Cloth Diapers

I've had quite a few of my friends ask for information on cloth diapers. I dedicate this post to them. I am not claiming to be an expert on the subject, but here is some of what I've learned on my cloth diapering journey.

First of all, there are lots of acronyms and abbreviations with cloth diapers. Learn them or you'll be lost.

CD: cloth diaper
PF: pre-fold
CPF: Chinese pre-fold (made from Chinese cotton. more durable than Indian cotton, but not as soft)
IPF: Indian pre-fold (made from Indian cotton. softer than Chinese prefolds, but probably won't last through multiple children)
DSQ: diaper service quality (refers to the quality of a pre-fold. You definitely want them DSQ.)
AIO: all- in - one
Sposies: disposable diapers
OS: One size
OC: organic cotton
PUL: Polyurethane Laminate- a waterproof material used to
make covers, and the outside of many pocket diapers & AIO's

Types/ Styles of CDs

Flats: Rarely used anymore. These are the old fashioned ones your grandma probably used.
Pros: Cheapest diapers. Can be folded for a tailored fit to your baby.
Cons: They need to be folded and pinned. None of the convenience of disposables. Also require covers. Hard to use with a Snappi. (What's a Snappi? Don't worry. I'll get to that later.)

Prefolds:

Like flats but already folded (hence the name) with an absorbent middle. When you see numbers such as 4x8x4, that refers to the layers. 4x8x4 would mean 4 layers on each side, and 8 in the middle. *Note: You don't want the thin Gerber ones from Target/ Babies R Us. They're useless as diapers.*
Pros: Cheap. Relatively easy to use. Work with a Snappi. Come in many different materials. Dry quickly. Can be doubled for heavy wetter/ nighttime. PFs have 1000 or more uses: burp cloths, dust rags, changing pad, make-shift bib, absorb spills, etc.
Cons: Not as similar to sposies as other styles. Require cover, so diapering is a 2 step process. Need to buy multiple sizes.

Pockets:


Knicker Nappies pocket diaper. Great brand!



Very common type of CD. Pockets have a waterproof outer layer, and an inner layer which wicks away moisture. These two layers are stitched together leaving an opening in the end where you stuff inserts. The inserts absorb the mess. You remove the insert when it's time to wash.
Pros: Design is similar to disposables (great for people not used to changing cloth diapers, like a babysitter). If you have a heavy wetter, you can add more inserts. One step process. (No cover needed.) Dry quickly. Most are one sized, meaning baby can wear the same diaper from birth to potty training.
Cons: After each wash, you have to stuff the diaper again. Can be more expensive than PFs.

AIOs: A waterproof layer on the outside, with an absorbent layer sewn right in (hence the name, all in ones). Often includes a "stay dry" layer closest to baby's skin such as microfleece or suedecloth.
Pros: Closest to disposables. Easy to use. Most are one size.
Cons: Most expensive. Slowest drying. Can't customize.

What we do:
Our main motivation for using cloth was the money factor so we use PFs with covers most of the time. Babyzilla is a "super soaker," so we use a hemp doubler with the PF at night. They're easy to use, once you get the hang of it. My mom found some pocket diapers at a consignment store for about $3 each. They're normally $20 or more each. We use them for running errands because they're easier to use on a small bathroom counter. (It never fails that we're somewhere without a changing station. Thanks Murphy!) We have 4 pockets and they're a bit of a pain to stuff. I couldn't imagine doing it for 20 of them. With PFs you just stack them by the changing table. We use a small bin to hold the covers and doublers. Personally, I don't understand the popularity of AIOs. Pockets are just as easy to use, but take less time to dry and you can customize the absorbency. Eh... to each their own, right?

Other things to consider:

Diaper pail/ pail liner: You need a place to put the dirty diapers. We use a trash can with a lid that flips up. People used to use a "wet pail" with water and vinegar. This is unnecessary and can actually make the smell and bacteria growth worse. A pail liner is great. It keeps the ...uh.. mess from getting all over the pail. You just pick it up like you would a garbage bag and dump the dirty diapers in the wash. The liner goes in with it. I recommend having 2. One to wash and one to use. (Our liners were about $15 each)

A CD friendly butt cream: Cloth diapers have fewer issues with diaper rash, but sometimes it happens. Desitin and Butt Paste will do serious damage your diapers. Grovia makes a stick that you put on kind of like deodorant. It smells really good. It's a bit pricey, but one stick will last as long as your kid's in diapers. Ecological Babies sells CD friendly diaper rash treatments. (No, I don't receive anything if you buy from Ecological Babies. It's a great company and I'm happy to support them.)

Diaper sprayer: Nonessential, but you'll want this when your kid starts solids or if you formula feed. Breast milk poop is water soluble, so you don't have to clean it before you pop it in the wash. Formula poo and solid food poo need to be washed out first. (If you want to get technical, you're supposed to do that with sposies anyway.) With a diaper sprayer, you spray the poop into the toilet and flush it away. Diaper sprayers are good for hosing down high chairs, too. (Sprayer was $30. I asked for it as an anniversary present. Wow, I'm a cloth diaper nerd.)

Wet bag: The one we have has a dry area for clean diapers and a wet area for dirties. Not a must have (you could use a plastic grocery bag instead), but definitely nice to have. (Ours was $17 and worth every penny.)

Fasteners:  If you use flats or PFs, you'll need a way to fasten the cloth before you put the cover on. You could use the old fashioned diaper pins ($1 for 5 at Burlington Coat Factory) or you can use a Snappi. Snappis are AWESOME! They work kind of like the old ACE bandages. The ends have little teeth that hook into the diaper and hold it. No worry about sticking you or the baby during night time changes and no storing them in soap to keep the ends sharp. (Snappis are about $4 each and should be replaced every 6 months. We keep 3 on hand.)

Doublers: Doublers are great if you use prefolds and your kid is a heavy wetter. They're the prefold equivalent to adding more inserts into a pocket diaper. Ours are hemp (very absorbent) and cost $5 each. We have 4.

Cloth wipes: You're already doing the load of laundry, so why not? More savings, less mystery ingredients on your baby's bum. I confess, we're not using cloth wipes yet. It's the next step though. I'm sick of sorting the wipes from the diaper. I like to roll it all up and toss it in the pail (or garbage, if I'm using a sposie). I've found some great recipes for homemade wipe solution, but good old water works just fine, so I've been told. (Price will vary by what you use.)


I know it's a lot of information and CDs can seem overwhelming. I promise that it's not as bad as it seems! If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.