Bambino Mio mioduo birth to potty pack review

The Mioduo Birth to Potty Pack is a cheerful-looking kit, and as the name suggests, it’s designed to wrap little bottoms from their early days right up until their toddler years. It includes 8 waterproof, adjustable wraps (4 x size 1s and 4 x size 2s), 20 inserts, 50 nappy liners and 100g of laundry cleanser.

The market for reusable nappies has exploded in the last decade and the Bambino Mio Mioduo Pack positions itself as a good value product within an ever-crowded line-up of all different shapes, sizes, styles and price of washable nappy.

Tested by:

Christy tested the Bambino Mio Mioduo Birth To Potty Pack at home with her newborn baby son. She has used a mix of washable and disposable nappies with her previous children, and was keen to try the kit to help reduce waste and save money.

What were your first impressions of the Bambino Mio Mioduo Pack?

My first thought was how lovely everything looks – the pack comes in a nice fabric storage box which looks great on the changing trolley, and the wrap patterns are fantastic. They come in a range of gorgeous colours and prints, much more fun than boring old disposables or the plain white washables I’d used before.

My next thought was how different the actual nappies looked to what I was expecting. The cloth inserts are large flat rectangles of fabric which you fold into shape – quite different to the Little Lamb inserts I’d used before, which are shaped like a nappy and have Velcro tabs.

How does the Bambino Mio Mioduo Birth To Potty Pack compare to similar kits?

If you know washable nappies are something you want to go ahead with, kits like the Bambino Mio MioduoBirth To Potty Pack can save serious money when compared with buying items individually.

At £230, the Little Lamb 20 standard nappy kit is a much pricier alternative to the Mioduo, but it comes with a few more items, including a nappy pail, a mesh laundry bag and 20 fleece liners in addition to 100 disposable liners (Mioduo includes 50). If you want these additional items Bambino Mio also do a premium Mioduo set for £179.99.

The Little Lamb kit doesn’t include all the wraps needed to grow with your child like the Mioduo though, so you’ll likely need to size up again at an additional expense. The nappies themselves are similar in that they are a 2-part system, but the insert doesn’t need to be pre-folded, so it’s slightly less fiddly. However, as the Mioduo nappy unfolds to a flat piece of cloth, they are easier to clean and dry.

TotsBots offer the Day One PeeNut Kit for £186, which is a cheaper alternative to the Mioduo set, however it only lasts until your baby is 18lb, at which point you’ll have to buy a bigger set of wraps. It also works slightly differently as it includes 12 pads that are poppered in with the option to add in a booster fleece liner (there are 12 included) for further absorption.

What age is the Bambino Mio Mioduo Birth To Potty Pack designed for?

The kit is designed to see you right up to potty training, and comes with wraps in 2 sizes. Size 1 is suitable for babies between 4-9kg (up to around 9 months old), and size 2 is suitable for 9kg upwards. The foldable inserts can be used for either size wrap, starting at 4kg.

The average birth weight of babies in the UK is around 3.3-3.4kg, so you may need to use a smaller alternative such as a disposable nappy from birth. However, as our son weighed in at a hefty 4.2kg he was ready to try the kit straightaway.

I think toddlers will really love the colourful wraps and enjoy choosing which pattern they’ll get to use each day. Unlike many kits on the market that don’t include everything needed to grow with your child, the Bambino Mio Mioduo Birth To Potty Pack truly can be used right up to potty training.

How do you use the Bambino Mio Mioduo nappies?

• The nappies are comprised of 2 main parts – a soft white rectangular fabric insert that you fold into a nappy, and an outer waterproof wrap, which often comes in a colourful pattern. The wrap keeps the nappy in place, prevents leakages and is secured with Velcro tabs.
• Once the insert is folded (more on this below) into a nappy, you place it inside the wrap (tucking one end of the cloth into the space at the front of the wrap) and do it up like a regular disposable nappy.
• With each nappy change, you put the used nappy in a storage pail (or straight in the wash), then replace with a new one, but you can reuse the outer wrapper for the day. I was concerned the wrap might start to smell after a couple of nappy changes, but it didn’t (although you can wipe it with a baby wipe at each change if needed).
• There’s also a roll of disposable liners included ­­­– you place one of these super-thin liners inside the nappy to catch any poo, so you can throw this soiled top layer in the bin or compost. As your baby gets older and moves onto solids, it also means you can more easily tip poo down the loo.

How do you fold the insert?

