The Eenne Nappy

Below is the Eenee Designs Weenee Pouch Pants nappy (www.eenee.com). It's the most versatile cloth nappy I've used. The Weenee Pouch Pants consist of a soft cotton/elastane outer, which fastens with velcro at the back and a snap in waterproof pouch (polyurethane coated polyester - breathable). A biodegradable disposable pad (it's completely compostable and can also be flushed down the toilet - see website for more details) or a microfibre cloth are placed inside the pouch, to hold the urine/poo. I purchased some of the disposable pads to try initially, when Lucy was a newborn, and used them in the first few weeks when on outings - they work well, are easy to use and also break up very easily when put into the toilet (they need to be torn in half first). Initially I didn't have the Eenees microfibre cloth inserts (I didn't know about them) so Mum bought some small flannelette nappies which she cut in half and hemmed (I needed them quite small for Lucy) and these made great cloth inserts once folded into rectangles. The microfibre cloth inserts are very absorbant, easy to fold and dry very quickly.

The main benefit of this nappy, apart from being able to use the disposable pads if desired, is the waterproof pouches mean that most of the time only the pad/cloth needs to be changed; the pouch needs changing less frequently and the cotton/elastane nappy outer less often again. For example, the nappy outer may last Lucy an entire day, with the pouch being changed two or three times (if it happens to get soiled or smells of urine). Not only does this make this system very cost effective (extra pouches can be purchased separately and the pads/cloth inserts are purchased separately), it also means less washing and drying. Of all the nappies I have, all the Weenee Pouch Pants components are the fastest drying - the pouches and cloths dry very quickly and the outers moderately quickly. Unfortunately none of the materials used to make these nappies are sustainable, unless you use say an organic cotton nappy as the booster (the regular organic cotton terry squares which I have are too big, though they may fit if Lucy gets past 12kg and needs the large size); with the medium size, which Lucy wears now, the Nature's Child Organic Cotton Fitted Nappy booster pad will fit, which is great. However, at least you need less of them, and the nappies also don't require the addition of a cover. Also, the nappies are available as either China-made ($24.95) or Australian-made ($29.95), so you can reduce the transport impact by buying the Australian-made product (most other fitted cloth nappies are made in China or India, generally in apparently ethically-managed set-ups).

The picture below shows the nappy outer (left - inner side showing), folded microfibre cloth (centre) and the polyester pouch (right). The nappy is very easy to put together (even easier if using the disposable pad) and take apart, though not quite as easy as the Itti Bitti D'Lish. It is very easy to put on (it's secured with velcro at the back), adjusts to fit very well, allowing for changes in baby's shape as she grows, and is soft and comfortable against baby's body. I have encountered the least number of leakages with this nappy - and usually then, only if the nappy's been left on for quite a while (eg, overnight).

The Weenee Pouch Pants come in 3 sizes (small: 3-6kg; medium:6-12kg; large: 12-16kg) and I was able to start using them when Lucy was still very tiny (just under 3kg). The pouches that fit the Pouch Pants come in 2 sizes - the small can be used for the small and medium Pouch Pants and the medium for the medium and large Pouch Pants, therefore extending the duration of their use for one baby. Eenee Designs also makes a product for newborns (2-4kg), called a Weenees Pouch Snibb, which works very well. It basically consists of a PUL polyester pouch with ties attached - it holds a pad or cloth and is secured with the ties at the front. It is very simple but great for tiny babies, and is also inexpensive and uses minimal extra materials (the cloth inserts can continue to be used as baby grows and the actual Pouch Snibbs are very small). I had 3 of these for Lucy when she was a newborn and I continued to use them for a while once I started using the Pouch Pants - all I used for the first four months or so was the 3 Pouch Snibbs (until Lucy was a bit over 4kg) and 3 of the Weenees Pouch Pants (+ 3 extra pouches), washing only every 2nd day.

Another excellent Eenee Designs product is the Little Eenee Swimmers. Lucy has been wearing hers (only one pair needed) since she started swimming classes at 6 months old, and they have been wonderful. No insert is required and the swimmers are cleverly designed to adjust to fit snuggly (no leaks wanted please!) as babies grow (small size is 6-12kg; large fits 12-18kg). No need for those disposable swimming nappies! I will endeavour to post a photo of the swimmers! In addition, Eenee Designs also makes waterproof training pants and waterproof overnight pants, for toddlers, and PUL polyester nappy covers.