Cloth diapering is something I have done off and on throughout the last four years of being a mother. It just wasn’t our best option for our oldest, but works really well for our second baby. I have pushed myself to use primarily cloth during the day with him ahead of our third baby’s arrival to cut down on diaper costs.
Some people choose to cloth because it reduces their carbon foot print. Disposable diapers are one and done for obvious reasons; cloth diapers can be washed and reused for years with proper care. Modern times bring much more modern diapers as well, making cloth diapering easier than ever.
No more rubber pants with constant leaks- cloth diapers now come in five major types. It really depends on user preference to determine which is the “best” style as each have their pros and cons.
Prefolds
Prefolds may seem old fashioned to some, but they are still an excellent option. They are the most inexpensive, versatile, and easy to clean. The flat and rectangular pieces can be folded to fit the needs of your baby. Additional benefits is they make great burp cloths and changing pads. Cons of the prefolds are that they can be bulky, require a cover, and could need replaced as baby outgrows them.
Fitted Cloth Diapers
Fitted diapers are sized just like disposables are. They contribute to less leaks thanks to their style and tighter elastics around the legs and back. As a con they do require upsizing to fit baby, they also are not waterproof.
Pocket Diapers
This is what my personal stash is, and has proven to be a great option for us. Pocket diapers are made of a waterproof liner on the outside and a polyester lining that goes against the bottom. In between these two is a “pocket” which can be stuffed to the desired absorbency. The downside of these is they do require stuffing, and the fit can be off depending on how much stuffing is used.
All in One Cloth Diapers
Just like the name sounds these diapers are self contained. Liners are sewn into the waterproof cover, there is no need for stuffing anything. These diapers are a great starting point for cloth diapers due to their ease of use. The thickness does make them harder to get dry, and they are often more costly than other options.
All in Two
AI2 are also called hybrid diapers. These diapers are simply a shell that has the absorbent layers added to it. The hybrid name is used because there are disposable layers made for these shells as well as the reusable layers. Unfortunately sometimes the design of these diapers contributes to a lot of leaks.
When building a stash of cloth diapers, it’s easiest if there are enough to last two to three days; that’s the average time to go between washes. Going any longer than two to three days can result in lingering odors and stains.
When baby soils a diaper with poop I immediately take to the toilet and dispose of it. I highly recommend not putting a poop filled diaper straight in your washing machine. It might come clean no problem, but it’s much easier to go clean in the toilet right away.
My wash routine for cloth diapers is an extra heavy setting, medium sized load, hot/cold water and vinegar in the first wash. I wash again with Tide on a normal setting and leave the other settings the same. Occasionally I throw the diapers in the dryer, but hang drying promotes longevity and is the preferred method. Every so often (once a month-ish) I will add a third cycle and bleach the diapers. If baby has a rash put back in disposables to treat and bleach all diapers. If drying diapers in the dryer (the waterproofing on covers does breakdown faster doing this) use a wool dryer ball rather than dryer sheets since dryer sheets can decrease absorbency.
