Cloth DiaperingToday - Part 2

When most people think about cloth diapers flats, pins and plastic pants come to mind. Gone are the days of bleach filled wet pails, diaper ducks and leaky covers. Today there is a huge market of various types of cloth diapers and its easier then ever to use them on your baby.

There are numerous types of cloth diapers from fitted to all-in-ones, pre-folds to pocket diapers. Also, there are plenty of different covers and inserts and doublers and liners. Confused yet? I will explain.

Flats are the diapers your grandma probably used. They are large square or rectangle shaped think one-ply material. Most are cotton some birds-eye while others are made of flannel. Flats are the cheapest option, around $1 apiece but have to be folded to fit your baby and are usually not absorbent enough to be used alone. Common folds are the origami and kite folds. Click here for a great resource that will teach you these folds. Flats must be fastened with pins or a snappi (see below for a description) and require a diaper cover to contain leaks.

Prefold diapers are rectangles of cotton or flannel that are smaller and have more layers than flats. They still require folding but not as much. They can be found in 2x3x2, 2x4x2, 4x6x4 and 4x8x4 ply thickness, the middle having the most layers for absorbency. There are several sizes available from preemie, infant, regular, premiums and toddler to fit your growing baby. Cost is around $1-3 each depending on size and type of fabric. Cost is even more if you desire organic cotton or hemp diapers. Popular folds are the newspaper, angel-wing, bikini twist and simply tri-folding in a wrap style cover. Sound confusing? It's easy to get the hang of the different folds and figure out which one works best for your baby. Here is a link to show some various ways to use prefold diapers: http://www.thediaperhyena.com/diaper_folding101.htm

Prefolds are easy and economical but like other cloth diapers should be ordered online from a store that sells good quality brands such as Chinese or Indian prefolds. Gerber diapers found in local brick and mortar stores do not come close in comparision as far as softness and absorbency.

Contour diapers are hour-glass shaped diapers that you can fasten or lay in a wrap-style cover. They are shaped to fit your baby and require no extra folding. Cost is between $2-4+ per diaper depending on brand and materials used.

Fitted diapers are one-step up because they don't require the use of a snappi or diaper pin and have elastic on the legs and back to fit your baby. They are designed and made with either Velcro (aplix or touchtape) or snap closure. They have several layers of absorbency and materials range from cotton to flannel to sherpa to velour and recently some are even made with ultra-soft bamboo. A huge variety of types, prints and designs of fitted cloth diapers are available today. Fitted diapers do require a cover in order to keep wetness in. Prices range from $6 - 20+ each depending on brand and fabric.

All-in-ones are just as the name makes them sound; all parts in one piece. They have an absorbent inner and water-proof outer thus no cover is needed. With easy closure such as Velcro or snaps these are as simple to use as disposables and are a favorite among dads, grandparents and babysitters. The downfall is that they are usually the most pricey at $14-25 each and take much longer to dry.

Pocket diapers are a recent invention and consist of a water-proof outer and a stay dry inner such as fleece or suede cloth. The two parts are sewn together leaving an opening or pocket to stuff an absorbent insert in. Inserts can be cotton, hemp, micro-fiber or pre-fold diapers to name a few. You can customize what you put in the pocket diaper depending on how much wetness needs to be absorbed. Many parents use one insert for daytime and two for overnight. Pockets are also more expensive at $15-18 and some include inserts while others require a separate purchase for them. Pockets are super quick to dry since the insert is removed prior to washing. They also keep your baby's skin dry because the fleece inner wicks moisture into the diaper.

One-size diapers are designed to be used from birth to potty training. Depending on your baby they may work well or they may have an off fit at times. They come in different styles, pockets, fitted or all-in-ones. Fabrics vary as well as closure type.

The above are several types of diapers available today; if it still seems confusing a great resource of diaper reviews can be found at www.diaperpin.com. There you will find advice and reviews on Fuzzi Bunz, Happy Heiny's, Very Baby, Swaddlebees, Kushies, Kissaluvs, BumGenius and many more brands of popular cloth diapers so you can decide which system to use.

Covers come in a variety of styles and materials. PUL is the most popular and easiest to care for. PUL stands for poly-urethane-laminate and goes over fitted or prefold diapers. PUL diaper covers can generally be used a few times before washing unless they get soiled. Fleece diaper covers are soft and breathable but require washing after each use. Nylon is similar to PUL but generally thinner and not always as leak proof. Wool diaper covers are natural and also breathable providing great protection from leaks. Wool is the most expensive though and requires special care such as hand washing and lanolizing but a benefit is that you can air dry them and reuse many times before washing.

There are also accessories to cloth diapers you may need or find helpful. Snappi's are a recent invention that takes the place of pins. A snappi is a stretchy plastic t-shaped object that has teeth on each end to adhere to the fabric. It secures the prefold, flat, or contour diaper to keep it snug on baby and avoid leaks. Pins are still used today however many parent's prefer Dritz pins over Gerber ones found in local stores and I recommend ordering them online if you decide to give pin's a try. Inserts are used for pocket diapers and come in many fabrics and sizes. Doublers are used to add absorbency to any type of diaper and are cotton, hemp or other material. Liners are used to help with clean-up of soiled diapers. Some are disposable and other's washable. You can also easily make your own liners out of fleece and this will keep your baby feeling dry. Fleece doesn't require any sewing so you can just cut up rectangles to fit your diapers. A diaper sprayer is something purchased that hooks onto your toilet and is used to spray off soiled diapers. Cost is around $35+ but many parents are happy they invested in this. Wet bags are waterproof liners for diaper pails or smaller ones to fit in your diaper bag to take on outings. Cloth wipes are easy to use and make and since you are already washing diapers anyway throwing a few in the wash at the same time is not a big deal. They can be made from flannel, sherpa, hemp or other material. Size depends on what you prefer; common measurements are 5x5 or 8x8.

There is a lot to learn about cloth diapering, I hope this gave you somewhere to start. You may need to spend a week or so just reading reviews, talking to other cloth diapering parents and analyzing what will work for your family. Please see my next article in this series to learn how to care for and wash your diapers and covers.