Pocket Diapers: A Review

The majority of my cloth diapering stash is made up of prefold diapers which I find convenient, easy to clean and very economical. However a few months ago I decided to buy a few Pocket Diapers to use at night. Pocket diapers are almost like an All-in-One (AIO) diaper except they have an opening at the back where you put an insert that absorbs wetness and can then be easily removed for cleaning and drying. The whole diaper fits on with either snap fasteners or Velcro and is as easy to put on as any disposable…unlike the prefolds there’s no origami involved!

After the great success we had with cloth diapering at night using the Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers I decided to get a few more. To compare and contrast some different brands I ordered a Sampler Pack of 4 from Cloth Diaper Outlet. Here’s my review of the selection we now have.

Fuzzi Bunz Perfect Fit

These came highly recommended for use at nights and so far they have not disappointed us. I use two per night and have experienced only a few leaks on nights when baby is very wet.

The Fuzzi Bunz come in a four different sizes: Extra Small (4-12lbs) Small ( 7-18lbs) Medium (15-30lbs) Large (25-45+lbs). They are fastened with a row of two snaps in a V shape and can be easily adjusted to get the perfect fit for the baby. Our baby is rather long and slim so she still wears her medium-sized Fuzzi Bunz on the tightest fit which means we have plenty of growing room. Fuzzi Bunz one-sized diapers are also now available which fit babies from 7-35lbs. Fuzzi Bunz come in a wide range of colours and they also have some very lovely daisy patterned designs too which are really cute.

Each Fuzzi Bunz comes with its own insert made from microfiber. These are thick which means good absorbency but the downside is they can take a long time to dry, especially naturally on the line. While the rest of the diaper dries fairly fast on a sunny afternoon, the inserts can take all day and night!

Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers are a good fit and very well designed and made. I highly recommend Fuzzi Bunz for anyone interested in cloth diapering at night and of course for daytimes too.

Happy Heinys

The Happy Heiny’s are a one-size diaper with four rows of fasteners on the front so it can be folded and adjusted to the size of a baby from 8-35lbs. This is a great way to save some money as this, one size diaper should theoretically last from newborn right through to potty training.

The Happy Heinys fasten at the front with a thick strip of Velcro that is secured on the inside. There is also a short strip of Velcro on the outside of the diaper so it can be worn tighter to fit a small baby. I find the design really simple, easy to use and effective.

The diaper comes accompanied by two inserts – one small and one large to fit the various sizes. These are microfiber but are a little thinner than the Fuzzi Bunz which yields a slightly faster drying time.

The Happy Heinys come in a good choice of 22 bright and pastel colours and have some really fun designs too including monkeys and bananas, bears with peace signs and cow patterns! I really like this diaper and it is definitely on my wish list for more.

Knickernappies 2G

The Knickernappies are a simple designed pocket diaper with a super soft micro-fleece lining. They fasten on each side using a parallel row of 2 snap fasteners and are easily adjustable to fit varying baby sizes. This diaper comes in three different sizes – small (5-15lbs) medium (13-28+lbs) and large (25-35+ lbs) Knickernappies have also just released a one-size version with four size adjustments that can fit babies from 8-40lbs.

The inserts are definitely my favourite of all. The Knickernappies LoopyDo insert is a clever invention which is basically like two inserts sewn together at each end to make an open space in the middle. The outside is microfiber with the inner part made of a hemp/cotton blend. I find that these are the most absorbable inserts by far and even after a heavy soaking the inserts keep all the moisture tucked away and the baby still feels dry to the touch.

The Knickernappies are available in a range of plain pastel and bright colours. I really like the simplicity of this diaper design and it fits well. I think overall this one is my favourite Pocket Diaper and it will be the first one I buy again.

Bum Genius 3.0

The Bum Genius are another one-size diaper to last for the duration of a baby’s diaper days with three rows of adjustable front snappers and Velcro fastening to adjust for babies 7-35lbs. I personally find the Velcro fastening tabs to be quite short and I don’t like the fact that it leaves the Velcro exposed on the outside which then rubs against my clothing when I’m holding the baby. She also very curious and this has been the one pocket diaper that she can open. On the positive side I find that they do give a nice trim fit.

The inside of the diaper where the inserts are stuffed is slightly different from the others as it has a covered insert opening. This is said to keep baby dry and prevent leaks from the top but we have yet to have that problem with any of the others and I personally find it a little more difficult to stuff in the inserts with this feature.

The Bum Genius comes with two microfiber inserts; a small and a medium/large. The latter has a couple of snap fasteners to adjust the size which is handy. The Bum Genius comes in a range of colours but these are more limited when compared with the selections of the others.

I have read some glowing reviews of the Bum Genius diapers from other Mamas but overall they are my least favourite of all the brands of pocket diapers.

So there you have it a quick review of just four types of pocket diapers. There are loads more available on the market today and I hope to be able to sample a few more varieties in the future. I’m really interested to hear your feedback and please send in your recommendations for any others you have tried successfully.

Although it is a bit of an extra cash outlay to buy pocket diapers compared with prefolds, I’m really happy with the investment.  Each of these pocket diapers are well made and will last through several babies! Pocket diapers are fantastic for use at night, on car journeys and when out and about with little time and space for diaper changes. They are also very user friendly for Dads, Granny’s and babysitters. I recently read a review from a lady who even persuaded her day care centre to try them out with great success. By using these types of diapers along with the prefolds we are now completely 100% cloth diapering and totally disposable free which is truly an Eco-mama’s delight!