The next video in my Introduction to Cloth Diaper Series is all about pocket diapers! If you are brand new to cloth diapering the terminology is certainly confusing.

A pocket diaper is any cloth diaper that has a pocket opening. I focused on PUL shells (what is PUL?) with a lining and opening, but they are not limited to just that. There are fleece, wool, and even fitted (non waterproof) varieties as well. Still, the PUL shell with a stay dry lining is the most popular, like bumGenius! 4.0 and Fuzzibunz.

The pocket diaper can have an opening at the back (most common), front, or even in the middle.

Openings can be “hidden,” meaning there is a flap over the opening (ex. bumGenius! 4.0/3.0), completely open at the back (ex. Happy Heiny’s), or the envelope style where they tuck in (ex. Tiny Tush Elite), or they can simply have a slit opening.

Linings include:

Stay Dry- Microfleece or suedecloth. (comprehensive post on stay dry linings here)

Non Stay Dry- Cotton velour, bamboo velour, hemp/cotton, bamboo looped terry, cotton looped terry, bamboo fleece.

Pockets are popular because they are customizable and dry quicker than All-in-Ones but remain convenient.  They are also less expensive than most All-in-Ones.

Most pocket diapers come with microfiber inserts, the same material used commonly for towels to clean cars or mop pads.  It is cheap and absorbent.  You can also find pockets that come with hemp, cotton, bamboo, zorb, and more.

As shown in the video, there are many styles of pockets.  Middle closing with velcro or snaps, side snapping, one size, sized, and even dual size (another video).

The biggest drawback of pockets comes when it is time to wash (unstuffing the diaper to allow the insert to be throughly washed) and restuffing it when the diaper is clean and dry.  A typical load of pockets (15 diapers) will take 5-10 minutes to stuff.  Expect to wash every 1.5-3 days.  I have a continuous motion video of washing and stuffing diapers to give you an idea.

In its most basic form, a pocket is still just a shell with an opening for you to stuff an absorbent insert.  But wow are there a lot of options!

One reason cloth diapers have come such a long way since birdseye flats and plastic pants is: Stay Dry Lining.  When Fuzzibunz came along with their Microfleece lining, a magical fabric that allowed moisture to go through it and be absorbed into an insert, but that also wicked moisture away from the baby’s bum letting them stay dry, this was a huge break-through! Tereson Dupuy invented the modern cloth diaper with this innovative idea.  I wanted to test these diapers to see if they really felt dry.

As a parent I do get concerned about my children staying in wet diapers.  The downside of cloth diapers is that it is harder to know when they have wet.  There is no “pinch” test for cloth, although it is still effective to a small degree if you really know what you are looking for.  At least if you are using as “stay dry” cloth diaper you can feel good knowing your baby is comfortable, or can you?

Stay Dry lining materials include Microfleece and Suedecloth.  Fuzzibunz is the brand you think of as a cloth diaper that uses microfleece, and bumGenius! is the most popular example of a diaper using suedecloth.

There are many benefits to using a diaper with a stay dry lining, however there are also many pitfalls. It is important when choosing a cloth diaper to understand both and know what challenges you may be facing in the future.

First, what are Microfleece and Suedecloth?

Both materials are synthetic and 100% polyester.  There is a very handy website with descriptions of common diaper materials on Zany-Zebra that I consult often.

In everyday life you see microfleece all the time, just in bulkier forms like Old Navy fleece jackets and scarves.  Suedecloth is also a fabric with many everyday applications, but because it is usually in thicker forms you may not connect the dots.  Suedecloth has a smooth lining and doesn’t pill up.  Microfleece will pill over time.  (depending on the brand, some are better than others)  Piling means the fabric will develop tiny balls after multiple washes, like your favorite sweater.  Suedecloth will stay very smooth over dozens of washes, or more.

With my experiment I wanted to see if, after a baby urinates, the lining really does feel dry to the touch.  And, if one stay dry material did a better job than another.  I also wanted to see if the type of insert or type of diaper made a difference.

I tried testing a few varieties.

