Due to Covid-19 Nappy Leaks was unable to have our usual live audience, so we have a special guest, Keryn. She is Bubblebubs' Cloth Nappy Support Specialist and comes across all sorts of questions from families starting out with cloth nappies through to those who have used it across multiple children. She calls in to join Vicki and Vashti, discussing with the ladies the top 3 questions she gets enquiries for.

 

Transcription: Live June 2020

Andrew (00:06):

How you doing, Vicki?

Vicki (00:14):

I'm good Andrew, how are you?

Andrew (00:16):

Excellent. How you doing, Vashti?

Vashti (00:17):

I'm awesome. Are you laughing, Andrew? Are we going to need to cut that out?

Andrew (00:20):

No, we'll keep all the giggling in. And we've got a guest. Who's our guest?

Vicki (00:24):

Banana.

Keryn (00:30):

No, it's orange.

Andrew (00:30):

It's orange.

Vicki (00:30):

Well, it's from Orange anyway.

Andrew (00:32):

It's Keryn, our cloth nappy support specialist. And how are you doing Keryn?

Keryn (00:39):

Yeah, I'm good. Bit cold down here in Orange, but keeping warm by the fire.

Andrew (00:44):

A bit. I was FaceTiming her the other day and she's walking around with this big jacket on and I go, "Is it cold down there?" She says, "Yeah, it's two degrees." I said, "No, I don't believe you." So she looks it up on the computer and it was one degree, no sorry, no it was five degrees, but feels like one.

Keryn (01:00):

I'm looking right now. It's 3.2 feels like 1.2. That's actually quite warm, really.

Vashti (01:08):

You've got a roaring crackling fire, don't you?

Keryn (01:12):

What's that, sorry?

Vashti (01:13):

You've got a roaring crackling fire there, don't you?

Vicki (01:15):

Oh, that's not what I thought you said. I didn't think it was crackling at all. And here it is 17 degrees, although it's probably dropped down to 16 degrees, and I am wearing thermals.

Andrew (01:27):

Vicky's cold at 17. Don't let her come down.

Vashti (01:33):

Soft

Vicki (01:34):

No, it's still 17.

Vashti (01:34):

Yeah, soft. So soft.

Keryn (01:34):

Yeah, once it gets to a certain temperature, I think you just feel cold.

Vicki (01:38):

Cold. Yeah, agreed.

Andrew (01:40):

So the reason Keryn's here is because she's our cloth nappy support specialist, and we're not allowed to do live episodes because of the lockdown. We've got Keryn here to ask the top three questions that are being asked. Now, here's a question for you. How many places do you have to check for questions about Bubblebubs stuff? Facebook, Instagram, emails. What else is there?

Vashti (02:09):

Tickets?

Keryn (02:11):

Yeah, well, tickets, or emails.

Vashti (02:14):

[inaudible 00:02:14] Hootsuite.

Keryn (02:15):

But yeah, and Facebook. There's a lot of Facebook groups. There's our VIP group. Then there's our actual Bubblebubs page. Then there's Instagram. And on Instagram, there's Instagram messages and the Instagram, like where you get tagged, our feed. So many places.

Andrew (02:35):

But yeah. So if you ask a question on all of those places and Keryn takes 10 minutes to get back to you, please excuse her because she's flat out busy.

Vashti (02:44):

10 minutes. No, we actually have an expectation of 24 hours.

Andrew (02:47):

24 hours, okay. 24 hours.

Vashti (02:48):

Yeah, because to be perfectly honest, there are so many places that we can be messaged and Keryn has a family as well. So we have an expectation if it's an email or on social media, we try to get back to you ASAP. It can be anywhere from three seconds, to 24 hours. There is no in between, but realistically, Keryn's a mom, and she's a mom first, and an employee second, and I appreciate that.

Vicki (03:16):

And sometimes she answers at two o'clock in the morning.

Andrew (03:18):

Actually, I think she she's a wife second.

