Welcome back for part 2 from Lauren discussing all the different options available for cloth diapering! To read part 1, visit here. Lauren blogs over at Cloth Diaper Diaries.
Now that we’ve covered some of the main reasons for using cloth, I’d like to break down the methods of cloth diapering. I know that when I first began my research I was incredibly intimidated by the whole idea of everything about it: from making the initial purchase, to actually using and washing cloth diapers. In fact, I was so intimidated and overwhelmed that I researched…and researched…and researched! My husband finally said, “If you’re going to do this, please just do it and stop spending so much time on the internet reading about it!” I really hope that by the end of this post I’ve helped to simplify some of what’s mystifying, and supplied you with the information and encouragement you need to make the switch yourself!
What is meant by “cloth diapering”?
To me, there are four ways to diaper a child in cloth: prefolds and covers, fitteds and covers, pockets, and all-in-ones. I’m going to try to give a complete explanation of each style, but it won’t be as thorough as the information you can find on my cloth blog or many other places online. If you find you still have more questions after this post, please visit my blog and look in the “Quick-Click Table of Contents” on the right-hand side of the page. If you don’t see a tab for your question, just leave a comment or send me an email and ask – I’m always happy to help when I can!
Prefolds / Covers
Okay, so the first way is prefolds and covers. This is probably what most people – including your mother and/or grandmother – think of when you start talking cloth diapers. This is the simplest and definitely the least expensive way to cloth diaper. When I say prefolds, I mean the thick, diaper service quality (DSQ) Chinese or Indian prefolds (CPF or IPF) that you purchase from a cloth diaper website or retailer, natural parenting store, or health supplier. Some midwives and birthing centers also sell DSQ prefolds. You can certainly use the Gerber birdseye prefolds available at Wal-Mart, but they are less absorbent and less durable.
You fold and fasten the prefold, either with a pin or Snappi, and then put a cover over it (Lindsay’s addition: I found that you can actually use a prefold diaper without any pins or snappi’s. The covers keep everything in just fine!). You can see my two favorite folds plus the no-fold method here, and you can search online for more folding techniques.
(I would also group flats into this category, but I’ve never personally used them, so I don’t have a lot of information to offer about them.)
Fitted Diapers / Covers
The second way to cloth diaper is using fitted diapers and covers. A fitted diaper fits a child just like a disposable diaper, and fastens using either snaps or Velcro. A fitted diaper may come sized (usually in weight ranges, just like sposies), or in one-size adjustable. One-size diapers usually range from 7 to 35 pounds, but be forewarned that even if your newborn falls within those weight ranges, a one-size diaper will likely be way too bulky to use just at first.
Both prefolds and fitted diapers REQUIRE covers, but you don’t needs as many covers as you have diapers. A good general rule is to have 2 to 3 covers for every 10 to 12 diapers. Covers can be wiped with a wet wipe and hung to air dry between uses; I usually only wash mine when they get poo on them or start to get stinky. Covers are available with both snap and Velcro closures, and come mostly only sized; I’ve only ever seen one brand of one-size adjustable covers.
Pockets
The next way to diaper is pockets. A pocket diaper consists of a waterproof outer layer (usually PUL, or poly-urethane laminate), and a stay-dry-feel inner layer (usually suedecloth or fleece) with a pocket in between that you stuff with absorbent material. Because the outer layer is waterproof, pockets do not require a cover. Most pocket diapers, when purchased new, will come with one or two inserts, which is just a microfiber absorbent pad of material. Pockets, like fitteds, come sized and in one-size adjustable. (Hint: the one-sizes cost the same as the sized ones! If you go with pockets, get the one-size and you won’t have to buy 3 separate size groups!) Pockets can be pre-stuffed for speedy diaper changes, and you can customize the absorbency depending on the child’s needs. This comes in handy with potty training! And an empty pocket makes a great and comfortable swim diaper.
All-in-Ones
Finally, there are all-in-ones. There are a few other diapers that also fall under this umbrella: all-in-twos, and all-in-one hybrids/pockets. Basically, an all-in-one is just that! Is consists of a waterproof outer layer, a comfortable layer next to your child’s skin, and an absorbent inner layer sewn in between. These go on and off just like a disposable diaper – no stuffing, folding, pinning, and no extra steps required. All-in-ones come sized and one-size.
