Everyone I talk cloth diapers with knows how smitten I am with the pocket variety.

But let me take a quick step back.

When I was a cloth diapering newbie and apparently had a lot more energy, I tried a bunch of different types of cloth diapers on my daughter. I tried AIOs, fitted diapers, prefolds with covers, and a few different brands of pocket diapers.

Pockets ended up being the clear winner in my book for their functionality and ease of use. A pocket diaper is comprised of two layers – a waterproof outer layer and a fleece (or other soft material) inner layer that sits next to the baby’s skin. The two layers are sewn together at the edges leaving a “pocket” that can be stuffed to provide the absorbency. And of course, FuzziBunz is my favorite of the pockets.

In my head, I had always known that pocket diapers could be extremely versatile, but it has only been recently that I’ve started to actually experiment with stuffing. And when you play around with the absorbency a little, it’s amazing how versatile they really can be.

So I thought I’d give a little run down of how you can stuff pocket diapers to get the most out of these hard working diapers:

• Microfiber inserts that come with the diapers. This is the obvious choice and the only thing I stuffed into diapers until recently. These guys definitely do the job, they fit the pocket perfectly and they have plenty of absorbency for a normal wetter if changed every two hours or so.
• Minky inserts. These are the new breed of inserts from FuzziBunz. They come with the One-Size Elites or you can buy a pack of the insert separately. And I love them. They absorb the same amount or more than the microfiber insert in a much slimmer package, making for a much trimmer profile on baby’s bum. They are billed as being odor resistant and I have to say that I have never had an odor problem with mine. I dream about replacing all of my inserts with these gems.
• All Natural Cotton or Hemp inserts. These natural fibers absorb a LOT of liquid with a very trim profile. And hemp is naturally antibacterial. They make great doublers because they are so thin. I personally have only tried hemp in my pocket diapers and they definitely don’t hold as much as the microfiber ones making for a couple of leaky situations.
• Pre-folds. Using good quality cotton prefolds in pocket diapers is a trick I’ve recently perfected in my pocket diapers. They are obviously not the trimmest option out there, but they saved me when I was fed up with stinky microfiber. I just folded the prefold and stuffed them into the pocket. For some reason, they never developed a stink and they wash up beautifully. And their absorbency is pretty amazing.
• Towels. Never tried it, but it just goes to show you that anything can be stuffed into pocket diapers. They are really just a way to hold the absorbency in place. So yes, absorbent hand towels (bought on sale or second hand, perhaps?), cut up receiving blankets or even old sweatshirts, tshirts, socks, make an easy emergency (or everyday!) alternative to specially-made inserts.
• Double-stuffed. Whatever you’re keen on stuffing into your pockets, don’t ever forget that you can always add absorbency (and perhaps add time between diaper changes?) by doubling up. Add a thin hemp or cotton insert underneath your regular microfiber friend and you’ve added a ton of extra “space” for liquids without increasing the size of your baby’s behind (much). Or two microfibers. Or two Minkies. Or a Minky and a microfiber. The possibilities are endless, so if you’re having leak issues (maybe your baby is finally sleeping through the night but now wakes up wet?), try a doubler. You can thank me later. ☺

What do you stuff into your pocket diapers? Which of these methods works best for you?

Photo Credit: Life As You Live It.