What Is A Pocket Cloth Diaper?

What Is A Pocket Style Cloth Diaper?
A pocket diaper is a cloth diaper style that has a pocket opening between the outer waterproof fabric (PUL) and the inner fabric that touches baby so that you can place absorbent inserts inside. Pocket diapers may have the opening located at the front (like AMP Pocket Diapers), at the back (like a BumGenius or Blueberry diaper for example), in the middle (like an AppleCheeks diaper) or it might be open at both ends (like a Thirsties pocket diaper). Where the opening is doesn't really matter too much, that comes down to personal preference.
So, you stuff the absorbent insert of your choice into the pocket opening of the cloth diaper and put it on baby. Many pocket diaper brands have a stay dry microfleece, athletic wicking jersery (AWJ), or microsuede material on the inside next to baby's skin to wick away moisture and keep baby feeling dry like a disposable diaper would. This can help baby feel comfortable and keep rashes at bay for babies sensitive to wetness against the skin. However, for those who prefer natural fabrics, there are brands that have cotton or other natural fabrics as the layer touching the skin (like the Thirsties Natural Pocket Diaper for instance), so there are lots of options to choose from.
When it's time to change baby, you would remove the insert from the diaper and then place the insert and the pocket diaper shell into a wet bag for storage until wash day.
PROS of Pocket Diapers
- They are easy to use and readily available. Many brands make a pocket style diaper.
- Often come as a 'one size' pocket design with snaps in front that can adjust it to fit babies aprox. 8-35lbs, which is roughly birth right through to potty learning.
- You can customize what you put into them for absorbency to get just what your baby needs. Add a second insert for nighttime or a hemp booster for long trips out of the house for example.
- Mix and match; you don't necessarily have to use the same brand of insert with the corresponding brand of pocket diaper shell cover. You can use any kind of absorbent insert you want in your pockets. Use a prefold to stuff your pockets, add a pad folded flat diaper in there, or if you're on a tight budget, re-purpose some old flannel receiving blankets, flour sack towels or even old cotton t-shirts as your absorbency.
- They dry fast since they are two separate pieces.
CONS of Pocket Diapers
- Some parents don't enjoy having to stuff their pocket diapers before using them. (Fair enough, there are other styles of cloth diapers too, but stuffing them really isn't that bad)
- They may not work overnight. While you can add more absorbency into the pocket to meet your baby's needs, the limiting factor is the leg elastics. If you add so much absorbency that the bulk causes gapping at the leg, then you'll get a leak no matter how much you stuffed in there. If you need super absorbency for night time, a fitted might work better.
Pocket style cloth diapers are readily available from many different brands and are easy to use making them a great choice for diapering your baby.
Find many different brands of pocket diapers in stock in Canada at www.ClothDiaperKids.com