Nov
18
Filed Under Cloth Diapering, Green Mama, Product Reviews
Before my son was born I really wanted to use cloth diapers, but I hesitated because my family said that it was such a hassle and well… they didn’t want to use them when they watched my son. After about 9 months the smell of the disposable diapers really got to me and the gel pellets that were left behind from the ones that didn’t smell, horrified me. So I began transitioning to cloth diapers. I started out with a couple of All-in-One diapers that are great but I couldn’t afford to stock up on them so I tried pre-folds.
At first I was intimidated by pre-folds because I didn’t know how to fold them but folding is easy. I went back and forth trying to decide what kind of diaper cover to use but ultimately wool won me over since it is a natural fiber. I love them! All of the wool covers that I have tried keep my son’s clothing dry if I change him regularly during the day (at least every 2 hours). He does sleep in them at night for 11 hours and his clothes are fine in the morning. Sometimes I put a doubler in at night, but most of the time I don’t because it makes his diaper so big. He does fine either way.
About wool:
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Wool can absorb lots of moisture without feeling wet.
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Lanolizing wool helps it resist moisture.
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Wool breathes so it doesn’t get too hot or cold.
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Wool does have an odor after washing but it goes away when it is dry.
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Wool covers must be lanolized before use.
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Wool covers only have to be washed about once a week unless they get soiled.
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Wool is a renewable resource.
If you decide to try wool covers be sure and measure your child to get a good fit. I found out the hard way (YUK). Another must is finding a good pre-fold, flat or fitted diaper to use under the wool cover. I’ve tried the Indian pre-folds, Blue Penguin’s Snap on Prefold Hemp Diaper and Firefly’s flat diapers and all work for me.
Little Beetle Merino Wool Jersey Cover: I only use this cover at night and only if it is my last resort. I purchased it in aplix (Velcro) and wished I had purchased it with the snaps as my son has figured out how to take it off. The legs are elastic. The aplix sticks out underneath clothes and is very bulky. I think my son really needed a smaller size but I went by the weight only. Hopefully as he grows we can use this one more. This cover is made from organic wool so that is a plus in my book. I purchased mine from betterforbabies.com and the customer service is great. They also have shorts and pants that I plan to try.
Loveybums Organic Wool Cover: I really like this cover, it is organic and made in the USA. I use this with Indian pre-folds and the hemp pre-folds. My favorite part about this one is that it isn’t as thick as the Little Beetle so it doesn’t look as bulky under clothes. The snaps around the waist are great and it is easy to tighten and the sides don’t stick out. There is elastic around the legs. Low impact dyes are used so you have some color options. You can purchase this at loveybums.com and can get 15% off by using the code SAFEMAMA at checkout.
Loveybums Pull-up Wool Cover: This is my second go to cover. I really love that I can just put on a pre-fold and pull these up. No snaps or aplix to mess with. I have noticed that around the waist these can stretch out but washing will tighten it back up. This one isn’t organic but they are made in the USA. Color options (with low impact dyes) are available. You can purchase this at loveybums.com and can get 15% off by using the code SAFEMAMA at checkout.
Firefly Easy Wool Diaper Cover: I love this cover. I’ve tried the Organic Natural version but I’m about to purchase one in the sea green color. Low-impact dyes are used for coloring. There are snaps at the waist AND at the legs so there are no gaps. Firefly’s flat diapers work great with this cover as well as any of the others I’ve tried. I recommend hand washing and air drying all wool covers but I’ve accidentally machine washed and dried this cover twice and it is still in great condition…not too bulky under clothes either. You can purchase this at fireflydiapers.com and can get $2.00 off any Easy Wool cover until the end of November by using the code EASY02 at checkout.
Things to remember about wool covers:
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Lanolize
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Hand wash and air dry
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Need a good fit
All of the companies that I have ordered from have been very helpful and have answered all my questions so don’t hesitate to call them if you need assistance.
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- SafeMama Review: Nature’s Babycare diapers
