Cloth nappies have come a long way from the terry towelling cloths and rubber pants of days gone by. I still remember these from when my cousins were young and you had to avoid sticking the safety pin in their tummy or your finger as you tried to secure the nappy in place and then try to squeeze clothes over their enormous bottoms.
I first came across gNappies at The Baby Show when Beanie Boy was a baby and I tried them out for him. When I found out that I was pregnant with Jelly Bean I was keen to them them again with a new baby as I would love to be more eco-friendly with nappies, not to mention saving some pennies towards something a little more exciting than nappies.
I LOVE the look of gNappies, they look sooooo cute on Jelly Bean’s little bottom but I was unsure as to whether I had the correct size for him because I thought perhaps they were a little too low rise but after speaking to the gNappies team they confirmed that they were indeed the correct fit. gNappies are in fact a low rise nappy as this is more comfortable for babies, the most important part to worry about is the inner pouch and providing you have a good seal then the gNappies will be able to do their job. Check out the fit tips at the bottom of this post to ensure you get the best out of your gNappy experience.
gNappies come in three parts, the soft cotton outer, the breathable waterproof inner pouch and a choice of two liners; 100% biodegradable disposable nappy or a reusable cloth nappy which can be washed and used again and again and again.
When looking at the cost of gNappies versus disposables they do work out slightly more expensive if you opt for the disposable inserts which come in packs of 32 liners for £9.95 for sizes M/L/XL (40 for £9.95 for sizes S/M) and cases of 128 inserts for £34.95 for M/L/XL (128 liners for £34.95 for S/M). If you use the cloth inserts obviously you can wash and reuse them which works out much cheaper.
I think you will agree the gNappies look ridiculously cute on Jelly Bean, these are a size small and for the time being I am using the disposable inserts which can be worn for 2-3 hours comfortably. They aren’t suitable for overnight wear as Jelly Bean gets very wet through the night so I am using disposable nappies for bedtime. We have also had the odd poop which has seeped into the outer band of the inner pouch. This has only been when Jelly Bean hasn’t pooped for a while and has an almighty clear out so I’m impressed.
The nice thing about the gNappies is that there are lots of different gPant designs to choose from so baby can look cool from the ‘bottom’ up!! (Do you like what I did there?). Prices start at £14.95.
Fit Tips for gNappies
1. Put your babies bum on the back THIRD of the nappies. If you put your little one on the back half, there won’t be enough coverage in front as our bodies are round, not flat.
2. When you’re ready to close it up, lead with the pouch (not the cloth cover) and make sure the trim on the pouch is sitting right in the crease of the leg. Think about where you’re own underwear sits, in the crease where your leg meets your body.
3. Now pull it up nice and high, maximizing the rise. gNappies have a higher rise than many other nappies and should sit on the natural waistline, not down on the hips. Especially for boys, it’s important to make sure there is enough coverage in front.
4. Gently secure the Velcro around the back. There is no need to stretch or over engage the Velcro. Again, think about how your own underwear fits; it should be snug enough to stay up but certainly not tight. Note: The laundry tabs (small Velcro) does not need to overlap, these small Velcro tabs are for folding in on itself for laundry day.
Info about leaks:
1. If you see leaks high up on the leg or near the waistband it signifies that the gPant is being secured too tightly. If the waist is too tight, the trim on the pouch will be nice and taut up around the belly but there will be gaps underneath all four snap tabs, leaving that area vulnerable to leaking.
2. If leaks are happening in between the legs, the pouch isn’t high enough in the crease. This could be because the gPant is riding too low causing a gap, or because the pouch lining was on the thighs and moved around, again creating a gap or vulnerability.
DISCLAIMER: We were sent a starter bundle of gNappies and Liners for the purpose of this review and I was not instructed what to write. All words and opinions are my own. You may not copy all or part of my content without my prior permission.