First I want to make a disclaimer of sorts and say that each baby is different. And while some people love one type or brand others hate that type. Each type and brand has its followers and each are good in their own way. In my opinion, there is no "bad" diaper. It's just that some people prefer one while a different person prefers another. What works for me might not work for you.
All-in-ones (AIOs) are water-proof diapers where the inserts are sewn in, and there is no stuffing required unless you want to add extra inserts for more absorbency. They are convenient since there is no stuffing, but there is a higher price for such convenience and they take longer to dry. Here is a good video about AIOs. It only talks about one brand, and some may be slightly different. But, it's a good overview.
Pockets are water-proof diapers that have a pocket where an insert is stuffed inside and then taken out before it is washed. They tend to be a little cheaper than AIOs, but some people (men ;) ) don't like that you have to stuff and unstuff them. They are very customizable because you can add any combination of inserts to fit your needs. Here is a video of how to pockets work.
Pre-folds and covers are what many think of as "old-fashioned" diapers. They are white pieces of cloth that you either lay flat and fold around your baby's bum and fasten with a snappi or diaper pin or you can tri-fold them and place them in a water-proof cover. If you use a snappi or diaper pin you need to put a water-proof cover over top. People love these because they are the cheapest cloth diapering option, but other people don't like them because they aren't as convenient as AIOs or pockets. Here is a video about how to use pre-folds with and without a snappi.
Fitteds are sized (think small, medium, large, etc...) diapers; some are water-proof, others aren't. Some people love these because they tend to fit babies sooner than one size diapers and you can often achieve a better fit. But, you (obviously) need multiple sizes as your baby grows. And, some feel that is inconvenient and would rather buy one stash of one sized diapers. Once and done.
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| This is a Rumparooz one size pocket diaper. You can see how small and big it gets. Also, you can see aplix and snaps. |
Cloth diapers use aplix (Which is Velcro. But, Velcro is trademarked much like Q-tip and Band-Aid, and so aplix is the generic term used) and snaps to close. Both have pros and cons. While
There are a few different types of inserts. Each diaper normally comes with one or two inserts. As your baby gets older and starts to pee more you will probably need to add other inserts to prevent leaks- especially overnight. Often times, you can buy extra inserts that are identical to the ones that come with the diaper. But, a lot of times using multiple inserts can become bulky. To avoid this you can use hemp or bamboo. These inserts are both extremely absorbent and thin; which makes for a very trim diaper. You simply layer them under the inserts that come with your diaper. You layer them under rather than on top of the insert because the micro-fiber inserts that the diapers come with absorb quicker in order to wick moisture away from baby's bum. And, the hemp and bamboo absorb more slowly. Personally, I love the hemp inserts I have! I actually need to get more because Harrison is a very heavy wetter. These often save me from leaks during nap time.
There are dozens of different brands of cloth diapers. I'm not going to pretend to know everything about every brand. But, I did do a lot of research before deciding which brands to buy. We decided on Bum Genius and Sun Babies brands for Harrison. Actually, I thought I was going to buy Bum Genius and Fuzzibunz, but when I went to a local store that sells cloth diapers they only had Bum Genius and Sun Babies. The woman that sold them used both on her children and loved them. Plus, Sun Babies was considerably cheaper than Bum Genius and Fuzzibunz, so I decided to fill out the rest of (almost half) my stash with those. In Bum Genius I have mostly their 4.0s which are pockets, but also have 4 of their Free Time AIOs. Both preform very well, and I haven't had any issues with them. Although, Anthony thinks the AIOs are "annoying" and "bunch Harrison's balls". Men. Although the rise of the AIOs isn't as roomy, I don't find them annoying and Harrison doesn't seem "bunched" to me. But, I thought I'd mention it. Sun Babies only makes pockets, and they also perform very well. However, I found out why they are a lot cheaper than any other diaper brands I have come across. They are a Chinese company (not necessarily a bad thing) and seem to use a little lesser quality material. I noticed that their water-proof fabric seems a little thinner than my Bum Genius diapers and the cotton seems to pill a little, neither have effected absorbency so far. Also, the seams don't seem to be quite as secure, and the elastic isn't quite as stretchy. Although they preform as well as the Bum Genius, I am a little worried that they won't hold up as well as their more expensive counterparts. Only time will tell, and I would certainly still recommend them to anyone looking to use cloth diapers. The price really can't be beat, and the have really cute prints!
