Flannel diapers: features and tips for use

Despite the abundance of products for newborns that are in the spirit of the times, the good old flannel diapers have not yet been forced out of the shopping list for the baby. Neither diapers, nor diapers with clasps and velcro, nor “smart” absorbent diapers can replace the usual flannel, since the range of their use is very wide. In this article we will talk about what diapers are, how to care for them, and in which the situation can not be done.

The question of choosing diapers before the representatives of the older generation at one time did not stand - all such products were sewn strictly according to GOST, the diaper cloth (flannel) was always 100% natural, without a catch. Today in the market of children's products are products of different manufacturers, differing in price, quality, size. Since there is something to choose from, the problem of choice in front of a modern woman is in full growth.

Under the general name of flannel three types of fabric can be covered. In the first case, the flannel is a wool blend fabric, it is popularly biked. It has a soft and gentle double-sided bouffant - no matter which side you turn the product, it will be soft. There is also a flannel of cotton and wool raw materials. Such diapers have only one soft side with a small pile. The second side is smooth and even.

This fabric has the ability to keep warm, which is why even under Peter the Great in the army, soldiers were given a flannel so that they could use it as footcloths. Until the middle of the last century, warm trousers and shorts, both for men and women, were sewed from the flannel. Another unusual use of fabric is a wafer of hammers in the piano.

Baby diapers from this material began to sew in the first half of the XX century. Since then, the fabric "does not age", and such products for newborns are always in demand.

A big and convincing plus lies in the simplicity of material care. Of course, over time, the diaper can go "pellets", but before that, the child will definitely have time to grow not only from the diapers, but also from his first pair of shoes. The cost of flannel diapers is small, they are available. The minus lies in the impossibility of constant and everyday use, because in hot weather, pediatricians strongly recommend not swaddling a child in flannel products.

The size of flannel products available on the market is usually 1x1.2 m. You can rarely find square diapers 1.2x1.2 m. Such dimensions as 0.9x1.2 m and 0.75x1.1 m are quite common.

When the child has just appeared, provided that the parents swaddle him, the warm flannel will serve in good condition in the winter and in the off-season. You can swaddle your baby as soon as you can in a warm diaper, and with the use of two types of products - calico and warm (above). However, in summer, when it is hot outside, swaddling in flannel diaper cloth should be abandoned to avoid overheating the child, excessive sweating and the development of various dermatological problems from diaper rash to atopic dermatitis.

This does not mean that flannel products will no longer be needed. They make excellent sheets in the crib. They are soft, pleasant to the skin of the baby, besides, they are easy to wash and iron, which makes it easier for mother to change baby bedding.

From the first days and at any time of the year, the flannel diaper cloth will be an indispensable assistant when bathing your baby. Many towels, even released as children, have a rather coarse texture, and therefore can not be used for infants, especially for children with sensitive skin, prone to diaper rash, allergies and other skin ailments. So, after bathing, it would be better to simply wipe (not rub!) With a flannel diaper. It perfectly absorbs moisture (especially double-sided, flannelette) and does not injure the delicate children's skin.

Such a product can always be taken with you to the doctor to lay on the couch or changing table for a more comfortable finding of the baby during a pediatric medical examination. At home, such a diaper can be an excellent bedding on a children's massage table, on which the mother does massage and gymnastics for the baby, as well as conducts washing and morning exercise.

When a child learns to lie on his stomach and at the same time hold the head and consider everything that is within reach, you can use the flannel product with beautiful and large patterns as the first developing rug. Usually a 3-4-month-old baby is happy to look at what is shown on a diaper on a white, blue or yellow background.

When the diaper finally loses its appearance (in a few years, because nothing lasts forever), soft absorbent cloths can be made from it for household needs, cleaning, and kitchen.

The diaper from the flannel must be washed after each child "popis." There should be no situations in which the mother simply hangs the fabric with urine on the rope, dries and reuses it. Fluffy fibers of the flannel perfectly preserve urea and ammonia, and therefore, without washing when the baby is swaddled in such fabric, the development of allergy, contact and atopic dermatitis is possible.

It is possible to wash such products both manually and in a washing machine. It is believed that the fabric is best washed at a temperature of 60 to 90 degrees. In delicate mode with minimal creasing such products do not need at all.

Usually products decorated with bright and funny elephants, dogs, clowns, do not fade when washed, because the dyes are used in high quality. But this fact does not give the right to use bleach for washing baby supplies from flannel.

Drying the diaper should be straightened. Better - on the street, but if this is not possible, on a rope or clothesline in the apartment. For a newborn, it is recommended to extra rinse the flannel product with pre-boiled water before drying. Liquid from the tap, which is gaining your washing machine, contains a certain amount of chlorine, which is the strongest antigen for the child's body. To rid the tissue of the remnants of chlorine and need boiled water, boiling chlorine evaporates.

After drying, the diaper must be ironed with a hot iron on both sides.

When buying a flannel diaper, as well as in the process of caring for products follow simple rules.

• You can buy such diapers both in online stores and in children's stores. It is better to go the second way, because it will be possible to focus not only on the beautiful picture, but also on your own feelings - whether it is a soft diaper, whether its edges are harsh, whether they will not rub the baby’s skin. And also need to evaluate the processing edges. If small threads stick out of them, it is possible that the child will inhale one of them, which is highly undesirable.
• Do not be afraid to seem like a terrible bore when choosing children's products.Child safety is paramount, so feel free to ask the seller for a certificate of quality and compliance for those diapers that you liked - there are a lot of fakes on the market for children's products, and no one guarantees the naturalness of the diaper fabric for underwear.
• If you are going to sew diapers yourself, again, require certificates of quality on the selected fabric. And then decide on the size - above we presented the most common, "factory". You can make products of any size from both the submitted and your own presentation. Keep track of the quality of seam processing, it is best to do double processing - manual and machine, pay attention to the quality of thread for processing.
• Do not dry the diaper from the flannel in a machine dryer, after that they are difficult to smooth out without abundant wetting. In addition, the “hypoallergenic” rinse stage in chlorine-free water will be missed.
• Always use special children's powders for washing. Adult products cannot be used for these purposes.

Of course, such diapers dry longer than calico, but this drawback cannot be considered significant, especially considering the many advantages and advantages of children's products from flannels.

For a review of flannel diapers, see below.