An all-in-two is an all-in-one that has an additional soaker that either snaps into the diaper, or is sewn at one end inside the diaper. This is to add absorbency and ensure that the diaper still gets fully clean, without dramatically increasing drying time. An all-in-one pocket is basically a pocket diaper that has a soaker sewn into the pocket, but still has room for additional stuffing. You can use it as is, or insert more absorbent material if necessary.
For all diapers and covers, there are literally hundreds of different “name brands” and work-at-home-mom (WAHM) brand diapers. They all fit slightly differently, so I don’t recommend buying a two-dozen diaper stash of one single brand if you’ve never tried it before! My children, for example, can’t wear Swaddlebee pockets or Bumkin covers because they’re cut very trim, and both of my babies have had tubby tummies and chubby little thighs. Many diapers are available with both snap and Velcro closure; for what it’s worth I say always take snaps if you can! All Velcro will eventually wear out. (I’m actually getting ready to replace all the Velcro on all of my diapers.)
So what’s the best way?
This is NOT an easy question! I use all four methods. There are pros and cons to each way. Prefolds are the least expensive, but there’s a bit of a learning curve to the folding. Fitteds are easy to use, but can be pricey, and I’ve had a difficult time getting enough additional absorbency (via inserts in between the diaper and the cover) to make this system last longer than a short daytime nap for my heavy wetting gal. Pockets are easy if you pre-stuff them, but I’ve had some trouble with the fleece lining getting stinky. All-in-ones are very user-friendly, but they’re a bit more expensive, and they take much longer to dry.
I use prefolds and fitteds at home during the day, pockets for naps and nighttime, and keep just one or two all-in-ones in each size to toss in the diaper bag for unexpected diaper changes at the grocery store or park. I love each way, and as I said, each system has its benefits and downfalls. You just have to find what works for you and your baby! Jillian’s Drawers has a wonderful try-it-out program that allows you to test run cloth diapers and see what works best for you. Click here to learn more about it.
Just the tip of the iceberg
There is a lot more to the world of cloth diapering than just why and how. If you’re new to all of this, I’m sure you have a million more questions – about diaper changes, what to do with soiled diapers until it’s time to wash, how to wash, and what on earth all those abbreviations mean on the diaper boards! I again humbly invite you over to my blog, although I’m not the authority by any stretch of the imagination. I also enjoy The Diaper Jungle for helpful information.
A final word of Encouragement
Cloth diapering can seem intimidating and scary. Like I said before, I researched for literally almost 2 months before finally plunging in and making my first purchase. And I quickly discovered that cloth diapering, like many other things in life, is one of those things that you can’t really understand fully until you do it for a week. And I also discovered, much to my delight, that it was a breeze! I loved it from the start. In fact, I – and everyone I know who has made the switch – ends up saying, “I don’t know what took me so long! I wish I had switched a long time ago!” I actually looked into cloth diapering when I was expecting our first child, but I psyched myself out. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to handle it, or keep up, or that I wouldn’t want to stick with it and then I would have spent all that money on cloth diapers. But once I switched, the only thing I kept saying was, “I wish I had done this from the beginning!” It takes me not one second more during a diaper change than when I was using exclusively sposies, and my total hands-on laundry time for the week is probably less than two hours.
Then, too, you don’t have to go exclusively cloth if it doesn’t work for you. Some parents have a hard time getting a sufficiently absorbent cloth diaper for nighttime use. Our church nursery doesn’t accept cloth diapers, so I always have a package of sposies on hand for church (and stomach bugs, yikes). A few sposies a week aren’t catastrophic, and using even some cloth is helping both your budget and your carbon footprint.
Of everyone I know who has made the switch from disposables to cloth, I only know one person who ultimately decided it just wasn’t a fit for her family. And if you try it out and decide, like my best friend, that it just isn’t worth your sanity, then that’s okay! But please just let me encourage you to give it a shot. You might be pleasantly surprised!
A few recommendations:
Lindsay’s Favorites
Covers - Prorap diaper covers or Bummis Super Whisper Wraps
Pockets – Bum Genius one sized diapers (also, Fuzzi Bunz has just released a one size diaper that looks awesome! Check it out here.)
Newborn diapers – Kissaluvs fitted size 0 (I am finding these to be the best for our small Titus! They also offer larger sizes for bigger babies. We will be using the size 0 before using our Bum Genius one sized diapers.)
