Cloth Diapers 101: Choosing a Diaper (Part 2)

 

Choosing a Diaper
Last week I talked about inexpensive pre-fold diapers and diaper covers for those of you who are solely wanting to save money. While Justin and I used these diapers with Levi when he was tiny, once he fit into his other diapers they were slowly phased out. For us, while we were primarily wanting to save money, we had others issues to deal with: we needed an economical diaper that would be daycare friendly and easy to clean. While pre-folds are easy to clean, they are not necessarily daycare friendly. Some places will not allow for the use of pre-folds, but instead will only work with you if you use something that's comparable to a disposable. So, this is a post for those of you out there like us.

I Want to Save Money, but I Want Something More User-Friendly
Like I mentioned above, while pre-folds are cheaper, they are not necessarily the easiest to use, especially when it comes to people that don't come in contact with cloth diapers every day - daycare employees, relatives, babysitters, etc. If you're still out to save money, but you don't want to baffle everyone that tries to change your kiddo's diaper, I recommend looking into one-size pocket diapers. These diapers have a waterproof outer shell and a cloth lining that opens up like a pocket. These diapers come with separate, super-absorbent inserts that you stuff inside the pocket so that when your baby poos or pees, the liquid gets soaked up by the insert. Additionally, the fabric that is sewn into the diaper to form the pocket is usually made of a strong wicking material so your baby doesn't feel soaked after one pee.

The one-size part of this equation is very important. This means that the diapers themselves are adjustable for a large range of weights, meaning that your little one can sport these diapers throughout their entire diaper career, aka, these are a one-time purchase! They are typically more expensive than the diaper covers for pre-folds, but since you only have to buy them once, it's worth it.

The reason these diapers are slightly more expensive than pre-folds is because, while you only need one set, you need more than just a few. Unlike diaper covers, once your kid goes pee or poo, that diaper is dirty. You can't wipe it down and use it again because both the pocket fabric and the insert are wet. Because of this, I recommend getting a set of 24. This is enough to keep up with the constant dirty diapers of a newborn and, when they get a little older, keeps you from having to do laundry everyday.

Speaking of laundry, another kicker for these diapers is the fact that they require the use of special detergent. Some brands even make their warranty dependent upon it. The reason for this is to keep the waterproof lining in tact, while also maintaining the absorbency of the diapers themselves. Basically, these detergents have no perfumes or dyes, and they use more eco-friendly chemicals. They usually run anywhere from $15-$18 per bag, and the bag lasts for a different number of loads depending on if you have an HE washer or not.

My Two Cents
Justin and I went the route of the one-size pocket diaper and I'm so glad we did! Specifically, we use Bumgenius 4.0 diapers. They are about $18 apiece, which is a middle-of-the-road price for these, and they work REALLY well. One of the perks of these pocket diapers is that they have an envelope flap over the pocket opening, so after you stuff the insert in, there is a little bit of fabric that folds over to close the opening. I love this feature because the microfiber inserts are extremely absorbent and therefore, when its time for a diaper change, they're soaked. The flap keeps the soaking material from touching Levi's skin, so I don't have to worry about him being uncomfortable.

The main reason we chose these diapers, specifically, is because of all of the great reviews we found for them online. They really are great! They don't have leak problems (except for the occasional poosplosion or super pee, which is rare) and they seem to fit babies of any size, unlike some other diapers out there. These diapers are also pretty durable, meaning they'll still be around when kid #2 comes along, and the parts that wear out quicker than the rest (like the leg elastic) is easy to access and therefore easily replaced.

Here are some videos about bumgenius diapers:

Mom's point of view...

Dad's point of view...

I mentioned laundry up there, and I was going to go into our routine, but there's a lot I want to say about that, so I'll post all about this later (I know...the suspense is killing you!).

And of course, I couldn't leave you without a picture of Mr. Handsome! Here he is in one of his Bumgenius 4.0 diapers.