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If you have been following this blog, you know that I love cloth diapering my children! I’m always happy to share my experiences with products, especially with new mamas! This time, I’m reviewing a “Alva Pocket Diaper.” I bought this diaper, and my opinions are my own.
The Mama
I’m a two-time cloth-diapering mama. I’ve used almost every system out there, from old-fashioned birdseye flats and dritz pins, prefolds, bamboo fitteds, china cheapies, fitted diapers, and pocket diapers. I know what I’m doing, and tend to be an evangelist.
The Tester
Is 13 months old, 32″ tall and about 18 lbs (tall and slim with normal thighs). She’s always been an extremely heavy wetter (12-15 diapers a day, close to 40 a day as a young baby), and is VERY sensitive to wetness and tight elastics.
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OUR TESTER AT 9 MONTHS IN AN ALVA CLOTH DIAPER
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Alva Pocket Diaper Review
The Alva pocket diaper comes with an absorbent microfiber insert, but you can stuff the pocket with any insert of your choice. It has both waist snaps, rise snaps (vertical), and crossover snaps for newborns (or rolling up and fastening a dirty diaper before putting in your wet bag). It is a very trim diaper, despite being a one-size from birth to potty. The outer waterproof layer is PUL, like most modern pocket diapers.
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Now, Alva is what some refer to as a “china cheapie” pocket diaper. These diapers are made in China, from Chinese materials (like many cloth diapers sold in North America). For my first child, we were on a budget and tried using prefolds, flats, and thirsties covers. It was SO bulky, and baby was miserable. When she was around 8 months, I tried cloth diapering again, but this time I tried pocket diapers. At the time, selection was VERY limited (literally, there were like 4 brands available), but I found an ebay seller in China…and I fell in love with these diapers. Alva diapers didn’t leak on us, they fit under clothing, they didn’t give my baby rashes, and they were CHEAP. I am all for supporting Canadian businesses (and the diapers we use now reflect that), but for my first, our budget was tight. Alvas were literally $4 each at that time (they’re $5-7 ish now). I had a great sized stash (like 60 diapers), they washed well and worked well, and when my second child was born, I was able to to sell them for $6 each! That’s more than I paid for them!
Some people feel so strongly about buying local and avoiding China cheapie diapers, and recommend that new mamas on a budget cut up t-shirts or find pieces of towelling or use kitchen dish rags to make diapers rather than buy Alvas. Seriously? What new mama wants to put rags on their baby?? Way to dissuade people from cloth diapering. 🙁 I’d rather mamas have a great, convenient, pocket diaper that they love and can afford. The cost savings and environmental savings wins over #buyinglocal for me in this case. Alvas have not leaked for us, or delaminated, they have strict quality controls, and the customer service is great and warranty impeccable. I can’t say the same about many local brands.
P.s. If you like bumgenius pocket diapers, these are really similar fit, use microfiber inserts, and have a microsuede inner as well.
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- Lots of snaps for customization. Snaps are harder for toddlers to undo, compared to velcro
- stay-dry microsuede inner
- absorbent microfiber insert
- HUGE variety of trendy and classic colours and prints. You can’t beat Alva’s selection – it’s in the hundreds!
- fits tiny babies and older babies alike (one-size)
- Washes well
- durable – I still have some left from my eldest and they are perfect.
- Alva also makes affordable swim diapers, wet bags, and reusable liners!
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- insert is made of microfiber (like bumgenius). If you don’t do laundry properly, microfiber is prone to getting the stinkies. Use tide, and don’t worry, or use the natural fiber inserts of your choice. 🙂 Alva makes charcoal bamboo inserts that are very popular as well.
- If your baby is sensitive to bum genius’ microsuede fabric (or you prefer microfleece), this diaper is not for you. Almost all babies aren’t sensitive, but some (like my second daughter) are, so I thought I’d note.
GOOD SELLER 003 on Ebay (I’ve bought over 60 diapers from her over the years, shipping is 2-4 weeks)