Prefolds - Unbleached Indian/Chinese prefolds (Cloth-eez Prefolds)
Detergent – Charlies Soap (this is an all natural safe soap that works beautifully for all cloth diapers and your regular clothes as well! Very reasonably priced as well!)
Cloth wipes - Unbleached flannel wipes
Doublers – Hemp/fleece doublers (these work beautifully for nighttime use or for heavy wetters. I place it directly against my daughter’s bum and we don’t have any problems with leaking or rashes from the extended time in the cloth). Another good source is BabyWorks.
Stain/odor remover – Bac-Out (I spray this directly on the diapers before putting them in my pail)
Wet bags – Wahmies
Diaper Pail liners – Bummis tote bag
Lauren’s Favorites
Covers – Proraps and Thirsties
Pockets – Close tie between BumGenius and Happy Heiny, but HH ultimately wins because of fit (my son grew out of BG long before he hit 35 pounds, and still fits into HH at 43 lbs)
Newborn diaper – Kissaluvs fitted size 0
Fitted for other sizes – Thirsties or MonkeyBuns (a WAHM diaper)
Prefolds - Unbleached Chinese prefolds (most
retailers offer the same quality product, but I purchased mine from Nicki’s Diapers and Green Mountain Diapers)
Nighttime Diaper – DryBees fleece nighttime diaper, except they use incredibly poor quality velcro; order some aplix and replace the manufacturer velcro, or have a sewing friend do it for you!
All-in-Ones – Thirsties Pocket all-in-ones
Detergent - Charlie’s Soap
Stain and odor remover – lemon juice and sunshine! 
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Cloth wipes – Old flannel receiving blankets and baby washclothes
Wet Bag - Wahmies or Planet Wise
Doublers -Microfiber towels that you can get in the “bag of rags” for $5 in the automotive section of WalMart and Kissaluvs hemp doublers
Sources for Cloth Diapering Supplies
Diaper Swappers – for all your cloth diaper questions, to buy used, and resale – a great forum!
For an excellent selection of diapering supplies, including all the recommended items above, I highly recommend Kelly’s Closet. Excellent customer service and they reward you with points from each purchase you make towards future gift cards!
What diapering supplies do you have or recommend?
Diaper Pin – a great resource with tons of reviews for all cloth diapering products. This site has been a lifesaver! They also have a lot of articles to answer questions.
My first was only 5 lb 10 oz at birth, so I’m thinking preemie prefolds from Little Lions with homemade covers (I picked up on sewing….). I LOVE thirsties covers for their leg gussets and fit. But they don’t come in preemie. Any mom out here who had a preemie or tiny infant? Would love the input!
did you use a pattern for your homemade covers or did you just make one up?
You both mention the Kissaluvs size zero for newborns. How many do you have/think are necessary? Do they require covers? Thanks!
I had about 15 of them for our newborn, but after a few months I didn’t like them any more. They lost their softness very quickly and leaked all the time. Fitted diapers do require covers but supposedly you don’t have to change them with every diaper change. I found that the fitted leaked and I did have to change the cover every time. I switched to pockets pretty quickly.
Lindsay,
Thanks for all of the info on cloth diapering…I am wanting to make the switch and your site has been very helpful at sorting through all the info. I was just wondering, if you have heard/read anything about the PUL material being toxic. I just want to make sure this is a safe material before investing in them. Any thoughts/sugguestions would be really helpful!
Kelly
PUL is made through a chemical process, and it is not biodegradable. The toxicity as a clothing product is debateable. Rumparooz and some other cloth diaper brands use TPU, which is made using heat rather than chemicals, and therefore is low toxicity and biodegradeable, but with the same reusable waterproof qualities as PUL
Great post Lauren! Oh, and thanks for getting me into cloth and helping me out when I had a gazillion questions. I’d say my fav diaper now is the Goodmama fitted (as you know) and my fav detergent is Crunchy Clean for cloth diapers…smells so yummy (I’m still using my pumpkin pie spice) and cleans so well…plus, I’m helping a WAHM!
I just put up a post on my blog about wool for use with cloth diapers if anyone is interested. I love using wool and it really helps with leaks.
What brand of wool diapers do you suggest?
