Diapers
There are many styles of diapers and every style has hundreds of brands and just as many people make and sell homemade versions. Before you can try some styles you need to make one big decision:
Size!
Cloth diapers can come in sized versions. Usually Small, Medium, and Large. Or you can go with One Size (OS) diapers. The one size diapers have snaps that make the sizing change. These diapers can be used for 8-35lbs. They say that is birth to potty training. We did not start cloth diapering until Emily was 3.5 months old but we would not have been able to use OS until she was about 3 months. She did not hit 8lbs until 11 weeks and even then she was really skinny so the diapers would have gaped around her legs. They do sell newborn diapers that go up to 12lbs and some of them even have a cut out for the umbilical cord. Though I suggest not using cloth diapers until you are done with the meconium stage.
I decided to go with the one size diapers because I did not want to buy a whole set of diapers at each size. I would rather have the diapers last longer.
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| Bumgenius one size diapers. Aqua-small, green-medium, blue- large |
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| Bumgenius one size diapers. The snaps come down to make the diaper smaller |
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| Bumgenius newborn diaper, all one piece |
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| Bumgenius newborn diaper only comes in velcro closures. |
There are several styles of diapers. I have tried 3 different kinds. Here they are:
The Hybrid diaper
The hybrid diaper can be used several ways. It consists of a waterproof cover which you can put a disposable lining in or a reusable lining. The reusable lining can be a traditional prefold or stay dry microfiber pad.
I bought 2 Flip diaper covers. I bought them as seconds (seconds are when the diaper is not made to the perfect specifications of the company and so they sell them at a discounted rate) and I used them with the microfiber inserts. The benefit of a hybrid is that you only need 3-5 covers (depending on how often you plan to wash) and then just a bunch of whatever you are going to use inside. You do not need to change the cover every time you change a diaper. The cover only needs to be changed if it gets messy. After a few uses. I decided I did not like this style and I sold them on craigslist. I would suggest anyone who is planning on trying a hybrid to go with the econobum hybrid system. This is made by the same company as the flip but is cheaper. It comes with prefolds and does not come in the fun colors but is a much cheaper option for the same diaper.
The pocket diaper
I have 12 sunbaby pocket diapers. Pocket diapers have a waterproof outside and a fleece lining. You then stuff an absorbent layer between, in the "pocket". You can use different kinds of absorbent layers and you can double stuff if needed for heavy wetters or overnight. Sunbaby is a diaper made in china. They have 2 sizes, size 1 for skinny babies and size 2 for chunky babies but they are one size diapers. I paid $60 for 12 diapers and 12 inserts, no shipping cost. That is $5 a diaper which is a good price. Bumgenius also makes a pocket diaper it is their 4.0 but 12 of them cost $203. I was not willing to shell out that much money to try cloth diapering. They do sell these as seconds sometimes and you can find them used. The whole diaper needs to be changed at every diaper change. Once used you pull out the insert and wash. Once dry you re-stuff the diaper.
As you can see in the photo above. there is a little skirt at one end. Under that skirt there is an opening in the fleece layer where you stuff the diaper.
The All in one diaper (AIO)
I have 9 Bumgenius Freetime diapers. These are all one piece and usually run a little more expensive than pocket diapers. I had been successfully cloth diapering during the day for a while before investing in these diapers. My daughter is a heavy wetter and double stuffing my diapers made them to bulky for her. I wanted a diaper that would be good for overnight. I was willing to spend more money per diaper because I knew that I was committed to cloth diapering at this point. A freetime diaper normally runs $19.95 each. I found a lady who had a bunch given to her for her second baby that she did not need. They were brand new and she sold them to me for $12 each. I got 7 from her and then bought 2 with a gift card and coupon from Babies R Us. What I like about these diapers is that they are way more absorbent. They fit her better than the pockets and there is no stuffing needed. You can also put an extra insert in if you need it to make it more absorbent. I never use pockets at night, only my freetimes. I also like putting these in my diaper bag. I am considering buying some more of these because I prefer them and they fit her better. I would then just use my pockets as spare diapers or randomly. One downside to All in one diapers is that they take longer to dry.
