Help!
How Do I Choose One Kind of Diaper?
Part
I
"Buying All The Sample Packs Would Cost A
Fortune!"
You're right. And thank goodness you don't have to.
You can learn about them here, and at least narrow down your search to your
favorite kind.
There is so much information on this topic that
I've decided to break it into two articles. This first article will cover
prefold diapers and fitted, or shaped, diapers.
We'll begin with PREFOLDS. Generally
speaking, the basic Diaper Service Quality prefold diaper that you find at any
of the online retailers will be made from Chinese cotton. While there are
other sources of cotton and many diaper makers, this material has been proven
over time to live up to its reputation as durable AND soft. To find out if a retailer sells
Chinese cotton prefold diapers, ask them. If they won't or can't answer, shop
elsewhere. Believe me, there are plenty of diaper retailers on the Internet.
You may also find that some retailers will say
that Chinese cotton diapers are hard to find. After you've read that on
about half a dozen sites, you'll realize this simply isn't true.
Prefold diapers are layers of cotton sewn
together so that you don't have to fold a diaper to make it fit, hence the term
"prefolded". They are sewn into three panels which run
vertically on the diaper as used on baby, with the center panel usually having
two more layers than the outer two panels.
Having painted myself into a corner by saying
that prefold diapers don't have to be folded, I now must try to back my way out
by telling you about folding diapers...ahem. While prefolds don't have to
be folded to make absorbing layers, they are still folded to become shaped to
the baby. Folding diapers can be very simple or very creative, depending
on your personality.
Click here for Five
Easy Ways to Fold Cotton Diapers, published by Diapers Unlimited and
DyDee Service.
Next let's talk about FITTED, or SHAPED,
diapers. This is the category where you start finding a lot of different
"house" brands, shall we say. Many people are making their own
styles.
In order to avoid purchasing lots of samples of
these diapers, I recommend considering a diaper on the following criteria:
material, care and life span, closure systems and construction, sizes, cost, and
your needs.
1. Material
What is the diaper made
of? Is it cotton as in a prefold? If it is cotton, is it twill or gauze or birdseye weave cotton?
Perhaps the diaper is flannel or terry cloth? Or does it have fleece, wool,
hemp, microfiber, or SOMETHING ELSE that I have yet to run across?
After you've made this determination, then stop to think
about what you'd like to have next to your baby's skin. If you're not sure what
these materials feel like, go to a fabric store. They will show you all the
fabric you want, and you can feel them to get an idea of what this material will
feel like in a diaper. That way, you can be familiar with the materials without
spending a fortune to see a few diapers. (One thing to keep in mind is
that new material is always stiffer than washed material. You probably
know this just from clothes you've purchased.)
May I offer a few thoughts to get you
started? Gauze can be tight or loose (think of the gauze pads in
your first aid kit.) Birdseye looks like little diamonds in the cloth.
Flannel is very soft but not very strong, so it tends to have a shorter
life span, especially when used alone. Terry cloth is very absorbent
(think of your bath towel) but not terribly soft when you're talking about
baby's private areas. Many times it is used as an inside layer, which
never touches baby's skin. HOWEVER, terry cloth takes a long time to dry,
especially as an inside layer. Fleece is an interesting choice, as it can
serve as both a moisture barrier and and moisture retainer, depending on the
kind of fleece and how it is used. In other words, fleece in a diaper
cover functions differently than a fleece liner designed to keep wetness away
from baby's bottom. Don't let wool scare you. It actually is the
most breathable fiber we have in diapers, and because of its nature, it
functions much like fleece does, depending on its use. Problem is, it's
kind of expensive in diapering supplies. Hemp is a little newer in the
diapering world and I'm not as familiar with it. Its proponents claim it
is better, stronger, softer, more durable, etc. than cotton. This might be
the one type of diaper to get samples of, if you think you might be interested.
Microfiber is the latest rage, highly popular
in cleaning cloths, and its fad popularity is reducing the demand for rag
cleaning diapers. I'm guessing its usefulness will just continue to grow,
but if you want my opinion, it's a step away from the naturalness that
cloth diaper users were originally looking for.
Some diaper makers combine two or more of these materials in their diapers.
2. Care and Lifespan
Will the
diapers withstand the use of bleach, should you choose to use it? Do they stand
up to machine drying, if you use one? Are there "parts" to the diaper
to be assembled (and disassembled after use when messy, so they'll wash well)?
Are there "pockets" which may not come clean because they can't be
fully opened for washing? When washed according to manufacturer recommendations,
how many washings can you expect your diaper to go through before being worn
out?
Most retailers include some pictures on their
website and try to describe their diapers in reasonable detail. If you can't get
answers to these questions from pictures or descriptions, try emailing or
calling the company to ask. If you can't get your questions answered
satisfactorily, you have two choices. You can either purchase a sample to check
it for yourself, or you can shop elsewhere. Some of the "bigger" brand
name diapers will be available at many retailers, but most of the cottage
industry (made-at-home) diapers will be available only through their original
source, at least until their popularity is well-established.
3. Closure Systems and Construction
What kind of closure system, if any, does this diaper have? If none, keep in
mind that you'll have to invest in pins, Snappis, or velcro closure covers
besides the cost of your diapers (velcro covers are more expensive than pins or
Snappis and pull-ons).
As for construction--and you may just have to see the
diaper to answer these questions--is it well sewn? Is the elastic durable but not
too tight? Is the velcro a true velcro or a plastic imitation that won't hold
for very long? Are the snaps plastic or metal, and whichever they are, will they
last? WHAT ARE YOUR PREFERENCES? Do you want to work with snaps or velcro?
Will
the leg openings accommodate a baby with heavy thighs? Or a baby with skinny
thighs? What about a baby with a big tummy, or a skinny tummy? And the biggie:
how absorbent is this diaper? If you have a heavy wetter, you'll want to know.
If you do have a heavy wetter, will a doubler (or two or three) fit in this
diaper?
Of course, you aren't going to know what your
baby's body will be like until baby gets here. And, all babies change over time.
But because of this "changing nature" of babies and their bodies, it's
important to find a diaper that will work for you for as many of these
possibilities as possible.
4. Sizes
How many sizes of diapers
will you have to buy? You don't want to have to buy a new size diaper for every
five pounds your baby gains. On the other hand, are the weight ranges reasonably
small enough that the diaper will fit a baby on the small end of the weight
range? Many diapers are designed with adjustable closure systems that allow the
diaper to fit both the smaller baby and the larger baby within its weight range.
5. Cost
Taking into consideration
the lifespan of the diaper, how many sizes you'll need, and how many diapers
you'll want to buy (see How Many Diapers Do I
Need?), you should be able to figure out the
cost of your diapering system. Ask yourself if you want this system to last for
one baby or four.
If you need help figuring out the cost of your
diapering system, look no further! I have a simple spreadsheet that will
help you do just that, and best of all--it's free! All you need is to know
the prices of the items you wish to buy. Once you enter that information
in, the spreadsheet will do the figuring for you.
Get the Diapering
Costs Spreadsheet here:
no cost
6. Your Needs
Fitted or shaped
diapers are hmmm, well...handy, I guess. There's absolutely no folding involved.
You do, in general, get a good fit around baby's legs. These might be a good
choice if you're just not sure you can "manage" prefold diapers.
They
are also GREAT for daddies. I do not mean any offense here, but after years of
working with new families, it has become evident to me that most---but not
all---men aren't as nimble in the fingers as women are, and don't see potential diaper
problems the way most---but not all---women do.
Whew! Are you exhausted yet? Take a
break and then come back to learn about all-in-one diapers and
flats.
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