• Microfleece All-in-One with a Microfiber Soaker (AMP Stay Dry AIO)
• Microfleece Pocket with Microfiber insert (Happy Heiny’s OS)
• Microfleece topped lay in Microfiber soaker (Softbums Echo)
• Suedecloth All-in-One with Bamboo insert (Ragababe AIO)
• Suedecloth Pocket with Microfiber insert (bumGenius! 4.0)

I also, for kicks, tested a few other types of materials:

Cotton (Gro Via AIO), Bamboo Fleece (Babykicks 3g)  and Bamboo Terry (Yo-Yoo), to see how wet those felt to the touch.

Based on my tests, which are in no way truly scientific, but as good as I could do, I came up with a few conclusions:

• Suedecloth feels drier faster than Microfleece.
• Pockets, due to that space between the insert and the lining, feel drier than sewn in All-in-Ones.  Suedecloth pockets feel drier than Microfleece.
• Pockets also evenly distribute the moisture more to the soaker leaving less chance of feeling wetness in the spot where the urine is left.

That all sounds great, right?  Baby pees and still feels dry.  What’s not to love?

Synthetic liners do have some serious drawbacks.

The biggest: Repelling. Certain laundry detergents and other laundry additives “bond” with that material causing what is commonly referred to as “repelling.”  The soap scum, diaper creams, or fabric softener residue prevents urine from going through the layer of material.  In the worst cases no urine makes it through and it is like the baby is peeing on a plastic sheet.

Even with no repelling, there is still a delay between urinating on the layer of material, and it soaking through it.  I will be doing another video of this, but for now just know that when your baby pees it takes a few seconds for the urine to go through.  It helps when there is compression from their bodies, this will speed up the process.  But, imagine they are laying on their backs and sleeping.  The urine will possibly roll down the diaper before being absorbed.  If they pee very forcefully and a lot is expelled at one time, there might not be enough time for the pee to go through the layer of stay dry material before it finds an escape route.  THIS is why I do not like stay dry diapers for overnight.  There is a higher likelihood that it will leak.  But, then again, I want my baby to be comfortable while in a diaper for 10 hours, so I want the stay dry diapers to work!

A potential drawback of stay dry diapers is that they DO stay dry.  There are parents who would rather their baby’s feel the wetness in order to expedite potty learning.  The common saying is that babies in cloth diapers potty train faster.  I don’t really buy that, but, if a baby does feel the moisture and isn’t a fan, they may be more likely to want to learn to potty versus staying in a wet diaper.

And the last reason stay dry diapers may not be the option for you: they are synthetic.  Any cloth diaper with a PUL outer has synthetic materials, but these don’t always touch the baby.  There are parents who want only organic materials against the skin, and that rules out stay dry liners like Microfleece and Suedecloth.  There are diapers with Bamboo fleece, but testing showed me that they are soft but do not stay dry like the synthetic fleece.  In rare cases, babies actually are allergic or sensitive to the synthetic liners and develop rashes.

Lastly, there is the matter of the Poop.  I have gone into (probably too much) detail about the different forms of poop and how this relates to cloth diapering.  Suedecloth and Microfleece each have selling points.  Suedecloth is easier to spray off, but microfleece holds those runny breastfeeding poops in better.

I can’t tell you what to choose.  It truly is a matter of personal preference and what will work best for your baby’s needs.  But at least you now know that both materials are comfortable to the baby even after they have a wet diaper in case you can’t change them right away.

What is important to you in a diaper?  Stay dry, organic, easy to spray, etc?

Is it weird that a part of me wishes I could test cloth diapers myself to truly understand how a baby feels?  It is?  Ok…  well then I am weird.  I don’t want to pee in them, but I do wish I could see how the legs felt, how it feels when they are sized down, etc.

Since I can’t do that I try to pay close attention to the way cloth diapers fit my kids.  Are there deep red marks, do the soakers leave imprints, is the fabric soft on their skin?  These are all very important.  We always have to remember that our babies are in diapers (for most of us) nearly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for years!  This fact makes me know I have chosen the right path by keeping thousands of diapers out of the landfill, but it also means I need to ensure they are wearing diapers that fit comfortably.

