The one-size pocket diaper trend

[Juliacat]

When I was researching cloth diapers for dd, the only ones-sized pocket diaper was Wonderoos. Now there's BumGenius, Haute Pockets, Smartipants, Bumwear, Tweedlebugs, Mommy's Touch, Wahmies, Rocky Mountain, Econappi, Blueberry, Cloth Diaper Wholesale, Rumparooz, Coolababy, Baby Kangas, Nubunz, Kawaii, as well as one-size versions of Fuzzi Bunz, Happy Heinys, and Knickernappies, and I don't even know who all I'm forgetting.

That's a huge explosion of one specific subset of types of cloth diapers in only five years. I think it's kind of amazing. I don't know of any other trend that's had that kind of demand. I'm not a pocket user myself and I'm somewhat skeptical about the "fits and holds up from birth to potty training" claim, so I don't plan to participate in the trend with this new baby. I'm just amazed that the number of brands has twentyfolded (or more!) in the five years since I was researching diapers for dd.

Why are one-size pocket diapers suddenly in such high demand compared with other diapers? Thoughts?

[octobermom]

budget the "sposie like" look and function of pockets is very appealing to may but the idea of spending $16+ per diaper and having to re buy the set 3 or more times for size upgrades isn't appealing to many people. For example say I wanted 18 sized fuzzi bunz and needed ones from small to large
(using package pricing at Nicky diapers)
size FB in small/medium/large 18 each size =$915.30
18 one size FB= $315
for many the diffrence of $600 is appealing and necessary for the rest it leaves more money for more fluff

Deana

[RGsMom]

I agree, the cost is very effective. For sized pockets I've tried, I actually like the OS just as much if not better (because smaller size pockets I find harder to stuff). But then I do love my sized AIO's also. Just if someone has a smaller newborn, it's often handy to get some prefolds on hand, or for someone that has a larger toddler, then they have to get larger diapers, but besides that there isn't too much more of a cost with the one size.

Also works great for having 2 kids in diapers! If you run out of diapers for 1 kid, you can use the others

[lifeguard]

I think there has been an amazing change in the number of diapers available for all types. When my friend had hers 5 years ago her options were pretty limited & fairly hard to find here, especially in a bricks & mortar store. But now there are several places that carry cloth & each with a pretty good variety.

So far I love my one size covers. Ds was a bigger newborn & grew very fast. The smaller sizes would have been such a waste of money for us.

[rightkindofme]

We started off with contoured diapers and covers. We had a couple of OS pockets and a couple of sized AIOs. My husband hated having a two step diapering process. So we got a couple more sized AIOs because he liked them best. Then she grew out of those and we looked into what we should do next. At this point 75% of our stash is OS pockets and we love them. We have some OS AIOs but they are way less awesome than the OS pockets. I've tried most brands of OS pockets on the market that have snaps. We had velcro at first (BG and HH) and the velcro just sucks. The BG died at about 14 months and the HH are probably not going to make it to the next kid. The rest of our stash is doing great and I think there is the very strong possibility that I will only need to buy something like 5-6 diapers for the next kid as elastic wears out on a few of the ones we have.

It's been a fairly expensive option for one kid but I think that our stash will cover two kids without too much of a problem (especially because we still have a bunch of sized AIOs for when Little TBD is small). All of a sudden our hugely expensive stash (almost $1,000) seems less disturbing. $500/kid is still fairly pricey, but not completely outrageous given that using disposables would cost ~$1,600/kid. We have solar panels on the roof so we don't pay for electricity for washing the diapers and we are generally an extremely low-water-use household so that cost is negligible for us.

I just have to say: Rumparooz are the best I have found. That inner gusset keeps the most frightening poops inside no matter what. And those suckers can hold a full day of pee without seeming wet. (As I discovered when my husband was watching our daughter one day. *sigh*)

[Lynda&Jenna]

It is true that the OS diapers don't always fit a tiny or skinny newborn. There are 2 that have leg adjusters so they work on newborns. They are FB OS and Rocky Mountain. I've seen Wahmies on tiny newborns and they fit too.
Lynda

[WildinTheory]

Blah. It's so true. Everywhere you turn it is a sea of one size diapers. I suppose I can understand the appeal of not having to size up, but on the other hand, my large diapers that my not-interested-in-potty-learning-3yo is currently wearing are diapers he's worn for well over a year now. They are various pockets/aios and they are looking worn. I can't really imagine any diaper being washed every couple days and then lasting for YEARS? Really? As well, I'm really picky about fit so I'd rather have diapers in a few sizes. My son loves cloth and I'd never go to disposables but my primary goal is not to save money so perhaps that's a big part of it. But in the end, OS are not for me - even if they are everywhere.

[Juliacat]

Originally Posted by WildinTheory

I can't really imagine any diaper being washed every couple days and then lasting for YEARS? Really?

Prefolds? Exceptionally well-made fitteds?

Actually, wouldn't it sort of make sense, if you were like me and wanted both a breathability option and an ease of use option, to buy 12-18 one-size pockets and 3 dozen prefolds and use the prefolds pinned and coverless around the house during the day and use them to stuff the pockets to use the rest of the time? That would be simple and cost-effective, as long as you didn't run into polyester stink.

