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.

 

[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.

 

[Rhapsodi]

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

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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!

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Rhapsodi]

This was with a disposable diaper.