Swim diaper
Yes that is right they make re-usable swim diapers. I did not buy a diaper made specifically for swimming. They mostly are one piece and slide up and down like a pull-up. That is really messy if they go to the bathroom. So I did some research. You can use a hybrid cover as a swim diaper but most people say it sticks to baby and can be uncomfortable. I also found out that you can use a pocket diaper with out an insert. I did not want to use my normal everyday diapers because the chlorine will fade the colors and the PUL in the cover will start to get messed up over time. I found someone selling 2 very gently used Happy Heine pockets. I bought them for $10. They also came with inserts that I will use to double.
Cleaning
You have to clean your diapers every 3 days. You can not go longer than 3 days. I wash every 2 but some people wash every day. You need to decide how often you plan to wash because that will tell you how many diapers you need to have.
If you are exclusively breastfeeding all you have to do is take the diaper off the baby (pull out insert if pocket), put diaper in wet bag, then put in washer when time to wash. Breastmilk is 100% water soluble so it will all wash out in the washer.
If you are using formula or solids you need to take any debris off of diaper (pull out insert now), rinse, then put in wet bag.
When time to wash dump wet bag and contents into washer.
I wash one cold cycle with soap. I then check all of my diapers to make sure there is no discoloration. If not I then do one Hot cycle. I air dry my diapers in my dryer. But plan to sun dry when it is not as cold. The Cottonbabies website says to wash cold, then Hot with soap, then extra rinse. But I found I did not like the ammonia smell after one wash and prefer the soap in the first wash.
You can not use soap that has any brighteners which means most of the free and clear detergents are out. You can buy cloth diaper specific detergent but that can be pricey I use ECOS free and clear which you can buy at Walmart. It is rather inexpensive. For normal clothes in a HE machine you use 1 ounce of detergent. For cloth diapers you only have to use 1/8-1/4 of that. Here is a list I found helpful when picking a detergent.
If you happen to get stains or your diapers hold an ammonia smell you can sun dry. After sun drying your diapers all stains will be gone and they will not smell anymore. It is cool how the sun works.
What about the smell?
My wet bag sits open in Emily's bathroom. The door stays open. Because there is no enclosed space you can not smell anything. When I was using disposables I had a diaper pail that said it would not smell. This is false. It smelled horrendous. My cloth do not smell at all.
How many diapers do I need:
This depends on how often you wash and how old your baby is. A newborn can easily go through 12 diapers a day so you should buy 12-18 and I would suggest washing everyday. Older babies you should plan on 8 a day and an overnight solution. So it breaks down to this:
Hybrids:
Wash every day- 3 covers and 12-15 inserts/prefolds
Wash every 2 days- 5 covers and 16-20 inserts/prefolds
Wash every 3 days- 7 covers and 24-28 inserts/prefolds
Pockets:
Everyday: 10 diapers, 10 inserts, 2-4 extra inserts/ doublers for overnights
every 2 days: 18 diapers, 18 inserts, 4-8 extra inserts/doublers
every 3 days: 26 diapers, 26 inserts, 8-10 extra inserts/doublers
All in ones:
Everyday: 10-12 diapers
every 2 days: 16-20 diapers
every 3 days: 25-30 diapers
This is the minimum and you may find a mixture of types works best for you.
I currently have 21 diapers (12 pockets, 9 all in ones) and 2 swim diapers. I feel this gives me a good cushion.
Accessories
So there are things besides diapers that you need.
Necessities:
2 large wet bags or a diaper pail with 2 washable liners. (i have a bummis bag and a planet wise)
2-4 travel size wet bags (for your diaper bag) (I currently only have one, bummis)
Laundry detergent
Nice accessories but not needed:
Diaper sprayer (I am getting a used one from a friend)- this makes your wash so much easier. I have read that you can also use a hand held shower head and a 5 gallon bucket.