I am listing the diapers I think *look* the most comfortable for my children based on my experience with them.

bumGenius! 4.0/3.0 with velcro:

All suedecloth lining which hasn’t pilled so it is smooth and soft.

Elastic is covered in suedecloth all the way around, no PUL touches the baby.

Pocket opening is “hidden” and smooth.

Velcro makes for a great fit even on smaller babies, no need to do a little too tight or too loose.

No snaps means no hip snap bruising which can occur for a small number of children.

Ragababe Easy AIO:

Light as a feather!  This AIO has no weight to it.

Smooth suedecloth lining, no pilling to cause dimpling.

Velcro closure means an exact fit.

Extra wide back elastic.

*note I have had the velcro rub my baby’s tummy when I am not being careful about how I place them.

BabyKicks 3g

Fleece leg gussets are so soft on baby’s legs and let air in.

Smooth front and no chance of velcro rubbing (has snaps)

Stay dry lining

*note the bamboo fleece does pill up over time, trade-off for non synthetic materials I guess

AppleCheeks

Microfleece lining and smooth inside

Elastic at the back and front of the diaper, easy to get a great fit on tummy

Gathered, ruffled elastic around the legs

No velcro to rub baby’s tummy.

AMP Stay Dry AIO

No openings anywhere, completely smooth inside

Microfiber stay dry lining with minimal pilling over time

Velcro closure and sized for a perfect fit

Velcro covered with fabric in most places

GAD

The lining is OBV (organic bamboo velour from rayon) so it is very soft but not a “stay dry”

Elastic on stomach and back

Sized for perfect fit

Snaps on side so no velcro with potential to rub the tummy

Trim so no bulk between legs

I am concluding my newborn cloth diaper reviews today with this video of many of the one size diapers I used on my baby Everett.  Some of the diapers shown in the video aren’t in the chart, but the most requested diapers made it to the chart.  If anyone has any questions please ask in the comments and I will answer.  I like to remind everyone that every baby is different. My first son didn’t fit his BG 3.0 until over 10 pounds, but this guy fit at 9.5 pounds.

I have reviewed each of these diapers in more detail, though at the time I had not used them on an newborn.  To see each diaper’s individual review you can click the links.

Softbums Echo and Softbums Omni

bumGenius! 4.0

bumGenius! Elemental

Fuzzibunz OS

Kissaluvs Marvel OS Cover

Little Beetle Little to Big

Babykicks 3g

Rocky Mountain OS

Sweet Pea OS Cover

Sprout Change V 2.0

Happy Heinys Improved OS (no video yet)

One again, this chart is a guide, not a definite size chart.  EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT and what fit my son well might not fit your baby, or vice versa.

Babykicks has released a newer and improved version of their Bumboo Pocket diaper, now called the 3g.  This diaper shares most of the features with the Bumboo (front stuffing pocket, bamboo fleece lining, fleece gussets, multi-colored coordinating snaps) but has an improved sizing and comes in colors as well.  The insert is still hemp, but has been improved to better fit the 3g.  Babykicks has a few fun videos you might enjoy viewing as well: Babykicks Youtube Channel.  You can also view my previous review of the first version of the Bumboo. I am also hosting a giveaway which end on Jan 10.  Go enter!

Ease of Use ✩✩✩ Since the 3g is still a side snapping diaper, and the diaper itself it still more difficult to stuff than most pockets, I gave it a 3 star.  To adjust the size isn’t that hard (unless you are using the newborn setting, this one takes some practice).  Snapping the side snap first is the easiest way to put on this diaper.
Bang for the Buck ✩✩✩✩ The 3g is still 18.50, right at the same price point as many other one size diapers.  Plus you get a thirsty hemp insert that is great for overnights.  The fleece is bamboo, another more luxe feature compared to most OS pockets.
Performance ✩✩✩✩ This diaper is very absorbent on both kids.  I preferred using it for my youngest.  On the 3g I didn’t have any leaks on either kid, and the gussets performed wonderfully.
Fit ✩✩✩✩ The fit is improved on this diaper compared to the Bumboo.  This is partially because the insert is shaped to fit the diaper better, and the new contoured front.  Plus, the snaps on waist and rise have been adjusted to fit larger babies.  I found it extremely trim on my youngest son even with the rise snapped down. It looked great on him.  Same for my toddler, but with a different look since it was unsnapped more.
Overall- I like the new 3g more than the previous version.  Now that the diaper comes in colors, including the exclusive chocolate versions carried by Kelly’s Closet, you can get more than just the white with multi colored snaps.  I still think the fleece gussets are the best feature of the diaper.