Preparing an insert to go into the wraps is often what makes parents nervous to try 2-part cloth nappies, but I found it really simple. There are 3 ways to fold the fabric nappy part. I used the standard fold to start with, which is to simply fold it into 3 layers, but I found it made the nappy really bulky, and seemed too long to fit into the size 1 wrap.

I also often found the end of the nappy poked out the back of the wrap, and I struggled to stuff it back down. The bulkiness of the nappy is a common concern for other users of the Bambino Mio Mioduo, and is mirrored in a handful of online reviews, including Amazon, where the Birth to Potty Pack is currently rated 5 out of 5 stars in 7 reviews

I then discovered the extra absorbency fold, which is when you fold up one end, and then fold in each side, and this fitted the wrap better. For the larger size 2 wraps, either fold fits more easily.

To fold it using the extra absorbency fold:

• Lay the white nappy insert flat in front of you horizontally, with the purple tag on top
• Fold the right hand side in by one third
• Now, fold the top of the nappy down by one third
• Finally, fold the bottom of the nappy up by one third, so your nappy is folded into a rectangle, with one end thicker than the other
• Place it into the waterproof wrap, tucking the thickest end into the little pocket at the front
• Add a liner, making sure it’s a single layer and tucking the sides underneath the nappy insert.

How easy are the Bambino Mio Mioduo nappies to use?

They are pretty simple to use, once I figured out the best type of fold for the smallest wrap size.

I did get caught out a few times as my son loves to wee without his nappy on; with disposables, I find it’s much quicker to remove the old nappy, wipe and fit a new one before he gets the chance, as folding the insert does take time.

However, I get around this by using 2 wraps per day, so I can have one preassembled nappy to put on him as soon as I’ve whipped the other one off.

As the Bambino Mio Mioduo is quite bulky for a newborn, it also sometimes takes slightly longer to position them, especially if I fumble in a rush and the nappy moves out of place in the wrapper. This wasn’t much fun when dealing with a 2-week old who wailed until his sleepsuit was back on! But I think once you get out of the newborn stage this will get easier as your baby is less likely to cry during a nappy change.

An all-in-one reusable nappy, like TotsBots EasyFit Star, £15.99, or the Miosolo is arguably an easier option as they are one-pieces with no insert to fold (used in much the same way as a disposable). That said, you need to either have loads in stock or wash all the time to ensure you don’t run out. Many all-in-ones also do include an insert of some sort as an absorbency booster.

If I was placing a young baby (with frequent nappy changes) into childcare, then I’d be much more tempted to use more convenient disposables for those periods.

Do they fasten well?

Yes – the wraps are secured with Velcro, which is a popular option for reusables, as it’s quick and easy to fasten, although it does mean that little ones can sometimes undo them once they’re old enough.

Poppers are another popular method for fastening, which are trickier for little ones to undo, although they can be fiddlier for parents.

I had no problems with the Velcro and I like that when it eventually comes to potty training, my son will easily be able undo the nappy to try the loo and do it back up again.

Is it worth using a liner with every nappy?

Definitely. The two times I forgot to use a liner were of course the times my son did a poo! Having to scrape slimy newborn poo out of the nappy before I could wash it was not a pleasant experience. When you use the liner, it’s so easy to just throw it away, before storing the rest of the nappy to be washed.

Other systems, like the Little Lamb kit, includes the option of fleece liners instead of disposable ones, which apparently the poo doesn’t stick to, but I’d prefer to stay with disposable.

How do you store the Bambino Mio Mioduo nappies?

They come in a nice colourful storage box which I keep beneath our changing table.

I washed everything before the first use and tumble dried them on a low heat. I found the nappies plumped up quite a bit in the process (apparently this is normal), so when I folded each one and repacked them they filled the box completely. I could only just get the lid on but now we’re using them there are some in the wash most of the time so they fit more easily.

I store the size 2 wraps separately, so we don’t get them confused with the size 1s.

Where do you store the dirty nappies?

Nothing is provided with the standard kit, so unless you wash each nappy immediately (which is unlikely), you’ll also need somewhere to store used nappies in between washes.

Fortunately, I have a lidded bucket from a Little Lambs kit I bought for my first daughter which works well. You can also buy a separate nappy bucket (£17.99 on Amazon) and laundry bags from Bambino Mio or they come included with the premium birth to potty pack (£179.99 on Amazon).

