Cloth Diapers 102: gDiapers

Oh gDiapers---the diaper i really WANT to love... but i just CAN'T

There are some really great things about these diapers, i'll go ahead and get them out of the way.

1. It's a great concept--the first well-known "hybrid" diaper. (this means that you can use it as both a disposable diaper when out and about, and then use it as a cloth diaper when you are home.)

2. Unlike some cloth diaper choices, g diapers are becoming easier to find. Places like Walmart and BabiesRUs are now carrying them.

3. They are oh so cute. They come in a multitude of great colors, some prints and even some ruffle butts for girls.

4. gDipes are super trim--out of all cloth diapers, i think they fit the most like disposables.

So all of this sounds great i know, i just can't seem to get the gdiaper system to work for us.

This is how it works.

There is a cloth diaper cover. This is the outer part that can come in many different colors and prints. It has velcro closures similar to disposables, the only difference is that they fasten to the back instead of the front.

Inside the cover there are 4 snaps to which you attach a small plastic liner..this liner is the most important part of the diaper, because it is waterproof and is what prevents leaks.

Inside the liner you can either stuff it with a cloth insert or a disposable insert.

-gCloth inserts are made of hemp, which is known for its super absorbency and then topped with a microfleece layer so that the baby will feel dry on their bum.

-Disposable inserts are 100% biodegradable and you have 3 options to dispose of them--either 1. flush 2. compost 3. toss. They are also, chlorine-free, plastic-free, latex-free and perfume-free.

Here's my qualms.

1. There are quite a few more steps involved in the gDiaper system than other cloth diapering options. I had to be very organized and prepared when using these. Have all the parts available, clean and stuffed ahead of time so that i was scrambling around putting them together while a naked baby bum was making a mess all over the place!

2. The cover is cotton. Most cloth diaper covers are mad e of a waterproof material, like PUL so that in the even of a leak, there is an extra barrier between the mess and the baby (or YOU). These are just cotton, so when there is a mess, everything gets soiled!

3. The liners. They aren't all they are cracked up to be. Apparently they are only guaranteed to last a few months, and although they are cheap ($2) a liner, you can only get them on the website so you better think ahead and buy a bunch so as not to incur crazy shipping costs. Also, they can not put in the dryer, so you have to fish them out of the laundry after they are done being washed. But worst of all, if they get poop on them, which inevitably they will--because they are after all a DIAPER--any mother would feel the need to clean it off--at least I did. BUT you CAN NOT pull at the elastic too hard and stretch it out because the "seal can be broken" and the diaper will no longer be effective...ie--IT WILL LEAK.

And this is wherein my problems lie. These diapers worked well for about 2 weeks--but after some use and cleaning i started noticing more and more leaks. So i did a LOT of reading and research trying to figure out what i was doing wrong. I could never come up with any clear answers. My guess is i messed up the liners by cleaning out the poop, but i absolutely can't apologize for trying to get the poop off.

Thing is, maybe if i had stuck with the diaper i could have figured it out. But i have twins, there's a lot going on in my house ALL THE TIME. I'm not looking to make things more difficult and after a week of having to change both the diaper and the clothes every time a baby pooped or peed, i just decided to cut my losses with this diaper and stick with what works.

Admittedly, i feel a little defeated by this diaper. But, there are plenty more diapers that have been great for us, gDiapers just obviously isn't the system for us.