I have a question about cloth diapering. I tried it with my first, but got frusterated because his clothes wouldn’t fit over the diaper which was so much bulkier than a disposable. Has anyone had this problem? Do you just dress your child in the next size up?
I normally would dress them up a size on certain outfits that did not fit over the cloth diapers, but you can also look into getting garment extenders. I have heard very good things about them helping to make the clothes last as long as possible! It is on my wish list!
This is tough for us too! I have found that there are some things that I just cannot get to fit over cloth dipeys, like baby blue jeans.
/ But, I use the garment extenders that Lindsay mentioned and love them! For other things, I just generally buy a size bigger than they need, and I usually buy bottoms a size or 2 larger than tops because of the fluff. 
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Another great store for cloth diapers is http://www.clothdiaperoutlet.com. It is run by a WAHM with good service and quantity pricing discounts.
Great post!
Another inexpensive cover option (super inexpensive) are the Dappi Diaper Covers at http://www.babybestbuy.com . They have velcro ones and pull ons. I LOVE the pull ons as they are super comfy and come in sizes up to big big toddlers. They don’t fit on newborns though as the sizes run a bit big. But one cover is only $2.00. Seriously. They wash and dry in the laundry no problem and mine went through 3 children before we were given some BumGenius OS. Just use over a snappied prefold. Bliss! Cost upfront was a big issue when we started cloth because we had 2 in diapers and one on the way at the time! We HAD to do prefolds. It was the only way to afford a stash to diaper all the kids at once.
We just had our 5th baby and have used cloth with 4 of the kids. Our kids are 7, 4, 3, 17mos, and 3 weeks. I found your blog last week and have enjoyed reading past posts! Feel free to hop over and see our family/homeschool blog http://www.ourbusyhomeschool.blogspot.com
Tristan
I don’t know if you do this already, but in our house we use reusable cloth sanitary pads during our periods. It has saved us so much money, and it’s so much better for our health (we’ve read about how tampons negatively effect your health). We found the patterns online at http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/sanitarypads.htm.
I’ve been perusing your site tonight regarding home-made laundry detergent, and I’m excited about the loads of information I have found! I’ll definitely be back!
I actually use – and LOVE – the Diva Cup! It’s a great alternative for women who don’t care for external protection.
I second the Diva Cup!!! I’ve also used the Instead Cup, but I prefer the Diva.
I love the Diva also. I used it for about 4 years before becoming pregnant this fall.
hey
we just had our 2nd baby and i have been cloth diapering. I love it! its so easy adn actually i jsut did a post on my blog about CDing! so fun!! I am using Little Beetle diapers from “Better for babies” and organic prefolds from punkin butt! they are all working great! thanks for your posts on CDing
I have used Mother-ease diapers for 6 years. I LOVE them. Just thought I would throw that brand out there:) Thanks for all the info!
I would love to add that if you sew, making your own covers, pockets, or AIOs is a snap. I’ve found SUPER deals on PUL (if you’re patient) through yahoogroup coops, and it’s easy to customize a cover or diaper ‘just so’ for your little one. I also enjoy it. I only ever bought size S Bummis super-whisper wraps, and have make everything else myself, and my little one is 18 months old today. You can sew on aplix (velcro) or even put in resin snaps (just like the ‘pros’ do).
Too, while microfiber terry (for pocket inserts)is hard to find and expensive online when you can find it, I’ve had success using microfiber towels from the Costco automotive section – if you don’t mind bright yellow you can get 36 towels (maybe 16″ square or more) for about $16. I fold them in thirds, and fold down one edge to shorten it, and they work great – 2 for overnight. I’ve heard you can get similar towels at sam’s club. You could cut and sew them into the right size if you wanted to, of course.
There is a site, diaperkit.com, which sells pre-cut fabric/pul and elastic (and instructions) for much cheaper than a ready-made diaper. There are also lots of online tutorials for different sewing methods.
Using PUL scraps is fun, too, for waterproof bibs, changing pads, etc. I even used a yard to make an absorbent waterproof pad for an older child who wets the bed occasionally. Saved me many midnight sheet-changes!
Thanks! I’ve bought stuff from http://www.verybaby.com before too – they sell aplix, and I’m having to replace all the velcro on all of our diapers.
