What is a Diaper Cover?
A diaper cover is a water resistant outer shell. It is essentially a "plastic pant" but modernized. The purpose of a diaper cover is to provide water resistance so that your diaper does not leak. It is not fully waterproof which allows the diaper to still be breathable on your baby.
What's With The snaps?
Modern cloth diapers have a large variety of snaps to adjust the sizing so it can fit your baby perfectly through every stage of diapering. The snaps on the front of the diaper adjust the length, depending on the size of your baby. These snaps are called the "rise setting".
The snaps on the tabs and at the top of the diaper are designed to help with the tightness of the diaper so that it stays snug and secure. These are the waist snaps, leg snaps, and hip snaps. The hip snap allows for the tabs to not droop or sag.
TIPS for Using Diaper Covers
The inside of a Rig N Gig diaper cover has inner flaps which are great for holding inserts into place. This feature allows for you to tuck your natural fiber inserts, flats, and prefolds into place with ease.
How To Use a Diaper Cover
Diaper covers are incredibly versatile with all kinds of absorbency to use with it! You can use flats, prefolds, preflats, fitteds, and natural fiber inserts. You want to avoid using microfiber inserts directly against the skin. Luckily, here at Rig N Gig we only sell the best natural fiber absorbency!
Insert: Lay the insert flat into the diaper. You can tuck the insert into the flaps to secure it into place.
Flat Diaper: Fold the flat into a rectangle, which puts it into the shape of an insert. We call this fold the "pad fold". There is no wrong way to pad fold a flat diaper. It just needs to be folded down into an insert. Fold it in half. Fold it in half again. Fold it in thirds. Tuck the flat into the flaps of the diaper cover.
Prefold: A prefold is very easy to fold. Fold along the inner seams, we call this fold the tri-fold or pad fold. Tuck the prefold into the flaps of the diaper cover.
Snake style insert: Fold the insert in half and tuck it into the flaps of the diaper cover.
Budget Friendly Benefits and How To Use Them
Diaper covers are the most budget friendly diapering system. You can keep reusing diaper covers until they are soiled. All you need to do is change out the insert at each diaper change and as long as the cover is not soiled or dirty then you can continue to use the diaper cover. People are often able to use diaper covers approx 3-6 times before it is soiled, which means you only need a handful of diaper covers to get started!
Cost savings:
When you are using pocket diapers and all-in-ones, you have to use a new diaper at each diaper change. All-in-ones and pockets are one time use diapers which means you will need more of these to get your cloth diaper stash started. Covers allow you the flexibility to get by with only a handful. If you are on a budget then you should highly consider investing in diaper covers.
Versatility:
Diaper covers don't have one specific insert or absorbency that goes best with it. You can use any type of natural fiber absorbency like fitteds, flat diapers, prefolds, preflats, and natural fiber inserts.
Comfort:
Diaper covers are very comfortable for your baby because the natural fiber goes directly against the skin. Certain fabrics are smooth and soft which makes for a comfortable diaper. Natural fibers against the skin can also help your baby feel wetness sooner, which can be a great tool for potty learning!
TIPS for Choosing The Right Size and Fit
Cloth diapers come in all shapes and sizes. You can find cloth diapers that fit a newborn baby, there are one size diapers that fit from birth - toddlerhood, and there are diapers that can fit larger toddlers and special needs children ranging up to 65-80lbs+
Rig N Gig newborn diapers fit from approx 5-15lbs
Rig N Gig one size diapers fit from approx 8-35lbs
Rig N Gig 'Size Up' Covers fit from approx 18-65lbs+