Diaper Closure Systems

On Diaper Closure Systems:

Cloth diapers don't come with the little sticky tabs that disposables have, so you gotta' have some way to hold those babies on your baby. Some diapers have their own closures already included, others require that you use a separate closure or diaper fastener.

Some options include diaper fasteners, ranging from the good-old long-familiary safety pins to fancy "grabby/stretchy" options such as snappis (TM) and boingos (TM). 

Other diapers come with closures on them: velcro/aplix and snaps are most common, though you can also find some that tie on or even button on. All of these different closure options have benefits and drawbacks, and like with all things parenting - it really comes down to personal preference and what works for your family. 

If you are comfortable using pins or snappis than I would definitely recommend getting diapers without closures when possible. You get much greater sizing flexibility since you can fold down the rise to exactly where you need it and close them at the waist exactly where the best fit is. They are also simply the CHEAPEST option, and may allow you to avoid diapers altogether since you can pin, snappi, or boingo on just about ANYTHING absorbent: t-shirts? sure. Socks? Why not? Towels and washcloths? You bet! They may also make some diapers reversible, allowing you to get two looks for the price of one. Throw some extras in your diaper bag and you will NEVER not have a diaper for your kiddo (even if you have to literally use the shirt off your back).

However, if someone other than you (hubby, grandparents, daycare) will be changing many of the diapers, you will want to be sure they are ok with pins or snappis too, most prefer velcro or snaps. Or if you have arthritis or some other difficulty with your hands or fingers, or you find your baby too wiggly for a good fit that way, you might prefer something with

closures built in.

Hook and Loop Tape, (also called Aplix and Velcro which are specific brands) makes diapers go on just like disposables so it is very familiar to people, and it does allow more accurate waist adjustment than snaps since you can adjust it infinitesimally. It is very quick and easy to use and can be great for squirmy babies who hate to have their diapers changed.

On the down side, it does wear out over time (generally 12-18 months) and has to be removed and replaced. It also has a tendency to snag on EVERYTHING in the laundry, even WITH fold-back laundry tabs the velcro still finds ways to grab things at the edges. In addition, some kids readily figure this stuff out and LOVE to take off their diapers (whether full or not), and hook and loop makes this an easy and fun game for them.

Snaps are a relatively new cloth diaper closure option but have the benefit of being attractive and

simple. However, they do limit sizing flexibility somewhat since they adjust incrementally. These are probably the most durable option, and if you want to use the same diapers on multiple children may be your best bet. Pins, snappis, and boingos will wear out the corners of diapers over time. Velcro will need to be removed and replaced between children, but with high quality polyacetal resin snaps (such as KAM) your snaps will likely outlast the fabric of your diapers itself.

Another benefit is that because there are only a few options (three that I am aware of at the time of this article) for purchasing snaps nearly all snaps on most diapers made today are interchangeable. They can also usually be replaced if you find you do encounter one that doesn't function properly for some reason.

DIY: Make at Home Laundry Detergent

A repost of a blog I wrote for Etsy Cloth Diaper Team on Tuesday, January 15, 2013

DIY: Make at Home Laundry Detergent

Quick, cheap, safe for cloth diapers!

Whether you are concerned about being ecologically sound, worried about skin and allergy sensitivities, or just cheap like me (my dad would say "frugal"), making your own household cleaning products just makes sense (and cents)! One of the easiest places to start saving money and help protect sensitive skin is with laundry detergent - a natural choice if you cloth diaper!

Here is a great recipe for making your own inexpensive, effective laundry soap. This is a low-sudsing soap, perfect for HE and front loading washing machines. All you need are a few easily found ingredients, a food processor, and about 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 - 14 oz (or 2 - 7 oz) Bar of Zote, Ivory, or Fels Naptha soap
2 cups Borax (found in the laundry detergent aisle of most supermarkets)
2 cups Washing Soda (NOT baking soda, though I've heard you can make washing soda by baking baking
            soda on a shallow tray at 425 degrees) also available in most supermarkets in the laundry or
            household cleaning products
(Optional) 
1 mL Essential Oil of choice.
            I recommend lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, or orange oil

Directions:

Cut bars of soap minimally to fit in food processor. 

Process soap lightly to big chunks in Food processor. 

Add other dry ingredients 1 cup at a time (order doesn't matter), process each addition for about 30 seconds. 

Add essential oil. Process to desired consistency. 

Pour into moisture-resistant container. I use a coffee scoop to measure it out.