Vashti (03:20):

No, employee is second. Isn't that right, Keryn?

Keryn (03:25):

Yeah.

Andrew (03:25):

So, Keryn, What's your first question?

Keryn (03:32):

Yeah, I work often very odd hours.

Andrew (03:34):

So what's your first question?

Keryn (03:37):

What is the easiest nappy to wash and use? So, it's the easiest, which is ... Hard question, really.

Vashti (03:46):

Easiest to wash and use?

Vicki (03:48):

I think that's a little bit, they're two different things, I would say.

Vashti (03:51):

Yeah. I think the easiest to wash would be a flat and the easiest to use would be an all-in-one.

Vicki (03:55):

Yeah.

Keryn (03:56):

Yeah. They are. They really are two different things.

Vicki (03:58):

Yeah. Do you get that a lot?

Keryn (04:02):

Yeah. From people who are just starting out, looking into cloth, and I feel very guilty sometimes when I'm like, "Well, that's not actually an easy question."

Vashti (04:20):

Yeah.

Vicki (04:20):

No, it's not. It's not.

Keryn (04:21):

Yeah. But if you don't know anything about cloth nappies, it's a kind of question that you would ask.

Vicki (04:27):

Yeah, of course. So, well, if you had to choose one particular nappy, I would probably say an all-in-two or a pocket, simply because you can pull it apart, which makes the washing easy, and put it together, which makes the putting it on easy.

Vashti (04:43):

A pocket in that case. Because I do find ...

Vicki (04:47):

Or stuffing, yeah.

Vashti (04:48):

Yeah. I do find that sometimes, even though an all-in-two is quite a popular style of nappy, sometimes some members of the family do struggle a little bit because the inserts, they may only be snapped at the front or at the back. And so when they go to put it on, they're like, "There's this bit flapping, and what do we do with this bit?"

Vicki (05:04):

What do we do with it, yeah.

Vashti (05:05):

Yeah. Whereas a pocket, the fact that you can pull it apart and wash it as two separate pieces, makes it very easy. You can throw your inserts through the dark dryer and pop your shell over the line. You do need to spend that time putting it back together. But when you put it on, it's an all-in-one.

Vicki (05:21):

It's an all-in-one, yeah.

Vashti (05:22):

So it was my favourite nappy for daycare.

Vicki (05:24):

That's where I hate pockets! I'm never going to be a pocket lover, ever.

Vashti (05:29):

[crosstalk 00:05:30]. No. But I hated them with a passion, but ...

Keryn (05:32):

I hate putting them together. But I like using them.

Vicki (05:35):

Yeah. Well for a daycare nappy they're easy and simple.

Vashti (05:38):

Yeah.

Andrew (05:40):

Cool. Nice one.

Vicki (05:40):

Good answer.

Andrew (05:41):

So in other words, don't come to our website.

Vashti (05:47):

Well, you can come to the nappy leaks website.

Vicki (05:49):

Yes!

Vashti (05:49):

Because then we'll just farm you out.

Vicki (05:52):

This is unbranded. We might be using our stuff, but it's unbranded.

Andrew (05:55):

It's so unbranded.

Keryn (05:55):

I've used pocket nappies before, I've used heaps of different [crosstalk 00:05:58].

Andrew (05:56):

The reason we're doing this is so when Keryn gets these questions, she can say, "Listen to episode 63 of our podcast." So, next question, Keryn.

Keryn (06:11):

Next question. What nappies to buy for a newborn to ... Sorry, I'm just reading this now. What nappies to buy for a newborn to baby toilet training and quantity of each before time? So what nappies would you buy if you've got a baby and you want to use them right through and how many of each?

Vicki (06:33):

Look if you're talking ... I always, if budget, and I've said this many, many times, if budget allows, a hundred percent invest in newborn nappies, because you can always on-sell them and get your money back. If it doesn't, a one-size nappy from birth will be sufficient. You just need to have realistic expectations that you may struggle to get a good fit with a one-size nappy until it kind of hits that-

Vashti (07:01):

It can be a bit bulky.