Where to buy: Kelly’s Closet (including the exclusive chocolate colors) and Amazon.com (eligible for Prime shipping) (affiliate links)

A Babykicks 3g was sent for the purposes of this review.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are 100% my own and genuine.

Lately I have had this nagging thought in my head: One day we are going to run out of cute cloth diaper names.  The good news is that this will be due to the growth of cloth diapers as an industry and the many brands that are out there and those that have yet to be made and named.  The bad news is we will not have enough cute names to go around.

The pioneers of cloth diapers had it easy.  Every synonym for “rear end” was available.

The first modern pocket diaper chose the name “Fuzzibunz”

Then the next pocket diapers came along.  bumGenius!, Happy Heineys, Rumparooz, and Smartipants.

Don’t get me wrong, not all cloth diapers reference the booty.  Some are just cute.  Kissaluvs, Lollidoo, BabyKicks, Kiwi Pie.

Then there are the just plain weird, like Krap Katchers.

I suppose there will always be room for cute names, but only so many ways you can say “butt” in a funny and adorable way.

So what do you think?  Am I underestimating the creativity of future entrepreneurs?  Or are we doomed?  And, I want to hear your favorite cloth diaper name!  Leave it in the comments!

To go with my video review, Babykicks is hosting a giveaway!

One DDL reader will win a Bumboo One Size Diaper and a doubler from Babykicks!

Features:

One Size Design grows with baby from 7lbs/3.2kg to 30lbs/13.6kg.  The intuitive snap-down sizing system makes adjusting and finding the right size and fit super easy.  You will only needs to buy diapers once, saving you time and money!

Bamboo/Fleece lining:  The incredibly soft inner liner (against baby’s skin) is made of luxurious 30% Certified Organic Cotton and 70% Rayon made from Bamboo. The material will remain soft, absorbent and silky wash after wash.

Air Gussets are made of a special fleece material and contain no PUL, which allows for even more air flow to help prevent rashes. The Soft fabric does not leave red marks on baby’s legs, but still protects against leaks and blow outs.

Front Pocket allows for easy stuffing of diaper and gives you the option to customize the absorbency.  The front pocket eliminates inserts hanging out of the back of the diaper and prevents solids from leaking onto the insert.

Side Snaps eliminates wing drop problem and are easy to use, durable and long lasting. The two rows of four snaps allow for separate waist and thigh adjustment and will give you a perfect fit. Side snaps are harder for toddlers to undo (no playing in poo), and make diaper easy to use as a training pant when the time comes.

Waterproof Outer Shell removes the need for a cover. Our super-soft breathable PUL is waterproof and makes sure baby’s clothes stay nice and dry.

Mandatory Entry:

Visit BabyKicks.com and come back with a comment telling me something you learned about the company, why hemp, or a favorite product.

For extra entries do any or all of the following.  Leave a comment for each you do.

Follow @KimRosas on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, “@KimRosas and @babykicksusa are giving away a Bumboo One Size #clothdiapers.http://ysrd4.th8.us Ends March 22”  Leave a comment with a link to your status.

You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Leave a comment with your status for each tweet.

Follow @BabyKicksUSA on Twitter.  Leave a comment.

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Grab my button and post it on your blog. Leave a comment.

Blog about this giveaway. Post a link in the comment.

Get Creative: Post about this giveaway on a messageboard or forum. Leave a comment with a link.

