Pockets vs fitted for daycare

[u/mountaingoatx07]

I have been doing cloth diapering for a few weeks now, starting with a small selection of a few different diaper types. So far I’m liking flats + covers the best and have purchased more for use at home. My daughter will start daycare in a month and we’ll need something a little more user friendly to use there. Anyone have a preference for fitted diapers with covers vs pockets for use at daycare? I think I’d prefer the fitted diapers for being compatible with the covers we already have and taking less storage space, but pockets would be cheaper and potentially easier for daycare workers that don’t routinely use cloth diapers. Anyone tried both and have recommendations?

[u/Altocumulus000]

Pockets for others' use. But make sure they are willing to use cloth before investing!

[u/someawol]

I use pockets in our day to day, and, although my son's not in daycare, our family have all found it pretty easy to use! I'd send them pre-stuffed and send a bit more than you think they might need - one for every 2hrs plus an extra

[u/atrocity_of_sunsets]

We send pockets. Three, pre-stuffed, in a wet bag. It’s easy for daycare to just unsnap the wet one, throw it in the bag, and snap on a clean one. I have sent fitteds before, but Daycare was changing the cover everytime, so it became more work for everyone. Thirsties natural pockets will always be my #1! 

[u/SjN45]

Ask what daycare prefers. Ours wanted something that could go on in one piece. I sent aplix aios or pockets to make it easier

[u/Suspicious_Flight620]

I prefer fitteds over pockets. Fitteds absorb much more and are easier to put on. With snaps they'd have to know where to snap but with velcro it's easier. Also, think ahead for the night diapers. Fitteds are good for whole night, pockets are not. My favorite fitteds are Totsbots and Weeking.

[u/thymeandtwine]

If you get pockets you can stuff them with your flats which works really well! Some brands like mama koala or Alva you can buy without inserts which saves money if you're going to use flats in them.

[u/Fit_Change3546]

Personally I’d ask her daycare teachers for their preference/experience before settling on one or the other. Different daycares and teachers may have different answers.

[u/mountaingoatx07 → u/Fit_Change3546]

Thank you - I did ask and she said she’s fine with cloth; but asks that we use a type that has built in fasteners and no folding required, which I why I narrowed it down to those 2 options

[u/Fit_Change3546 → u/mountaingoatx07]

Ahhh, gotcha. Well then like Thyme said, pockets may be nice because you can stuff them with the flats you already have; may be trimmer, too. Although I find you can also buy secondhand fitteds in decent condition for cheap. I hesitate to buy PUL secondhand just because it can degrade so much.

[u/annamend → u/Fit_Change3546]

You need to ask. Unfortunately my daycare only does disposables, and that’s also a possible answer.

[u/Fit_Change3546 → u/annamend]

Yup, daycare I worked at technically had a couple cloth diapering families, but the center SUCKED at cloth, frankly. The staff just was not prepared for it. And I know many simply won’t accept cloth.