You can also find the microfiber towels at Wal-Mart. I think it was $5 for a bag of a dozen. Some I just leave as towels and fold them to add to diapers, but I have sewn some into soakers, and I made one prefold into a fitted and sewed a microfiber soaker with a fleece topper into it. The best of all worlds for my kids!
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Although both our girls are now fully potty-trained (yeah!!!), I was using cloth diapers for about 5 1/2 yrs straight. I agree with most of the info above – it’s easier than you think it will be, and having a variety of kinds of diapers for different situations is good. I would like to add that my favorite cloth diapering accessory is a mini-shower. It’s a little hand-held sprayer that attaches to your toilet water supply and hangs on the side of the toilet and is used to cleaning off the ickies before you put the diapers in the pail. So much nicer than the dunk and swish method! When we bought ours years ago, it was about $35 and was worth every penny!!
Thank you for the reminder! I’ve always just washed the diaper out in the toilet, using the cloth wipe (and wearing gloves, of course). But we actually just recently installed low-flow toilets with a very low water level, so I’m going to purchase a diaper sprayer.
Hi! Thanks for all the great info – this is exactly what I needed. I have 18-month-old twins with another on the way in May, and I’ve wanted to know what I need to do to switch over to cloth diapering…I am still a bit intimidated by the work of laundering three sets of diapers, though! Here’s my question: There’s a possibility we might be moving in the near future, and if we move, we might move into an apt./condo. If I can’t hang up my cloth diapers to dry, is it still worth it? Will they last? Will I be wasting lots of energy by using the dryer all the time? Are there line drying methods in a condo setting? Thank you!!
Dear Kristen, we live in a condo and I hung a clothes line up in our hallway from two light fixtures and in the bathroom to dry our cloth diapers. Check out this post for pictures of my house on laundry day. I only hang dry my Bum Genius pocket diapers though. This helps preserve the elastic. I always throw the BG inserts, prefolds and fitted diapers in the dryer. They just take way too long to air dry and end up drying very starchy in texture. The dryer keeps them soft and fluffy. So as you can see the dryer is definitely your friend. If your condo has a deck, try getting a small metal clothing drying rack. I have this one and use it more so in the summer and for bleaching the diapers when they have stains. Works great for small places!
I agree Lindsay – I hang my pockets to dry and tumble everything else. Or, like yesterday, I hung everything to dry in the sun, and then once it was dry I tossed it all in the dryer with a wet hand towel for about 10 minutes to fluff everything up and knock the pollen off (we live in the South, so everything is already coated in yellow here!).
Forgot to say – I use a wooden folding laundry rack. I would love to have hubby hang me a line outside, but I think it’s against our neighborhood association rules to have a laundry line visible from the street, and we live on a corner lot.
( But, at least the wooden rack is easy to pick up and carry inside quickly when one of those sudden southern showers opens up on us!
Thank you! Okay – I’ve now got a plan – thanks! I also live in the South and know what Lauren means about both the pollen and sudden showers on an otherwise bright and sunny day!
Our neighborhood association has a similar rule, which just irritates me to death. Fortunately we have a tall privacy fence, so I just put a line up in the backyard…what they don’t know won’t hurt them:-)
I love privacy fences! If we had put the fence up ourselves, we would have done that also. But we are grateful for the beautiful, vintage brick fencing that encloses our back yard! We’re hoping to add more landscaping over this spring and summer, and once we get a little more tree cover from the street, I may hang one. The only rule is about having one *visible* from the street, so as long as it’s not easily visible to passersby, I think it’s okay!
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Lindsay, do you use Bac Out on your Bum Genius? I’ve often wondered and even called Bum Genius to see if it was okay, but they stuck to their recommended brands of laundry detergent. I have occasional stink problems with my BG. Otherwise , I LOVE them.
Yes, I use Bac-out on my BG diapers when I have a poopy. It is an all natural product so I don’t see it causing any harm. It says right on the container that it is safe for cloth diapers. I know a lot of people who use it in this manner for stains and odors.
I am looking into biokleen’s Bac-Out. I’ve read some really conflicting information. Some rave about how great this product is while others claim that since it is an enzyme if there are any alive and still left in the diaper after washing that it can be activated when the child wets/poos in the diaper. This could then harm the child’s skin and cause rashes. Although, I guess this is only a problem if you are not completely rinsing the diaper.
