Post may contain affiliate links. You may have noticed that most cloth diaper types sound exactly like their name . . . Well pocket diapers are no exception! This type of cloth diaper has a pocket sewn in making it possible to add whatever type of insert or soaker you want inside. Pocket Cloth Diapers are a favorite among many cloth diapering moms because you get to choose what type of insert goes in, the absorbency, and thickness. Pocket diapers come in a variety of price ranges and can be very affordable!
How Pocket Diapers Work!
There are many different styles of pocket diapers (which we will dive into in the video) but the concept is pretty simple. The pocket diaper generally features a flap or pocket that you will insert a soaker, doubler or whatever you want. Most pocket diapers will come with their own insert but you can use whatever you like.
Advantages of the pocket!
Customizable: The main advantage of the pocket diaper is that you can customize it to fit your baby’s needs. For example, If you want to put your child down for a nap you can double up by adding two soakers. This also goes for nights or long road trips. You control what type of materials go inside and how much. If you want a trimmer fit while still maintaining the absorbency you can add a thin hemp or bamboo insert. This is where pocket diapers have an advantage over the all in one diaper. AIO diapers have the soakers already attached so you can’t change them. I have a few AIO DIAPERS I love but I wish the soakers where made from a different material. With the pocket cloth diaper you can choose exactly what materials you want because YOU have the control!
Easier to spray: You may argue that you can do the same thing with a cover or wrap by adding whatever soaker or insert you want. This may be true but if your baby is 100% breastfed, the poo will run all over the place. It will get on your soakers or prefolds and sometimes get all over the gussets of your covers. So instead of just spraying off one part of the diaper, you end up spraying the PreFold or soaker and then the cover. With a pocket diaper you just spray off one piece and it’s much easier. Your soaker is inside the diaper and won’t be touched by the actual poo. You can also remove the soakers before you spray if you want. I like to keep mine in because it stiffens the pocket diaper making it easier to spray off. {Side Note: you don’t have to spray your cloth diapers if your baby is 100% breastfed because the poo is water soluble and will come out in the washing machine. I chose to spray them anyway to prevent stains and stink. You do not have to use a diaper sprayer until they get on solids!} If you want to learn more about a diaper sprayer and how it works, check out my vlog on How To Make A DIAPER SPRAYER.
Affordable: You can find pocket diapers in many different price ranges which is great if you are on a budget! Alva, and Sunbaby Diapers are some great examples of affordable pocket diapers. I haven’t tried Alva yet but I have heard good things about them. I love my Sunbaby pocket diaper in stars, it’s so patriotic! One good thing about the cheaper pocket diapers is you can usually find them in a wide variety of patterns and prints. Another way you can save by using pockets is by stuffing them with prefold diapers. My son is just about to grow out of his prefolds so I can extend the life of them by starting to use them as “inserts” in my pocket diapers. Long live the PREFOLD CLOTH DIAPER! 😉
Easy To Clean: With the pocket cloth diaper you get the option of seperating the inside from the cover which is fantastic for cleaning. For example, you might want to bleach your inserts but not the cover, or maybe you want to tumble dry your soakers but hang dry the covers. You can be more delicate with the cover (extending its life) and clean the soakers as thoroughly as needed. AIO diapers are all sewn in together so however you choose to wash and dry them will affect the entire diaper. Personally, I like to hang dry my pocket diaper covers and toss my inserts in the dryer.
Types of Pocket Diapers
There are many different types of pocket diapers that all do the same basic thing but function a little differently. You can purchase a pocket in a ONE SIZE OR SIZED OPTION or in snaps, velcro, and so on. Pocket diapers have an open flap either in the back, middle or front side. Most of the time the flap is in the back but I have a couple pocket cloth diapers that are open on both ends. There are advantages and disadvantages to each different type of flap which we will dive into in this short video.
Disadvantages of the Pocket Diaper
Some People choose to remove the inserts right before doing laundry so they spend 5 minutes doing that before they toss the load in. Have you ever smelled a load of dirty cloth diapers that have been sitting for 2-3 days??? I say no thank you to that and I remove the soiled insert right after I take the diaper off. Then on laundry day I toss all of the diapers into the washer as fast as possible and begin sanitizing those babies!
Because of the time it takes to stuff and un-stuff I chose not to go with all pocket cloth diapers. I like having a variety anyway with a few pocket diapers to compliment my stash. If you are a working mom and don’t have as much time I would suggest going with ALL IN ONE’S or HYBRID STYLE cloth diapers. Also if you are looking to invest in a newborn stash I would recommend going with prefolds, fitteds or AIO cloth diapers. Newborn pocket diapers are smaller and harder to get your hand into to stuff. I also recommend trying out a variety to see what you like before diving into one type of cloth diaper or particular brand. What works for me may not work for you so trying out a diaper service is a good idea, especially if you are just getting started with cloth. Some people LOVE pocket diapers and that is the only system they use but I enjoy variety so the choice is up to you. Different strokes for different folks!
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