Diaper Pins
Have diaper pins gone away?
Plastic Headed Diaper Pins
Diapers pins were once a fixture in any house with babies. Now they are all but obsolete. These days, I often get requests for diaper pins just for baby shower games – not for use on diapers. While good diaper pins are still used for Chinese prefolds and other prefold or flat diapers, more parents are choosing to use a little diaper device called a Snappi. A Snappi is a little stretchy Y-shaped tool that holds a diaper closed without the need for pins.
Snappi diaper fasteners are one of those, “Why didn’t I think of that?” ideas. Each of the three sides of the Snappi has a small plastic end with tiny teeth that hold the diaper material snugly. With a Snappi, I can put a prefold on my daughter in just a few seconds. There is no danger of poking either one of us, and her diapers stay on without sagging.
Do you need a diaper fastener?
Some parents use a simple “letter” style fold or trifolded prefold with no diaper fasteners at all. Instead, they fold the prefold into thirds along its length – just like folding a letter to put it into an envelope. Then they place the diaper into a snug-fitting cloth diaper cover such as a Tiny Tush, Thirsties or Bummis cover. The cover is fastened around the baby just like a disposable diaper. This is a fast way to cloth diaper and makes it very simple to use cloth diapers. I am personally not a fan of this method since it does mean you need a few more diaper covers (messes are more likely to get onto the cover this way, though they won’t leak out of the diaper). I also prefer the trimmer fit that comes from folding the diaper and fastening it.
What if I want to use diaper pins?
Diaper pins are still available in several styles. Metal, locking head pins are the sharpest easiest to use. Pushing a dull pin through fabric tends to create more risk of poking mom or dad’s fingers. If you have your fingers between the diaper and your baby, there is very little chance of poking baby with the pin. Plastic headed pins are cheaper and work quite well. Be sure you are getting top-quality pins. Most packaged pins are incredibly dull and almost useless.
Where to buy diaper pins?
You can buy diaper pins at several online retailers, including my store Little for Now cloth diapers. Click here to see diaper pins and Snappis.
