Wool covers -number question-

[Crispie]

My little pregnant insomniac brain is sitting here knitting knitting knitting. Soakers are newish for me, and I'm so in love with them on my toddler that I'm knitting up a stash for my bb girl coming in May. I'm used to PUL covers of various kinds and AIO's/Pockets. My toddler is now in all prefolds now with various covers (slowly building his knit wool stash as well)

The question is: if using only wool covers-due to lengthy air dry time-how many should I knit up for a newborn? I'm thinking they poop every change, and it's going to be a big number yet I don't want to over do it. I do pin my diapers, have not snappied yet-but the raving over those expensive little things has perked my curiosity. I'll be getting a couple to try when I order my next set of prefolds for baby on the way. I'd like to wash every other day or even two in between...but that's the most...otherwise funky things begin to happen in the pail.

I know people ask all the time how many and want to say in my defense that I waded through many of the FAQ forums and such but didn't see much about a wool stash. I know it will vary a little for everyone, just looking for a rough estimate...6, 12, 24? more? Can you tell me roughly what size/age you lowered that number? Just an idea/ballpark, would be really helpful. (planning to exclusively BF if that helps)

Thanks in advance! You ladies have motivated me in many ways as I was lurking in these forums

[SleeplessMommy]

my guess is 6. though I am using upcycled sweater covers. make extra in a range of sizes...

snappies are the best

[ShwarmaQueen]

I'd say 6ish for a newborn as well. Depending on how wet the PF is, you can sometimes put the same cover back on. I currently have 4 small wool covers total- 3 Swaddlebees merino and 1 Aristocrats longie. Between blowouts and washing/drying times, I also make use of my 3 Bummis polarfleece covers.

So yah, at least 6, maybe even 8 would be better (unless you have alternates to use).

And another vote for the Snappi! I initially bought 2, but once when I misplaced them (BOTH) and had to use pins, I rushed to buy 5 more as backup. I hated pins!

[Juliacat]

I like both pins and Snappis and would not want to pick one over the other (okay, I would pick pins if I had to, but I really like them both!). Neither one lets much poop on to the covers. I bet you could get by with 6 or fewer and the bigger issue would be air drying time.

[My3guys]

I think 6 is a good number for a newborn. I am always over prepared so if someone told me 6, I would knit 8, but people who are not neurotic like me do fine with 6.

I LOVE Snappis. LOVE them. However, with newborns, I thought pins were easier. I had preemies and had to fold the prefolds in such crazy ways to get them snug on their skinny little bodies that pins worked best for me. Once they plumped up, Snappis all the way.

Happy knitting!

[Crispie]

Thanks ladies!

That helps a lot!

ETA: okay-I'm going for Snappies! Will order some in the next couple weeks. Do you find the toddler ones necessary or do you stick with the one size? Just wondering if I should snag the bigger size for DS (19mo)

[cristeen]

I'll say that before babe arrived, I was all about the pins, but now I love the snappis. Which is in part because none of my pins will even penetrate my dipes.

I think I had about 4 wool covers for my little guy. 2 soakers and 2 wraps. I don't change them every change - only if they feel damp. Then they get draped in front of the heater to dry out, which usually only takes a few hours.

Right now I only have 2 pairs of longies for my little guy, and a few pairs of fleece pants. Mostly he just alternates between 2 longies and a sleep sack. It's too cold for soakers ATM. But that's been plenty for us.

[starrmama]

Yeah, I would have said 6 for a newborn as well, although you could probably get by with 4 or even 3 if you wanted to go more thrifty. For awhile I only had 3 fitting wool bottoms for my dd and that was fine, although she was older and we NEVER had blowouts on account of her being a constipated baby... so a little air time was all we needed with her soakers and I washed them very infrequently (wool is so miraculous!) I think I went 3 or more months one time before I washed the crocheted soaker she wore to bed every night lol.

[Michigan Mama]

Ditto that 6 should be fine. fwiw, my ds2 is almost 5 months and ebf and we still have poosplosions sometimes. For my kids, we need extra covers until they start solids and the poo flow slows down a little!