Knicker Nappies review

It is safe to say that my obsession with diapers has taken on a whole new form. I am now on a mission to try all types of diapers and find the absolute best for my baby. Ever since Pampers has switched their diapers to this new Dry Max I am more determined than ever to use cloth full time.

I am currently workin on a big post about the new Pampers. I feel let down and extremely worried for our babies, and the lengths companies will go to show their constant lack of consideration for us.

Anyway, onward to my KnickerNappies review!




I discovered KnickerNappies the way that I discover most things, through twitter. I was chatting with other cloth diapering mommies (Monday evenings at 8pm on Twitter. Use the #clothdiapers hashtag). I heard the name a few times and decided to cruise over to their site and check them out.

The first thing that caught my eye was that these are pocket diapers. As a person who normally uses shells and inserts, I immediately raised my red flag and thought, "oh this will just be too much work!" We have another pocket system and we use them as our "back up" diapers because I just flat out dislike stuffing diapers and pulling out the insert!

About a day passed and a post showed up on my Facebook from Wee Little Changes, one of my favorite cloth diaper retailers. She was searching for reviews on the Knicker Nappies diapers. Always up for a challenge, and always ready to purchase for diapers (mama has a shopping problem, remember?) I immediately responded that I would love to participate.

I figured my review mostly would consist of how much I dislike stuffing a diaper and dealing with pockets. Also, Knicker Nappies has snaps, something that we personally found were difficult to use on our baby. I prefer the ease of velcro, and the ability to get a secure fit each time, without being confined to the snaps. I'm sure you can guess where this is going. Yes, mommy was proven wrong on all accounts!




First off, it is important to know that you should prep your diapers before using them. I washed the KnickerNappie diaper 3 times before use, but of course, after more washes they become more absorbent. The diaper I received is their one-size diaper, so I read the directions provided and snapped the front snaps so that it was set to the middle row. There is a row for newborns as well as settings for older children. I do admit to loving one size diapers. They fit well on Kirsten and I like the idea of not having to buy a small, medium, and large sets of diapers. (I included a photo from the Knicker Nappies website that explains their diapering system and shows the snaps off well).

Included with the diaper were two inserts.
Pictured are an example of the inserts I received. They are made of an "ultra absorbent microfiber." The Knicker Nappies site also states that these can be used in other pocket diapers.

When using pocket diapers I usually sit and stuff them all at once, so that we can have quicker changes. Since I only had one of these I waited until changing time to see how quickly we could change using this diaper. The pocket is located at the top of the diaper, not in the middle where you would stuff it within two folds. Stuffing was simple (I used the larger of the two inserts) and quick. I had a wiggly baby and was afraid that she would make things difficult, but getting the diaper on was actually rather easy. The snaps were different from the SmartiPants diapers we have, whereas the snaps went backwards toward the back instead of coming up to the front around baby's belly. I adjusted the snaps to find a good fit and assessed it. It appeared to fit her rather snug and close to her body.

One thing that has always bothered me about cloth diapers is the bulkiness. I am certainly a mommy who loves to dress up her baby, and having a bulky diaper just does not go with too many outfits. It makes pants too tight and the baby's butt appear 5 sizes larger! The KnickerNappies were unlike a lot of diapers I have used in that it was rather slim. I suppose that is something that comes with having pocket diapers, it allows for a closer fit and eliminating a lot of bulk from other types.

I liked the fact that there was elastic on the back as well. This allowed for more room and the diaper to stretch as Kirsten moved about. I always feared I would place a diaper on way too tight, causing it to cut into her abdomen. However, the elastic waist band was great for relieving this problem.

Kirsten decided to only pee in the diaper this time. As far as I could see there were no leaks and the diaper did not have any odor (something we really dislike about disposable diapers). I washed the diaper with our others and it came out absolutely clean, no stains at all. I have yet to see it in action with a poopy diaper, but as far as I can tell it holds up well and cleans well too!

My only cons for this diaper is that, again, snaps can be difficult if you have a baby who likes to wiggle and move. Kirsten was wiggling about on the changing table and it took me some time to snap it into place. At first it was a bit awkward figuring out the snaps, but if I were using the diapering system full-time I could certainly get used to it.

Great pros are that it is a slim and cozy fit. I had on one of Kirsten's smaller onesies and it fit over it very well. No pulling at the onesie, causing discomfort for the baby. Also, no need for me to get out her "cloth diaper" specific clothing! (By the way, I really enjoy that it is offered in white. I tend to steer more in the direction on fun prints and colors, and never thought of using a white diaper.)

I will mention too that their customer service is really great. I often "tweet" to KnickerNappies and receive replies and encouraging responses often. Reading their blog as well is very informative and makes me feel like I am dealing with a company that is very family centered, which is important to me, since being let down greatly from a big disposable diapers company. I am providing links at the bottom of this post to their Twitter site and blog!

Here are a few photos of Kirsten using her KnickerNappies diaper!






Links!
Follow KnickerNappies on Twitter: KnickerNappies

Read their blog: KnickerNappies blog