# Bulky cloth diapers in car seat?



## Rhapsodi

So I'm trying to transition to cloth diapers but they are SO bulky!

I'm really concerned about how bulky they are and putting baby in the car seat with them on. I know no coats in car seats, so what about cloth diapers? I've done it once but not sure I'm comfortable doing it again until he's much bigger.


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## hiladun

Interested to hear responses to this as I often feel there is a gap between the leg bits and the shoulder bits (like the straps physically aren't able to touch his stomach) due to the cloth nappies. I pull it tight enough for the safety indicator to come on but still.


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## Rhapsodi

You have a safety indicator? Nice! Mine doesn't. (I'm guessing a us/uk difference.)


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## JenX

I really don't find them bulky at all, but I started with newborn size and then went up to smalls before moving up to one-size covers with prefolds. Perhaps you are using one-size diapers on a small/young baby? The no coats thing is because when a puffy coat is compressed the straps are slack. I don't think most diapers are that compressible- there are just lots of layers for absorbency, so it shouldn't be an issue.


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## MommyJogger

Why don't you take with and w/o cloth pictures and post to the "Car Seats for the Littles" fb group? Lots of CPSTs there who can visually check and guide you in a safe direction. From a brief search of that page's question history, this was one tech's answer to a question about a bulky diaper that failed the "jacket test":
"_I tend to avoid super bulky diapers in the car seat, but I can't tell you at what point I would be concerned or a threshold to go by. Compression at the crotch buckle isn't the same as the entire upper body, like a coat, but a large amount of fluff can alter fit especially on wee babes_."
Cloth diapers are also generally considered "pre-compressed", but you might have to make a call on how squishy your fluff is.


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## Rhapsodi

I'll definitely check out the FB group. Yeah I have one size and my LO is 5weeks. The compression makes sense but there is such a gap that I worry about safety I'll definitely do pictures. 
Thanks!


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## SarahBear

The issue with the puffy coats is how much they compress in an accident. Diapers aren't fluffy; just bulky. So just adjust the straps and you're good.


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## misspriss

I do recall having to adjust the straps much smaller when DS was wearing a disposable, but we did flats and covers and they were slightly bulkier, but not fluffy. And we got a tight strap even with the diaper, but flats are usually considered quite trim for cloth.


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## d_b

I've wondered this too but it seems like a cloth diaper is more similar to wearing several sweaters (which is ok in carseat) than a puffy coat.


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## Rhapsodi

I did check with the group. They didn't see a problem with diaper (They did say I'm not suppose to have a blanket going around straps.)

However, when I first tried cloth in the car seat I think I had a double stuffed diaper so it was much worse. 

This picture was with a cloth diaper. We have a chicco keyfit car seat.
 



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## Rhapsodi

This was with a disposable diaper.
 



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