Mammabug

Munchkin Nappy Disposal Unit

I received a Munchkin Nappy Disposal System from The Soup to trial and I was impressed!

It holds the same amount of nappies as a shopping bag, as I discovered by emptying a munchkin bags into one, and it does reduce the odour significantly.

The system works by twisting the top of the bag when the lid is shut, and sprinkling baking soda into the bag as well. Unlike some other NDS the nappies all remain in the bag which you then clip shut and remove, rather than ending up with a “sausage roll”.

Personally I found the replacement bag price a little steep, but I am assured it is comparative with other Systems (expensive when viewed against my free shopping bags). However it is possible to hack the system to use other cheaper bags (by chopping the bottom off one of the “real” bags and placing the cheaper bag inside of it. I really like that you can refill the baking soda dispenser, which screws into the lap, with any old baking soda you get from the shop.

I really like this system and would probably use it if my change table was not set up in the laundry. I only have room for one bin (the Munchkin is approx the same size as a regular kitchen bin) and I find myself wanting to put lots of other stuff in it (like lint, plastic wrapping, price tags) which just seemed like a waste. 

If you are going to use a Nappy Disposal System, then I would definitely recommend this one.

Pants Style Cover

I was looking for the new plastic pants, but couldn’t find them so I made some myself.

Using Baby Dry Pul Fabric and a pretty cotton fabric, all you need is some elastic and there you have a pretty waterproof covers, which don’t add a lot of bulk.

The yellow lining is the waterproof Poly Urethane Laminate layer, just turn over the edges at legs and waist to make a tube, and thread swimwear elastic through them. I like to use the overlocker to sew the PUL layer to the cotton layer first, with the laminate side of the PUL against the wrong side of the pretty cotton layer, then treat it as a single piece of fabric. Sew up the side seams, and then turn over the edges.

To make the pattern I bought the old style plastic pants which are something like $2 for 3, and cut the elastic out so it would lay flat, then cut down the outside of the leg to open it up to trace around. Normally you set it out so that the pattern is the right way up over the bum, so it is upside down at the front.

The plastic pants come in all sizes (eg. 000, 00, 1, 2) so you can make a couple of each size as your baby grows. Or you can make one to match every dress if that’s the way you roll

Thirsties Duo Covers

I have a few covers to go over my cloth nappies, for the  flats I find the Thirsties Duo Wrap covers to be best. I had 2 size ones, and am currently using 4 size twos. 3 with velcro, and 1 with snaps. My 5-month-old is currently in the size 2s with all the snaps done up. The size 2s are supposed to go all the way to 3 years so I will see.

They are:

Rose

Orchid

Mango

Blackbird

I also have some Gen Y Covers in various sizes as they do not have the snaps down the front to change the fit dramatically, and some homemade plastic pants type ones.

Double Triangle Fold

This is the best fold for a newborn, as it is the smallest. It is very easy and exactly as it sounds.

Take your flat square nappy and fold in half, corner to corner to make a triangle.

Fold in half again to form a smaller triangle.

add a baby and fasten with a snappi, add a water proof cover if you like.

Why I Choose Cloth

The number one reason that has me reaching for the cloth nappy over the disposable nappy, is the thought that with every cloth one I use there is more room in the garbage bin for things other than nappies.

Other reasons I use cloth are:

• Environment - not sending extra contaminated waste to land fill. There are a host of arguments about if the washing of nappies is more resource hungry than the disposable manufacturing process, however there is the incontestable truth that the disposables do not break down in land fill for decades. True there are now compostable, and eco-friendly nappy brands, but the plastic that makes them lovely and waterproof also keeps them together in land fill.
• Health – I discovered with LittleBug, and again with BabyBug, that they get LESS nappy rash using the cloth nappies than the disposable. counterintuitive I know!
• Cost – Disposable nappies work out somewhere between 30 and 50 cents each. Currently I use bamboo flats and covers, one of the cheapest combinations as the setup cost for 12-18 nappies and 4-5 covers is around the price of 2 boxes of huggies. When you think how long the boxes will last (month or two at the most) and how long the cloth ones (couple of years – to toilet training and beyond), then there is no argument about which is more cost-effective. I also have some All-In-Ones that I got for LittleBug which I’m still using 3 years later
• Effectiveness – again counter-intuitively I have had less leakage, and poo explosions from the cloth nappies than from the disposables.
• Cute factor – They are just so cute!

Snappi

Snappies are the new nappy pins. They are made from rubber with plastic teeth on the bottom which snag and hold the loops from the terry fabric. They are great as you can’t jab the baby, but do watch out as the teeth can be sharp, I have managed to slice my finger open on them.

Bum Check

What is currently on LittleBug’s Bottom:

Flat Bamboo Nappy in a Bat Fold with a Thirsty Blackbird cover

Poop Mushrooms

There may soon be one less reason for feeling guilty about using disposable nappies. Mexican scientists have discovered that mushrooms, especially oyster mushrooms can completely break down a nappy in 4 months. If left untreated these nappies can remain in land fill for generations – one of the telling arguments against disposable nappies.

Just as well my number one reason for using cloth over disposable is room in my bin rather than environmental. But now I can stop feeling guilty for using them overnight and on long trips

For more info check out http://www.economist.com/node/18584104

Bat Fold

Once the baby is a little bigger the Bat Fold is better fitting and more absorbent because there are 6 layers in the middle which acts like a booster.  This fold is also known as the Butterfly,  Origami,  or Chinese Fold,

Start by folding the nappy into a square, by folding it in half to form a rectangle.

Then in half again.

Pull the top layer by the corner out to form a triangle, if it does not work in one direction change the direction you are pulling by 90 degrees.

Flip the entire nappy over carefully so the square is on top of the triangle.

Fold the square in half.

Fold it over again.

Now doesn’t that look like a bat? The body in the middle and wings spread out. You can probably also now see where the Origami name comes from there are a few slightly tricky bits like you would see when doing origami. I think the Chinese name comes from people think origami is a chinese thing.

Now add a baby and fasten with a snappi.

Triangle Fold

The largest nappy fold is the triangle.

Basically just as it sounds, you fold the nappy into a triangle, corner to corner. 

You need to boost this nappy, either with another nappy folded into the middle, or with other boosters. I prefer bamboo for it’s absorbancy.

Simply place baby on the nappy and fold the corners in to meet, I usually start with one layer between the legs, then the sides, then the other layer between the legs and secure with a snappi.

The nappy on the baby will look like this.