I also bought a waterproof bag to line the storage bucket, which helps seal any smells in. Other kits do come with storage bags and boxes so it’s worth thinking about this when purchasing, although considering the great value of the Bambino Mio Mioduo Birth To Potty Pack, it still comes out top price-wise.

How easy is it to adjust the nappy to larger sizes as your baby grows?

Very easy. Once your baby reaches 9kg (which is around 9 months old) you just replace the size 1 wraps with the size 2s, and use the nappy inserts as before.

You can also adjust the sizing of each wrap by simply placing the ends of the Velcro tabs closer together or further apart.

The smallest size wrap (size 1) has continued to fit my newborn comfortably as he’s moved from size 1 to size 2 disposable nappies. Compared to disposables, the Mioduos look wider but shorter, and quite a bit thicker.

How comfortable do the Bambino Mio Mioduo nappies seem to be for your baby?

They feel soft and secure, and despite the extra thickness my son seems very comfortable wearing them. The disposable nappies we’ve tried do such a good job of wicking moisture away from the skin, I wondered if the cloth might irritate him; but I was pleased to find he didn’t show any signs of this and didn’t experience any nappy rash at all. They also haven’t left any marks on his skin.

My experience is echoed within the reviews of the Bambino Mio Mioduo, a vast majority of which praise the product’s comfy feel for their baby – somesay their baby’s nappy rash has disappeared since using them.

I'd say they feel just as soft and comfortable as a disposable nappy, even the softest options like Pampers.

How effective do the Bambino Mio Mioduos seem as nappies?

They do a good job as they’re very absorbent and the wraps have a double layer of lining at the sides to help prevent leaks. When using the standard nappy fold, we had a few nappies leaking a little bit. Sometimes poo has leaked out of the sides which is annoying as you have to change that day’s outer wrap then too, but this hasn’t happened very often.

Some online reviewers have noted leakages from the Bambino Mio Mioduos, but it’s worth noting that many more shoppers report no leakages at all. The trick is to make sure you tuck all of the nappy inside the wrap, which sometimes feels difficult as there seems to be a lot of fabric to fit in. Once I started doing the higher absorbency fold we’ve had fewer leaks.

How do they compare to disposable nappies?

Between our children, we’ve used practically every disposable nappy brand going, from Aldi’s Mamia and Pampers to more sustainable options like Naty. It was so nice knowing with the Mioduo nappies that we were sending less nappies to landfill. Cloth nappies also work out cheaper than using disposables by the time my son is potty training, which is good to know.

It’s also reassuring to know we’ll always have nappies in the house. In the past I’ve had to rush out to get disposables, but now a new nappy is only a wash and tumble dry away if we’re running low. This was particularly comforting during lockdown, where at one point disposable nappies weren’t readily available.

That said, the Mioduos are a bit more work to use than disposables – you have to put the nappy together, and obviously wash and dry it, which is a little harder than grabbing one from a packet and later throwing it in the bin. We’ve also had occasional wet and dirty leaks with the washables, whereas disposables have only leaked twice when he’s done an up-to-the-neck poo!

Another thing I notice is that when my baby has pooed in his Mioduo they are so thick I can’t smell or feel it through his clothing the way I can with disposables, or see a 'wetness indiciator'. Although this sounds like a bonus, it means I have to take his babygro off to check.

Are they bulkier than disposable nappies?

Yes, they are definitely bulkier than disposable nappies. Bran is a big baby and by 2 weeks old was comfortably fitting in 0-3 months clothes, but I couldn’t do up all the poppers on his vest when he had the Mioduo nappy on. It does make his bottom look quite chunky but when he starts to stand up and fall down I imagine he’ll welcome the extra padding!

I initially found the standard insert fold very thick and tricky to fit inside the size 1 wrap, and there was often a bit poking out at the back which I had to stuff back in. That didn’t help with leaks, and also meant the back of the nappy didn’t lie flush with his back as disposables do, so I worried it might feel uncomfortable when he was lying on his back. However, once I tried the extra absorbency fold, I found the nappy fits the wrap and his body much better.

The Bambino Mio Mioduo’s bulkiness is one of the main criticisms that crops up in online reviews, with some users reporting it was too big for their newborn, however many say their baby did grow into it and they got used to folding the insert to look more compact. Also, if you’re old enough to remember old-school terry towelling nappies then rest assured, the Mioduos aren’t as bulky or fiddly as those were!

Were there enough nappies in the kit?