Thanks for a great post! I linked to you on my blog and posted some of my favorite cloth diapering things.
http://onelittlewordsheknew.blogspot.com/
Hey Lauren,
You did an amazing job with this special feature on cloth diapers. Marc and I have been talking about making the switch when we plan for our next child. I have had a heavy burden with the disposables lately as Anniston is finishing up potty training. Since she is potty trained 98% (with the occasional night time diaper wet) I have been using one pack of diapers over the course of a month which has been a nice chunk of change back in my pocket. She still wears one at night and if she doesn’t wet it, we use it again for nap if she requests it, but she usually doesn’t. But anyway, not only did I realize that the disposables are horrible on the environment, when they were extra stinky, we would bag it up in a grocery bag (that we usually recycle) but then that bag ends up in the landfill with the diaper who plans to hang around for another 10,000 years or so. So I double whammied my Mother Earth all because of a morning poopy. I think the initial investment is also what scared me with Anniston. But should we have another, I am a little more seasoned as a mother and a budgeter and feel I can create a better situation for all involved. I did find your fact about cloth diaper kids potty training interesting. I had read that before about third world countries and just makes me wonder what makes a child grasp the concept better with cloth. I have been lucky because Anniston was right behind your’s with potty training (well they are two days apart in age). Anyway, thanks so much for letting me know about your guest appearance. Now I have found a new blog I can follow because I saw several other topics that caught my fancy!
I used prefolds that somebody bought me for burp cloths at my baby shower with dappi nylon pants ($5 for two on cottonbabies.com where I usually by my cloth diaper stuff). I used pins and loved them. I like them much more than snappis and wasn’t at all nervous about them with my baby. Now that I have a toddler, I might worry since she’s into everything, but after taking a break from cloth diapers… I came back and bought some bumgenius pocket diapers and love them! Now that I’m pregnant again, I am SO GLAD you made this post, because 8 bumgenius diapers is NOT goign to be enough for my toddler and a newborn!!!
You go, girl – rock on with your pins! One of my good friends uses only pins, and I tried one or two times, but I’m so scared of sticking myself (keeping my fingers under the diaper so I won’t stick the baby). I’m so thankful there’s another option like the Snappi! The only thing is, you can’t use a Snappi without a cover, like for EC or bad diaper rashes.
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that is the most informative and simple to understand site i have seen on cloth diapering. thank you guys!!!
Thank you so much! I’m glad it was helpful.
Thanks again for the great info!
I just found that Cotton Babies http://www.cottonbabies.com is selling BG 3.0 SECONDS for $12 each. No insert is included and they say that the diapers are fully functional, may just have markings or uneven stitching in places. My friends use the microfiber cloths you can get in the cleaning or automotive aisle, folded in thirds, for BG inserts anyway! I have big soakers so I prefer actual inserts but in the interest of frugality, it might work for you too
Thanks for the tip about the sale! For what it’s worth, I have BG soakers and the microfiber towels from WalMart, and I honestly can’t tell one bit of difference in how absorbent they are once I stuff a dipey with them!
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My BG 3.0 seconds arrived and I’m very pleased!! I looked each one over for all of the defects and they were very minimal. On most of them it was just a small dark-colored mark that I’m sure will come out in the wash. No major problems anywhere and as promised, nothing that will affect the wear or performance of the diaper. They do clip the BG tag to mark it as a second, and warranty is void. But for the deep discount, it’s worth it to me!
Good information. We have used cloth for our first little guy (he’s a year old now) and I can remember feeling overwhelmed at the where to start and especially how to wash. I remember the first time I loaded the washer thinking ‘I don’t know how long I’ll stick with this!’ But it turned out easy enough. For us the prefolds with covers, no pins on snappis, were the best, most economical option. I bought two large lots of covers (newborn through XL, a variety of brands including prowraps, bummis, imse vimse) on craigslist for $150 total and someone gave me the prefolds. I enjoy using cloth, have never had a problem with leaking, and find it no more difficult than disposable. If I were to buy new, I’d get 24 prefolds and a combination of bummis and prowraps. I recommend looking on craigslist, especially for covers as those are easy to ‘sanitize’ between users.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your experience. I’ve tried the prefolds without a Snappi, but my kids are just so wiggly. (They get it from their Daddy, who can inexplicably rip the fitted sheet off the mattress in his sleep without disturbing the comforter – how does that even happen?) Fortunately, someone introduced me to Snappis, because pins make me nervous. I have a few on-hand, but thank goodness I’ve never had to use them!
