Terry Nappies

The “new” reusable nappies are a very different matter from the ones we used on our babies. But even then I remember “shaped” nappies from Mothercare which were much neater than terry squares folded into a triangle. I used to use muslin liners which were quicker to dry but looking back, did we really flush disposable nappy liners down the loo?
No wonder our sewers are in a state!

We hadn’t heard of disposable nappies when my two were small in the late 70s. I thought we were luckier than previous generations because we had the little liners which were placed inside the nappy in the hope that some if not all of the poo was caught there. Of course that didn’t always happen and Maggie describes it well.
The upside was most were out if nappies by the age of 2 or often younger. My first was dry at 20 months. Nothing like a stinking disgusting nappy bucket in the corner of the kitchen to encourage potty training.

I only ever used terry nappies, but my children are well in their 40’s. I think children back then were toilet trained much sooner, as it reduced the washing. When DS and DIL had their first baby, fifteen years ago, I was rather horrified at how many disposables they went through, and grieved to think of the number that were put out to landfill. Don’t think many mums nowadays would relinquish the easier option.

I used terry nappies for my children but wouldn't wish them on young mothers. I was at home when my children were small, had a twin tub but no dryer, and used an outside space to dry them or the rack over the bath. But those buckets in the bath, sluicing them down the loo, and the smell!
Disposable nappies at the time were very inefficient and only used if we were out, and usually meant a complete change of clothes, baby, when we returned.
But I do appreciate disposal is a huge problem.

I thought disposable were expensive but convenient. But when going through a divorce I could not afford them terrys were ok in the summer a nightmare in winter. I got my son potty trained about 12 months old when he started walking.

However, I think there have been studies weighing the environmental impact of the washing of re-usables versus the disposing of disposables and it came out evens. May have been biased, though, if it was financed by the manufacturers of disposables.

My son ad DIL in Canada use a scheme for reusable nappies. They get clean ones delivered and they take the soiled ones away. They come in all sizes depending on the size of the child. They have been using this scheme for 3 years with two children and it works well.
They are totally different to the terry nappies that we used.

Here in Germany they didn't use Terry nappies. They only had muslin ones. Both my DiLs have always avoided disposables when they could.

There are really sophisticated reusable nappies now.

The terry clips on to some really soft waterproof plastic pants, not nasty hard ones like we used to have, they are leakproof and comfortable.

There is no need to use disposable nappies.

They are expensive but in the long term work out cheaper than disposable.

Maggiemaybe what an honest summing up. That's exactly how I feel. Often distance lends enchantment......

I loved the terries for the brief happy period when they were flapping on the line in the sunshine, all bright and fresh.

Ruddy hated them when I had my hands down the toilet bowl flushing the poo, or was elbow deep in that foul nappy bucket soup wringing them out with sore, red hands before throwing them in the machine. And they leaked! Remember the poo oozing out the sides and staining your baby’s best outfit? And the baby’s sore bum if you couldn’t change them as soon as they were wet?

If it weren’t for the environmental impact it’d be disposables for me any day.

My daughter in law has used for 14 months with no problem but does have washing machine and garden to hang out. Interestingly they are already sitting her on potty and hope to toilet train her by ages two at latest. My other grandchildren were in disposable nappies till nearly three.

I wouldn’t wish terry nappies on any young mum .

When my son was a baby I lived in an upstairs flat with no outside space at all. That permanent stench of nappies steeping in a bucket and then pulling out the bloomin’ twin tub washing machine and trying to get them dry hanging all over the place. Yuk .

I think they need to come up with some more environmentally friendly disposables.

Fine if you have a good working washing machine and garden to hang washing in, and/or tumble dryer (which uses a lot of energy). There are more modern reusable nappy solutions though which require small volume of washing.

I loved the terry nappies and only used disposables when we went on holiday. I agree with you granma47. Young mums give them a try!

Then you need a washing machine and somewhere to dry them. Not to mention the smell of them soaking. Disposable nappies are so easy but bring huge environmental concerns.