Real Parents Using Reusable Nappies: Danielle
Meet our wonderful Real Parent, Danielle, who's been using TotsBots nappies with her son Otto!
Hi Danielle, can you tell us a little about you and Otto?
Otto and I live in beautiful Cornwall as part of a blended family. I have daughters 16 and 14 from a previous relationship and my partner Rob has 5 children from previous relationships of which his daughters 15 and 13 live with us. I’m an Early Years professional with a degree in Learning and Education and Rob works for a local Cornish company that produces wood-burning stoves.
We have been a blended family for 10 years and I’ve always lived in Cornwall. Otto was a beautiful surprise for us that we feel very blessed to have and at 9 months, he’s starting to really explore the world around him and try desperately to move around within it.
How long has it been since you started using reusables?
We have been using reusable nappies for nearly 5 months now. We started using them properly just before Otto turned 4 months old.
I tried using reusable nappies a few times before, but I hadn’t really taken the time to research the different nappy types and fit guides. We were using a couple of nappies that were very kindly gifted to us, but they just weren’t working for us! I know now that they weren’t the right fit for Otto and that’s why we were struggling with leaks.
We wanted to find the right nappy type for us, so decided to buy the amazing TotsBots Trial Kit.
Otto is 9 months and our nappy stash is still growing! I use reusable nappies during the week, and at the weekend we use a mixture of reusables and a more eco-friendly disposable, depending on where we are or what we are doing.
Otto’s dad Rob was unsure about reusables at first as his past experience of them was terry toweling squares and nappy pins. However, he’s realising how easy the TotsBots Bamboozle Day-Two Part Nappy system is and we're using disposables less and less.
What was your main reason for using washable nappies?
Living in Cornwall and being so close to the many beautiful beaches, we see first hand the problem with plastic pollution in the sea. We spend a lot of time at the beach and have seen lots of waste products washed up. To know each Bamboozle Wrap is made from 2 recycled plastic bottles is a great feeling.
I home educate my 14-year-old autistic daughter and before I was pregnant with Otto we took part in an amazing Pawprint Badges project that focused on how our daily routines can impact the planet. As a result, we made several eco-swaps within our home.
When we found out we were expecting a little one, my thoughts turned to the many baby products that we would use and how we could be more mindful when choosing products.
As well as buying a mixture of new and preloved reusable nappies, we use reusable wipes, buy or reuse preloved baby equipment and toys, and we keep an eye out for wooden toys if buying new ones. We also buy clothing from eco-conscious companies like Frugi and buy preloved clothing as much as we can.
I love buying preloved reusable nappies so I can see and own previous prints and continue the life of a nappy - it's a great feeling knowing we're helping to reduce our impact on the planet.
What helped you decide to use Bamboozle two-part nappy?
After really researching we found that different nappy types suited differing builds of babies and wetness levels. Otto was a small baby weighing only 6lb 15oz and a lot of reusable nappy users recommended the Two Part Nappy System for smaller babies, with TotsBots being mentioned a lot.
The TotsBots Trial Kit seemed like a great way to try the brand and the different types of nappy to find the best fit for Otto before investing in a full kit.
I like the birth-to-potty design because the nappy grows with your baby, so you don't need to buy different nappy sizes or change your kit multiple times.
I also like that the wrap can be used for multiple changes, if clean, and that they also dry quicker than an all-in-one. In theory, this meant our kit would only require a few wraps with a good supply of inserts, but the designs are just too beautiful to only have a few so our kit is still growing!
How many reusable nappies do you have in your kit?
We currently have 32 nappies in our kit, a mixture of the Bamboozle Day - Two Part Nappy System and the EasyFit all-in-one nappies. The older prints that we buy preloved are often the all-in-one design, but we have some more on the way and a TotsBots wish list of previous prints so our kit will continue to grow and grow.
How do you feel about washing the reusable nappies, was it easier or harder than you expected?
My first thoughts of washing nappies when considering reusables were images of boiling and washing but in reality, it is so easy.
We have a two nappy bucket system set up, one for the wraps and one for the inserts. We wash on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays using TotsBots Potion - the Mint Humbug scent is amazing and smells so fresh!
Now we are baby-led weaning with Otto we have added a TotsBots Biodegradable Nappy Liner, making those dirty nappies even easier to clean.
Any top tips on using reusable nappies?
I think one of my biggest tips for using reusable nappies is to give yourself time, you don’t have to use reusable nappies all the time. It’s ok to mix reusables with disposables, as we have, while you find your way and a routine that works for you and your baby.
Any time a reusable nappy is used, even for a few hours, that's one less disposable for our planet to deal with and that’s amazing.
What do you love about TotsBots nappies?
We love TotsBots for many reasons, some of which we have already mentioned but I think my top three would be:
- The background of where the company came from. I love that the company was born from a parent, a real parent, just like me, who wanted something different that the retail world wasn’t yet interested in, and worked incredibly hard to make it happen, not only for themselves but for many other families like ours!
- The partnership with Frugi, who just like TotsBots have a similar story of where their company came from. We also love an opportunity for matching so the fact that our nappies can match with our clothing is great.
- Knowing that we are buying from a company that is committed to providing an eco-conscious product and that take that commitment seriously.
Thank you so much for sharing your TotsBots journey with us Danielle!
If you'd like to shine a light on your reusable nappy experience too, we'd love to hear from you! Simply, drop us an email with a little about you and your little one.