Tarra Yvette

If you arent familiar with types of cloth diapering systems read this first.

If you’ve been following my cloth diaper journey with Viv – you know I have too many diapers 😂. I fell in love with having lots of prints and colors and I loved the simplicity of pocket diapers. Once they’re stuffed and set up, they look like a disposable. It’s easy.

In fact I loved them so much that I sold my Grovia hybrid covers and inserts purchased more pockets.

Then one day last week, I felt fed up. I wash diapers every 3 days. By then my diaper bins were overflowing.

In 3 days I was having a whole washer full of diapers. Like 25 diaper insert sets and their covers. I hang the pockets to dry so I was hanging TWENTY FIVE or more diapers.

And did i mention the inserts? My thirsties brand pockets have inserts that agitate out in the washer so they weren’t as annoying – but my mama koala pockets and most other brands require you to remove the pocket from the diaper before washing. So pulling a dirty insert out of a dirty diaper. (I found out how to do it without touching but still time consuming and gross).

Then after drying them (which took awhile because the interior is cloth) I would stuff the inserts inside and fold. Did I mention Vivian is a heavy wetter? So I was double stuffing them (so 50 inserts and 25 diapers to stuff). PLUS I have 2 different brands of pockets (thirsties and mama koala) so I had to sort the inserts too 😩.

Last week I just thought … this is stupid. I don’t want to do all this. I miss my covers.

Soooo I sold about 1/2 my pockets (23) and bought some covers and prefolds. I am now the proud over of 8 Grovia hybrid covers and 4 thirsties duo wraps (size 2) as well as some new osocozy prefolds.

I kept some pockets because they’re easier for Brian or people not familiar with cloth to use. And because I made the mistake of selling a type of diaper before and having to buy it back when I changed my mind 😂.

For now though – I’m all covers and prefolds/inserts (and my Grovia ONEs at night of course). For those not familiar – you do NOT have to change the cover every diaper change. Just wipe it out with a wipe and reuse (unless it’s soiled). We can usually use 1 cover for 3 diaper changes.

I also am using my bamboo inserts that I bought for my pockets in my covers (so i did not repurchase the Grovia hybrid inserts this time). I just trifold the prefolds and lay them in the cover like an insert. It’s simple! You can use any inserts in covers EXCEPT microfiber (they’ll cause a rash). More info on insert types here.

It’s awesome because today I’m doing diaper laundry – my bins were NOT full and it’s about 1/3rd as much stuff in the washer. And the covers dry super fast AND I can put everything else in the dryer on high. I am washing about 10 covers instead of 25 pocket diapers.

Another perk is only having to take a few inserts or prefolds when we leave the house (takes up less space). I’m sure traveling will be easier too.

The covers and prefolds/inserts are also a lot less bulky than the pocket diapering system.

Maybe this is an extension of my unexplained gravitation towards minimalism. I just feel like my life should be more simple.

Will this be permanent? Who knows. Nothing in my life ever really is 😆. But it’s working for us now.