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.
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.