Snappis?

[heatherweh]

I'm not loving my snappi fasteners and am wondering if I'm doing something wrong or if maybe its a different issue, like incorrect diaper sizing? I feel like the snappi is just hanging on the edges of the diaper (prefolds) on the corners, like I can never get that diaper snug enough around DS's hips to get a nice overlap, but meanwhile the diaper is more than tall enough and usually has to be folded over in front. If I use a bigger diaper size, then I have to fold the diaper down in front and it is quite bulky, then I feel like the snappi is just hanging on the outside layer and not really snug or secure enough. If I really stretch that snappi out so that it is more at the hips of the baby than the groin area, I worry that it will poke through the fabris because obviously just one layer at the hip point. I usually do the angel wing fold (or my sloppy version of it) incidentally and I have snappi sizes 1 and 2.

[Logan]

I would love to hear the responses to this as well. The snappis on my two week old are stretched to the limit to make it from one side to the other across her hips. And as far as I know there is no such thing as sized snappis here, certainly hasnt been any choice in size when Ive ordered them. What am I doing wrong?

[veedeepee]

Yeah! I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue...people seem to love Snappis, but I can't get them to work right.

I have very little overlap at the hip to work with. It seems that I have to stretch the Snappi so tight on my 4 month old that it creates a lot of downward pressure. I worry that it's squishing his penis, as it really feels like it's pressing down when I stick my finger in the diaper. What's the deal?

I bought some pins the other day, but those seem difficult to use, also (hard to get the pin through all that cotton).
:

[poiyt]

I cant seem to picture the problem...can some post a pic...then hopefully I can help.

[dagny.galt]

On the pins...when not in use, do you keep them in a bar of soap? If not, try it, it makes a big difference. I pin my homemade RRPs, and since I made them with a layer of T-shirt on the inside they're really tough to pin unless I keep the pins in a bar of Ivory. Any bar soap will do, really; it makes them just glide right through even thick layers.

On the Snappi, I had that problem with the newborn prefolds I bought used, but not with the GMD yellow edges my 2mo ds wears now when he's not in the RRPs. So it might be the diaper width, not the Snappi that's the problem.

ETA...the newborns were easier to Snappi when I started using the twist instead of angel-wing folding them.

[veedeepee]

On the pins...when not in use, do you keep them in a bar of soap? If not, try it, it makes a big difference. I pin my homemade RRPs, and since I made them with a layer of T-shirt on the inside they're really tough to pin unless I keep the pins in a bar of Ivory. Any bar soap will do, really; it makes them just glide right through even thick layers.

I tried stabbing the pins into a bar of soap...didn't help. Perhaps I don't need to catch every layer of the fabric? Does the pin need to go all the way through all layers?

As for the Snappi, perhaps the ones I have are to narrow? When Snappi-ing or pinning, I'm using the red edge prefolds from GMD...on a 4 month old who is 16 lbs. Normally I use a smaller size prefold in a cover (when I'm not fastening). The red edge ones are pretty large...but I still don't have a lot to bring around from the back. I have to fan out the trifolded part of the diaper in the front in order to get it to meet the wings from the back (i.e., the wings from the back don't make it around to the trifolded part in the front).

[mommajb]

I loved snappis with my girls and they never seemed to mind but ds2 hates to have anything tight and I have yet to snappi him and not hav ehim complain. I tend to trifold a prefold or use another style dipe on him.

[vermontmomma]

Originally Posted by dagny.galt

On the Snappi, I had that problem with the newborn prefolds I bought used, but not with the GMD yellow edges my 2mo ds wears now when he's not in the RRPs. So it might be the diaper width, not the Snappi that's the problem.

now that dd is getting big for the newborn sized ones they are a little tighter but fit ok with the next size up prefolds. to buy myself sometime with the small ones i have been just taking the newborn orange gmd prefolds and not folding at all, just flat under the bum, between the legs, tucked around waist and snappied. it helps to get the snappi on then adjust the diaper till it fits perfectly.

[CookAMH]

Originally Posted by veedeepee

I tried stabbing the pins into a bar of soap...didn't help. Perhaps I don't need to catch every layer of the fabric? Does the pin need to go all the way through all layers?

Look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYCizHFCwwU

You push until you feel pressure then guide the pin back up, don't go all the way through.