You get 20 nappy inserts, plus 4 x size 1 wraps and 4 x size 2 wraps. In his first few weeks our son typically used 6-9 nappies per day, but as we also used some disposables, 20 felt like plenty. If you were solely using the washable nappies I’d say 20 is enough for 2-3 days, but you’d need to keep on top of your washing pile.

As he grows, he’ll have fewer nappies per day so there’ll be less pressure to keep the laundry flowing. You can buy a pack of 4 additional nappy inserts for £14.99 if you want to top up though.

How do you clean the nappies? How easy are they to clean?

The nappies are machine washable up to 60°C, although Bambino Mio recommend washing them at them at 40°C. You should use non-bio detergent, and the brand also sell a natural laundry cleanser (£3.99 on Amazon) you can add, but we generally just used our normal laundry capsules.

I store the used nappies in a plastic bin with a lid on. I then tip them from the bin into the machine with as little contact as possible. You can fold back the Velcro tabs on the wraps, so they don’t get stuck together in the wash. My top tip would be to do this routinely when you remove them (rather than having to fish the wraps out from amongst the dirty inserts to do it on wash day).

You can tumble dry them on a low heat or air dry – on drying racks in the house they take about 1 day to dry properly. Ideally though, I try to dry them on the washing line, to save electricity and get the bleaching effects of the sunshine.

Generally, I find if I tumble dry them they are softer but bulkier. If I smooth them out and dry them on the line, they are thinner but can be slightly scratchy. However, as I use a liner anyway this doesn’t seem to bother my baby.

Do the nappies become stained?

Yes, they can become stained – even if you use a nappy liner, poo can still seep through to the nappy and leave a distinctive stain even after washing. However, I find hanging them in the sunlight while wet usually gets rid of most marks.

How portable is the Bambino Mio Mioduo Birth to Potty Pack?

The kit does come with a lovely box to store the clean nappies in, which you could easily put in the car boot when you travel. However, you would also need something to store wet inserts in while you’re away. For short trips, Bambino Mio do a changing bag (£79.99 on Amazon) with a separate water resistant pocket, which could come in handy for dirty nappies.

When we go on holiday in the UK I imagine we’re more likely to switch to disposables for a few days. If you’re flying, it’s going to take up a fair amount of luggage space too, so I think you’d have to be pretty committed to use them on an overseas holiday. It also depends on what laundry facilities are available at your destination.

Do the Bambino Mio Mioduo’s feel durable?

Yes, the nappies and the wraps feel strong and well made, so I feel confident they’ll last us until toddlerhood. The storage box feels a bit flimsy though, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we have to replace that at some point.

What feature do you like most?

I love the fact I’m throwing one less nappy in landfill every time I use them. They’re not quite as convenient as disposables but for me the massive eco benefit far outweighs any downsides. I also like the fact they’re cheaper in the long run, and that we’ll never run out.

What’s in the box?

• 20 x mioduo inserts
• 4 x size 1 mioduo covers
• 4 x size 2 mioduo covers
• 50 x nappy liners
• 100g x laundry cleanser

Are there any accessories needed or available?

You can buy extras of everything, including additional wraps, inserts and liners. Bambino Mio also sell laundry powder and cleanser, wet bags and buckets.

Would you recommend this reusable nappy kit?

I would. I think it’s a fantastic way to save money and reduce landfill, so it’s really worth using, even if you combine using washables with disposables. The premium kit (£179.99 on Amazon) comes with boosters, a bucket and laundry bags though, so if you’re starting from scratch it’s worth taking a look at this one instead.

Is the Bambino Mio Mioduo Birth To Potty Pack good value?

Yes, I think so. If you’ve already decided to go for washables, then the kit works out at about £7.20 per nappy, plus all the extras, compared to £13.49 per nappy (including 1 wrap) when purchased individually. When stacked against the competition, this pack is one of the best value you can get.

If you’re not sure and considering using disposables, it’s good to know the Mioduo kit will last until you’re potty training. So while the initial sum seems steep, you’ll be spending much less in the long run.

Where can I buy the Bambino Mio Mioduo Birth To Potty Pack?

The Bambino Mio Mioduo Birth To Potty Pack is available from Bambino Mio and Amazon.

MadeForMums verdict:

This is a great value kit for new and die-hard washable nappy users alike. It’s easy to use, will last you ages, is comfortable for little ones and the wrap prints and colours are lovely.

While the Mioduo is slightly bulky for small newborns, the environmental benefits are huge, as well as the money you’ll save in the long run. Either used exclusively or in combination with disposables, this fab kit has all you need to get started.

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