Giveaway ends on March 22. Winner will be chosen using random.org. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn.

***Open to US and Canada***

I was not compensated for this post however the diaper sent for review was kept

Like many of the diaper reviews I have posted lately, I first saw the Bumboo in Vegas at the ABC Kids Expo.  I was intrigued by the fleece leg gussets and the interesting shape and sizing of the diaper.  The Bumboo should fit babies 7-30 pounds, and BabyKicks will be working on improving the waist snaps so it can fit babies up to 40 pounds.

***FYI, this video was a PITA.  I already edited it and lost it, edited again with a less than cooperative editing software.  I am happy it is done.  If you are wondering why I am not wearing pants in the video it is because he peed on them during filming.

Ease of Use ✰✰✰ While it is true that there are only 4 snaps to use for each change, I have had some difficulty keeping them snapped while I change my son.  Mainly, it is because they are a little tight on him, but the last setting is too loose.  Sometimes one will pop open, which can be annoying.  Stuffing the diaper has also been a challenge.  The front pocket opening is quite small, and I had a hard time getting the insert to lay in the front completely flat since the front tapers to a smaller size than the waist.  The rise settings are very easy to change since they snap up or down.

Bang for the Buck ✰✰✰ At around 18 dollars it is the average retail price of a one size pocket diaper.  You do get a better insert than most since it is made from hemp, and you get the nice fleece gussets, a feature unique to the Bumboo.  It would have received a 4 star rating had the size range gone to 40 pounds.  Since there is a possibility you will need more diapers once a baby grows out of these, it had to get a 3.  I will say it has lots of luxury for the price point though.

Performance ✰✰✰✰ The diaper can hold a lot of pee, and I have changed him many times where he had a heavy diaper.  The leg gussets never leaked the pee through, which is the concern for some.  I tried the diaper overnight completely unsnapped and it leaked.  Snapped down one setting it didn’t leak, so it was a fit issue for us.

Fit ✰✰✰ As I mentioned before, the diaper fits 7-30 pounds.  At 30 pounds my son is between the unsnapped rise and snapped down one.  It feels a little too tight on the smaller setting and a little too loose on the largest.  On the waist it still fits him with one snap on each side, waist and tights.  I would like to see the sizing improved some, and it would make it a stronger contender in the one size market.

Overall- There are lots of features to like about the Bumboo, the leg gussets, the soft fleece lining, hemp joey bunz insert, colorful snaps, and the stylish look.  However, there are some kinks to be worked  out as far as fit goes, which I hope to see fixed on the next version.  it is good at holding in the leaks and I think now it would fit a small baby just fine.

Remember when I did a video review of the BabyKicks Organic Fitted diaper?  You don’t?  Well if you haven’t seen it yet you can watch it here: BabyKicks Fitted Video Review.  I also would love to tell you about BabyKick’s own video review. They were able to show two more ways to use the diaper that I did not.  One for newborn baby boys and one for newborn baby girls.  The video is beautiful and you can see how versatile the diaper truly is.

Would you be interested in entering to win one?

The wonderful folks at BabyKicks are going to give one lucky reader 1 BabyKicks Organic Fitted and 3 Washies!

To Enter, first go to BabyKicks.com and look around. Come back telling me another great BabyKicks product you would be interested in trying, besides the Organic Fitted.

For Extra Entries you can:

FollowBabyKicksUSA on twitter. Leave a comment.

Become a fan of BabyKicks on Facebook. Leave a comment.

Follow my twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, “Another #clothdiapers giveaway from DDL @Kimrosas.  Enter to win a @babykicksusa Organic Fitted and 3 Washies.http://egfp5.th8.us”

Leave a comment with a link to your status.  You can tweet every day until the giveaway ends for 1 extra entry PER DAY.

Subscribe to my blog via email through feedburner. Leave a comment.

Follow me through Google Friend Connect or via a reader. Leave a comment.

Grab my button and post it on your blog. Leave a comment.

Blog about this giveaway. Post a link in the comment.