Some people use cloth wipes. I don't, I like my disposables and I just throw them in the diaper pail I have from when I used disposable diapers. But cloth wipes can be washed with your diapers so it is not a lot of extra work. You can buy cloth wipes, or you can use baby washcloths from target or walmart. Some people even upcycle old t-shirts and pieces of fabric. If so you need wipes, probably a wipe warmer and some people like the soap for the wipes. This may be something I try with the next baby.
Now there are other types of diapers besides these and other ways of cloth diapering. This is just what I have used and what I like. I am not getting paid by these companies. I also am not one of those people who look down on moms who use disposables. I think what works for you is how you should diaper your baby. I am very enthusiastic about cloth right now so I am more than willing to tell anyone everything about it but that may be because my life consists of a 5 month old and a dog. There is not a lot going on in my life right now so yes diapers are exciting. One disclaimer I have to make. Cloth diapering is addicting. Yes, you read that right. You will constantly find new things you want to buy or try. I am lucky and Cottonbabies has 3 store fronts in St. Louis. I went to the store and a lady sat down and talked to me for 2 hours about diapers and showed me all the different kinds. They also have classes you can attend. Most areas have diaper services which are great if you dont want to wash your own but they usually have restrictions on which kinds you can use and they can be pricey. Though most of these companies will come to your house and show you the different kinds and set you up. This is a great way to figure out if cloth is for you.
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| Flip diaper: smallest size setting, hook/loop option |
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| Flip diaper with microfiber stay dry insert (folded because at smallest size) |
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| Just the flip cover, still on smallest size so slightly twisted |
The pocket diaper
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| Sunbaby microfiber insert |
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| Sunbaby diaper. Smallest size |
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| Stuffed Sunbaby diaper |
As you can see in the photo above. there is a little skirt at one end. Under that skirt there is an opening in the fleece layer where you stuff the diaper.
The All in one diaper (AIO)
I have 9 Bumgenius Freetime diapers. These are all one piece and usually run a little more expensive than pocket diapers. I had been successfully cloth diapering during the day for a while before investing in these diapers. My daughter is a heavy wetter and double stuffing my diapers made them to bulky for her. I wanted a diaper that would be good for overnight. I was willing to spend more money per diaper because I knew that I was committed to cloth diapering at this point. A freetime diaper normally runs $19.95 each. I found a lady who had a bunch given to her for her second baby that she did not need. They were brand new and she sold them to me for $12 each. I got 7 from her and then bought 2 with a gift card and coupon from Babies R Us. What I like about these diapers is that they are way more absorbent. They fit her better than the pockets and there is no stuffing needed. You can also put an extra insert in if you need it to make it more absorbent. I never use pockets at night, only my freetimes. I also like putting these in my diaper bag. I am considering buying some more of these because I prefer them and they fit her better. I would then just use my pockets as spare diapers or randomly. One downside to All in one diapers is that they take longer to dry.
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| Bumgenius Freetime Diaper |
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| BG freetime, inside |
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| BG Freetime, flaps are movable, this lets you customize absorbency for boy/girl also you can put extra insert under the flaps |
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| BG freetime in smallest setting (bulky on baby at this setting) |
Swim diaper
Yes that is right they make re-usable swim diapers. I did not buy a diaper made specifically for swimming. They mostly are one piece and slide up and down like a pull-up. That is really messy if they go to the bathroom. So I did some research. You can use a hybrid cover as a swim diaper but most people say it sticks to baby and can be uncomfortable. I also found out that you can use a pocket diaper with out an insert. I did not want to use my normal everyday diapers because the chlorine will fade the colors and the PUL in the cover will start to get messed up over time. I found someone selling 2 very gently used Happy Heine pockets. I bought them for $10. They also came with inserts that I will use to double.
Cleaning
You have to clean your diapers every 3 days. You can not go longer than 3 days. I wash every 2 but some people wash every day. You need to decide how often you plan to wash because that will tell you how many diapers you need to have.
If you are exclusively breastfeeding all you have to do is take the diaper off the baby (pull out insert if pocket), put diaper in wet bag, then put in washer when time to wash. Breastmilk is 100% water soluble so it will all wash out in the washer.
If you are using formula or solids you need to take any debris off of diaper (pull out insert now), rinse, then put in wet bag.