Great for HE washers!! Use 1-2 Tbsp per load. If using for cloth diapers you might add 1/4 cup of vinegar or 1/4 cup of baking soda to every other or every 3rd load (I find it works best to alternate between the two as each seems to have different properties) to "strip" the diapers, keeping them at their freshest and most absorbent.

Cost Breakdown:

Cost: about $1.50/batch
1 batch = approx 40 loads
= about $.04/ load

Cloth Diapering Systems Explained

Why are there SO MANY kinds of cloth diapers?!?

So you are thinking about using cloth and started surfing the net - soon you were lost and confused - there are literally hundreds of manufacurers (mostly small home-based businesses, but also a few big companies) all making different kinds of cloth diapers - what gives? What it really boils down to is a matter of personal preference. Not all diapering systems work well on all kiddos or for all families. Different sizes and shapes of child work better with one style or another. Some parents cannot handle pins while others like the flexibility they offer. Some people want a "bullet-proof" system that never leaks while others are more concerned with an easy-to-care-for system that washes and dries quickly with little fuss. So how to even know what you are looking at?

There are many different types of cloth diapers on the market, and most are a far cry from the old-fashioned pins & plastic pants (though those are still available and super cheap!). I offer several different options and what system you use will depend on what you like best. You will probably have noted that there are many "mommy wars" about which system is best, but here is a brief rundown and then some specifics about my diapers:

Here are some basics with pros/cons and common name brands and example photos.

Pocket Diapers: (bum genius, fuzzibunz)

 Pros:

~ Easy to put on

~ can use snaps or velcro

~ can easily be made as a one size

~ tend to last longer than other diaper systems because they are lightweight and generally made of all man-made materials.

 Cons:

~ Removing the "stuffer" after an icky poop! Yuck! Nearly impossible to do without getting dirty (except with my front-stuffing pocket diapers!)

~ restuffing after washing

All-In-Ones: (Kushies)

Pros:

~ Easy to use

~ most like disposables

      ~ no pieces to lose

      ~ no dissasembly/reassembly required

Cons:

~ can be bulky, especially as a one-size

~ can take a LONG time to dry because of sewn in layers

~ do not come as clean because of sewn in layers

~ may not last as long because of their weight and the fact that the fabric may not dry all the way through the diaper, leading to mildewing and fabric weakness

~ absorbency is not customized

All-In-Twos: (Gro-Via, SoftBums)

Pros:

~ Easy to use                          

~ go on like disposables

~ absorbency can often be customized to reduce bulk or hold more as needed

~ because the soaker part comes out it gets cleaner and dries faster than All-In-Ones

Cons:

~ requires 2 or more pieces to keep track of

~ soakers are sometimes NOT interchangeable with other diaper systems as they may snap in

~ re-assembling after washing

Two-Part Systems (cover and diaper): (prefolds, gerber, bummis)

Pros:

~ Most versatile system for sizing, absorbency, and multi-purpose use (such as swim diapers)

~ can use prefolds, snappis, pins, velcro, snaps, fitted diapers, contour diapers, or just POC (plain old cloth)

~ covers can often be reused without washing, just changing diaper portion to reduce number of covers needed

~ because these are generally simpler systems they often hold up longer working for multiple children without worn out parts/fabrics/elastics

~ covers can pull-up or wrap on, and be a variety of materials from PUL to wool to fleece, nylon, rubberized plastic, etc.

~ frequently the least expensive system to invest in and maintain

Cons:

~ two-part system requires keeping track of more parts

~ some people HATE pins or even snappis

~ does require two steps when diapering on squirmy babies (diaper then cover)

What About MamaBear BabyWear's Systems?

I primarily offer Two-Part Systems, All-In-Twos, and Pocket Diapers. Why? Firstly is the value to you. These systems offer the most durability, interchangeability, adaptability, and sizeability.  I want you to be able to purchase ONE system and use it for your WHOLE cloth diaper adventure. I want to make you diapers that will last from birth to potty training for one or MORE children! This saves you $$.

For many of the reasons listed above I do not like true all-in-one systems. They wear out more quickly, hold odors and grow mildew, and are bulkier. You can get all the same benefits and more from an All-In-Two system, particularly with my fold-out quick-dry soakers.

You will find fitted diapers, hybrid prefolds, inserts, and PUL, wool, and fleece Covers in my store along with options for turning covers into All-In-Two systems and Potty Training systems in my Etsy store.