All-In-Two (AI2) Diapers

All-In-Two Diaper System

The all-in-two (AI2) diaper is the next closest to a disposable diaper, and is also becoming more and more popular as time goes on. AI2 systems have really been developing over the last few years.  It will consist of a shell and replaceable insert.  Most times they can be used with cloth inserts or disposable ones. Some brands of AI2 diapers are Grovia, G-Diapers,and Best Bottoms. You typically need around 24 soakers but only 8-10 shells because you can use the shells over again if they do not become soiled during use. I have liked the Ai2 system and have several.  Here are some pictures of the diapers I mentioned above.

G-Diapers

Bumstoppers

Grovia

Best Bottom

When it comes to AI2 systems there really are several different kinds and the ones I mentioned above are a bit different from one another. Before I get into the differences of the ones above I will talk about the pros and cons of the AI2 system as a whole

Pros:

• One size AI2's make for an extremely economical system.
• Easy to use.
• Less expensive than an All-in-one or Pocket system
• Great for daddies.
• Very economical, because you can reuse the covers and change the soakers. This will bring your cost per diaper change way down.
• Great option for travel we using a disposable liner.
• Poopy clean-up is easy because the soakers snap out of the shells
• Most like a disposable

Cons:

• When the baby poops it often soils the cover.
• Inserts can shift when baby moves potentially causing a leak.
• When changing the diaper you need to touch the wet/dirty inserts to remove them (but using a cloth wipe is the best solution)
• Slightly more time consuming to change than removing a whole diaper, then replacing with a new one.
• Keeping the matching doublers with their coordinating diapers

Here are a few different Ai2 systems. They are not always as straight forward as a pocket diaper and not all of them look/work the same.

Grovia Diapers are some of the most well-known and popular Ai2 diapers. They consist of a cover that has a mesh lining and double layered inserts that have a plastic back to obtain the liquid. This is what makes them different than other Ai2, the plastic backing. They use a double snap so that the liner stays in place better and won’t move around during use. You can also get a disposable liner to use in the cover instead. This can come in handy when traveling or out running errands. The biggest thing I didn’t like about this diaper was the bulkiness and the time it takes to dry the thick inserts. It is not one that I grab for very often because of the bulk.
https://www.gro-via.com/

side of cover and back of insert

G-diapers are another well-known brand. It is a sized (s,m,l) style, while most Ai2 are a OS style. You can actually get these at Babies-R-US. They also come with a cloth or disposable liner. G-diapers come in three parts, the cover, the plastic cover, and the insert. The plastic cover snaps onto the cloth cover then you put a cloth inert. These also velcro on the back, which makes them a little different than the rest. These seem to be a diaper that people either love or hate. I personally was not a fan. They are a bit more complicated and the plastic cover would not always stay in place correctly. But as far as being able to reuse over and over, these are a good option. As long as the cover didn’t get wet or soiled then you could either just replace the insert or the whole plastic cover.
http://www.gdiapers.com/

Bumstoppers is a Work At Home Mom (wahm) brand that is becoming more popular as time goes on. These Ai2 diapers have a plastic/PUl outer shell and a bamboo/cotton velour/fleece inside. The liner is also made of a bamboo/cotton velour and snaps into the back inside of the diaper. The bamboo liner is super absorbent and can be taken out and replaced, just like the other Ai2. I love these diapers because they are so well made and soft. I have found that as far as an Ai2 system though you cannot replace the inserts. The whole liner and cloth inside of the diaper becomes moist, not just the liner. I suppose if it is just pee on the inside of the cover then you could still reuse a new liner, but that is not what I do. I use these as just a normal diaper where I put it all on and take it all off, not just replace the insert. They have worked great like that for me and hold in moisture well.
http://hyenacart.com/stores/Bumstoppers/

Best bottoms is another Ai2 that I came across a lot when researching. I personally have never used them but can tell you how they work. It is very similar to the Grovia. They have a waterproof cover and a double snap to hold in the insert. The inside of them is PUL and can just be wiped out between uses so that it lasts longer. These also come with different size inserts but a one size cover. The inserts come in s,m,l.
http://bestbottomdiapers.com/

Finally, I’ll go over some of the prices of the diapers I talked about to let you get a basic idea of costs. This is said to be one of the more economical diapering systems, next to prefolds and covers. It’s because you can buy just a handful of covers and many inserts. I will price them based on 8 covers and 24 inserts .

Grovia: Shell $16.95 each x 8 = $135.60
            Inserts (2pack) $17.95 x 12 = $215.40
Total: $351

G Diaper : Shell (2pack) $24.64 x 4 = $98.56
                 Inserts (6pack) $22.94 x 2 = $45.88
Total = $144.44 x3 = $433
This is just for one of the sizes, you have to get small, medium and larges with G-diapers.

