tell me why you love wool soakers

[mamadiamond]

my 10 month old dd is a super wetter. for overnight i have been using pocket diapers with a micro insert and two hemp inserts, but still having leaks sometimes, and the 3 inserts makes for so much bulk. i keep hearing wonderful things about wool, but i'm tentative to put the money into wool covers. are they really as bulletproof as everyone says? even for a baby who pees a comparable volume to lake michigan every night? what do you put under them? wouldn't they be hot for summer?

[Kindermama]

I can't answer to the wool soakers but that's the way I'm going for baby-to-be.

I will say that, in the past, I used small wool pads under my babies at night (they wore Fuzzibunz). This way, sheets didn't get soaked.  http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/bedding.htm

[mumkimum]

Wool is breathable, even in heat.  It's stretchy and you're less likely to end up with gaps around the legs (which are much more common with pockets or aio's), so yes it is a lot less likely to end up leaking on you.  You don't need as much wool - 2 that you alternate can work out pretty well, actually, with airing out and washing weekly.

Personally, I use large-ish prefolds for nighttime (sometimes with a hemp doubler or stay-dry cotton babies doubler) with wool covers or fleece nighttime covers.  

[mamadiamond]

the legs gaping is always the problem i run into with pockets, and why i get leaks. the absorbency is enough, i think, but it gets so fat that there is gaping. so i guess wool would fix that.

if the wool is felted, can i wash it in the machine? i don't want to hand wash poo. also, does it need to be re-lanolized with each wash? i think i'm going to take the plunge, i just want to make sure i'm caring for them right after shelling out the cash for them.

[mumkimum]

There are some wool covers that you could machine-wash (on cold & delicate - imse vimse for one, I think).  

I use kookaburra woolwash which IMO is easier that machine washing - I swish and let the covers sit for up to an hour, scrub carefully any spots with poo (with a cotton rag, and gently - personally I don't end up with many ever, usually a tiny bit around the legs, but I'm also not squeamish about that sort of thing), then roll out to blot in a clean towel and hang to dry.  This particular woolwash doesn't need rinsing and has lanolin in it too, so it's re-lanolizing in the wash (I might do an extra treatment every 3-4 months with something else).  Other washes are a little different, and might need rinsing.  A lot of people (myself included) like woolwash bars as well. 

If you're getting a soaker (like aristocrats) I think you'd want to not machine wash it (unless it says to otherwise) just for the sake of having it not shrink.  I can't think of any soakers off hand that are machine washable, but I bet there are some out there.    

[mamadiamond]

i think i'm going to crochet a soaker, because it will be about half the cost of buying one. and i can make it big and then felt/shrink it to fit. and if it doesn't work i can buy one. i want to felt it because i know that even if i plan to hand wash with wool wash, given my laundry history i know it will end up in the washer at some point.

[mamayogibear]

we use prefolds and wool and love it, i was 100% vegan before I discovered the wonder of woolies! during the day we use a cotton prefold and either a soaker or shortie. I have enough if not too much wool! each of my kids has 3 soakers, 2 shorties and 3 longies. we use shorties and longies as everyday clothing so I'm washing it for reasons other than potty most of the time like mud or food. at night we use hemp prefolds with a hemp doubler and a wool cover plus his sleep sack is wool so I never have to worry about waking up in a puddle of pee. waking up in a puddle of breastmilk, now that's another story...

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

I use wool on DS quite a bit. He has very sensitive skin and can't tolerate PUL covers for more than about an hour a day - he "marinates" in them and gets quite raw. Wool (and fleece) allow his skin to breathe and it's rare that he gets a rash at all.

At night, we generally use an Aristocrats cover. I have quite a few covers, but I find it bulletproof. During the day, I use hand-knits or some of the trimmer wool covers. I don't find washing a big deal - I hand-wash them in the sink with Eucalan, and then lanolize. I only wash the Aristocrats cover every couple of weeks or so. I probably don't need to lanolize every time, but DS can be quite a soaker, and I'd rather spend the time lanolizing than dealing with soaked sheets.

We also use a wool cover on the bed to catch anything that leaks - but leaks usually come when we use disposables at night (I'm building up our night-time stash now I know why he gets rashy) - not when he's in wool.

[ShannonBFCDAP]

I love my wool covers.  We use them at night and have two that I rotate.  I like that you don't wash them every time only when they smell of urine when dry or if they are stained.  If your inner diaper fits properly you should avoid the poop leakage.  But I've handwashed poop and it isn't that bad.  You remove most of it before washing and then you are good.  As far as relanolizing it is easy.  I use a travel refillable shampoo bottle, squeeze some lanolin in there and then shake with hot water and a drop of baby shampoo.  Then I let my diapers sit in tepid water and squirt the lanolin mix all over evenly.  Soak for 20-30 minutes and drain.  do not over squeeze or ring diapers out.  Then roll in a towel and unwrap and lay on a drying rack.  You know you need to lanolize if when you are washing the water soaks into the diaper and it doesn't float.

I've had no leaks with my wool covers either.  Best thing I purchased.  I'm a Diaper Parties consultant with Everything Birth if you want more information message me.