The Best Insert for Wetness Sensitivity: An Overview of the Thirsties Stay Dry Duo Hemp Inserts

For the most part, the cloth diaper hype is all about different styles and prints, while the products we rely on the most don’t get the same amount of love. (Because, have you seen Flutter By? Wow.) However, it’s absorbency like the Stay Dry Duo Insert that makes a cloth diaper caregiver’s world go around. One of the most common questions in the cloth diaper world is ‘Which is the best insert for babies with wetness sensitivity?’ Wetness sensitivity can be uncomfortable for baby and stressful for baby’s caregiver, not to mention difficult to overcome. Rashes become more prevalent, parents become more frustrated and sometimes, caregivers give up on cloth diapering altogether. Enter Thirsties Stay Dry Duo Insert! In this article, we will breakdown the fiber facts, design and prep and care for the Thirsties Stay Dry Duo Insert. And since this workhorse is all about the fibers, let’s begin with the fiber facts.

Fiber Facts

Thirsties Natural One Size All In One[/caption] When I think of Thirsties, I think fiber first. The Thirsties signature 55% hemp/45% organic cotton blend is one of my absolute favorites and this blend happens to be one half of the Stay Dry Duo. Products like the Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefold and the Natural One Size All In One cloth diaper share the same hemp/organic cotton blend as well. The Stay Dry Duo Insert actually has two inserts that snap together to make one complete absorbency system. I know that extra steps aren’t everyone’s favorite thing when it comes to cloth diaper laundry, but in this case, it’s absolutely worth it. The first insert is constructed of two layers of Thirsties’ fast absorbing microfiber terry and topped with their stay-dry and stain-resistant microfleece. If you were wondering, yes, stain-resistant microfleece is a must. This makes introducing solids so much easier on your wash routine and on yourself. The second insert, which should be snapped to the underside of the microfiber insert, consists of 5 layers of the super-absorbent 55% hemp - 45% organic cotton jersey. Again, that signature blend is where you are going to find the bulk of your absorbency, even though it’s the trimmest layer by far. It’s like the best of both worlds, if ‘both worlds’ were all about catching poop. #ThirstiesTip I find that if I snap all our inserts together fresh out of the dryer, other caregivers are more likely to grab and use them. Because there is a length difference in the size one and size two inserts, I find it easier to sit down and snap them all at once so that I don’t end up with two odd sizes at the end of diaper laundry.

Design

Thirsties Stay Dry Duo Insert[/caption] The thoughtful design of this insert is why I refer to this particular product as a workhorse. The microfleece/microfiber insert is fast absorbing and pulls wetness away from baby quickly preventing rashes and helping to relieve wetness sensitivity. It also help solids sit on top of this layer, making waste removal quick and simple. So, why is this important? When babies feel wet, they become irritable, uncomfortable and can have a difficult time focusing. Adding this stay dry insert to help keep baby feeling dry between changes will allow the caregiver to prep a bottle, throw in a load of clothes or even finish the last bit of (cold) coffee without worrying about whether baby will become cranky or rashy. It’s key that the stay dry layer stay on top of the hemp/organic cotton layer for a few reasons:

We don’t want microfiber touching baby’s skin.
The stay dry layer will absorb faster than the hemp/organic cotton layer.
The hemp/organic cotton layer truly shines in its ability to absorb a large amount of liquid and is best served underneath the microfleece/microfiber layer.

When trying to remember which fibers absorb the fastest, remember this: My Cloth Baby’s Happy. In order from fastest absorbing to slowest absorbing materials, the fibers rank like this: Microfiber, Cotton, Bamboo and then Hemp. Meaning, microfiber and microfleece will always pull wetness away from baby faster than any other fiber. As far as sizing goes, this design was very straight and to the point. Babies weighing 6-18 lbs will be comfortable in a size one Stay Dry Duo, while babies 18-40 lbs will need a size two Stay Dry Duo. Has your baby outgrown their size one Stay Dry Duos? Don’t get rid of them just yet! These layers make for exceptional doublers when using other Thirsties systems as well. Hang on to these layers and double them up for naptime, car rides and nighttime. #ThirstiesTip Absorbency and fibers are forgiving. Don’t worry too much about knowing your child’s exact weight when selecting the perfect size. A few pounds either way won’t make or break how much you love the Stay Dry Duos or prevent them from providing great absorbency.

Prep and Care

This doesn’t happen often, but when prepping the Thirsties Stay Dry Duo inserts, you’ll want to unsnap them all and prep the hemp/organic cotton insert separate from the microfiber/microfleece insert. This is because the synthetic layer (microfiber/microfleece) only needs one wash with cloth diaper safe detergent before use. However, your hemp/organic cotton insert will need a different sort of prep. The hemp/organic cotton insert needs three wash and dry cycles (separate from other cloth diaper products) before use and eight wash and dry cycles to be completely prepped. In other words, go ahead and complete the three wash and dry cycles separate from your microfiber/microfleece insert and you can begin to use your Stay Dry Duo. Just know that your absorbency will continue to increase up to eight full wash and dry cycles. #ThirstiesTip This is one of the rare instances where some fibers in a particular cloth diaper product need more prep than others. Always plan for the fiber requiring the longest prep. Although your stay dry layer doesn’t need the eight washes like your hemp and organic cotton layer, you will be glad you completed a full prep.

#Momrealness

I wrote off any sort of absorbency with synthetic fibers for a long time. I was 100% convinced that I had absolutely no use for synthetic fibers in my cloth diaper collection. Enter new baby with severe wetness sensitivity. The Stay Dry Duo was perfect for us. My baby stayed dry, the organic cotton and hemp insert underneath gave her more absorbency and saved us from leaks while my husband loved the ‘lay it in and go’ aspect. #dadterms One of the most important things I’ve learned in my years of cloth diapering (and parenting) is that every kiddo is different and what worked for some of my babies definitely didn’t work for others. At the same time, what I thought was bullet proof for our nighttime routine, didn’t necessarily work for some of my friends. Here’s the realness: don’t write anything off completely. Hang on to a style that might not be working for you right now, keep the absorbency that seems like it will never have a place in your routine and definitely bring tacos to the friend who is struggling with a stage that you might not have found difficult. The next stage or next baby or next year will have surprises waiting and you’ll need a friend to bring you tacos too. Have you tried Thirsties’ Stay Dry Duo Inserts? We'd love for you to share your favorite ways to use this insert below! Are you new to Thirsties’ Stay Dry Duo Inserts? Please share any questions you may have! You can shop Thirsties Natural One Size All In Ones at your local retailer or online with Thirsties. For more cloth diaper tips and tricks, you can visit Thirsties on Facebook or join the online community, Thirsties Groupies.