Washing nappies for twins can be a daunting task, but this ultimate guide will make it easy. You’ll find information on how to choose the best reusable nappy system for you, and all of your worries about laundering them will disappear!
If you are expecting twins, you will know that when it comes to buying nappies, the decision is not an easy one. There are so many different types of reusable nappies available on the market and choosing which one to go with can be a difficult task. In this guide, we will cover all of your options in-depth and hopefully, give you enough information about them to make an informed decision.
Surely it’s a crazy idea to think of using cloth for twins?
Well, maybe, maybe not.
If the idea of cloth nappies for twins still sounds crazy; think about this… replacing disposable nappies every few hours is not only bad for the environment but also costs a small fortune! By using cloth you can save yourself hundreds per year – imagine what you could do with that extra money!
What we have found, after over 10 years of advising parents on which reusable nappies to go for, is that many twin moms turn to the idea of using cloth when they see their bins literally overflowing with dirty disposables. They suddenly realise how many nappies they go through each day, how much it costs and how much rubbish they are sending to landfill to never break down (well maybe it will in 500 years+ time… the jury’s out on that… I guess we will find out in 500 years time..).
How Many Disposable Nappies do Newborn twins use?
Lots! Literally lots! We asked 20 twin moms and the average figure which came back across all moms was an average of 6,000 per year. At the time of writing this article, I just checked the average price of a single pampers nappy on Amazon and it came back as 22p per nappy for a size 3. A whopping £1320 per year on nappies to be sent to landfill. Of course, more if you are in pay by weight bin area.
Using washable newborn nappies doesn’t seem like such a crazy idea now does it? Over the life of your nappy days until your twins are potty trained that’s about £2,500 savings…
Actually, most moms I know using cloth nappies with twins started once they realised the cost both to their purse ad the planet. It’s really more obvious when you see it doubled at once!
What about the first few weeks?
The first few weeks with twins is super hard. Firstly take all the help you can get. Don’t be a martyr. If the bossy mother in law offers to come around and cook dinners and wash, let her! Looking after two tiny babies is going to be hard
The first thing to think about is how many cloth nappies you’ll need in total because obviously, you need enough to give you a day’s worth of nappies for both babies.
If going for a two-piece system we advise 12 wraps and 40 nappies in the newborn size.
If going for an all in one system we advise 40 nappies. You can maybe get away with 30 but you will need to ensure you go for quick drying nappies and wash your cloth nappies every 1.5 days.
What size cloth nappy?
Onesize or birth to potty nappies are not great for twins, who tend to be on a smaller scale. It’s much better for the first while to get the newborn size sized nappies.
What type of cloth nappies are best for twins?
Choosing the right cloth nappy for your twins is vital too, and there are many different options available and the best for you is really determined by your budget, your drying conditions and you!
For newborns, the easiest to use are the bumGenius littles, but these are probably the most expensive. The good news is that you can resell these and earn most of your money back.
If you are on a budget, then a newborn prefold system is probably the most budget-friendly to get you started. Buy about 12 covers and 40newborn sized prefolds to see you through the first few weeks.
Best Nappies For older twins
From about 9lbs your baby will probably fit into most one-size nappies so once you reach this size, you can buy a set to last you until potty training time!
Overall, most of our twin moms opt for the flip system as this offers the best options overall in terms of flexibility, price and options. For an older set of twins get 10 covers, 30 day-time inserts and 6 night-time organic inserts. For heavy wetters just double up the inserts. Nappy rash
You can use pocket nappies or all-in-one (AIO) nappy systems; AIOs come pre-assembled which means that they’re ready to go straight away but pocket nappies have the advantage of you being able to customise absorbency so it’s easier for them to last overnight and they will dry much more quickly.
Pocket or AIO? Before buying anything, take a look at your babies and see where their sweet spots are – this is usually around their thighs as they tend not to fill out until later in life! Doing this is important because if you don’t, then your babies will end up with leaks.
It’s always worth trying a few different types of nappies to see which ones you like best.
What about the extra washing?
Yes, it’s true washing dirty nappies will lead to more washing. About an extra load every one to two days. It’s important that you consider this in your nappy system and go for nappies that are quick-drying, so you can make the timeline from washing to having ready to use again much quicker. With two babies, you will need at least 30 nappies, 40 is more usual and 50 if they are slow drying nappies like bamboo.
To wash, flush any solids down the toilet and leave them in your wet bag (or bucket). Ten pop into the machine, I like to do a prewash with no powder than a normal wash. You can see your full guide to cleaning nappies here.
Some people have argued that the environmental impact of washing nappies means it’s the same as using disposables. However, this has been proven not to be the case. We are all aware of the need to ditch single-use plastic items.
Twin Boys vs Twin Girls Best Nappies?
Ask any mom and really, there is little difference between best nappies for boys or girls. What you really want is a good all-rounder where you can adjust the absorbency (front for boys, back for girls) easily.
What Accessories are needed? – reusable wipes, nappy bucket, washing machine, babies…
OK well if using reusables it’s a great idea to save money and also use reusable wipes, something like cheeky wipes or any brand of washable wipes.
You will also need a nappy bag or bucket to store the dirty nappies. I like to hang a very large wet bag on the back of a door and this works perfectly well.
A good-sized washing machine, you might want to consider upgrading to a 9kg depending on the size you have. If you have older children this is probably a must!
What about triplets?
Yep, I’ve known plenty of mums of triplets who have said cloth nappies have been a lifesaver in terms of budget. Take the advice above for twins and just add a third to quantities for amounts needed! Good luck!
Should I buy nappies now or wait until they are born?
If you are buying nappies that need to be prewashed (organic, cotton etc) then it’s best to buy them before you have your babies.
You can mix and match and use eco disposables for those first few weeks if you want until you get to know your babies, their routines, what they like etc.
Take Away
Finally, remember, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can go both disposables and cloth and don’t beat yourself up if you do! The nappy police are a little bit kinder to twin moms (kidding… there are no nappy police…. I don’t think…)
Cloth nappies will save you a lot of money in the long run, even if the initial outlay will be expensive, but once you get the hang of them, there will be no looking back!
This article was written by: Gian MIller – Full-Time Writer, Baby Whisperer & Dad of 3.
Gian spends a lot of his time writing. A self-proclaimed baby whisperer, Gian has been through it all with his own children and is passionate about sharing his hard-won wisdom with other parents. When he’s not writing or changing diapers, you can find him playing the guitar or watching baseball (or preferably both at the same time).
