How to use MCNs (Modern Cloth Nappies)

Hazzy looking cool in his MCNs

Whenever I tell people I use cloth nappies they cautiously ask me,
"What do you do with the... you know... poo?"
I think this is why most people are put off using cloth nappies.
But the fact is, with Modern Cloth Nappies and hi-tech laundry machines these days, it's not that hard (or gross) to use cloth nappies.

Modern Cloth Nappies look just like disposable nappies, except it's made of very absorbent cloth, usually bamboo cotton. The exterior is waterproof just like disposables so you don't have to worry about leakage. People usually use a liner so you can flush the liner and most of the poo down the toilet before putting it in the wash. Maybe if I go through the process, you won't be so afraid of giving cloth nappies a go.

You will need:

Modern cloth nappies

I use Baby Beehinds' Magic-Alls. It is an all-in-one nappy, meaning you don't need to use a cover. You can customise the absorbency by slipping inserts into the interior pocket. BabyBeehinds use organic bamboo cotton so it's gentle on your baby's skin and highly absorbent. I especially like the Magic-Alls suedecloth inner material because it is soft and stays dry. The Magic-Alls dry fast as well and I've never had problems with leaking (except for when Hazzy has an explosive poo. Nothing can contain those.)

Nappy pail/bucket with tight fitting lid

Then you need a pail/bucket to place wet/soiled nappies until it's time to wash them. Modern cloth nappies don't need to be soaked. You just place them in the pail and close the lid tightly, to keep the odours contained. Some people like to use a disinfectant spray before placing the nappy in the pail but I think as long as you wash them at least every other day, it's not necessary.

Nappy pail liner

I use a pail liner inside of my nappy pail so I don't have to touch the soiled nappies when putting them into the laundry machine. I simply take the liner out of the pail, flip it inside-out while tipping the nappies into the laundry, and then put the liner into the laundry machine as well. The liners are waterproof so you won't have to worry about washing the pail every time you empty it. I bought two so I can have one ready to be put in the pail while the other one is being washed. I bought mine on eBay from a lady in the U.S. who makes these liners. Strangely, it's hard to find an Australian seller for these products. Wash your nappies using a pre-rinse cycle (or do a rinse cycle before a normal washing cycle if your laundry machine doesn't have a pre-rinse cycle) in hot water (at least 60 degrees).

Nappy liner

This is the liner for the nappies. You put one sheet in the inside of the cloth nappy, so that it sits between your baby's bottom and the nappy. The liner is porous, meaning the wetness will go through the liner and be absorbed by the nappy but poo will stay on the liner. I use the flushable type so I can just flush the liner down the toilet when changing soiled nappies. I purchased Peapods Bamboo Liners which sells for $24 per 200 sheets on eBay. You can get cheaper ones that aren't made of bamboo.

Assembling the cloth nappy

One tip in making life easier for cloth nappy users is assembling the nappy beforehand. When folding your laundry, pre-assemble your cloth nappies. Put the inserts and liner inside of the nappy, so that it is ready to use at changing time. If you have a timer on your laundry machine, you can put the dirty nappies in the machine at night and program it to be washed in the morning (I like to set it to be finished by 7am to save on energy bills). Then all you have to do is hang them to dry in the morning. Also, line dry your nappies in the sun so that it will whiten any stains and kill germs.

You can find more information on using MCNs on the Baby Beehinds website. I also found youtube videos from the Nappylady useful.

If you are thinking of purchasing cloth nappies, I recommend having a look on eBay first. I've bought new Baby Beehinds Magic-alls for $12 before. Hopefully, more mums will join in on reducing landfill while saving money by using MCNs.