Like most families, we love water – in all forms. Lakes, pools, creeks, oceans…you name it, we’ve probably swam in it. and Being a member of a large family I’ve seen all manners of swimming costumes for kids :: bathing suits with mesh, bathing suits with padding, disposable swim diapers, full out naked babies, just a pair of underpants, etc. So, when faced with the choice of what to cover my babies butt with I had an array of options to consider. Though, one option that I knew I wanted to stay away from was the disposable swim diaper. One look at them and it just wasn’t for me – always sagging and swollen holding that chlorine water to the babies skin. I’ve seen so many that rip and lose the chemical beads in side, and whether they have been soiled or not, they are tossed into the nearest trash to be placed in a landfill. They don’t look cute, they don’t look safe and the cost amazes me. ($10+ for 12 diapers) So, the hubs and myself with newborn Declan in tow set out to find the right fit for us.
Babies•R•Us carries a line of reusable cloth diapers called gDiapers. They are a diaper with a cloth outer shell and a removable plastic snap-in insert. They run in sizes from Small to X-Large and come in all colors. I bought a two pack for Declan (only 2-3 months old) and we took them to the lake with us for vacation. They worked great for him as a baby. The cloth outer shell dried incredibly fast in the sun, had adjustable velcro snaps for sizing, and the plastic insert contained all matters of secretions and was easily wiped clean and ready to use immediately afterwards. [Bonus :: those gDiapers were then used as some of our first cloth diapers when we made the switch for Cullen a year+ later.]
The next summer as Declan grew from infant to toddler and we needed to upgrade in sizing and maximize in coverage I came across a reusable swim diaper made by Finis (pictured above). They have colors and patterns for boys and girls and all of their diapers are UPF 50+ and UV resistant. I purchased two and again, took them to the lake with us – we were so happy with them. Super durable, soft on his sensitive areas, and it stayed put while running around on the shore or swimming in the water. It looks like a speedo and I’ve noticed that many put a swimsuit over the diaper but we never did – he needed to move and the last thing I want to do is fight to get a bathing suit on and off of a wet baby and soiled diaper. This is the start of our third summer using those Finis swim diapers and they are still in great shape! Obviously, Declan has outgrown them & only needs a swimsuit but Cullen has plenty of room to grow & enjoy.
Before you head to the pool or beach and you find yourself reaching for those disposable cloth diapers out of habit – think about using a reusable swim diaper instead. I have been thrilled recently seeing them in adorable prints in places like Target (Charlie Banana swim diapers & cloth diapers are great), Babies-R-Us, and Walmart – but you can also find great deals online. It’s worth it to yourself, your wallet and your baby to at least look into it!
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