When time to wash dump wet bag and contents into washer.
I wash one cold cycle with soap. I then check all of my diapers to make sure there is no discoloration. If not I then do one Hot cycle. I air dry my diapers in my dryer. But plan to sun dry when it is not as cold. The Cottonbabies website says to wash cold, then Hot with soap, then extra rinse. But I found I did not like the ammonia smell after one wash and prefer the soap in the first wash.
You can not use soap that has any brighteners which means most of the free and clear detergents are out. You can buy cloth diaper specific detergent but that can be pricey I use ECOS free and clear which you can buy at Walmart. It is rather inexpensive. For normal clothes in a HE machine you use 1 ounce of detergent. For cloth diapers you only have to use 1/8-1/4 of that. Here is a list I found helpful when picking a detergent.
If you happen to get stains or your diapers hold an ammonia smell you can sun dry. After sun drying your diapers all stains will be gone and they will not smell anymore. It is cool how the sun works.
What about the smell?
My wet bag sits open in Emily's bathroom. The door stays open. Because there is no enclosed space you can not smell anything. When I was using disposables I had a diaper pail that said it would not smell. This is false. It smelled horrendous. My cloth do not smell at all.
How many diapers do I need:
This depends on how often you wash and how old your baby is. A newborn can easily go through 12 diapers a day so you should buy 12-18 and I would suggest washing everyday. Older babies you should plan on 8 a day and an overnight solution. So it breaks down to this:
Hybrids:
Wash every day- 3 covers and 12-15 inserts/prefolds
Wash every 2 days- 5 covers and 16-20 inserts/prefolds
Wash every 3 days- 7 covers and 24-28 inserts/prefolds
Pockets:
Everyday: 10 diapers, 10 inserts, 2-4 extra inserts/ doublers for overnights
every 2 days: 18 diapers, 18 inserts, 4-8 extra inserts/doublers
every 3 days: 26 diapers, 26 inserts, 8-10 extra inserts/doublers
All in ones:
Everyday: 10-12 diapers
every 2 days: 16-20 diapers
every 3 days: 25-30 diapers
This is the minimum and you may find a mixture of types works best for you.
I currently have 21 diapers (12 pockets, 9 all in ones) and 2 swim diapers. I feel this gives me a good cushion.
Accessories
So there are things besides diapers that you need.
Necessities:
2 large wet bags or a diaper pail with 2 washable liners. (i have a bummis bag and a planet wise)
2-4 travel size wet bags (for your diaper bag) (I currently only have one, bummis)
Laundry detergent
Nice accessories but not needed:
Diaper sprayer (I am getting a used one from a friend)- this makes your wash so much easier. I have read that you can also use a hand held shower head and a 5 gallon bucket.
Some people use cloth wipes. I don't, I like my disposables and I just throw them in the diaper pail I have from when I used disposable diapers. But cloth wipes can be washed with your diapers so it is not a lot of extra work. You can buy cloth wipes, or you can use baby washcloths from target or walmart. Some people even upcycle old t-shirts and pieces of fabric. If so you need wipes, probably a wipe warmer and some people like the soap for the wipes. This may be something I try with the next baby.
Now there are other types of diapers besides these and other ways of cloth diapering. This is just what I have used and what I like. I am not getting paid by these companies. I also am not one of those people who look down on moms who use disposables. I think what works for you is how you should diaper your baby. I am very enthusiastic about cloth right now so I am more than willing to tell anyone everything about it but that may be because my life consists of a 5 month old and a dog. There is not a lot going on in my life right now so yes diapers are exciting. One disclaimer I have to make. Cloth diapering is addicting. Yes, you read that right. You will constantly find new things you want to buy or try. I am lucky and Cottonbabies has 3 store fronts in St. Louis. I went to the store and a lady sat down and talked to me for 2 hours about diapers and showed me all the different kinds. They also have classes you can attend. Most areas have diaper services which are great if you dont want to wash your own but they usually have restrictions on which kinds you can use and they can be pricey. Though most of these companies will come to your house and show you the different kinds and set you up. This is a great way to figure out if cloth is for you.
