"Reusing" pocket dipes before washing...

[nature chic]

A friend gave me some pocket dipes and told me that I don't have to wash the cover each time- only if soiled-- just let them air dry and re-stuff. Does anyone else do this? Would there be a reason to not do this? Almost seemed too good to be true...

[Lovely Momma]

i wash mine everytime.. and as far as covers go, if any of the fabric gets wet (the border of the cover/gussets/exc) meaning the prefold/flat got too wet i wash it too. If the cover (plasticy/pul part) is the only thing wet i wipe it out with my wipe and reuse it but thats only because that part doesnt touch my LO, the inner of a pocket DOES get wet and touches LO's skin. It would be like you peeing in your underwear, air drying and rewearing.. no thanks.

[RFsmom]

IMO that just doesn't seem right to me. I would think that since the pee has to go thru the lining to get to the insert it is dirty as well. If there's no pocket & the insert touches the baby directly, then that would make sense, but I am no expert here, so don't take my word for the gospel on this one.

[My Sweet Blessings]

no, you should not reuse pocket diapers without washing between uses. The microfleece or whatever inner material is used will hold on to pee. It isn't sanitary to reuse. Plain PUL covers are different in that there are no materials getting wet besides the PUL, which will air dry and it not against the skin. It's just a moisture barrier. The inner of a pocket ALWAYS touches the skin, though.

[nature chic]

OK-- it' seemed not right to me too, just wanted to check- thanks!

[Leiiki]

The only time I'd reuse a pocket would be in an emergency as a cover (lay the insert on the fleece instead of in the pocket).

[Lovely Momma]

Originally Posted by Leiiki The only time I'd reuse a pocket would be in an emergency as a cover (lay the insert on the fleece instead of in the pocket).

I have SOOO thought of that (using a pocket as a cover)

[hampyfew]

Sorry to hijack, but wouldn't this hold true for like a Softbums, when used as an AI2? They say you let the cover air dry and it is ready for the next diaper change. I used to have a few, and the cover always got wet, the pee would go through the snap in soaker. Isn't that kind of the same thing?

Not arguing that you SHOULD reuse pockets...

[nature chic]

I always wipe out my PUL covers before using again, besides you then place the soaker on top of the cover so it's not contacting the baby's skin.

[~stacy~]

Originally Posted by hampyfew Sorry to hijack, but wouldn't this hold true for like a Softbums, when used as an AI2? They say you let the cover air dry and it is ready for the next diaper change. I used to have a few, and the cover always got wet, the pee would go through the snap in soaker. Isn't that kind of the same thing? Not arguing that you SHOULD reuse pockets...

I think a lot of people prefer not to use softbums again if they get wet. But many people have light enough wetters that they don't get wet, especially with the bamboo pods. However, there is a slight difference here as the peed through fleece or suedecloth of the pocket diaper will be right against baby's skin when re-using as a pocket and that makes it unsanitary. If the cover of the softbums got wet in the wetzone and you lay in a new pod over that after air drying then nothing but clean fresh pod would be touching your baby's skin when being reused.

And just a caution on using pockets as covers... it can work great if they fit well. But the inserts that typically come with pocket diapers these days are made from microfiber and that fabric should not go directly against a baby's skin. They would be fine to use as covers over prefolds or natural fiber inserts though.