Vicki (07:01):

Yeah, four to five kilos once, and then that'll fit them through to toilet training.

Andrew (07:08):

Wouldn't a big do with that? Because a big would go down for a really small baby, and a big would go up for a [crosstalk 00:07:15]

Vashti (07:14):

So the big, which is the Bam-Bam is grown up exclusive to me here at [inaudible 00:07:18] nappies. And this is completely unbranded.

Vicki (07:19):

[crosstalk 00:07:24].

Vashti (07:25):

If you're listening in New Zealand, Bubble Bubs New Zealand stock them. And if you're listening in the UK, the Nappy Lady stock them. So we have-

Vicki (07:32):

Actually there's quite a few stockers in the UK now.

Vashti (07:34):

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, there you go.

Vicki (07:37):

And [inaudible 00:07:39] in Italy.

Vashti (07:40):

So yeah, but here in Australia, the bigs are only at Nest and yes, we have fit them down to 3.3, five kilos.

Vicki (07:49):

But again, you've got a bulky nappy.

Vashti (07:51):

It is bulkier. Yeah. Yeah. But you do get a good fit still. So ...

Vicki (07:55):

And you'd have to upsize your covers as you go along.

Vashti (07:58):

Yes.

Vicki (07:58):

Whereas with a one sized, you using the same nappy and, as for quantities, Vashti and I disagree on this. I say 24 to 30, she says 30 to 36.

Vashti (08:08):

I say three days' worth. Yeah.

Andrew (08:10):

I've met people that say 50.

Vashti (08:12):

I think it depends on ...

Vicki (08:13):

Is this want or need?

Vashti (08:14):

There's two different things.

Andrew (08:16):

Oh, sorry.

Vicki (08:17):

Look, I've got customers who get away with 18 nappies. They're using flats or pre folds. They're using their dryer and they're washing every single day. If you want to wash every second or third day, then you know, you need more nappies to get you through. But you know, I think a good number is three days' worth.

Vashti (08:33):

And that is the advantage of an all-in-two over a pocket, is because you can reuse the shell as well.

Vicki (08:38):

Yeah. But three days worth gives you a wash cycle every second day with your third day for washing and drying. So.

Andrew (08:44):

Cool. Okay. What's your next question, Keryn?

Vicki (08:48):

That was three. Wasn't it?

Andrew (08:51):

No.

Keryn (08:51):

No, it's two.

Vashti (08:51):

It was two.

Vicki (08:52):

That was two, oh, okay.

Vashti (08:53):

The second question was to two parts in one.

Vicki (08:55):

Oh. Okay.

Andrew (08:59):

I check them off, I see we're moving.

Vicki (09:00):

God forbid I check them off.

Andrew (09:00):

It's a checklist.

Keryn (09:02):

Just starting out, my baby is 12 months or over. What do you suggest?

Vicki (09:09):

Oh, I'd go straight to a one size fits most, and an all in two, probably I would find is the most popular for people who are starting a bit later. A one size fits most means that you're going to be able to use it all the way through. You don't need to worry about sizing or anything like that. Even if you've got a smaller baby, like Michaela was only eight kilos at 12 months. So she was still quite petite. And I could have technically fit her in like a small nappy, but you know, putting her into a one size fits most meant that while it was a little bit bulky around the bum, it lasted her threw until she was fully toilet trained.

Vicki (09:46):

And the all in two gives you that option because at 12 months, they're not pooping all that often. Like generally ...

Vashti (09:54):

Having said that, at 12 months, you'll also need night nappies. And that is something that, and you'll probably, you'll be able to back me up on this is the expectation. See disposables or single use nappies last overnight, day nappies aren't designed, you know, they're not designed to last overnight. Night nappies are a completely different ball game.

Vicki (10:15):

And trying to boost your day that way.

Keryn (10:17):

[crosstalk 00:10:18].