This giveaway is open to US Residents only.  Winner will be drawn using random.org.  Winner has 48 hours to get back to me after being contacted or a new winner will be drawn.  Ends Nov 30.

I first saw this diaper a couple of months ago.  I wasn’t sold on it because of the crazy colored snaps, it makes it look more complicated than it is (to me.)  I did know of the amazing reputation of BabyKicks for their super absorbent inserts and prefolds.  I got the diaper in the mail and after prepping ( a lot, remember, this is hemp.  A ten wash minimum before this puppy is ready for action.) and putting it on my son, I was in love with the fit.  And, in the morning, when there was no leak, I loved it more.  It is a great fitted for going coverless as well, if you are into that sort of thing. 

About BabyKicks, the company:

BabyKicks has been designing and manufacturing superior hemp diapering products in the USA since October 2000.  BabyKicks strongly believes in social responsibilities. As a result BabyKicks has started to move some of its production (particularly the cutting and sewing) to be done by local disabled workshops and we could not be happier with the quality and commitment.

What BabyKicks say about their diaper.

This fitted does it all and when we dreamed it up we had your baby’s comfort in mind. Our premier organic fitted is designed to be the only diaper needed from birth thru potty training. Made of luxurious 50% certified organic cotton for softness, 33% natural hemp for absorbency and durability, and 17%% polyester for stretch, this diaper will wrap around baby hugging every curve and keeping messes in. The diaper even comes with a free Joey-Bunz insert and the features include:

 Great Fit: This diaper will give you the flexibility you desire and your baby an amazing comfort and feel with its trim-fitting design – no bulkiness here – while providing a wonderful fit!

Side-Snapping Snaps: Side snaps make changing a breeze and eliminate wing droop. Fold the diaper inside the pocket for a trim fit on a newborn, or leave the waist snaps slightly loose for easy up and down on a potty training toddler (you can use this fitted as a training pant).

 Front Pocket: The unique front stuffing pocket allows for easy access and virtually eliminates insert shift. The pocket feature on this fitted gives you all the flexibility in the world to add as much (or as little) absorbency as your child needs – be it during the day with an added Joey-Bunz Insert or maybe at night with one of our ultra-absorbent Pre-Folds.

 One-Size Design: Our one size design grows with baby and this truly is the only diaper you will need! There is no need to figure out what size is right for your baby or worrying about your baby outgrowing the diapers you just bought. Our BabyKicks Organic Fitted fits newborns (7lbs/3.2 kg) to toddlers (40lbs/18kg) comfortably and securely. The color coded snap-sizing system makes adjusting and finding the right size and fit super-easy.

Ease of Use ✰✰✰✰ The diaper looks, um, imtimidating even to me. Something about the colored snaps makes it look harder. The reality isn’t bad at all. You only have to affix 4 snaps per diaper change. You won’t be needing to change the rise for each change, of course. And, if you are using it as a pull-up, which I haven’t tried since my son isn’t able to stand on his own, it is probably easier (or maybe harder depending on the child.) If you are shown how to size this diaper in person, as I was, to the preemie size, that is also easy, but possibly hard to explain in text. But of course, that is why I am here!
Bang for the Buck ✰✰✰ Hemp is a very expensive fabric because of the legal issues. It always has to be imported. The diaper costs 19.95. That is pretty pricey for a fitted. You can buy a pocket diaper that is waterproof and one size for less money. But, night time diapers, or diapers absorbent enough for night time, are usually pricier also. You are able to use this from 7 lbs (or less if you go with the unsnapped fold over technique), up to a 40 pounds toddler.
Performance ✰✰✰✰✰ With the hemp, cotton, and polyester (for stretch, makes a sung fit) combo, this diaper is a beast. I love it. It fits like a glove on my son, which means no leaks. And, it is super absorbent.
Fit ✰✰✰✰✰ Perfect, can’t complain a bit, and don’t see any issues with it fitting in the future. Adding stretch makes all the difference.

Overall:  This diaper is really great!  It does have a hefty price tag for a fitted, but the performance and fit make it well worth it.  It is better to invest in quality than quantity when it comes to diapers capable to working overnight.