   
   
3. Both Bamboo and Hemp will become more absorbent with each use until about the 10th wash, where it reaches it's maximum absorbency.