Originally Posted by veedeepee

As for the Snappi, perhaps the ones I have are to narrow? When Snappi-ing or pinning, I'm using the red edge prefolds from GMD...on a 4 month old who is 16 lbs. Normally I use a smaller size prefold in a cover (when I'm not fastening). The red edge ones are pretty large...but I still don't have a lot to bring around from the back. I have to fan out the trifolded part of the diaper in the front in order to get it to meet the wings from the back (i.e., the wings from the back don't make it around to the trifolded part in the front).

I do the same thing with my 15lb 3mo old but still have enough overlap that I'm not worried about catching. the snappi on him is at his hips and I don't give a mega pull but a medium pull to attach the second side, and same with pulling the bottom down to attach.

[lifeguard]

I don't particularly love the snappi but dh really likes it better - the pins scare him. With pins or snappi I don't find I ever get the dipe as tight as I feel it should be but I've resigned myself to that being what the cover is for.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by veedeepee

I have to fan out the trifolded part of the diaper in the front in order to get it to meet the wings from the back (i.e., the wings from the back don't make it around to the trifolded part in the front).

: Its such a pain cause you have to somehow get the centre bit to stay folded in while you fan out both the front and the back. Even then the snappi is pulled so tight across her it looks really uncomfortable. And I cant seem to get the downward part of the snappi to attach properly after the two sides are done- is there some trick to putting them on that is alluding me???

[Ifluffedthree]

pins are not difficult

bar of soap is already suggested.

[Adsullata]

I didn't start cloth on dd until 4 mos and didn't start using a snappi until about 8 mos when we switched from infant to premium size prefolds. (She's little, was about 16 lbs at 8/9 mos.) I love my snappis, but I've found I have to get the tension right- not too tight not too loose- to get a good hold and still have "breathability". I learned how to use it thru this: Change a cloth diaper! Except, I do it somewhat differently. I fold the back outward, not inward and I don't quite do a trifold in the front. I do a trifold, but then fold the side edges back outward to make front wings. When I bring it up in front, I hold it similarly to the demo, but I tuck the front wings around dd's hips, then bring the back wings over. I attach my snappi on one side, then the other, but only so it just barely holds, then use the bottom hook to snug it up so it just holds and won't come loose, but no tighter. Again, I'm careful not to get it too tight because I was ending up with diaper fabric imprinted on dd if I did (eek). I prefer it to be loose enough I can get my finger under it, but so it's snug over my finger. Does that makes sense? It sounds like so must work typed out, but it's really easy once I got a good fold that worked for us and got the hang of it. Of course, I haven't used it on a boy so I don't know how that would work.

[pixiekisses]

I don't like snappies much, so I use Pins. I love those pins though! I keep 'em in a bar of soap, and do pretty much like the youtube video over here shows. (Just faster bc I'm not demonstrating.) Bc of the soap, they just glide through the fabric.

[SimonMom]

Toddler size snappi

I've gotten toddler sized snappis before. They are larger especially IIRC they part that stretches from hip to hip is longer. I just checked and they sell them on Amazon. It's an option on the regular size snappi page. However, yes, I found I did need to use a larger diaper and just fold it down in front at a certain point.

[messy mama]

Originally Posted by veedeepee

I tried stabbing the pins into a bar of soap...didn't help. Perhaps I don't need to catch every layer of the fabric? Does the pin need to go all the way through all layers?

As for the Snappi, perhaps the ones I have are to narrow? When Snappi-ing or pinning, I'm using the red edge prefolds from GMD...on a 4 month old who is 16 lbs. Normally I use a smaller size prefold in a cover (when I'm not fastening). The red edge ones are pretty large...but I still don't have a lot to bring around from the back. I have to fan out the trifolded part of the diaper in the front in order to get it to meet the wings from the back (i.e., the wings from the back don't make it around to the trifolded part in the front).

That's how I've always done it. Except I roll the middle (jelly roll) to the inner thighs. The front and back stay fanned out. Then overlap the back wings onto the front wings and snappi it up.

Oh and I've heard that some mamas of boys cut the middle part of the snappi off so that it doesn't squish his little bits. I never did that w/ my DS but I don't think I used snappis a lot w/ him.

[Sleepyheaded_Mama]

Originally Posted by messy mama

Oh and I've heard that some mamas of boys cut the middle part of the snappi off so that it doesn't squish his little bits.

Bwahahahaa!! "...squish his little bits" I love that!! laughup

[MadiMamacita]

this thread popped into my head today while changing DS.
my snappi's seem to take a few weeks to get broken in. today i grabbed a new snappi instead of the one we've been using for a while and i had a little trouble because it was so much stiffer and shorter than i am used to. how long have you been using your problematic snappi?