How to stuff a OS Pocket diaper and get it ready to use!

First, choose an insert.  I like the shaped inserts: 

These can be stuffed with either the wide part in front or in back, depending on your needs.  I like them because they stay in position.

I also like rectangular inserts.  I made these from old towels.  I cut a rectangle 15" x 18" and folded it in half to 15" x 9", then serged the edges.

This one's getting a little frayed...but it's cheap and it works and it dries really quickly!  Now it needs to be folded in half lengthwise again.  I also need to put a doubler with it for my super-soaker.  I have another smaller towel folded up.

Next I choose the snap setting on the One-Size diaper.  Malachi is getting big, he is 21 lbs at only 9 months--so he's pretty chubby--but he also has a tall rise.  He's on the medium setting.  There are 3 rows of snaps.  The top row are "studs" that can be snapped down into either of the two bottom rows of "sockets".  For the medium setting, I snap it as shown.

Next, I open the pocket opening and get ready to stuff in the insert.

I lay the insert(s) across my right hand and forearm, and while holding the diaper open with my left hand I stuff the whole thing in there together.  I go all the way to the back of the diaper with the insert, stretching the fabric and elastic to make it all lay smooth and straight--it is a smooth motion and happens fairly quickly.  When I pull my hand out, I check to make sure the insert is pulled to the front enough (even if it's not all the way at the back anymore) to be even with the edge of the pocket opening.

Snap the opening shut.

That's pretty much it.  Since the outer fabric is waterproof on a OS Pocket, the diaper goes on the baby just like this.  Unless he has a poopy diaper and needs to be changed sooner, I usually only change about every 2-3 hours during the day.

Now, to remove the wet inserts, it is especially easy if this is not a poopy diaper.  If it is, then I have a slightly different approach.  First, I open the pocket opening and flip the flap inside out.

Next, I hold the diaper over the laundry bag ("wet bag") and shake out the wet inserts.  Then I toss in the diaper with them.  I leave the diaper snapped down on the medium setting instead of unsapping it.  It makes a small crease in the wash, but it saves me time and I'm not really worried about a little wrinkle.  When I go to wash, I turn the laundry bag inside out into the washing machine so I never have to touch the dirty diapers.

If the diaper is poopy, I lay it open on the counter or ground, and pull out the wet inserts with my fingers.  Then I rinse the diaper over the toilet.  I have a hand bidet I purchased from Sanicare attached to my toilet for rinsing diapers.  Before I bought that, though, I would either swish the diaper in the toilet or rinse it in the tub.  If my kids had a solid poopy, all I had to do was shake out the solid waste, then take care of the diaper as above.  For newborn babies not eating solid foods, I don't even bother to rinse the diapers out before putting  them in the wash.  For my washing routine, see here.

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