Hybrids To the Rescue!

While pregnant I wanted to do cloth diapers, while my husband was all for disposables. Our families' opinions of cloth diapering was very much reflected in these biases as well. I wondered, is there a way to do both?

To help placate everyone I researched and registered for the gDiapers system -- a system that would do both depending on the circumstance. The gDiapers are technically considered all-in-twos, but have a very easy to use disposable insert available if necessary which classifies them as a hybrid system. There is a cover, a liner, and then the insert. Each liner is re-usable after you wipe it out and put in a fresh insert. The covers are as well, and when necessary they can go in the wash with clothes. The soiled insert is the only thing that is changed every time. They are sized (S, M, L, XL) which gives them a trimness that isn't seen anywhere else, except maybe the new fuzzibunz elite.

I figured, we travel a lot so having the option of a disposable is a great thing, but mostly we can use the cloth inserts. We also could use a disposable if out during the day and not wanting to cart around a wet-bag of diapers. The disposables were a few dollars more per package than a package of comparable number disposables, so not really a huge deal in the long run. Ultimately, this is something that has only been an issue if we didn't know where our next washing machine was.

After I approached my husband with my find, we did the math as only two people with three Chemistry degrees between them can. We figured that even though they were sized, since we only had to buy a few covers with many more inserts, it would really equal out to about the same price as a stash full of one sized diapers. Each "size" costs roughly $200, for those of you curious. This is for a stash of 8 covers and 24 cloth inserts. This is part of my current sized M stash, the ones ready to go on the left, unfolded so you can see the liner in the middle, and the inserts to be put in on the far right.

Now the real selling point for his family, (Remember, they didn't want us to use cloth. We've lasted much longer than the week they gave us.) the ability to flush the soiled disposables down the toilet! This means there is no "diaper" smell around the house anywhere. The waste goes down the proper receptacle.

The selling point for my family is the lack of space they take up. At 6 diapers to an inch in height when stacked on top of each other, a lot of inserts can take up very little space. They also simply stack on top of each other, no folding or stuffing when you pull them out of the dryer.

As I said, we travel a lot, and having the hybrid system saved our daughter's tush (she's actually allergic to every disposable that we've tried, except the gDiaper insert) when the airline lost our bag -- naturally it was the bag of my clothes and my entire stash of cloth diapers. We had 3 covers, 5 liners, and 6 disposable inserts and 6 cloth inserts in our diaper bag. After the initial, "What do you mean you lost my bag? Don't you realize that's a lot of time and money invested there?" we were able to run to the store to get disposable inserts to last until we received the bag.

A stash of one brand of diapers isn't really complete, and hybrid diapers round a stash out nicely for many different reasons.

Bio: Carolyn is a work at home mom to one 10 month old daughter. She regularly enlightens everyone to the ease and versatility of hybrids.

Hybrids To the Rescue!

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HOORAY for Hybrids!!

In our family my husband has always been the constant cloth diaper advocate. Soon after we found out we were pregnant he was doing his research on brands, calculating how much we could save, and excited on how we would be doing a small part to reduce our carbon footprint. I, on the other hand, was not so easily convinced that this was the best route for our family and really took my time considering the idea up right until our son was around three months old. At the time I didn't really know anyone who was cloth diapering and although the internet is a great resource there is nothing compared to experiencing real life so we jumped right in. Sort of, I made my first purchase of a few cloth diapers to try, with one in particular that I knew I was really going to like - Grovia's Hybrid cloth system.

I really see Grovia's Hybrid System as a modern take on the pre-fold/cover combination. This particular hybrid system consists of a soaker pad that you are able to snap into the one size fits all cover. Grovia covers are all in ones meaning that they will fit from tiny baby to toddler. They also have the cute factor which include patterns and colors along with soaker options such as organic cotton, stay dry, and bio soakers. With all this diversity in ONE diapering system makes it a clear front runner choice for cloth diapering families. I personally love having the choice of using organic cotton against my son's skin because the chemicals such as chlorine that is put into disposables is one of my top reasons for wanting to cloth diaper in the first place.

Diaper changes are made easy with Grovia because instead of having to launder the whole diaper, you easily un-snap the soaker and exchange it with a clean one. You can continue to re-use the cover as many times as possible before it becomes soiled then tossing it as well into the laundry. My personal experience would you need between 2-4 covers a day, and as many soaker pads as changes. This makes the hybrid a very cost efficient option along being extremely economical. I'd say it cuts our diaper laundry in half even which is always a bonus with a baby! (Who am I kidding, less laundry is always better.)

I also love how super convenient hybrids are for daily outings and other longer travel excursions. Grovia's soaker pads are no bigger then a disposable diaper. This makes packing them a breeze. In my particular situation we ride the bus a lot and with the thinness of these liners I don't have to worry about not having enough diapers packed for changes. Instead I can easily fit six soaker pads and a cover or two into my diaper bag. That's the convenience of disposables without the chemicals, a fantastic pro for this mommy. Grovia also has a disposable liner, they are called bio soakers. Bio-soakers are biodegradable, giving you the option of flushing, composting, or simply just throwing it into the garbage. This option is for the times where a washer isn't easily accessible, like a tropical vacation, or a long road trip. I'm excited to try these out on our family cruise this spring.

Last but not least, I must rave about the fit of these diapers. It seems a bit selfish to admit out loud but one of my major cons for NOT wanting to use cloth diapers was the bulkiness some brands are. In fact I think that for a lot of families this is one of the bigger issues with cloth diapering whether its admitted or not. In our case my son's health and well being is more important then something cosmetic but with this method I can have my cake and eat it too. The trimness of these diapers fits with every outfit and none of his movements are restricted. Jaxton is also a mover so if the hybrid diaper can withstand my little man's crawling, rolling, and climbing they are tried and tested for every baby out there!

