Cloth Diaper Review: SwaddleBees One Size Pocket Diaper

I run into this problem often: a desire to write a review of a cloth diapering product that is no longer sold. It either speaks to the dynamic world of cloth diapering, forging ahead to find a better fit and better materials or just results from a busy mama's life with four kids under eight. Or both.

Anyway, I bought this Swaddlebees one size pocket diaper used at a local cloth diaper store. I love buying good condition used cloth diapers. Not only do we extend the environmental benefits of cloth diapering and decrease our financial investment, I'm able to try a wider variety of cloth diapers than I probably would buying only new ones. (Swaddlebees has some fantastic prints!)

This diaper has two levels of snaps to decrease the size. The one I bought wouldn't stay snapped at the top level on one side (and Second Son was too big to try the lower ones), but it still worked just fine in catching everything it was supposed to catch.

It is soft on the inside, and it has stayed soft. (I'm not sure how used it was when I bought it; it was in very good or like new condition.) It came with two bamboo inserts, one large and one small. I was excited to try out bamboo and it has not disappointed, though I do have to use both inserts together. I find this is the case for all of Second Son's diapers. He needs the highest levels of absorption.

The only real problem I've had with this diaper is the velcro. The strip across the front at the top ends up rubbing against Second Son's tummy if he's not wearing pants. (You can see in the picture above how it's very close to the top of the diaper.) Now that it's fall (though still in the 80s), it's not as much as a problem as it was in the summer when I'd often leave him in a shirt and diaper. (The summer was so blistering hot the air conditioner often struggled to keep the house in the mid to high 80s.) Also the tabs are already peeling apart. The diaper still holds together but sometimes it's hard to get a good grip on it to put the diaper on or take the diaper off.

I'm not sharing the name of the local store here on the blog, but if you're local and interested send me an email and I'll tell you were I found it. It's a fantastic store that carries a full selection of new diapers and accessories in addition to some wonderful toys. For those of you farther afield, you can often find a range of gently used diapers (one size diapers and pocket diapers, for example) at Cloth Diaper Outlet.

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