Some other brands that I researched and have read many, many good things about online are Rumparooz, Happy Heinys, Kissaluvs, Gro-via, Flip, Charlie Banana, Kuwaii, and Bummis. If you are interested in using cloth diapers I highly suggest you check out the cloth diapering board on The Bump. There is a FAQ section where you can read up on common questions, and the ladies that frequent the board are very knowledgeable. You can ask them absolutely anything. I learned, and continue to learn, a ton on there. Also, check out YouTube. There are so many helpful videos on there, and there is even a cloth diaper channel. If you're looking to save money (who isn't?) check out Spot's Corner where you can buy used diapers (Relax, not all of them are actually used and have been pooped on. Some are new in the package- people just didn't like them or got them as gifts and didn't want them). And, if you want to buy from small businesses or buy made in America there is always Etsy (plus I think Bummis are made in Canada- not America but not China either).
Finally, there are a few things besides the actual diapers that you'll need to get started. Let me outline them;
A wet bag or diaper pail- You'll use one of these in place of a traditional diaper genie. You can simply buy a trash can or hamper and line it with a pail liner or use a wet bag. I use a Planet Wise (made in the USA!) hanging wet bag in my nursery and have a medium one in my diaper bag. I LOVE them. They come in a lot of fun prints and have held up really well in the wash.
Cloth diaper-friendly diaper rash cream- When in cloth diapers babies don't tend to get many diaper rashes (Check out this video about breathability). Harrison hasn't had one yet. But, he does get a wee bit red every now and then. So, it's a good idea to have some cream on hand. But, due to the chemicals used in many conventional rash creams you can't use them in cloth diapers. They "clog" up the fabric and effect the absorbency. I use CJ's BUTTer in the Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey scent. This stuff is fabulous and it smells great. You only need to use a little bit.
Cloth diaper-friendly detergent- Much like diaper rash creams, conventional detergents contain chemicals that effect the absorbency of cloth diapers. However, there are many detergents you can use. This website has a list of detergents that are safe to use. A good rule of thumb is unscented, powder detergents work best. I use Ultra Tide powder (in the original scent). I got this tip from the cloth diaper board on The Bump. And, even though it isn't formulated for use with cloth diapers, it works very well when only a little bit (2 tablespoons) is used. I decided to use Tide because detergents made specifically for cloth diapers tend to be more expensive. And, I didn't want to have to buy two different detergents- one for clothes and one for diapers. Plus, Tide is found pretty much everywhere, so you don't have to order it online. However, I do kinda want to try Rockin' Green. I have heard really good things about it and it comes in yummy scents and different formulas designed for specific water types. It is a little pricey, and that is what has kept me from trying it.
Diaper sprayer- It hooks up to your toilet's water supply and is used to spray poop off of diapers. You simply plop solid poop (Eww) in the toilet and spray off any stuck-on poop from the diaper while holding it over the toilet. I have a Bum Genius diaper sprayer but haven't used it yet. Harrison is breast fed and breast fed baby poop is water soluble (you learn something new every day), and just dissolves in the wash. Once he starts solids I will be using mine.
That's all you need. I know it can seem overwhelming, but it really is easy once you get started. One question I get asked again and again when I tell people that we use cloth is, "Isn't it a pain to wash them?". The short answer is no. It's only 2-3 extra loads of laundry a week, and really doesn't bother me. Especially considering how much money we're saving by doing it. It's almost like I'm getting paid to wash them. Maybe if I felt like I was being paid to clean our apartment it would be a lot cleaner. ;) Here is a video that I found really helpful. The mom has some nice tips and explains everything really well. And, of course, each brand's website tells you how to wash them. I love using cloth with Harrison and can't imagine using disposables. Every time I see disposables in the store I think to myself, "thank God I don't have to buy those". It's oddly freeing. :)
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