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Cloth diapering is really quite simple when you break it down. I didn’t get started cloth diapering until my little one was 6 months old. Mainly because cloth diapers seemed confusing and appeared to be a large upfront cost. After doing more research, I learned it is quite simple and doesn’t have to cost $500. I’m going to give you the basics here, because I feel like an article like this would have helped me understand it all (and get started) sooner. Turns out I love cloth diapering!
First off, there are two components that make a cloth diaper: an absorbent layer and a waterproof layer (or highly water resistant layer, more on that later).
Think of a cloth diaper like this. Let’s pretend I spilled some water on the floor. So, I grab a cloth towel and sop it up. If I then proceed to set that towel on the bed, my bed will get wet. But, if I place a vinyl tablecloth on my bed first, the bed will stay dry. The same goes for a diaper. You need something to absorb the liquid, like the towel. And you need something to keep that wet towel from getting other things wet, like the vinyl tablecloth. The absorbent layer is the towel in the above scenario, and the waterproof layer is the vinyl tablecloth. You gotta have both. 馃檪
Cloth Diaper: Absorbent layer
You need something to absorb all that liquid, and there are a lot of options when it comes to cloth diapers. I’m mainly going to talk about what I’m most familiar with, which is flats/flour sack towels and covers.
Flats
Flats are simply a large square of cotton fabric. They can be folded in many different ways to suit your needs best. They absorb really well, and quickly which is key when a little one is weeing.
Flour sack towels – my recommendation
My personal favorite is flour sack towels, they are super affordable and readily available. Flour sack towels are made of 100% cotton, and pretty much the same thing as flats. These also absorb great, and quickly.
You can purchase these at Walmart/Amazon, etc..
Prefolds
Prefolds are basically flats that have been pre-folded and sewn to make several layers. These typically have three sections. The center is the thickest and the two sides are fewer layers. A common prefold has 4 layers on the left, 8 layers in the center, and 4 layers on the right. This can vary, but that’s the basic idea.
Inserts
You can add inserts for extra absorbency if your baby is a heavy wetter. (I only use inserts at night. During the day, using just FSTs works great for us!) Many different types of inserts are available to purchase including cotton, bamboo, hemp, and microfiber. Now, I have not used microfiber, but I would stay away from them as I’ve only heard negative things about them.
If you are using a pocket diaper, you simply stuff an insert into a “pocket.” I haven’t used pocket diapers, but some people love them.
Cloth Diaper: Waterproof Layer
TPU Covers – my recommendation
Gone are the days of rubber pants. I mean, technically, you can still buy those, but now, there are “fancy” TPU covers with snaps or velcro. The waterproof layer is what is used to keep all that wetness in. The absorbent layer will absorb the moisture but will remain wet to the touch. So, if you don’t want wet clothes and floors, you need some type of cover.
I think TPU covers are great beginner option. One thing that I love about TPU covers is that they don’t have to be changed with each diaper change. Just wipe dry and put a fresh absorbent layer. You’ll want to change the cover with poopy diapers.
TPU covers can range in price greatly. I personally opted to purchase some of the less expensive brands. When I was first trying cloth diapering, I didn’t want to spend a fortune to see if I liked it or not. And honestly, the covers we have are much better quality than I expected.
We’ve tried three brands: AlvaBaby, Happy Flute, and Happy Beehinds. They all have double gussets (the elastic around the legs), but my favorite has easily been AlvaBaby. The AlvaBaby covers have strong snaps that haven’t weakened over time. Also, AlvaBaby covers feature a hip snap which is a third snap that greatly improves the fit of the diaper.
Every baby is different. I recommend buying a couple from different brands to see what works best for you and your baby.
For daytime cloth diapering, we use flour sack towels and covers.
Wool Covers
Wool covers are highly water-resistant due to the natural lanolin in wool. This is a more expensive option, but it is preferred by some because it is a natural fiber. You can however buy or make upcycled wool covers from wool sweaters, so they are getting a mention here.
Wool covers are usually a pull on style versus snaps, but some of the more expensive covers do have snaps.
Wool doesn’t have to be washed as frequently as other covers, just let air dry after a wet diaper. But it does need to be hand washed and lanolized. As, with most things, there are pros and cons.
Fleece Covers
Fleece covers are very similar in design to wool covers. They are water resistant and usually pull on style. Fleece is less expensive than wool. But, fleece covers have to be washed after each use, meaning you will need a lot more of them in comparison to TPU covers. Fleece covers can be machine-washed though.
The Simple Get Started Guide
If that seemed like information overload, don’t stress. If you want to try out cloth diapering, I recommend trying it out during the day to see how you like it. Night time cloth diapering is a little different if you’re not changing your baby every couple hours. To get started with cloth diapering, all you need is the following:
- Flour sack towels
- TPU Covers
- A cheap fleece blanket (optional-check your local Walmart)
- Snappis (optional-if you are just going to pad fold)
How It Works
The cheapest way to start is by purchasing some flour sack towels and PUL diaper covers. The flour sack towels will need washed a few times to start with to improve their absorbency. Make sure to not use too much detergent.
All you have to do is pad fold the flour sack towels (see image) and lay them inside a PUL diaper cover. Next, snap the cover onto your baby. That’s it! When the diaper is wet, simply remove the flour sack towel, wipe the cover dry, and replace with another flour sack towel. If the diaper is poopy, replace both the flour sack towel and the cover.
If you purchase Snappis, you can try folds other than just the pad fold. Personally, I use the pad fold 99% of the time because it is faster.
Your child might be sensitive to moisture if the above setup causes pink irritation in the diaper area. If that’s the case, you can pick up a cheap fleece blanket. I got ours from Walmart. Cut the blanket to fit on top of the pad folded flour sack towel. The fleece lets the moisture through, but remains almost dry to the touch.
Do you have any questions about cloth diapering? Leave them in the comments below, and I will do my best to answer them for you.
Inexpensive DIY Cloth Wipes