Vicki (10:18):

Yeah. Trying to boost your day nappies to get you through overnight doesn't always work as well because there's only so much you can boost on the inside of the nappy before it starts pushing the nappy, like the shell of the nappy away from the body, you lose your fit, you know.

Vashti (10:34):

You also put pressure on the elastics. You know, given that they're on for 12 hours a night, you know, like really, elastic's under, a lot of strain for 12 hours overnight.

Vicki (10:44):

It's going to kill them.

Vashti (10:45):

It's going to kill them a lot quicker, and yeah.

Vicki (10:46):

So looking at a dedicated night nappy means that you've got that, that ability to go-

Vashti (10:50):

So you'd be looking at day and night nappies if you're starting late. Unless you still use single use.

Andrew (10:54):

So you'd solve your day problem.

Keryn (10:56):

A few, and people get really quite overwhelmed starting late. And I suppose that's because they are looking at day and night nappies. They, that expectation of going from a disposable that fits all the time to that is a little overwhelming. And it's the same with people starting out from birth though. Then they're thinking about newborn and one size fits most. So just changing the overwhelm.

Vashti (11:16):

Yeah, exactly. We generally recommend that if somebody is starting later on, that they look at their getting their days sorted first and continuing with the disposables overnight because it's only one disposable a day. And then once they're comfortable with their day setup, then they move into their night nappies.

Keryn (11:36):

Do you get many customers, Vashti, where the disposable isn't lasting overnight? So they're thinking there must be something better and go to cloth for night first?

Vashti (11:47):

We, actually I just had one at the end of last week that is out-wetting a disposable overnight. So wanted a night option and was going to continue with disposables during the day. And it does happen fairly regularly.

Keryn (12:00):

Yeah I've had it [crosstalk 00:12:00]. Yeah.

Vashti (12:00):

They out-wet the disposable overnight, but they don't want to move into cloth full-time because you know, they're two working parents with a very busy schedule and they don't feel that they have the time to do cloth.

Vicki (12:12):

Which is funny. Because I think doing cloth part time is actually harder than doing it full time or not at all.

Keryn (12:17):

I think so too, yeah.

Vashti (12:19):

Well, look, we've quite regularly those customers who come start off with the night, they do come back and they move into the day and they're like, "Oh, this is actually easier than we thought."

Vicki (12:28):

It's easier to do the whole load rather than, you know, like the day nappies or just the night nappies.

Keryn (12:33):

Just washing night nappies is actually really hard.

Vicki (12:36):

Oh, it's a nightmare. Isn't it?

Vashti (12:37):

And that's what a Struckert is, Struckerts are good!

Vicki (12:40):

Struckerts are awesome.

Vashti (12:41):

Love my Struckert. There's a shout out, Kelly

Andrew (12:46):

Struckert is not sponsoring this episode. Just saying that. Struckert is not a sponsor, they're just gushing.

Keryn (12:51):

Folding up a giant [inaudible 00:12:52] just because it is easier to wash. I don't have to stress about getting it washed, you know, every day. It's a lot more forgiving in terms of, yeah, there's much absorbency to die.

Vashti (13:07):

Yeah. And it's, it's very trim as well. [inaudible 00:13:11].

Vicki (13:09):

And Ford will be getting close to toilet training at night. [crosstalk 00:13:15].

Keryn (13:14):

Yeah, we did toilet train him at night, but then he sort of regressed a bit with our crazy life at the moment, so.

Vicki (13:21):

Yeah, with the rush over the border and everything like that. Yeah. I can imagine, the poor little guy.

Vashti (13:25):

Moving interstate in 48 hours.

Andrew (13:31):

Okay, Keryn, I think we'll stop there. Thank you very much.

Keryn (13:34):

No problem. Thank you.

Andrew (13:34):

Thanks Vashti.

Vashti (13:36):

Thanks Andrew.

Andrew (13:38):

Thanks Vicky.

Vicki (13:38):

Thanks Andrew.

Andrew (13:39):

Bye everybody.