Just wanted to offer my perspective on flat diapers. I have been using flats with proraps covers on my baby and really like them. I origially got them because they were the absolute cheapest option (even cheaper than prefolds), but have since found that they are very versatile. Sure, you have to fold them, but they can be folded so many ways to precisely fit your baby, no matter what size. Need more absorbancy? Double them up. Snappis or velcro covers eliminate the need for pins. They wash easily since they are just one layer and dry in literally minutes, either on the line or in the dryer (less energy!) They also make great burp cloths, doublers, etc… If you are really cheap like me and not scared of the learning curve associated with folding flats, give them a chance
Thank you so much for sharing! As I said, I know nothing about flats, but your input makes me want to give them a shot.
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I also use flats with Gdiaper covers and they are great!! Never ever leak
I used the smaller gerber ones when my daughter was small, and now use the better quality, larger ones from cottonbabies. It’s a great, cheap option!
Just adding some more flat love here
. I use both prefold and flats and love both of them… though i think I love my flats just a little more 
I love how clean they get and how quick they are to dry. Anyways if you want to try flats out… just use some old recieving blankets that you have (or you can pick up super cheap at a garage sale) that way you won’t have a whole lot invested in them if you don’t like them . Love the blog Lindsay and congrats with the birth of your son.
I was wondering how you use the lemon juice as a stain and odor remover? I use Bum genius and sometimes notice a smell with them. Thanks for the info.
When you take the wet diapers out the washing machine, saturate the visible stains with lemon juice and place in a bright, sunny spot until dry. You can repeat if necessary until the stain is eliminated completely, and then just launder the diaper again before putting on your baby. (Because it’s already technically clean, you could just do a quick hand wash in the sink!)
For lingering odors, allowing your diapers to sun-dry is nothing short of a miracle! But you have to sun-dry all parts – pockets, soakers, prefolds, etc. If you continue to have lingering odors, you might take a deeper look at the ingredients list on your detergent, and consider stripping the diapers.
Hey, that’s me! ^^^ Great post Lauren, so awesome! You reallllllllly (add about 150 more llls) make me want to try again, but Isaac would NEVER go for it now, we have so much debt that we need every extra penny NOW to pay it off, yuck! The only thing that’s keeping us in sposies is the frontloaded investment, and Isaac is already so comfortable only paying $100/month TOTAL to diaper and wipe both kids. *sigh* maybe with the next one…we’ll see
You can always try again, later.
) Maybe once big J potty trains you can use your sposie budget surplus each month to start slowly rebuilding a stash that you’ll want to stick with…?
Sounds like a plan to me! 1-2 diapers a month and I could have the next baby fully in cloth from really early on, thanks!
I’ve been using DryBees All In One Hybrid. One reason I chose them was because they are made by stay at home mothers here in the U.S.A. and fit my son well. I’ve enjoyed them but with look at some of your suggestions for our little girl who will arrive in August.
Thanks for sharing about the WAHMs who make DryBees. I had heard that before but forgotten it! Good luck with your little ones!
I think you have done a pretty good job explaining the basics. I know I researched FOREVER too! My dh was not on bored until now (nearly 2 years later) lol I have made most of mine, fitteds and pockets but I use prefolds too. I would have to say that thirsties are my favorite cover but I just realized one thing you left out… Wool covers, (pants, shorts, soakers) If people are looking for more natural options (it is wonderful at night!) then that would be for them. I knit my own and really love them. My older two grew out of the BG OS before they were 30 lbs! (I have kids 3, 2, 6m) I really like my Crickett’s Hemp diapers for night with my wool pants and I don’t have any problems with my heavy wetters that way. They are pretty inexpensive for a hemp diaper and there are only 2 sizes so it fits better at the upper end and lower end scale.
You’re right – I totally forget about wool because I’ve never used it. I think I’m afraid of the extra care it requires, but also because wool has always irritated my skin, so I don’t want to take a chance with my babes!
Wool from sweaters or highly processed wool from large companies have been cleaned with harsh chemicals sometimes. You may not be allergic to organic wool or less processed kinds. There are some really nice and soft ones out there!