Cloth Diaper Inserts - Helping You Understand Absorbency Options Inserts are designed to be stuffed into pocket diapers. They are usually rectangular and are made of absorbent material. Doublers are used with cloth diaper inserts to provide extra absorbency in a pocket diaper. While you can use two inserts, the extra bulk sometimes means the elastic doesn't fit snuggly around your baby's legs, leading to leaks, especially at night. Doublers are sometimes cut in an hourglass shape that reduces bulk around the legs. Other times, doublers are smaller rectangles and can be used as a newborn cloth diaper insert when the full-size insert is still too bulky for your tiny baby. Inserts and doublers can be made out of a variety of materials. Pocket diapers are designed with a stay-dry layer of fleece, Minky, microsuede, or other fabric that wicks moisture away from the baby. Because of this barrier, microfiber is a fairly common pocket diaper insert. You shouldn't place microfiber right next to your baby's skin (such as in AIOs and AI2s), since it can cause dryness and irritation. Cloth diaper inserts are often made of cotton, hemp, bamboo, microfiber, or Zorb. For soakers, the absorbent material is sometimes topped with microfleece (such as the Soft Bums Echo microfiber soaker), or cotton or bamboo velour. Sometimes it may feel like an uphill battle trying to find diaper accessories that work with cloth diapers. You might have tried to stuff them haphazardly into wet bags that were too small. Or the neatly prepared covers and inserts you preassembled in the morning ended up wrapped around your baby’s bottle once the daycare worker opened up the bag. You need a diaper pod. Diaper pods are rectangular, prism-shaped bags that are specifically made to hold folded cloth diapers. They typically store 6 to 14 cloth diapers stacked next to each other. These pods are lined with polyurethane laminate to make them waterproof. WHAT ARE DIAPER PODS USED FOR? You’ve tried carrying multiple cloth diapers in your diaper bag. You become frustrated while digging through to find the “right” one to change your baby into. If this sounds familiar, this diaper pod is for you. Most diaper bags are made to accommodate disposable diapers. Their pockets and meshes are just the right sizes to stash the perfect amount for a day out. ; Cloth diapering parents usually have to find their own bags/ containers for their clean and dirty diapers. Many times, diaper-sized wet bags won’t fit all of your cloth diapers. Regular wet bags also allow your diapers to bounce around the bag. This is inconvenient if you want to keep your loose inserts and liners prepped into diaper covers. ; Diaper pods solve this problem by allowing you to store many cloth diapers in an organized way. Diaper pods are square, tubular bags that hold cloth diapers stacked next to each other. Imagine traveling with your whole cloth diaper drawer. Life. Changing. These pods are typically around 12” long and 7” high. This shape keeps your diapers folded and prepped while on the go. These nifty bags feature one long zipper on the top and center, so you can see all of your folded diapers at once. Similar to wet bags, many diaper pods also have a PUL layer. Diaper pods are great for any style of cloth diaper. However, they shine when paired with diapers that have loose layers. Parents who favor diaper covers, loose inserts, and liners will enjoy that they can prep their diapers ahead of time. Then they can easily access them when needed for a quick diaper change with a squirmy baby. A breast pad ;is a protective pad (made of cloth or composite material) that is placed between your bra and your nipple to protect your clothing from milk leakage. What Are the Types of Breast Pads? Breast Pads can be classified into the lines of materials used to make them. 1. Disposable Breast Pads As the name suggests, these are made for single use only. Disposable pads usually contain a lining of plastic to prevent milk seepage. However, this makes them unsuitable for long-term use as they are convenient but expensive in the long run. 2. Reusable Breast Pads Reusable pads are thicker than the disposable kind. They are made of fabric and can be machine washed to use over and over. You will need lots of pairs of reusable pads if you opt for them, as some of them will inevitably be getting laundered while others are being used. They are cost-effective in the long run. 3. Silicone Breast Pads Silicone pads are thin and sticky – they adhere to your skin and do not require additional backup from a bra. They do not absorb milk leakage; instead, they apply pressure on the nipple to prevent it. These are specialized for use with dresses like sheer evening gowns and for physical activities like swimming. 4. Hydrogel Pads Hydrogel pads are used to soothe sore or bruised nipples. Similar to cold compression bags, these pads are cooled in the fridge or freezer and then placed over your nipples to provide relief. When and Why to Use Breast Pads Milk leakage occurs because your body is producing more than enough milk for your baby. Once your baby’s feeding times and amounts become regularised, instances of leakage go down significantly as your body adjusts its milk production accordingly. However, it could still occur due to emotional or physical triggers, as long as you are still lactating. What should I look for in a changing mat? Changing mats ;can cost anywhere from a few quid to close to ￡100, so it’s worth doing some research before you buy. It’s important to take your lifestyle into account: will you spend most of your time at home or are you always out and about? You can buy large changing mats that are perfectly at home in the nursery but aren’t so portable, or opt for handy roll-up options that you can stick in your handbag or use at home if you’re always out and about. You’ll probably need both unless you’re happy to use a portable changing mat at home, but many changing bags come with mats included, so check to avoid buying the same thing twice. Design is an important consideration, too: there are changing mats of all shapes, sizes, and colors out there, so consider whether you’d like a neutral look to blend into your home or a traffic-stopping design to take center stage in your nursery. How easy it will be to clean should also be a factor in your decision-making: some changing mats will need to be washed in the machine after an accident, whereas with others you’ll simply need to wipe them clean. There are so many options out there, each with its own perks, whether a memory-foam filling, raised sides to stop your baby rolling, or nifty compartments in which to store nappies: whatever your priorities and budget, you’ll find the changing mat for you in our handy roundup. An Introduction to Cloth Diapers Types of Cloth Diapers The traditional diapers that your grandparents used are still sold today! Made of absorbent fabric, this cloth diaper is only a single square layer, making it the cheapest and easiest to launder. These are rectangular cloths that are segmented into three parts where it’s thicker down the middle. There are different folding techniques recommended for boys and girls that have been catered to different ways urine normally flows in the diaper. Finally, a design that incorporates the ‘snappi’ and waterproof cover with the actual cloth diaper! The modernized cloth diaper comes with detachable inserts, without them, pocket diapers become useless. Although many parents swear by it, handling a wet insert can be gross for some and the additional inserts and diapers might be too bulky for a mum on the move. The AI2 is essentially a waterproof diaper cover with soakers. They are laid into the cover and come in direct contact with your baby. Once soiled, only the soakers have to be washed while the cover can be reused multiple times as long as there weren’t any leakages! The most expensive cloth diapers closely resemble disposable ones – there is no need for additional parts because everything has been integrated into one piece. The wear once and wash once the approach is extremely convenient even if it might take a while longer to dry!