Just found out I don't like PUL...suggestions?

MommyMelRN

I'm a  FTM due in August and we are planning to CD.  I've done a ton of research on diapers and have picked out a few brands to try, including fuzzibunz, bum genius, and flips, in addition to doing the newborn trial with Jillian's Drawers.  I found a local CD store and finally ventured over there after my glucose test last Thursday.  I was shocked to find out that I really hate the way PUL feels!  I don't know what it is...it just reminds me of the cheap K-mart nightgowns I used to wear when I was little!  I  LOVED the way the blueberry newborn fitteds felt and was all set to plunk down a pretty penny for them, but then I realized, duh, they are fitteds and will still need a cover!

So, what now?  Any suggestions?  Are there some brands that are softer than others?  Are there options that I am not considering?

As a side note, I don't hate it enough that I would consider disposables at this point, because, well as much as I don't like PUL, I think disposeables feel 100 times worse!

pixy_stix

Wait until your baby is here before you decide you don't like something.

As far as what else you can use, you can use wool and fleece covers for around the house.

Pamela05

The only alternative I know of is wool covers.  I wouldn't totally discount PUL though. Like pp said, different brands feel different and some have a less crunchy feel than others. The only time I ever really have to encounter it is while stuffing inserts. 

kattyleigh

GroVia diapers use something different than PUL, though it is similar. Their AI2 system is nice and very soft. They are expensive though. 

annb2009

There are several out there with soft cloth exteriors. Bitti Tutto is one of them. They have super soft exteriors with fun colors. I bought a couple a while back. They're very pretty, but quite honestly, they do not seem to hold up as well as my Fuzzi Bunz or Bum Gen. Diapers. But they still are adorable.

MommyMelRN

margaretkaye1:

Do you mean the shiny side or the outside? There are minky dipes, denim, and others. All brands feel different too, for the most part. My bummis covers are more like fabric, my bumkins are more silky feeling, the happy heinys I have feels just feels like a cheap jacket IMO. You just need to feel different ones. Or you could always go with wool and fleece. 

Yes, the outside is what is turning me off...I've encountered that cheap jacket feel too and didn't like that either.

 Thanks for your ideas ladies!  Honestly, we weren't really looking into using fitteds/prefolds/flats with covers for full time use, but after seeing the fitteds, I don't see how they could be any more complicated than a pocket or AIO diaper for DH to use.

So, question about fleece/wool covers.  I'm from CT, fleece an wool are things I think of as nice cozy sweaters I wear in the winter and fall.  Right now we live in Houston...the idea of anything fleece/wool even touching my body now, never mind in August, is making me sweat.   Am I off base here?  Are fleece/wool covers somehow different than those cozy sweaters I'm thinking about? 

MamaFantastic

wool is actually much more breathable and moisture-wicking than PUL, which traps heat and moisture inside the diaper.  most people who use wool LOVE it and report their babies are quite cool and comfortable, but it's even more expensive than PUL stuff (even the top of the line, boutique PUL).

the PUL in different diaper covers feels different, and as someone already mentioned, you can find PUL covers or diapers that use other fabrics like minky to make the outer later softer or fuzzy.

if i'm being honest, i think this will matter VERY little to you once you start diapering your baby   i remember feeling very strongly about specific stuff while i was pregnant, but most of that went out the window when i started buckling down and figuring out which routine/product/decision worked best for us in the newborn weeks and months.  you'll figure it out!  i wouldn't discount all PUL yet, though.  see how you feel after your trial program.  that will give you a good chance to test out several different brands.

 

unaveragejane

Someone gave me 5 Kushies brand diapers that are flannel on the inside and outside. I don't know if you can still get them like this...the website says the outer layer is a waterproof barrier, so they may have changed how they're made. (Or maybe the outside layer is coated on the interior with something waterproof?) I'm not sure how well they work either since our LO hasn't yet arrived. Also, you might try g-diapers. I have heard they leak a little easily, but they have t-shirt knit covers. Right now my favorite diapers for how they look and feel are my Lil' Joeys AIO's. They are a lot softer than the covers for my Flips and Trends, and I have heard they fit newborns better than one size diapers.

MommyMelRN

spasticfantastic:

wool is actually much more breathable and moisture-wicking than PUL, which traps heat and moisture inside the diaper.  most people who use wool LOVE it and report their babies are quite cool and comfortable, but it's even more expensive than PUL stuff (even the top of the line, boutique PUL).

the PUL in different diaper covers feels different, and as someone already mentioned, you can find PUL covers or diapers that use other fabrics like minky to make the outer later softer or fuzzy.

if i'm being honest, i think this will matter VERY little to you once you start diapering your baby   i remember feeling very strongly about specific stuff while i was pregnant, but most of that went out the window when i started buckling down and figuring out which routine/product/decision worked best for us in the newborn weeks and months.  you'll figure it out!  i wouldn't discount all PUL yet, though.  see how you feel after your trial program.  that will give you a good chance to test out several different brands.

 

Thanks for the info!  We aren't super concerned with cost just yet, although it is likely to be a concern in the future.  I know not all PUL is the same, which is one of the reasons I came asking for advice, hoping there were other brands out there I hadn't thought of or considered.  The lil' joeys someone else mentioned, for example, felt pretty nice in the store, although I wouldn't say I was in love with them. You are probably right, I probably won't care so much once lo comes, lol!  Right now I'm just trying to figure out what to add to my arsenal of things to try that I might be happier with in the long run.

MamaFantastic

it sounds like you're being smart and doing your research.  that's good!!  i usually recommend buying some used stuff in the brands that most people recommend (thirsties covers, GMD prefolds, kissaluvs fitteds, BG newborn AIOs, lil joeys, grovia newborns) and then doing a trial program too to expose yourself to other brands and styles.  i could give you a detailed breakdown of what i use(d), but it would be totally different from what another person uses, so you kind of have to take everything anybody says with a grain of salt.  there's truly nothing like rolling up your sleeves and changing/washing a few hundred diapers to make you really focus in on what matters most to you and what works the best for you and your baby!

i'd also recommend going back to the brick and mortar diaper store and spending a lot of time feeling all of the diapers again and seeing which ones you love and which ones are disappointing in person.  i was surprised at how my mind was changed when i held a few brands in my hand and actually looked at them in person.  i even changed my mind from one trip to the next, so you may find a second trip there sheds even more light for you.  that's the next best thing to actually using them, and it took me a LONG time to make my final diaper stash decisions.  it's a hard job!

nicole0719

I live in south florida and we use fitteds and wool pretty much exclusively at home. He never seems hotter than he would be with out the wool covers - we use interlock and knit shorties and interlock covers.

MommyMelRN

nicole0719:

I live in south florida and we use fitteds and wool pretty much exclusively at home. He never seems hotter than he would be with out the wool covers - we use interlock and knit shorties and interlock covers.

Thanks!  I found some of these online last night and thought they might work pretty well for us, especially if we used a fitted underneath (so it was more like a regular disposable for DH).  I found a free pattern...I'm thinking about either digging out my sewing machine and trying to make some myself (goodness knows I have he time) or asking mom and/or my dear friend who sews, to help me out, just so I can try them without breaking the bank.  The interlock doesn't seem too bulky and seems to stretch nicely, se we will see!

Shortcake2675

Wool is a real option for all the time too if you decide to not use PUL.  My daughter is prone to yeast rashes so at 4 months we switched to wool nearly all the time.  She's outgrown it some now, so we use our pockets more often, but still use fitteds and prefolds most of the time.  I never bothered with fleece covers.