My Foray Into Cloth

As my very first blog post, I figured I would start with a bit of my foray into the world of cloth diapering. My interest started way before I had children. I've always wanted to cloth diaper, but the means have not been available to do so until recently. And so, I'm finally able to give my baby a cushy tushie!

As a stay-at-home-mom with only one income, I really try to cut costs where I can. Whether it's through coupons, freebies, or other means. When I was shopping for diapers to put on my 4-month old ("Twiddlebug"), I realized that cloth was more than likely the better option for our family at this point in time. This decision wasn't made simply out of monetary necessity, but also for ecological reasons, as well as the fact that I would know exactly what was so close to my baby's skin for the large part of her day. Combine this with the fact that she is a heavy wetter and even the most expensive diapers and overnight diapers still leaked, I felt a change (no pun intended) was necessary.

Once I started researching, I realized there were a lot of options. So many cute diapers to choose from, so much to wade through, and such varying prices! So, as someone who was new to the cloth diaper (CD) world, I felt the task was...well, daunting! Especially since I had a budget that I had to stick with. Our circumstances are such that we currently do not have a washer and dryer in our apartment. So can we still do cloth? And what is the best way to make the switch? Pre-folds and a cover? All-in-one? All-in-two? Hybrid? Pocket? You see where I'm going with this. There are so many options that it can be overwhelming. I spent hours poring over websites and reviews, only to be more confused than when I started. So, I decided a short checklist of questions was appropriate.

What am I looking for in a diaper? When choosing between disposables, this is a fairly easy question to answer. They pretty much all close the same way, have varying sizes, and most are made of the same type of material. Not so with cloth. There are more options to choose from such as ease of use, drying time, durability, absorbency and softness of material, whether you are starting from birth with cloth, etc. So what do you want your baby's diaper to do (besides catch pee and poop)? How do you want it to work for you as a parent as well as for the person who is going to be wearing them? 

How much work am I willing to do? This is important as it will determine the type of diaper you will most likely settle on, as well as the number of diapers, covers, inserts, etc you will need in your stash. How often do you want to do laundry? Do you want something that you can just put on and take off like a disposable? Do you want something that's easy to use, yet requires some "set-up" beforehand? Are you okay with needing to fold or to use pins/Snappis? These are all pretty important questions when making such a big decision.

How much am I willing or able to spend? Let's face it, some of us would spend thousands of dollars on diapers just because there are so many cute options out there. However, most of us just simply cannot afford to do so. Many of us feel that spending $27 on a pocket diaper that is just too cute to pass up is a major splurge, and we'll even sacrifice our Starbucks for a week just to get it. "Yes honey, I know that there aren't even enough butts in our house to justify it, but gosh darn it, I just have to have that Tardis diaper!" So we have to figure out what is the most cost efficient way to get a stash built up that takes into consideration the answers to bullet points one and two. This is easier said than done. I found myself going back and forth between two diaper types on the basis of price alone. One was less work, but the other was cheaper and would buy me more (more diapers, more liners, more time between washing) while keeping within my budget. 


For my own situation, the above questions really helped me to come to my final decision (which will be reviewed in the next blog post). I was looking for something that was fairly easy to use (because Daddy changes diapers, too), absorbent (for my little Super Soaker), and something that I could go a couple of days between washing without running out. Cost was also a factor, so something that was low cost to start with and that would grow with my baby was a must. 

And now, a quick breakdown of a few of the different types of cloth diapers:

Prefolds: The classic cloth diaper. A flat square of cloth (cotton, Birdseye, hemp, etc) with an extra thick panel in the center, usually pinned or fastened in place with a Snappi. It also requires a wrap or cover. Flats work the same way, but do not have the extra material in the center.







Fitted Diapers: These are similar to flats/prefolds as they are not waterproof and require a cover on the outside. However, that is where the similarities end. They are shaped like the other diaper types, they close with either snaps or hook and loop, and you can add a doubler for extra absorbency. They have elastic around the legs and in the back.

All-in-One (AIO): As the name suggests, these diapers are all one piece. There's no cover required, no inserts needed (unless you want to add one for more absorbency), and it is waterproof on the outside. It closes with either hook and loop fasteners or snaps. They come in a variety of sizes, as well as one-size (grows with your baby, usually from 8 to 30 pounds). Many have elastic around the leg openings, as well as in the back. Some have gussets. 

All-in-Two (AI2): These are very similar to the AIO, except the absorbent material is in the form of an insert that either sits inside the cover or snaps in. They are also waterproof and come with either snaps or hook and loop closures.These also come in varying sizes as well as one-size. Gussets and elastic around leg openings and in the back are also available. Some AI2 covers can be reused without washing (as long as there are no leaks and no poop explosions), just simply put in a clean insert.

Pocket Diaper: Pockets are what would happen if an AIO and an AI2 had a baby. A pocket utilizes the removable insert of the AI2 and combines it with the ease of use of an AIO. The insert is "stuffed" inside the diaper through an opening (usually in the back of the diaper). Once you wash a load and stuff them beforehand, you can pretty much treat them like you would an AIO. You cannot reuse the cover of a pocket without washing it first, just like with an AIO, but the drying time is significantly less due to the removal of the absorbent material. These also have elastic in the leg openings and the back. 

Hybrid: A hybrid is pretty much what the name suggests. It's the best of both worlds. It is a waterproof cover that can be used with either cloth or disposable (or in some cases flushable) inserts. It is much like an AI2, has either snap or hook and loop closures, and elastic around the legs and in the back. Most hybrid liners do not snap in. 

I'm sure I haven't said all there is to say about each category, but this is a good jumping-off point. Happy hunting!