More stuffing help required

I'm getting there but very slowly.

Have started to build up a stash of pocket nappies for Cole.

I have a Funky Nappy (and more on the way), Wee Notions side snapper (and more on the way), an Upsy Daisy on the way and a Slinki Minki which I hope to use at night. Also have some Pocket Bots and am considering getting some more new ones.

My problem is still which inserts to use.

I've got some microfibre inserts which I bought following a recommendation on here. They're quite thick though and I'm wondering whether they are too thick for what I need them for. They seem very bulky. I was hoping that they would just be a thinnish layer to go over the top of either a hemp insert or a bamboo insert to quickly absorb the wee before it then gets soaked up by the second insert. That's what I need them to be isn't it? Rather than them being the main absorbant material - have I got that right?

What I'd like to use really in my pocket nappies is a bamboo insert with a microfibre one on top. As I live in a hard water area and don't have a tumble dryer I think that the hemp boosters I've got will stay too cardboard-like. The thing I'm struggling with is that all the inserts I've now got (Easy Peasy Hemp, Funky Nappy Microfibre, unbranded microfibre, some other hemp inserts which are more shaped) is that they all vary so much in their sizes.

I've noticed that a lot of them are too narrow to fit right across the pocket of most of my nappies - this is going to cause a problem with leaking/wicking isn't it? I'm right in thinking that the inserts need to fit the width of the pocket and the length pretty much completely and not bunch up either?

Are the flat inserts that you fold into three a better option? I'm wondering whether this would be better for us as we have such a variety of nappies (they're all slightly different in their sizing - some have wider crotch bits than others, some have slightly longer pockets than others).

Would either bamboo squares or similar be a better bet than layered inserts that are overlocked round the edges? Do they allow for more 'adjustability' of width?

My other query, and I don't know if this is just me not being used to using pocket nappies on such a young baby (he's 15 weeks on Friday) is that I find with a hemp insert and a microfibre insert on top it makes the nappy very stiff. Once he's got it on he can hardly bend!!

Would bamboo be a better bet for a more 'flexible' nappy? Hope this is making sense to someone.

Something else which I've found which has upset the apple cart is the sizing of inserts. Why on earth do inserts get sold suggesting that a size large will be fine for medium and large nappies?! The inserts are always an inch or two too long for the length of the pocket opening. So don't sell them as suitable for mediums!!!!

Not that important in the grand scheme of things I admit but I've got to either hold onto the inserts I've bought for when he's in large pockets, sell them on or cut the ends off them to make them fit my mediums.

Gah! Never thought it would be so difficult to get it all right. He's still in disposables most of the time as I don't have enough nappies/inserts to get him back into cloth fulltime.

Somebody sort me out! I'm getting so confused by it all.




Helen xx

Hi Helen

sounds like you have got a bit bogged down by it hun

I mainly use bamboo and microfibre in all my pockets (from size small when they were in them, now in mediums and I was using them in my sons larges until the other month when he potty trained)

Basically I use either a petits dessous super bamboo (long insert that I fold in half), or a 40cm x 40cm (anything bigger than this pokes out of the back of the pocket and is too bulky if folded in half again) bamboo terry square folded to fit, with a microfibre insert on top of it (the microfibre become flatter when washed if you see what I mean?). This kind of combination works just fine for us at all times and has so far fitted well into all our nappies.

I also have used 2 of the bamboo squares and nothing else and this is great too! I also use 1 bamboo square or 1 microfibre insert with a hemp one underneath and this is good too (although I am not really a fan of hemp as like you I find it stiff, even though I tumble dry it )

If your son isn't a very heavy wetter and you change frequently you may be able to get away with just using a mocrofibre insert on it's own during the day for the time being (I say may as we only got away with that for around 8 weeks!)

I love the bamboo fabric for its flexibility (however a friend of mine is the opposite and prefers stiffer fabric and finds the bamboo too squishy).

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that some things work for some people and not for others!

feel free to ask away and i really hope you manage to settle on your ideal inserts very soon!

jan x

Hi,

I also use lots of different types of pockets and lots of types of insert. I would agree with Jan that it's v much personal preference. I would try some combos out and see what works for you.
Don't worry too much about the inserts being a perfect fit. I find that it's not a problem if the insert is a little bit too short or too narrow, but is important that it's not too wide to avoid bunching. It sounds like you want something slim so hemp is good for that, but I live in a v hard water area and it does go a bit cardboardy. Bamboo stays nice and soft though.
With the microfibre bulk, you could try just wrapping a hemp or bamboo insert in a cheapo microfibre cleaning cloth - this will help make narrow inserts wider too. I find bumgenius inserts the only ones that last a reasonable amount of time on their own.
Hope that helps a bit.
Laura

find bumgenius inserts the only ones that last a reasonable amount of time on their own.
Hope that helps a bit.
Laura

