Cloth Diapering for a Modern Mama: Firsthand Product Reviews

When my husband and I discovered we were pregnant, naturally we started looking at all the cute baby things and began to plan what we would need when our little one arrived. We debated strollers and car seats, cribs and co-sleepers, looked at slings, exclaimed over the teeny-tiny clothing, and picked out only the best and sweetest. When stocking up and registering, however, we completely avoided the diaper aisles. We knew, without debate, we would be cloth diapering our little punkin.

You may say, "Ew! Cloth? Doesn't that mean you have to deal with bodily fluids and solids? Gross!"

I say, not any more than you would with disposables! Using cloth diapers has been so easy and thought-free, even my husband doesn't mind changing our daughter. Cloth diapers aren't what they used to be, with the big square piece of fabric, giant diaper pins, and smelly old plastic pants. While you can still buy those, and they are the most frugal option, there is a wide variety of cloth diaper options available now.

We were loaned a batch (about 20) small-sized cloth diapers to get us started. My second cousin cloth diapered her littles and was excited to help us get started with the process. Hers were all what are called fitted diapers. This meant that they were shaped to go around the bum and between the legs with little tabs to snap or Velcro everything together. There was elastic around the legs and the diapers had stuffing sewn into them to absorb messes. However, they were all cloth so diaper covers had to be used over them. We had a couple of the old-fashioned plastic pants, but there are many new kinds, too. Our favorite cover was a Bummi wrap. It followed the shape of the diaper and Velcro shut, but was made out of PUL so it was breathable and soft. We started using the cloth diapers right after the meconium went away and the mustard-y regular stools began. We absolutely loved them! No diaper rash (which we had an unfortunate incident with when our baby girl was only two days old and in gifted disposables - so sad!) at all, our baby stayed nice and dry, and no leaks whatsoever.

Caring for them was super easy, too. The diaper covers were re-used two or three times before they were washed. We threw the wet or messy diaper in an old bucket with a tight fitting lid we keep next to the changing table and every other day I ran a load of diapers. First a cold rinse, to get out all the mess, then a hot/cold cycle with Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap (we love the stuff!), and then they got hung out to dry on the clothes line. Did you know sun is a natural bleach? Because the diapers were made as one-piece dipes, they took a little longer to dry than I would have liked. The stuffing inside would stay wet long after the rest of the diaper was dry. But all in all, it was worth it and the work was barely noticed once I got a routine going.

After about three months our daughter started getting too big for these small-sized diapers. We researched online all our different options and weighed them against our experience with the fitted diapers. We could continue with the fitted dipes with diaper covers, or choose all-in-ones (AIOs) that came, as the name implies, as one whole diaper, cover and stuffing and all. Or we could go the old-fashioned route with the pre-folds and covers, or we could choose pocket diapers, which have a PUL outer cover sewn to a fleece lining and a pocket for inserts to absorb messes.

While we liked the fitted diapers, I didn't like having to mess with the diaper and the cover. I preferred something more united and less bulky. While she was super cute, our little girl was a little bottom-heavy. Fitting clothing over the bulkiness of the diaper wasn't my idea of fun. And the cheap pre-folds and wraps were usually leaky and smelly in addition to being extra work and bulky. That left AIOs and pocket diapers. I admit I didn't really look at AIOs too closely. I've never known anyone to use them and didn't know much about them, except they were sewn all together. So, while that eliminated the extra bulkiness and work of a diaper and a cover, that also meant we couldn't add or remove absorbency layers to our liking.

We finally settled on Fuzzi Bunz, a pocket diaper. I had ordered a few on EBay before our daughter was born so we could try them out at minimal cost. We absolutely fell in love with using them! They have a soft PUL outer cover sewn to a soft fleece lining to wick away any mess with elastic around the legs and back for a good fit. There are tabs with eight snaps on each side in front so you can custom-fit the diaper to your baby's legs and belly. In the back there is an opening where you can put in your inserts. Inserts can be made from pretty much anything! We used the regular pre-fold diapers you find in Wal-Mart or Target, folded up and positioned for maximum absorbency. When we ordered new diapers to last us past the fitted ones we were loaned, we got soft micro-terry inserts added free. These, I think, are the best! They are rectangular and thick, but not so thick as to add bulkiness to the diaper. They absorb well and are great for overnight. We double up on the inserts overnight, tuck in all the fleece lining so none is exposed to wick liquid and leak onto the bed, and we're good until morning.

We wash our Fuzzi Bunz the same as we washed the fitteds, though the official Fuzzi Bunz company recommends using either Charlie's Soap or Allens Naturally.

Buying these diapers was a little expensive initially, but now that we've used them for nearly three months they've more than paid for themselves. What we paid for three months worth of use we would have paid in just one month of disposables!

So why use cloth? Well, they are cheaper in the long run, for one thing. They are much healthier for your baby's tender bottom. We've had no outbreak of diaper rash since she's been in cloth. It is easier to tell when she's wet and needs to be changed, so she isn't sitting in a puddle of grossness for an extended period which then breeds a rash. That also makes potty training easier, since she will be able to tell when she's wet and notice the uncomfortable feeling. Did you know disposable diapers are still made with the same chemicals and products that were banned from tampon products in the 1980s? Not only that, they are non-biodegradable and won't decompose. So disposable diapers are not only unhealthy for your sweet babe, but also for the earth. In this day and age of limited resources and severe environmental concern, I think that is a terribly good reason to consider cloth! Of course, knowing that I'm providing the best for my little one is reason enough for me.