Monday, March 11, 2013

Cloth Diapering Odds and Ends: Doublers and Wetbags


Inserts and Doublers: 

Diapers like All in Twos, Pockets and Covers need to be stuffed with something absorbent. In a pocket you can literally stuff them with anything absorbent and you are good to go, because their is a suedecloth or fleece layer between the baby and the insert. However, if you are using something where the insert goes against the babies skin you CANNOT USE UNCOVERED MICROFIBER, it will literally absorb the skin oils off the baby's bum leaving it very irritated. So make sure only fleece or natural fibers are against the baby's bum. 

If your baby is an average wetter you can stuff with microfiber and be good to go. I however have super peeing children that always needed a doubler. So if we used microfiber in a pocket Hemp, or Bamboo needed to be underneath it. Microfiber acts like a sponge so if a child is going to be in a carseat or carrier where the diaper can be compressed, a doubler underneath the microfiber is a good idea to prevent "compression leaks."

Hemp- Is the most absorbent fiber, it is a little slower to absorb then others so it makes a good bottom doubler, it is excellent in overnight diapering. I have some from Hemp Babies that are hemp/cotton and a no name kind that are hemp jersey. I find hemp cotton to be too rough to go straight against a baby's skin but it can if needed. 




Bamboo- Second to hemp in absorbency but it my mind superior because it is sooooo soft it can go straight against baby and for some babies it is all their diaper needs inside. We however use it under microfiber or under prefold inserts. I like the bamboo from Alva and Kawii 


Wetbags: Although in a pinch a ziploc or grocery sack can hold a poopy diaper or wet clothing a true wetbag is an awesome thing to own. They are made of PUL, a waterproof fabric. Some like the kind I own are called wet/dry bags because they have a pocket that is waterproof for the dirty diaper and a cloth pocket for the clean diapers. I love them because it keeps all my diapering stuff together in my diaper bag. The one on the left is a small wet/dry bag that fits 2-3 diapers and the right is a medium that fits 4-6.