Thursday, August 9, 2007
Hook & Eye? Aplix?
Hook & Eye, Touch Tape, and Aplix are all kinds of velcro, some are known to be stronger than others.
Pre-Folds & Diaper Pins?
Most covers fit well enough to hold the pre-fold in place without pins. Some people still use pins and there is also something called a Snappi which does the same thing as pins. Pre-folds, pre-fitteds, and flats can be used with pins.
A stash?
a dozen pre-folds, 4 covers, 6-8 pocket diapers or AIO's.
How many?
If you were shopping from my site I'd recommend a DryBees or Just Ducky Baby AIO, a DryBees Pocket w one-size insert, or a Happy Heiny Pocket w insert and some Pre-folds with a Thirsties cover, and maybe one Fab Fitted.
So pocket diapers can be used as covers?
Some people do this. Once you have a "stash" you'd be amazed at all the different ways to stuff, fold, double, etc. Some people use a pocket diaper without an insert as a swim diaper. I just did this the other day when I took my babies swimming. The main thing is that with an AIO or Pocket diaper, the moisture is to be held inside the diaper. If you just use a cover or a pocket as a cover, the pre-fold or doubler would be holding the moisture against the baby. Some people don't like the wetness against the baby. This is also why pre-folds need to be changed more often. I still like them though and don't mind changing out the pre-folds frequently.
Are inserts for the pocket diapers just prefolds?
No, pre-folds are usually made of cotton, sometimes hemp or bamboo, and are layers sewn together. When a pre-fold is referred to as "premium" it just means it's extra thick, and usually costs a little more than regular but is well worth it. Inserts are usually made of fibers that are specially designed to suck in moisture. In a pocket diaper with microfiber insert the insert will virtually suck "wick" the moisture through the soft liner of the pocket diaper and hold it in the insert. You'd notice when you take the insert out it will weigh a ton, and the liner of the diaper would feel almost dry to the touch. Like I said before though, you can use a pre-fold as an insert or doubler but it just doesn't hold in the moisture or hold as much moisture.
Are the doublers inserts for the pocket diapers?
Inserts and doublers are basically the same thing and can be made of a variety of fibers. Inserts are referred to as that when used in a pocket diaper because they can be "inserted," in an AIO they're just laid in so then they're called doublers. I sometimes fold a pre-fold and stuff that into a pocket diaper with an insert if I think I need some extra stuffing for a long car trip or
overnight, etc.
Why do you prefer...
Well I have twin sons and pre-folds are affordable and you can imagine how many diapers I need. While I'm at home I just find it easier to put a dry pre-fold on, sometimes without a cover, and it just produces less laundry for me. I'd love to have a huge stash of Pockets and AIO's, and I'm building slowly, but I like the simplicity of the pre-folds too. It's fun to have a variety and I also like saving the cute/more expensive diapers for showing off when we go out...lol
Pockets with Pre-Folds?
I have some DryBee's Pocket Diapers with the Wahmie's Microfiber insert that I love. They are easy for dads and babysitters and overnight. The one-size insert can be folded to customize where you need it the thickest for a boy or girl. Pre-folds can be stuffed in as an insert but I wouldn't recommend that for overnight because they just don't suck in as much moisture as microfiber does.
Equivilant to Disposable Pull-Ups?
There are actually Pocket Trainer diapers which are the most like disposable pull-ups. Here's a link to them on my site http://www.earthangelsdiaperco.com/page/page/4782152.htm They do require the purchase of inserts to go inside them and they can come with or without snaps. Even if you do get snaps they can still be pulled up and down like training pants. The best thing would be that if your son goes all night without an accident then you can just use the pocket trainer again the next night because it would still be clean.
Thinking of Switching to Cloth?
As far as your 17month old goes, I would recommend buying one or two diapers or pre-folds and covers, and see what style or brand you prefer before making a large investment on any one kind. You can tell your husband that cloth diapers can be re-sold used when your done with them, and as long as they're in good condition you can re-coup around 80% of what you spent on them. It really is amazing.
Pre-folds are nice because they are the most affordable. The cover usually stays clean and you can just replace the wet pre-fold with a dry one. The pre-fold would need to be changed more frequently than a pocket diaper or all-in-one because they just don't hold as much liquid as microfiber. If you were to only use that method I'd say you'd need about 2 dozen pre-folds & 6-8 covers, laundry would need to be done every other day. I use pre-folds at home during the day and pocket or all-in-one's when we're out or for overnight.
Don't Hate Me Because I'm Fluffy
So, I hope this Blog will serve as an archive of all my customers diapering dilemmas and the dialog between us. I will also post other useful information as I come across it and links to other helpful diapering sites. Questions and comments are always welcome.