I mean the only microfibre ones that last

Hi,

I also use lots of different types of pockets and lots of types of insert. I would agree with Jan that it's v much personal preference. I would try some combos out and see what works for you.
Don't worry too much about the inserts being a perfect fit. I find that it's not a problem if the insert is a little bit too short or too narrow, but is important that it's not too wide to avoid bunching. It sounds like you want something slim so hemp is good for that, but I live in a v hard water area and it does go a bit cardboardy. Bamboo stays nice and soft though.
With the microfibre bulk, you could try just wrapping a hemp or bamboo insert in a cheapo microfibre cleaning cloth - this will help make narrow inserts wider too. I find bumgenius inserts the only ones that last a reasonable amount of time on their own.
Hope that helps a bit.
Laura

Can you buy the Bumgenius ones separately somewhere? I've only ever seen them with the Bumgenius nappies.

I keep finding that his nappies wick round the leg holes - even on poly pul ones. Is it the inserts not being enough that is causing this?


Helen xx

I keep finding that his nappies wick round the leg holes - even on poly pul ones. Is it the inserts not being enough that is causing this?

do you use the vest/bodysuits that popper inbetween his legs? if they are a little too tight there they can squash the nappy, which in turn will squeeze the wee out of the inserts and cause leaks! Also if his trousers are a little tight/small around the nappy the same thing can happen (I found these were the main cause fo leaks/wicking when ds1 was small!)

jan x

Don't know if this helps but my weenotions are all stuffed with weenotions fold in three inserts - one side bamboo and one side microfibre. That's a good combination for us.

I have a poly pocket bot and the easy peasy hemp insert fits that really well and I put either a microfibre square or a microfibre cleaning cloth in there.

I use Tesco's value microfibre cloths as wipes and for stuffing / boosting - they were 89p for 3 when I bought them!

Have you got the legs tight enough? Can they go one tighter or one looser? Definitely lose the popper vests - we haven't had as many problems since we stopped with them.

HTH!

Hi Helen

sounds like you have got a bit bogged down by it hun

I mainly use bamboo and microfibre in all my pockets (from size small when they were in them, now in mediums and I was using them in my sons larges until the other month when he potty trained)

Basically I use either a petits dessous super bamboo (long insert that I fold in half), or a 40cm x 40cm (anything bigger than this pokes out of the back of the pocket and is too bulky if folded in half again) bamboo terry square folded to fit, with a microfibre insert on top of it (the microfibre become flatter when washed if you see what I mean?). This kind of combination works just fine for us at all times and has so far fitted well into all our nappies.

I also have used 2 of the bamboo squares and nothing else and this is great too! I also use 1 bamboo square or 1 microfibre insert with a hemp one underneath and this is good too (although I am not really a fan of hemp as like you I find it stiff, even though I tumble dry it )

If your son isn't a very heavy wetter and you change frequently you may be able to get away with just using a mocrofibre insert on it's own during the day for the time being (I say may as we only got away with that for around 8 weeks!)

I love the bamboo fabric for its flexibility (however a friend of mine is the opposite and prefers stiffer fabric and finds the bamboo too squishy).

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that some things work for some people and not for others!

feel free to ask away and i really hope you manage to settle on your ideal inserts very soon!

jan x

Hi, Jan

You're right, I'm well and truly bogged down by it all!

I'm thinking bamboo is the way to go really as the water is just so hard in our area. I'm not that impressed with the hemp boosters I've got as they make his nappies so stiff he really can't move in them. It's hard to strap him in his carseat!!

He's a fairly heavy wetter but drinks gallons of formula at the moment so is bound to wee for England.

I'm going to invest in some bamboo inserts and see how we go. May have to flog the hemp ones to fund them.

Thanks



Helen xx

Hi,

I also use lots of different types of pockets and lots of types of insert. I would agree with Jan that it's v much personal preference. I would try some combos out and see what works for you.
Don't worry too much about the inserts being a perfect fit. I find that it's not a problem if the insert is a little bit too short or too narrow, but is important that it's not too wide to avoid bunching. It sounds like you want something slim so hemp is good for that, but I live in a v hard water area and it does go a bit cardboardy. Bamboo stays nice and soft though.
With the microfibre bulk, you could try just wrapping a hemp or bamboo insert in a cheapo microfibre cleaning cloth - this will help make narrow inserts wider too. I find bumgenius inserts the only ones that last a reasonable amount of time on their own.
Hope that helps a bit.
Laura

Hi, Laura

I think I'll invest in some bamboo inserts and see how those compare to the hemp. Poor little man can hardly bend to fit in his carseat when I'm using the hemp boosters.


Thanks


Helen xx