A hybrid system, with one-size that works as a cover for prefolds & option for disposable
What I have learned about cloth diapers
Before Claire was born, I researched a lot about cloth diapers. I found sites on cleaning, detergents, buying, selling, you name it! There are a lot of great resources out there, but until you put them on your baby its hard to tell which one will be the best fit. I wanted to share some of the different types of diapers here and then follow up with a later blog on what we are using now.
Cloth Diapering Options
(how my brain worked out all the confusion...)
Prefolds
The diaper you many remember your mom using. This is the old school, but still effective and very affordable way to cloth diaper. There are many choices in fabric type and absorbency. No more pins and sticking you or the baby, they now have something called Snappies that hold the diaper together. They do require a cover and there are many options out there.
Fitted
Fitted diapers are the next step up from prefolds. They are again made from different materials and can have velcro or snaps. They form to the body and make cloth diapering easy. Above, picture 1 shows BumGenius bamboo fitted diaper, Kissaluvs newborn fitter and two diaper covers (the cow print is a Blueberry one-size that grows with baby and the blue one is a Bummis newborn). This is a great system, easy to use and works well with skinny newborns. The Kissaluvs have a snap that folds down for the umbilical cord, though we found as she got bigger we found we needed a littler more in absorbency. The BumGenius have been great, Matthew's favorite to use. We use a insert/doubler at night, she is a heavy wetter, and it will last most of the night and sometimes all night. We are not big into snaps, the velcro seems to fit her better, but we both really like how the Blueberry covers fit her. We are able to use the cover several times before it needs to be washed. All the items in the picture were bought gently used from ebay :) I have had a great experience buying from eBay and was able to try many brands this way, without spending too much.
Pockets
The second picture shows BumGenius AIO and the pocket 3.0 one-size diaper. The light green diaper is the pocket. The front of the diaper has a row of snaps that allow you to customizes the fit to your baby. This diaper has been great, it was too big for our skinny baby until about a month old. Now the size works well, and I love the convenience. The outer layer is water proof, so no need for a diaper cover, thus eliminating an extra step. The diaper has a pocket on the inside that you stuff the absorbent insert into. One side of the pocket is the PUL or waterproof layer and the other side is fleece. The Fleece layer repels the liquid and it is what keeps baby's skin dry and away from the absorbent layer. Another benefit to pocket is fast drying time. You take the insert out, so unlike the fitted and AIO, there is less material in one spot to dry. We love our bamboo diapers, but they take forever to dry. Line drying is really great, and energy efficient, but can leave diapers stiff. So If my diapers are stained I line dry (amazing how the sun can bleach so well and without chemicals!) and then put them in the dryer to fluff for a few minutes. All the items in this picture were bought locally from Soft and Cozy Baby in Baltimore.
All in Ones (AIO)
An all in one diaper or AIO, has the absorbent layer built in...so no pocket stuffing! This diaper is usually the choice for babysitters, day care or reluctant family member or even when people are first starting cloth diapering. The system is closest to disposables in that you put it on and take it off, no extra steps. Some AIO also have a pocket option if your looking for more absorbency or an over night option. The blue diaper in the second picture is an extra small BumGenius, worked really well for our skinny leg baby. Also come in velcro or snaps.
Hybrid Systems
The last picture is an example of one hybrid diaper, GroBaby (now GroVia). Seen in the last picture, this diaper has inserts that snap in, but also offer a disposable option not shown here (I will post last). instead of the cloth you insert the disposable liner. This is a trendy new option also seen in Gdiapers and Flips (by the makers of BumGenius).
Organic and One-Size
A lot of the diapers offer an organic option that is often more pricey, but can offer more absorbency depending on the material used. BumGenius has an organic option along with one-size diapers. One-size grow with our baby and usually have an all snap or snap and velcro system that help you adjust to your baby's size. We have found they are harder to use on newborns...buying newborn sizes for the first few weeks and then the one-size, is a good options for people that don't like fitted or sized diapers.
No comments:
Post a Comment