Cloth Diapers 101

by Jennifer Rust Lauchlan

Chances are if you are reading this you are at least considering cloth diapers for your baby.  It's also a pretty good bet that you've already done a little research and you're confused by all the choices out there.  Cloth diapering can seem overwhelming at the beginning, especially if you are investigating it online.  The good news is that most people who cloth diaper are very eager to share what they know (like me!) and help others learn more about cloth diapering (also known as CDing).  

The best way to get an idea of what may work for you is to get the chance to see and touch some diapers, preferably in a setting where you can also see a baby wearing and being changed with cloth.  Many online sellers hold workshops or welcome potential local customers into their stores and homes.  Other ways to find local CDing familes are to check Yahoogroups (the DC area cloth diaper group is DCCDers), attachment parenting groups, and La Leche League meetings. In the meantime, you can continue your reseach online to get a general idea of the options.

There are a multitude of choices in cloth diapering, and what you choose will be dictated at least in part by what you want to achieve. Frugality? Environmentalism? Style? Natural vs. synthetic products? Ease of use? There are other considerations as well, but these are the main topics most people consider.

Ease-of-use
All-in-ones (AIOs) are the most like disposables in simplicity. Each AIO is a single unit with absorbent layers and a waterproof lining or cover. They usually velcro closed (similar to a disposable). They are great for babysitters, grandparents, and other caregivers who won't be changing the baby frequently (and they have also been known to make converts out of some people whose opinions of cloth diapers are based on the diapers of days gone by...). Lots of people hate them because they say they can take longer to dry than some diapers although we haven't found that to be a problem. We put two big towels in the dryer with diapers and that speeds up drying. It does take two cycles (for any of our diapers to dry, not just AIOs) but we have a lousy dryer.
Pockets are similar except that are in two (or more) pieces. If you put them back together when you get them out of the dryer, they are as simple as disposables to put on: velcro or snap. Pocket diapers are kind of like pita bread: two thin layers (one waterproof) into which you can stuff as much filler as you need. You load them with different inserts depending on how much your kid pees. Stuffing doesn't take too much time, but is one more step than AIOs.  Pockets are very, very popular.  Personally, if we were starting over and had the money, I would choose to buy nothing but pockets  -- they work that well for us.
Covers and prefolds can seem complicated in the beginning but you get used to them pretty quickly. The complexity comes from the many different choices of cover and the variety of ways to fold and secure the prefold.  The basics, however, are that you place an absorbent layer next to the baby and then cover it with a waterproof outer. It take a bit of learning to minimize the risk of leaking, but mainly you need to make sure the cover is snug and none of the inner layer is sticking out. Prefolds and covers are the most affordable choice in CDing.  They are easy to use, though less so with a wriggly toddler.
Fitteds still require a cover but are designed to conform to the baby's bottom and fasten with velcro or snaps.  They are less bulky and can do a better job of containing poop than prefolds.  With fitteds you have to be careful that you choose a cover that works well with the design of the fitted, otherwise you will have leak problems. 

Style 
Prefolds PFs tend to be bulky, which can limit clothing options.  Covers range from the utilitarian plastic pants of yore to a variety of prints and colors that feel more like cloth. 
AIOs and pockets These options offer more style potential. You can go with the big names like FuzziBunz (among the most well-known and liked pockets -- and the diaper of choice at our house -- which are trim and come in a multitude of hues but no patterns) or Happy Heinies (another perennial pocket favorite which does come in a multitude of patterns). Or you can dive deep into diaper mania and go with hand-made (usually called WAHM-made) diapers, either pocket or AIO. Don't think of them as hand-made; think of them as hand-crafted or artisanal.  Really.  WAHM diapers are sold on forums like DiaperSwappers, HyenaCart, and eBay, as well as small independent websites.  

Cost
Prefolds and covers are the least expensive option. You can use the same prefolds from birth through at least age 1 (depending on the size of your baby and the way you use them). People generally need a second set of larger PFs after that, but the larger size should fit up to potty training. You need about 24-30 PFs if you are washing every few days, but they are cheap, cheap, cheap. Covers can be used more than once if poop doesn't get on them, so you can use as few as 20 covers over the diaper-wearing years (covers come in different sizes so you'd need 4-6 on average in several different sizes). All told, you could spend $300 or less for all of your brand new diapering supplies from birth to training (and then resell them and recoup a small portion of that investment).
AIOs and Pockets are significantly more expensive because you need different sizes and each diaper is pricey ($14-19 on average); however, you can get upwards of 50% of the cost back if you sell them when you're done with them. Because of this, CDing with nothing but AIOs or pockets is still cheaper than disposables.

Washing
Using cloth adds 2-3 loads of laundry a week for most households, though in our house we have debated washing less frequently. (I think we could wash 1-2 times a week but my partner doesn't agree). Loading the washer is a little icky but takes 2 minutes tops. After that, it's a matter of restarting the washer for the second wash, and then it's like any other laundry: move to dryer, fold(stuff), put away. 

If you don't have a washer and dryer in your home, don't despair!  You can use a service, wash diapers in the laundry room in your building, or go to a laundromat.  There is a dedicated cadre of CDers washing diapers in community and commercial laundry facilities all across the nation and the world: it can be done!

The Poop Thing
There's a four-letter word that stands between many people and cloth diapering.  When we told my mom we were planning to CD, she flipped out because when she used cloth she had a service. Her memorable quote on the matter was, "You're not going to put SHIT in my washing machine!!" (No, Mom, for one thing, we're washing them at our house.) However, washing machines have evolved a lot in the 35 years since my mom was using cloth diapers, and the washers today are capable of cleaning and disinfecting diapers in a way they just couldn't decades ago.  Also, washing machines themselves rinse cleaner, so it's not a big deal in terms of risking contamination of other washables.

You also get to ease into the process if you are breastfeeding, because the poop for the first few months (or longer, depending on your kid) doesn't require ANY special handling. You just drop the diaper in the pail (a regular trash can works fine) and then on washing day, dump the diapers in the washer, do a rinse, then a wash, and then into the dryer. With older-kid poop, it can be more of an issue, but as long as the kid is not sick, it's usually no biggie: the poop can be shaken off the diaper right into the toilet and you wash the diaper as usual. Every once in a while there's a doozie, but the doozies are there with disposables, too. I figure dealing with them is the price we pay for saving money and feeling more environmentally responsible. We have never had blowout issues with diapers, but that does depend in part on the size and shape of your kid. Some of our CD friends have had some problems with blowouts but on the whole it seems to be a bigger issue when you use disposables.