Best Bottom: Shell $16.95 x 8 = $135.60
                        Insert $3.95 x 24 = $94.80 x 3(sml) = $284.40
Total = $420

Bumstopper: full diaper $33 x 24 = $792

So with these numbers the price to use an Ai2 system full time can run you between $350 and $450 depending on the brand. The most expensive is the Bumstoppers but that is not using them as the typical Ai2 system but as a regular full diaper. 

I typically like to leave you with some pictures of the diapers in action on the bum, but I do not have any at the moment :hides: I will have to come back and add some for you :))

Pocket Diapers

Easily the most popular and well known cloth diapering systems out there. Most of the big name companies that people are familiar with offer pocket style diapers, for example Bum Genius, Fuzzi Bunz, Rumparooz, and Sunbabys are some diaper brands. This is what I use the most of. I think that easily 90% of my diapers are pockets. You will need around 24 pocket diapers for a full time stash. Here are some pictures of the brands of diapers I named above.



BumGenius



FuziBunz

Rumparooz

Sunbaby

So what is a Pocket Diaper? This is a diaper with a cover built onto it. There is an opening, typically in the back, of the diaper where you add an insert for absorbency. When you are done with the diaper, both the insert and the diaper go into your diaper pail for washing. You do not reuse the shell part of these diapers. So the diaper is named for its “pocket” opening in the back that you put the inserts in and out of.  These diapers can also come sized or One size. I believe that you will find them as One Size diapers more often than Sized (s,m,l)

The inside of the pocket diaper

the PUL that is inside the pocket

 

The diaper and Insert

Finished, the insert is in.

Putting the insert inside the pocket

Like the diaper covers that I talked about previously, these pockets also have the PUL lining to make them waterproof. Then on top of, and attached to, the PUL cover is a fleece lining. Between the PUL and the fleece is where you put your inserts. Insets can come in many different types of materials, but the most common is microfiber. This is usually what a pocket diaper comes with when bought. I have personally always used the microfiber inserts that come with the pockets. I have just started to venture out and use a fleece/Zorb insert. I know that some people hate them and will use other materials like hemp, bamboo and zorb. Each material has its own pros and cons that I will discuss in another blog.

No onto some pros and cons of pocket style diapers

Pros:

-          You can control how much absorbency the diaper has by how much you stuff it

-          No wet tush. The fleece wicks the moisture away from the babies skin

-          You don’t have to worry about pinning, folding, or covering because it’s all together.

-          These diapers are easy to find because they are so popular

Cons:

-          The biggest con is the stuffing. Some people HATE the extra work it takes to stuff the diapers after laundry day.

-          They also take up more space when line drying.

-          Can be very bulky when double stuffed – typically at night

-          People have issues with the microfiber inserts at times. They can hold smells and residue.

For me, the stuffing is not an issue. I just lay all my diapers out on the floor after washing them and match up all the inserts with the liners. A great time to stuff diapers is at night when you are watching a favorite show or movie!

Before I leave you with some cute babies modeling pockets I wanted to make sure to touch on the price of Pocket diapers. I am going to pick the most expensive and the cheapest ones to compare for you. The others prices will fall in-between those, obviously.

The more expensive pocket diapers I have found are the Rumparooz diapers. They run $23.50 for a solid color and $25.50 for a print, each. They do offer bundle deals that can work out great too. For a 24 diaper bundle on the Rumparooz site will cost you $528.00. These diapers also have a great resale rate. You can buy them used from anywhere between $15-$20 each.

The cheaper pocket diapers are Sunbaby. These are made by a woman out of china and you can only get them in bulk if you buy them new online. That is their only downfall. She only sells them in packs of 12’s. So a bundle of 24 diapers will cost you. $120.00, that’s right, only $5 a diaper! I personally think these do feel a bit cheaper than an average pocket, but they still work great. I have several of them. If you want to buy them individually then you can get them from anywhere between $5-$9 each, or more if you really want a particular diaper they offer. You will spend more if you buy them individually, but it is the only way to get them if you don’t want to buy 12 or 24 packs.

All other types of pocket diaper prices will fall between the $120 and $528 range. I know that seems like a big gap. 24 Fuzzibunz = $454 and 24 Bumgenius = $406. Thos are average prices for diaper packages.

Now I'll leave you with a few pocket diaper models :) And ironically enough, they are all wearing the same kind of diaper - Sunbaby.

I love this picture because it shows how great a one size diaper is.
The same kind of diaper is on an infant and a toddler.

 

Here is Adelaide in a Rumparooz, to show a different brand fit.