[octobermom]

We will have 12 one size AIOs for use in our rotation costing us around $200 for them I don't expect them to go past our child and I don't expect an ideal fit there just there for some simplicity and for DH. I dislike pockets so we wont do those. The rest I'll pretty much do prefolds/flats which do last. Honestly a $200 investment on cloth that I might not see any return on financially doesn't both me.
I couldn't have an entire stash of them though..

Deanna

[Pepper44]

I don't understand the love for pocket diapers. I understand the appeal for one size diapers, but the ones that we've tried didn't fit DD that well. The pocket diapers we've tried have all had leaks and blow outs.

We don't spend that much money on cloth. I got 36 used infant prefolds that were tie dyed for $30 including postage. I got 36 used premium prefolds...can't remember how much they cost but less than $50. And we spent $50-$75 on used covers for each size. I saved everything and it's all still perfect to use for my next babe! The prefolds we have are so easy to wash, they dry fast on the line or in the dryer, and they don't have build up issues like the lining of pocket diapers get...

[SuzyLee]

Well, I sewed most of mine, and the FB's that I have were free, and I fixed the elastic. So I am a bit biased maybe, since I didn't have to lay out big money for them.

Pockets are a must for us because DH is a SAHD and he is resistant to cloth anyway, so he needs something easy. OS pockets are just easier because i don't have to keep track of different sizes of diapers, and store the small ones for the next baby, etc. Yes, they will for sure wear out, but I will just replace the elastic, which even if I paid someone to do it (I do it myself) would still be wayyyyyyy cheaper than buying sized pockets.

I am sewing size NB/small dipes for baby #2, so that she isn't swimming in the OS pockets. We do stuff pockets with prefolds sometimes, and then I use the prefolds by themselves when I am home.

[octobermom]

If I was the only one using diapers I'd likely do all prefolds/flats pins and pull on pants. DH jsut wont learn how and sine he is willing to shell out the money for a small stash of AIOs I wont argue. I appreciate there use on occasion and were still greatly saving over disposables. If I'd had kept all my CD from our first I'd likely have pretty much all I needed for my upcomming baby but I slowly sold or gave away 99% of it after taking soo long to concieve and successfully carry a child again.
I'm not a pocket fan at all though

Deanna

[thefreckledmama]

I think the main appeal is like anything else,...people want the newest hottest product. A lot of people view prefolds and covers and the like as "old fashioned" cloth diapering, and they want the most modern method out there. I think another aspect of one size pockets is less to buy, and they're more similar to disposable diapers than a lot of other types. I'm a fan of one size diapers in general, preferring non pocket to pocket styles. I actually just this last week bought my first bumGenius, after 20 months of mostly prefolds with a few O/S fitteds mixed in. While I'm not a huge fan of pockets in general, I definitely see the appeal, especially when people who aren't cloth diaper literate have to change one,...on and off like a disposable is a big plus.

I've just gotten tired of the routine of pfs, pins, and then a cover. I started longing for the days of quicker changes that disposables seemed to be, but I didn't want to quit cding. I wanted the simplicity of undoing one diaper and putting on another without the extra steps. I don't mind stuffing dipes when they come out of the dryer all at once, and I'd rather do all the extra work at once than at each change. I actually have a organic bumGenius on the way that I'm looking forward to trying-no stuffing, which to me is the best possible configuration.

[Teenytoona]

For me, it makes sense why the interest. Changeable absorbancy, can fit through many sizes - grow with the kids (which means less money spent) and the most important - not "scary" for people like day care providers who haven't seen a cloth diaper in 20 some years.

[leavemealone]

To me, it sounds good in theory, but doesn't seem to work well - at least for us. I have a few one size diapers that should, in theory, fit my 10 month old (22 lbs) and my almost 3 year old (33 lbs), since most go up to 35 lbs. The diapers fit my 10 month old fine, but just don't work very well on my almost 3 year old. The almost 3 year old is of average build but the diapers just don't fit him very well. I bought a couple used Fuzzi Bunz in size large that fit him much better.

[Juliacat]

Originally Posted by octobermom

If I was the only one using diapers I'd likely do all prefolds/flats pins and pull on pants. DH jsut wont learn how and sine he is willing to shell out the money for a small stash of AIOs I wont argue. I appreciate there use on occasion and were still greatly saving over disposables.

I am the same way except my dh doesn't insist on AIO's, but he does insist on wrap-style covers instead of pull-ons and is willing to shell out the money for them.

I don't mind stuffing dipes when they come out of the dryer all at once, and I'd rather do all the extra work at once than at each change.

That's the opposite of me. When I am putting laundry away, I want it to be DONE, with no extra steps. (I'm kind of obsessive about having all identical socks for the same reason.) I don't mind folding a pf at each change, although I can see why some people prefer fitteds. Different strokes

The almost 3 year old is of average build but the diapers just don't fit him very well.

DD grew out of her daycare BGOS when she was almost 3. The aplix (in decent condition since the diapers were only used once a week or so) kept coming apart at the waist and then the diaper would fall off. Embarrassing thing to happen to a kid on a playground. She potty trained only about three months later, but three months is three months!