Cloth Diapers: Know your STUFF

This post is written for the MCNP EB/Expo Blog Carnival with the theme "The Modern Cloth Nappy: The Practical Choice for Moms Today"  We aim to share and spread the knowledge and encourage moms to switch to cloth diapers.  Please scroll below to read the other carnival posts about switching to cloth, cloth diaper styles or preferred diaper for specific times. 



These are the different inserts we have used in our cloth diapers and how and when we use them. We mainly use a pocket diaper for our baby. A pocket cloth diaper is one of the many kinds of cloth diaper system used today. Here’s a post listing a few of the Cloth Diaper systems.

Let’s start off with your regular 3layer microfiber inserts – used mainly during the day and usually comes as a set when you purchase a pocket diaper. It’s composed of 3 layers of very absorbent cotton terry, not unlike the ones used to make your bath towels. This is used to stuff inside the pocket diaper but not to be laid on top of the diaper and against baby’s skin because it pulls moisture away and will definitely dry out baby’s bum. This lasts for about 2-3 hours depending on how much your baby pees.

Bamboo inserts – these are made of organic fabrics (bamboo) and comes in 2 or 3 layers. The best thing about this insert is that it’s organic and can be placed on top of your pocket diaper rather than stuffing it inside. It’s safe to be against your baby’s skin so this can also be used for your covers and AI2, but of course, it’s not stay-dry. Bamboo boasts of its great absorbing qualities while still maintaining thinness, therefore it won’t make your diaper too bulky.

These are great as doublers/boosters (paired with a 3-layer microfiber insert) in your nighttime diaper for not so heavy wetters.

Bamboo and microfiber combo – these inserts are fairly new. They’re made up of 2 layers bamboo on the outside and 2 layers microfiber on the inside, making it a 4layer insert. I used this when my baby became a heavy wetter. But it’s also great for trips to the grocery because they last about 3-4 hours.

Bamboo Charcoal inserts – this is composed of 2 layers of Charcoal Bamboo Fleece covering both sides and
3 layers of Microfiber inside. They're perfect for covers or hybrids because unlike the typical bamboo inserts, these are stay-dry.
They're supposedly anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and all the stuff bamboo fabrics are known for. While it's true that it's highly absorbent, they don't hold much. I think that’s because the only thing holding the liquid is the 3layer microfiber fabric.

Hemp inserts – these are another one of your organic fiber inserts. These are the best for your heavy wetters and nighttime solutions. But if you’re only using the 3layer hemp inserts, you’ll need a microfiber or bamboo insert on top because although they hold a lot of liquid, it’s slow to absorb it. Unless it’s made with cotton jersey (hemp/cotton jersey combo) then you can use it alone.

Out of all the ones above, my fave would be the bamboo/microfiber combo for everyday and hemp inserts as my nighttime doubler/booster.
My favorite system to use is the pocket diaper since this is the most versatile. You can customize it to fit your needs (i.e. stuff microfiber inserts for daytime or add an extra bamboo insert with the microfiber insert for a nighttime solution).

I’m sure there’s a lot more inserts out there but I haven’t tried all of them yet. What inserts have you tried and on what cloth diaper have you tried them on? Which one is your favorite?

Don’t forget to visit all the other links included in the carnival!


Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: What's in our diaper bag? 
Buntis: The Art or cloth diapering
Ms. Masungit: Cloth diapering away from home.
Adventures on Planet Mom: Adventures of a cloth diaper skeptic.
Changing nappies in high heels: Why Cloth Diapers?
Kingdom Cow: Why We Chose Cloth: The Benefits of Using Cloth Diapers 
Ash N' Boo's The Modern Cloth Nappy: The Practical Choice for Moms Today

If you'd like to learn more about cloth diapers, join us at the first ever MCNP Grand EB and Expo on March 24. Click the banner below to learn more.