I’ve discussed three different options we use at our house for cloth diapering overnight, but I’ve had requests to evaluate all three of them together. You’ll notice I don’t use fitteds overnight, which is a common recommendation. I expected to find more of a difference in terms of price, but actually, each option is close to $30 per diaper change.
We’ve got, from left to right, a combination of inserts, anchored by the Flip Overnight Insert; the TotsBots V4 and the Mother-Ease Wizard Duo Overnight System.
1- A good cover (my current favourite is our Rumparooz) plus my “overnight insert sandwich.”
Price: Rumparooz one-size cover [6-35lbs +], $16; Flip Overnight Inserts, 2-pack, $27.95; GroVia Organic Boosters, 2-pack, $12.49; AMP 3-ply booster, $3.75/each. ($63.94 for TWO changes, assuming you re-use the cover)
Available at Lagoon Baby in Canada and Nicki’s Diapers in the US. The AMP boosters are also sold at Well.ca. Rumparooz covers and Flip inserts are also at Amazon.com
[affiliate links]
Of the three choices, this one is my favourite and most recommended because:
It’s the easiest to launder. Overnight diapers can throw off your cloth diaper laundry due to the concentration of urine held in one diaper. I recommend rinsing out your overnight diaper thoroughly before placing it in your pail or wet bag. It is by far the easiest to rinse out and ring out this stack of inserts compared to my two other options and compared to an overnight fitted diaper. Also, if you have odour issues and need to strip your overnight diapers, it’s not a big deal to strip these inserts. Personally I do a bleach soak without fear of discolouration (not usually an issue with bleach, any way) or adding extra wear-and-tear to a favourite diaper.
Other perks of this option:
You can use whatever diaper cover you like. Use the model that gives you the best fit, without any gaping at the legs.
You can choose a diaper cover with front waist elastics, which is very important for tummy sleepers.
You can customize your absorption. Maybe when baby is younger, the Flip insert alone will suffice.
All natural fibers: easier to launder, less prone to stinkies!
Drawbacks:
This is not a super trim option: it makes a pretty decent fluffy butt.
This might seem a bit complicated to Dad or to a babysitter. Personally I just make the insert sandwich ahead of time and lay it in the cover. (Because let’s face it, if I told my husband to grab the Flip insert, the GroVia booster and the AMP booster, he wouldn’t know what I was talking about.)
It’s expensive. The price of this option will vary, of course, depending on your choice of cover. That said, you can probably find the necessary elements second hand in a B/S/T group! That’s where I got my Flip inserts, and that was a huge savings. Keep in mind that this is a one-size option, and that the Flip inserts will have a life beyond cloth diapering as super absorbent rags and even as piddle pads during potty training!
2 - TotsBots EasyFit V4 (with its included booster).
Price: $26.95 (solid colours) – $28.95 (prints) each, one-size. [8-35 lbs]
Available at Lagoon Baby in Canada and Nicki’s Diapers in the US. Also available at Amazon.com. [affiliate links]
Of the three choices, this option is the most user friendly. EasyFits go on just like a disposable! Make sure you secure the velcro tightly at the waist to help with tummy leaks. I am able to use the EasyFit V4 (note: NOT the EasyFit V3, in minky) overnight using the included booster. I some times get tiny leaks around the front waist.
Perks:
Super easy to put on baby correctly, just like a ‘sposie;
One piece solution.
Drawbacks:
Too cute to use “just” overnight! I like to use our TotsBots prints during the day… because I’m weird like that;
Not as easy to rinse thoroughly in the morning;
More “fragile” in terms of stripping, especially because a lot of people choose TotsBots for their excellent resale value and want to keep them pristine (man the cloth diaper world is weird, eh?);
Makes for a very fluffy butt as well.
3 - Mother-Ease Wizard Duo with overnight insert.
Price: For TWO diaper changes (assuming you reuse the cover): $52.75 (size small inserts, 8-18 lbs) / $62.75 (size large inserts, 18-35 lbs)
This option is the only one with a built-in “stay dry” top layer. You can add a fleece liner to the other options to achieve this effect.
Perks:
Once the overnight insert is snapped into the cover, it’s a one-piece system;
You can easily add a booster underneath the insert if necessary;
Double-gusset effect thanks to the leg elastics in the insert;
Soft casing around the waist and legs elastics;
Made in Canada;
Trimmer fit since there are two sizes of inserts.
Drawbacks:
Sized: you need to buy smalls and larges. (Notice this is a perk in terms of trimness!);
Harder to launder: this is the option that I find most prone to getting stinky. I believe this is because the interior of the insert is multiple layers of synthetic fiber and it’s hard to get the inner layers thoroughly rinsed and laundered. (That’s another reason I love the inserts in option 1- you get the benefits of multiple layers of absorption, but those layers unfold, meaning they get thoroughly cleaned every wash cycle.)
The insert takes a long time to dry, again, because of the thick middle layers. It’s usually damp after a full dryer cycle.
Conclusion:
What will work for your baby overnight might be different than what works for mine, but hopefully these three options give you a place to start! Don’t forget to check out my Tips for Overnight Cloth Diapering.