After all this talk on social media, here is finally our feedback on Bambino Mio brand washable diapers !
So as you may know, since Ysé was 1 month old we have been using Hamac brand washable diapers. I told you about them here .
Then around 6 months, the age when she started rolling over and wiggling a lot more, we started to feel like diapers were bothering her. It’s a personal feeling that is unique to us and of course this brand will suit a lot of babies!
When the Bambino Mio brand contacted me to offer me to test their diapers, I accepted. Especially to see if there would be a real difference in terms of motor skills. And it was a success! Ysé moved much more freely, it was great. I also think that our problem with the Hamac is that we had the old versions of the inserts, the ones that fold in 2 lengthwise. I find them quite rigid and I think that’s why the brand now offers different inserts.
So it’s now been a year that Ysé has been using washable diapers the vast majority of the time (the nursery is still problematic with categorical refusal from management…).
PS : For your information, I wrote an article on washable diapers before becoming a mother, where I explained their economic and ecological advantages. A good reminder when you know that 6 tons of diapers are thrown away every day in the world!
HOW DOES IT WORK?
By switching to Bambino Mio diapers, we have moved on to a little more ease. Now 1 change = 1 diaper + 1 veil and everything goes in the wash. We chose the Miosolo models and no longer need to separate the different parts of the diaper. It’s as if it were a disposable but instead of throwing it away, I put it in my storage bag (see below).
What’s great about Bambino Mio is that the diapers adapt from birth (about 4kg) to potty training age thanks to a snap system. You adjust your diaper according to the baby’s morphology. Super practical!
Take the diaper.
The insert on the Miosolo is already attached to the diaper.
Slide the insert into the diaper.
Take a protective veil (the Zebio or Disana brands are my favorites because they hold up well to washing and are not very expensive).
Now the brand offers washable protective veils that are great! Super resistant, easy to wash and use. For stools, just empty them over the toilet and they come off really well. We only use that now!
Place the veil on the diaper, making sure it does not extend beyond the diaper, fold it in two if necessary.
For the nights I strongly advise you (especially when your child sleeps through the night #hallelujah ) to also insert a Mioboost which is an absorption booster. We are actually using 2 at the moment since Ysé is growing and inevitably…. has bigger pees! Because there have been accidents… But we learn as we go!
Here is the diaper ready!
You can even prepare them in advance with the sails and for the people around you who are beginners: grandparents, nanny… It helps a lot!
AT THE TIME OF EXCHANGE
If it’s pee :
– remove the veil and take the insert out of the diaper
– put the veil in the wash, it will have a lifespan of 5 to 8 uses depending on the brand (the veil can also be composted, in the toilet if it is a brand that says it is ok to do this with its veils or at worst it goes in the trash)
– put the diaper with the insert removed in storage before washing (remember to re-scratch the velcro on themselves to avoid damaging the laundry in the machine!)
– put on a new washable diaper
If it’s poop :
– remove the veil like a small package and take out the insert from the diaper
– put the veil in the trash or compost (in general it is too dirty to be washed)
– put the diaper with the insert removed in storage before washing (remember to re-scratch the velcro on themselves to avoid damaging the laundry in the machine!)
– put on a new washable diaper
In general we change every 3 hours on average during the day, but that’s specific to each baby. At night with 2 Mioboost we can last 12 hours without any problems!
HOW TO STORE THEM?
Before washing them, you will have to store the diapers with the inserts and the veils if these can be washed. Everyone has their own technique: bucket filled with water, dry bucket, waterproof bag, plastic trash can… It is increasingly recommended not to store in a bucket of water because I believe there is too much proliferation of bacteria.
Trust me, you won’t want to put this in your regular laundry basket…
We opted for waterproof bags: in the large pocket the diapers with inserts and the sails. In the small pocket in front: the washable cottons used to clean it.
We have 3: 2 in his room for rotation between washes and 1 in his diaper bag for outings.
If you opt for waterproof bags I recommend those with zippers because let’s not lie to ourselves, it smells like urine! So the more closed it is, the better. Afterwards you can put a few drops of tea tree or lavender essential oil to reduce the smell when you open the bag and it helps a lot.
We found our bags on Etsy, just type “waterproof reusable diaper bag” and you will get quite a few suggestions.
HOW TO MANAGE THE NIGHT AND GOING OUT?
For the outings, we have 2 possibilities:
– either we keep 100% washable with extra and a waterproof storage bag in the diaper bag,
– either we are gone for several days without the possibility (or desire!) to do laundry and we take disposable ecological diapers
As usual and I can’t say it enough, the important thing is to do your best without driving yourself crazy!
For nights, there are what are called Mioboost. Basically, these are thicker inserts to add to the diaper so that all the nighttime urine is absorbed without leaks.
As long as the baby was small we didn’t need one. But since she was 9 months old we started putting one on every night.
And now since she was 11 months old, it’s 2 per night and it’s not too much! She has 12 hours of sleep without any worries when she wakes up.
HOW MANY DIAPERS AND INSERTS DO I NEED?
We have 11 Miosolo diapers at home and 6 Mioboost.
On 100% washable diaper days, we use 4 to 5 and 2 boosters for the night. So that means laundry every 2 days or 1 1/2 days. We wash washable cottons with them, but we never mix our laundry with them. I’ll explain below how to wash all these little people.
Our inserts are made of microfiber, it dries quickly, it’s great!
HOW TO WASH THEM?
Please note : only use powder detergent because liquid detergent (especially homemade detergent with Marseille soap) contains glycerin which clogs the diaper and makes it less and less absorbent.
So I won’t hide from you that we had big problems with clogging of diapers… something to drive us crazy… Yes, the water in the north of France is very calcareous and therefore it clogs the fibers. So absorption reduced almost to zero and repeated leaks. The thing that makes you want to give up everything!
So, after much research and discussions with resourceful moms and dads, we FINALLY found the perfect recipe that works really well!!
If one day someone had told me that I would be ecstatic about this kind of thing… anyway…!
For your information and to take no risks, we use the brand’s washing products: Miofresh to disinfect the laundry and Miocare detergent to wash. And we therefore also use these products for washable cottons.
WASHING
STEP 1 : put everything in the machine (make sure that the inserts are properly removed from the Miosolo and the Velcro fasteners are closed on themselves) and do a quick first cycle at 40 degrees without detergent or with 1 spoonful of Miofresh. This will help to drain the urine and empty the fiber of any leftover cream, liniment, etc.
STEP 2 : the laundry is well drained and can be washed in clean water. We then wash in a long cycle between 40 and 60 degrees. It’s up to you to see what makes your diapers the most spotless.
And finally we air dry the diapers on a clothes horse.
And since we have been using this technique we have not had any more problems with clogging. And our washable cottons are perfect, even with the use of our homemade liniment . The only diaper leaks we have had are often due to big big big pees or a “forgetting” change.
If you need to clean it out, I invite you to go see my previous article where I gave a recipe that works quite well.
And don’t forget : using just one washable diaper per day is already 365 fewer disposable diapers over a year and 1095 disposable diapers avoided until the age of potty training!! It’s worth making this tiny effort for the future of our children, right?