Hybrid diapers are a great option for getting your feet wet in the cloth diapering world with their convenience, cost efficient, trim ways. Grovia's system make changes as easy as disposables. I wouldn't have our cloth diapering journey any other way.

Bio: Justine is a SAHM to 9 month old Jaxton. Along with being a mom, Justine enjoys many mommy hood hobbies which include cloth diapering, taking pictures of her baby, and blogging at mrsmomma-mrsmomma.blogspot.com.

HOORAY for Hybrids!!

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Disposables versus Hybrids – is there really a difference?

We live in a disposable world.  Americans regularly dispose of over 4 pounds of trash per person per day.  Many parents choose cloth diapers over disposables so that they can personally reduce their impact on our disposable society.  While cloth diapering parents want to avoid using disposable diapers there are still occasions where using disposables seems like the only viable option. 

Some common reasons that cloth diapering parents use disposable diapers include:

• Traveling
• Sickness – diarrhea, yeast infection, or severe diaper rash
• Childcare provider not willing to use or accept cloth diapers
• Relatives or friends not willing to use or accept cloth diapers

ENVIRONMENT:  Are hybrid systems any better for the environment compared to disposables?

• Both the Flip and GroVia disposable inserts are much smaller in size than disposables creating less waste by volume than disposable diapers. 
• Both Flip and GroVia disposable inserts contain only 3 grams of SAP compared to 10-20 in traditional disposable diapers which makes them a healthier option for your baby compared to disposable diapers.
• Since the Flip and GroVia are meant to be used inside a diaper cover or shell they don’t need any ink to decorate the outside of the diapers like with disposables.
• They also don’t need Velcro on each disposable insert since they are placed inside a reusable shell or cover.  
• Flip inserts are made using a bamboo viscose, wood pulp filler, and starch-based glues (all better than plastic based products used in other disposable diapers)
• GroVia are both biodegradable and compostable (see notes below).
• GroVia are fragrance free, dye free, plastic free and chlorine free.
• Both are made by cloth diaper companies whose primary mission is to get more babies in cloth diapers.

COST:  Are hybrids more expensive than disposables?  It all depends on which disposable you are comparing them to.  For our cruise I selected the Huggies Pure & Natural diaper which cost me $19.99 for 56 size 4’s at the local big box retailer.  This equates to a cost of $0.3569 per diaper.  Compared to the per diaper price of Flip at $0.275 each and the GroVia Biosoakers at $0.3995.  Flip disposable inserts clearly win over disposables if price alone is a factor.

SPACE:  If you are traveling and space is limited the hybrid systems are hands down the best option.  You can see here the difference between the sizes of each insert.   The GroVia Biosoakers are actually the smallest of them all. 

FIT:  Using disposable diapers for a week made me realize how badly they fit a baby.  Disposables fit poorly around the legs and waists and are more likely to leak than a cloth diaper.  The GroVia BioSoakers are a much better fitting insert and include an inner leg gusset and protective layer unlike the Flip.  However, both the Flip and GroVia liners are used with an outer shell or cover which will actually add an extra layer of protection from leaks.  Since they both use an outer shell they are truly a better fit than disposable diapers. 

COMPOSTING AND BIODEGRADABILITY:  GroVia markets their disposable inserts to be compostable and biodegradable (under certain conditions).  Be sure to educate yourself on the conditions that would be required to compost and degrade naturally.

My final thoughts on hybrids and disposables:  I think that parents (especially mothers) have enough stresses in their lives that if they choose to use a disposable diaper or disposable insert they shouldn’t feel like a bad parent.  With that being said I also think that if a parent feels strongly about using cloth diapers 100% of the time that there is a way to use cloth diapers in every situation.  Only you know your boundaries and limits. 

If you are faced with deciding between a hybrid system (like the Flip and GroVia) and a disposable diaper the hybrid systems are better for the environment, better for your babies health, and better for your wallet.  The differences may not be as significant as when you use cloth diapers but every little bit helps.  I also think that hybrid systems are a great option for those parents who are unsure if they are ready to make the commitment to cloth diapers.

What are your thoughts on hybrids?  Have you used them?  Do you like them better than disposable diapers?

By Calley Pate – owner and editor of The Eco Chic blog and Eco Chic Parties.      

Disposables versus Hybrids – is there really a difference?

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Inventor of GroBaby, Kim Ormsby, featured in Redbook

Congratulations to Kim Ormsby, inventor of the GroBaby One Size Cloth and Hybrid Diapering System, is featured in the April issue of Redbook! We are proud to be one of their retailers and look for exciting things to come from her growing company.

Look for our large featured ad in the April issue of Pregnancy and Newborn showcasing GroBaby/GroVia diapering system with a special offer!

Inventor of GroBaby, Kim Ormsby, featured in Redbook

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Gro Baby: Parent Tested, Parent Approved!

One of our popular selling brands of diapers, Gro Baby™ (made by The Natural Baby Co.) recently announced that it was awarded the Parent Tested, Parent Approved (PTPA) Media Award!

This award was not only given to the Gro Baby One Size Diapering System, but also to the company’s shells, soaker pads and boosters. The PTPA Media Awards honor products only after they are vigorously tested by parents. Only products that pass muster are given the PTPA award.

Gro Baby has also announced their Gro Baby BioSoakers are officially U.S. Patent Pending. BioSoakers are disposable pads that line your baby’s cloth diapers (the backside of the BioSoaker is sticky, so it stays in place inside your diaper’s shell). Gro Baby BioSoakers are biodegradable, compostable, plastic and chlorine free... and now, patent-pending!

Let your little grow with Grow Baby!

Gro Baby: Parent Tested, Parent Approved!

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