Cloth Diapering, Part 2

There are 4 main types of cloth diapers that we use. They are called pockets, fitteds with covers, prefolds with covers and all-in-ones. They majority of our "stash" is made up of pocket diapers, so I will explain those first.

Pocket diapers are basically what they sound like. Diapers that have pockets in them. They have a waterproof outerlayer with a soft (usually microfleece or suedecloth) inner layer that goes next to the baby's skin. There is a pocket between these layers where you stuff insert(s) into that create different levels of absorabancy. We have 4 brands of pocket diapers: Bum Genius 3.0, Fuzzi Bunz, Happy Heiney's and Haute Pockets.

With the exception of the Fuzzi Bunz, all of these diapers are considered a one-size, meaning, in theory, they fit from birth to potty training by using a snap up/down system. In reality, most newborns will not fit into pocket diapers till they are a couple months old, and different brands are sized differently. I've found that the Haute Pockets tend to run more towards the smaller side, while Happy Heiney's seem to run more on the larger side. Bum Genius seem to be right in the middle. The 3 Fuzzi Bunz that we have are a sized diaper, in a size medium. Ian probably won't ever grow out of these, but he only recently started fitting in them.

Pocket diapers are generally very easy for anyone to use and have a very small learning curve. They are fairly easy to care for as well and dry very quickly in the dryer because the inserts are separate. Depending on the brand, a new pocket diaper and insert can run betwee $15 and $23.

Aside from pockets, we often also use prefolds with covers. A prefold is what you think of as "your mother's cloth diapers". They are rectangular in shape and you use one of many folds, along with either pins or a Snappi to put them on the baby. Because they are not waterproof, they have to be covered with a cover. Covers are most commonly made from PUL, fleece and wool.

Prefolds are definetly the cheapest option in cloth diapering, as one prefold will run you between $1.50 and $3. Covers can be used for multiple diaper changes as long as they aren't soiled before changing to a new cover, so you only need a handful. They usually run between $10-$15 each. The covers that we have in our stash are Bummis Super Brites, Swaddlebees ABC snap wraps, Blueberry Minky wraps and many homemade fleece covers.

In our stash, we also have some fitteds with covers. A fitted diaper is a diaper that looks very similar to a disposable diaper, but it is made from a super absorbant fabric like cotton, bamboo or hemp. Fitted diapers are not waterproof and require the same type of cover that a prefold requires. Depending on the brand, fitteds usually run between $15-$35. The fitteds that we have in our stash are Swaddlebees Organic Bamboo Velour fitted, Snugglebottoms and Goodmamas.

Finally, probably the easiest diaper for someone who is new to cloth diapering to use is called an all-in-one. It is exactly what it sounds like, everything you need all-in-one. There is no pinning, covers or stuffing of inserts. The main downfall to these diapers is that the absorbancy isn't easily adjusted and they often take longer to dry. We have 3 Bum Genius Organic all-in-one snap diapers. I love them! AIO's tend to run about $16-$25 each.

A few pictures of Ian wearing different cloth diapers:

This is a Happy Heiney One-Size Snap pocket diaper.
This is a medium Fuzzi Bunz pocket diaper.
Here is Ian wearing a prefold held on by a Snappi (it's hard to see because it's a white one) without a cover on it yet.
Here he is this summer with a Bummis Super Brite cover over a prefold.
This is the first time he ever wore his Goodmama fitted diaper. This is the most expensive diaper we own, coming in at $35, phew!