G Diapers --The Answer to Cloth versus Disposable?

I had heard about g diapers. "Green" disposables--gentle on the Earth, easy to use, AND you can throw them away! The company claims they biodegrade in 50-150 days. You can also compost or flush these babies! But, being a staunch cloth diapering mama, I resisted. Then, I planned a weekend away where I knew I wouldn't have access to laundry facilities. I didn't want to be lugging around a whole bunch of dirty diapers. So,I finally ordered a g diaper starter kit.

I waited expectantly for my package to arrive. When they came, I excitedly opened them (yes, I get excited about diapers;). First I pulled out the "little g pants". Cute. One orange, one cream colored. All cotton fabric with velcro tabs.

Then I pulled out the snap-in liners. These are nylon and snap into the cotton outers.

Then came ten inserts that go in the liner. This is the part of the diaper that actually does the duty of holding The Duty.

Last but not least-- a "swish stick". What is this thingie for? Oh, I see...it is for swishing around and breaking up the inner part of the diaper before you flush it.

The inserts feel pretty much like disposable diapers--papery. They do contain the super absorbent gels and they absorb much like disposables do. At first I thought they were way too big to insert into the liner, but I just shoved it in and voila! it fit.My first thought was that the snaps and folds of the liner might irritate my baby's skin, but she doesn't seem to mind them and they look comfortable on her. They are much trimmer of course then prefolds and all in one cloth diapers.

They contain both poop and pee very well and are easy to get on and off. I have trouble however keeping the outer cotton pants clean. When I change poopy diapers I use the diaper to wipe up most of the mess. It is difficult to do that with the g diapers without getting poop on the outer cover. So I have to wash the outer covers often.

Flushing G Diapers--an Experiment

I tore down the sides like the instructions say and flushed down the inner soft part of the insert no problem--without even swishing! The outer part was quite another matter! We had to plunge the toilet a few times! So flushing the insert doesn't really work for us. However, it does flush well when we are out and about at places the have "industrial strength" flushing toilets.

I've used the "little g pants" over prefolds but prefolds are really too bulky to be used with the little g pants. I really have to stuff the prefold into the covers and still there is some diaper sticking out. So if you're not careful you'll get leaks.

All in all really a very nice idea if you can spend the money. They are certainly more expensive than cloth diapers and a package of inserts are a bit more than a comparable package of regular disposable diapers. And you have to figure in the cost of the covers and liners as well.

If you weren't going to use cloth diapers anyway, then these definitely are better for the planet and are just about as convenient as disposables. If you use cloth, than these might be a nice treat for those times when you don't have laundry facilities or want a break from washing.

Have you used g diapers? What was your experience with them? Love them? Hate them? Do you have any tips or tricks? Post a g diaper review!

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