Both my husband and I were absolutely on board with cloth diapering from the get-go: we were both cloth diapered as babies, and we were fans of both the lessened environmental impact of reusable diapers (we try our best in general to reduce one-use-item usage) and the financial aspect of not having to constantly buy disposable diapers and wipes. We decided to try a variety of styles of cloth diapers from the start as well as different brands so that we weren’t stuck with one particular brand and style that we weren’t super happy with. (I highly recommend this approach, unless you end up using a cloth-diaper laundry service, in which case you’ll be obligated to use the provided prefolds with your own covers.)
We ended up using cloth diapers for two kids so far (and they’re still good to go for upcoming baby number three), we’ve saved money, and we’ve spared some landfill. An added bonus is we never have to worry about running out of diapers. And a personal favorite feature of mine is that there’s a general lack of poop blowouts as compared to disposables.
If you’re intrigued by cloth diapering your babies full-time or even part-time, what can often seem a bit intimidating is the sheer variety of cloth diaper styles out there, but there are a few standouts.
A popular style of cloth diapers for their sheer convenience and ease of use are AIOs or AI2s, which stands for “all-in-one” or “all-in-two” diapers. They are essentially what they sound like: an AIO diaper has all the parts already contained inside the diaper, so you just put it on the baby and that’s it—just like you would with a disposable diaper. AI2s require snapping an insert into a cover, but this just takes a few seconds before putting on the diaper. My family has had good luck with Best Bottoms AI2 diapers, as their double gussets and sturdy made-in-the-USA design makes them pretty leakproof while being very simple to use. While AIOs can be great for babysitters, daycare, or just the simplicity factor, their major con is they can take longer to dry and are sometimes not as leakproof as some other styles. They also tend to be the most expensive, as you’re paying for convenience. AI2s tend to be more leakproof than AIOs, but the price point is similar and they do require the snapped-in-insert step.
Another style of cloth diapers used by many parents are pocket diapers. While they are slim-fitting and easy to put on like an AIO, they require a little more effort in that you have to stuff a pocket with inserts. Inserts come in varied fabrics, such as microfiber (least absorbent and cheapest) and hemp (most absorbent and priciest). What many parents like is that you can customize the absorbency by inserting various combos of inserts into the pocket diaper, which is the primary reason you might opt for a pocket instead of an AIO. Again, similar to AIOs, their main issue is they typically aren’t as leakproof as some other styles. But we personally love the Charlie Banana pocket diapers for our kids.
Fitted diapers are cloth diapers that generally have some additional inserts but are made completely out of natural fibers. Therefore, the inserts need a cover, whether it’s PUL, fleece, or wool, to be put over them. A major advantage of fitted diapers with covers is their “leakproofness.” Many parents use fitteds with covers for overnight and naptime, as they tend to hold pee in for longer. You can also customize them with additional inserts. I personally love the Sloomb fitted diapers. The major drawback of fitted diapers is they are the bulkiest diaper, so you’ll be getting epic fluff butt—which can be tricky for wearing with clothes.
The most cost-efficient cloth diaper combo is the duo of prefolds/flats and covers. A prefold, or flat, is folded up and put into a cover to make this combo happen. Some parents like to use folding techniques where the fabric folds into a diaper shape, and others simply insert the prefold into the cover and that’s it. Both can be great techniques, but the former has a bit of a learning curve. This cloth-diapering combo also tends to be very leakproof and cost efficient, as the prefolds/flats are not terribly expensive and you don’t need that many covers, especially if they don’t get pooped on. You can simply reuse a cover if it’s dry after a diaper change. These can sometimes be bulkier than an AIO or a pocket diaper, but not always. I love xkko bamboo prefolds with either a Doodush or a Rumparooz cover on top. If you’re interested in wool covers, Disana makes great ones.
If you’re planning on diapering from day one, it can also be worth it to invest in a stash of newborn-sized diapers, as one-size diapers typically fit babies better once they’re a bit bigger and chunkier. We had great experiences with Blueberry Newborn AIOs—my older two children were able to wear these till they were three months old.
Don’t forget that you can get cloth diapers secondhand! They’re also a great item to put on a baby registry, as well as other cloth diapering gear like a wet bag or cloth wipes.
Best of luck with your fluffy journey ahead!