Friday, December 3, 2010

The Bare Butt Basics part 1

Although cloth diapers haven't become nearly as popular as I hope they eventually will become, they are on an upswing. Many many people have been making the switch over to cloth and many companies have been trying to cash in on this upswing. There are literally hundreds of different brands out there, all claiming to have found the miracle solution to keeping urine absorbed and poop contained. For someone just starting out in cloth, this glut of choices can be overwhelming. For every positive review of a brand, you can usually find someone who says it wasn't their favorite. Some cloth diaper users pick one brand and stick with that, others like variety and try a little from different brands. Some people use only one type of diaper, others use different styles for different occasions. Even within families there are often differences of opinion on which diapers are the best.


I have a dozen or so different brands in my stash and a number of different styles of diapers. For me having variety keeps me happy. Out of my diapers I do have some favorites, but often what I like the best, changes. I enjoy trying out new things and cloth diapers have become a bit of a hobby. I can honestly say though that every diaper in my stash has been used at least once in the last week. Even my least favorite diapers get used from time to time. Some work better than others, but in the end they all do their job.


There are basically 2 (or 3) parts to every diaper, no matter what brand or style. I say "or 3", because the 3rd part is really a choice and isn't used all the time.

First, and most importantly, there is something that absorbs liquid. Many materials are used for this purpose, including natural fibres and synthetic ones. The amount of liquid the material holds (often referred to as how thirsty it is) differs with different fabrics. Cotton is the fabric many of our grandparents used, and it still works wonderfully. Bamboo and hemp have become popular recently too for those who like a natural fabric and both are more absorbant than cotton. Opinions differ about which is more thirsty and which causes less harm to the environment to produce. Some countries don't allow hemp due to the plant resembling another type of plant so closely, so some companies don't use it. Microfibre inserts are also very popular, especially because they are so fast to absorb liquid, which is a plus in preventing leaks. Once again, every cloth diaper user will tell you what their favorite type of absorbing material is, and there will be someone who loves every type for different reasons. Often different brands will use a combination of different materials in their absorbant layers. The amount of absorbant material needed in a diaper changes depending on the age and the peeing habits of the baby and on how long the diaper will be left on. There are products that have been designed to add extra absorbency to diapers as needed. It is always a balancing act to find the right amount of absorbant material needed to do the job, while keeping the diaper from becoming too huge (or fluffy as many cloth users will call it).


The 2nd important part is something to create a barrier between the absorbant material and the outside world (clothes, laps, bedding, car seats, the floor etc.). This is where cloth diapers have come a long way. I remember seeing in a museum a leather thong type device and being told it was a diaper. Humans, since deciding that allowing babies to pee and poop wherever they wanted was kind of messy, have created devices to keep their babies waste contained. This leather device probably worked wonderfully to keep some type of absorbant material in place. Covered with animal fats, it would have been pretty waterproof and flexible. Our grandparents (or maybe great grandparents, parents or yourself depending on who is reading this) used "plastic pants" over cotton diapers for their kids, which were probably easier to keep clean than a leather thong, but were not very breathable and probably not the most comfortable. The majority of diapers today are made of a fabric (often called PUL) which looks like a cloth fabric coated on one side with a soft, flexible, waterproof material. This barrier layer comes in many different colors and prints. Another option (though not waterproof, only water resistant) is to use wool or fleece covers. Wool covers are usually either knitted or sewn from wool interlock fabric. Some companies specialize in felting wool sweaters and sewing the recycled wool into covers. These can be the size of the diaper, called soakers, slightly longer, called shorties, or in the style of pants, called longies. Wool requires extra care, but is a natural barrier that many cloth diaper users prefer. Fleece (the same fabric used in polar fleece jackets) is also water resistant and makes a nice, soft, breathable and easily washable cover. Occasionally babies are allowed to go "coverless" which means they only wear the absorbant layer. This allows more air to get to the skin. It is necessary to keep a close eye on their butts though and to change them quickly as soon as the absorbant material becomes damp.

The third part of a diaper is a liner that goes between the absorbant material and the babies skin. This is not always needed as often the absorbant material is safe and comfortable to have next to the skin. If using natural fibres, such as cotton,hemp or bamboo many people choose to skip a liner. If using microfibre a liner is needed as microfibre next to the skin is too drying and will suck the moisture from your babies skin, creating a chapped bum. There are a number of different types of liners. Some people use a disposable liner (often flushable) in their diapers. They find this helps them to clean up poop more easily. Many diapers come with built in liners, sewn on top of the absorbant layer, or creating a pocket with the outside barrier layer to be stuffed with absorbant material. There are also cloth liners on the market which are designed to be placed inside the diaper before it is fastened on. Many liners are made of microfleece or microsuede (not microfibre or a polar fleece) This thin fabric is designed to wick moisture away from the skin onto the absorbent layer, giving babies a stay dry feeling.

These 3 parts of diapers, made of so many different materials, are combined to create a diaper that absorbs liquids, and keeps solids contained. How they are put together depends on the type of diaper. The part 2 of this post I will attempt to explain some of the different combinations on the market.

1 comment:

  1. Ahh... Great intro post. This is what I needed a few months ago. Even now, when I have gone from knowing nothing to knowing loads, it is nice to read your lovely logical summary and pull it all together.

    This page is being sent to my husband - cheats guide. ;-)

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