This giveaway is now closed. Check back soon for the winners!

This year’s Cloth Diapering 101 series is hosted by four sweet diaper makers, and today I’m psyched to show you their diapers in action — along with a chance to win some.

In case you’ve missed them, here are the previous posts on cloth diapering from earlier in the week:

• The 411 Behind Cloth Diapering 101
• Cloth Diapering: It Doesn’t Have to be All or Nothing (on Simple Organic)
• Exploring 5 Stereotypes About the Cloth Diapering Family

All the brands I’m showing you today pass the bill for superior durability, absorbency, low on the bulky factor, and totally pass the cute-o-meter.

1. Bummis

I’ve been a fan of Bummis diapers from the start of my cloth diapering experience. Their organic cotton prefolds are absorbent and soft, and their covers are lightweight, affordable, and hold everything in.

A few months ago, they sent me their new line of pocket diapers called EasyFit and TiniFit. I love these diapers. They’re usually some of the first I grab.

The best thing about these diapers is that the liner is attached to the main diaper, so you don’t have to fish around for the insert in the clean laundry pile. Simply stuff, and you’re ready to go.

Then the really cool part about this is that you don’t need to remove the liner before washing. Simply remove the dirty diaper and toss it in your wet bag — the liner will pull out in the wash! So there’s almost zero ick factor.

Also, the velcro is some of the best I’ve tried — they stay completely closed in the wash.

Here’s Bummis’ video about the EasyFit:

The TiniFit are exactly the same, except they’re — well, tiny. They were pretty much the only CD that fit Finn as a newborn without an insane amount of bulkiness. They were so adorable on him, and I was sad when he outgrew them at about three months. But they were very handy in those early days, because I knew everything would stay in.  TiniFits were really the only CDs I used on Finn from the get-go — he wore them the day of his birth.

Bummis is giving three EasyFits and three Tinifits to one Simple Mom reader!

2. Go Green

Go Green Pocket Diapers are a sweet-and-simple pocket diapering system, and their brand’s slogan is “cloth diapers for the rest of us,” because they’re practical, durable pocket diapers at half the price.

Yes, Reed’s all Evil-Knievely in his star-studded diaper and superhero cape.

These are your basic pocket diapers, with either a silky polyester knit or fuzzy fleece-like outer layer, lined with a thin, flexible water-proof polyurethane laminate on the inside. The inside is lined with fleece, so it’s super soft on your baby’s skin. Each diaper comes with one super-absorbant insert that is made from 3 layers of microfiber terry-cloth.

There are three layers of snaps on the outside, so that you can make the diapers three different sizes. This means you can use these diapers from birth to potty training.

By far, the best thing about these diapers is the price. $9-10 per diaper, with a flat $5 shipping on all US orders. You seriously can’t beat that with a stick.

Protecting our home from danger as the rest of us head off to bed…

Go Green Pocket Diapers is giving six pocket diapers to one Simple Mom reader!

3. Sustainable Babyish

Sloomb/Sustainable Babyish makes the softest, most absorbent fitted diapers I’ve ever used. Their wool covers are beautiful, too. I mean, seriously — how cute are these?

I was surprised how well wool works as a diaper cover (and honestly still don’t completely get how it works). Because wool has natural lanolin, making sheep waterproof, it also makes a great cover because they hold — and wick — moisture away from the skin.

You only need to wash the wool covers every now and then — you simply air them out between uses.

Sustainable Babyish’s covers are also the softest, most absorbent wool cover I’ve ever used. We use them for naptime with our older; bedtime for the youngest. In fact, after naptime today, Reed was pulling to keep this diaper on when it was time for a diaper change.

These snapless fitteds are thick and absorbent (you can easily use them with Snappis). And you can feel the quality by how soft the bamboo is.  If there is such a thing, Sustainable Babyish diapers are heirloom quality.

Sustainable Babyish is giving one of their Snapless-Multi Starter Kits to a Simple Mom reader! This includes two Snapless-Multi Fitted diapers, one wool cover in the color of your choice, and two doublers.

4. Thirsties

Thirsties is a Colorado-based diaper company that makes every diaper locally, and they have a newer pocket diaper called a Duo Diaper. This diaper is incredibly soft on the skin and really absorbent for how thin it is. This is one of the least bulky diapers I’ve tried.

There are two inserts that snap together; one made of microfiber terry and one made of hemp. This makes the diaper both absorbent and quick-drying.

One of the coolest thing about this diaper is that it’s really more of a “sleeve” than a pocket — both ends have openings, so that you don’t need to remove the wet insert before tossing it in the wetbag. The insert comes out in the wash, so zero ick factor for these diapers, too.

The one thing I’d note is that size one is a bit small for my little guy, who’s four months old. Out of their two sizes, I’d opt for just getting size two from the get-go and snapping it to the smallest size at the beginning. Then again, Finn’s a chunky guy, so it depends on each baby.

Thirsties is giving two Simple Mom readers a bundle of their diapers. Each bundle includes a Duo Diaper, Duo Wrap, Prefold and a package of wipes.

Giveaway Details

There will be five winners for this giveaway! Each winner will receive one of these diaper sets offered by the brands above. The prizes will be assigned randomly to each winner.

How to Win:

1. Comment on this post, answering the following question:  “Besides diapers or wipes, what’s the one thing you make sure to carry in your diaper bag?”

2. If you’d like a second entry, tweet about this giveaway on Twitter, using the #clothdiapers hashtag, the companies’ Twitter handles, @simplemom,  and the URL for this post. Your tweet could be something like:

I’m entering to win #clothdiapers from @simplemom, @bummis, @sloomb, @thirstiesinc, & @GoGreenDiapers: http://bit.ly/cakPPW

Then — this is important — you need to come back and leave an additional comment here, telling me you tweeted. It won’t count otherwise.

3. If you’d like a third entry, mention this giveaway on Facebook, mentioning @Simple Mom and the URL of this post.

Again, you need to come back and comment again on this post, otherwise it won’t count.

This giveaway is open to all readers worldwide, and ends on Saturday, October 23 at 11:59 p.m. CST. I hope you win!

And thanks to Reed and Finn for their willingness to participate as models.

CURRENT SPONSORS:

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• 4 Cloth Diapers Worth Trying (…to Win!)
• 4 Cloth Diapering Choices Defined
• Visual Demonstration: How to Put on a Cloth Diaper, and How to Get One Clean

Let’s have a show of hands.  How many of you had parents who used cloth diapers when you were a baby?

My parents sure did, and it wasn’t because they were concerned about the environment or that my sister and I were allergic to disposable diapers.  They used cloth diapers because they were absolutely broke and couldn’t afford even the most inexpensive of disposable diapers.  I grew up hearing my parents tell stories of sticking themselves with diaper pins, battling the diaper rash that the plastic pants they used as covers often incurred, and hauling the big, sloppy wet pail full of diapers to the washing machine.

Needless to say, when I became a parent, I didn’t give a single thought to using cloth diapers.

Yet when our oldest daughter was ten months old, I discovered that all but the most expensive disposable diapers caused her to break out in a rash and we were too broke to keep up with diaper costs.  It was at that point that I began to give a lot of thought to cloth diapers.

My husband was supportive of the change, but he was also a little surprised.  At that time, we were not the stereotypical cloth diapering parents. Believe it or not, five years ago we were what you might call a fairly “mainstream” family.  Browsing cloth diapering websites, message boards, and online stores was an entirely new world for me.

Is there a stereotypical cloth diapering family?

I decided to do some informal social network polling, and I received an array of responses.  @TheTraintoCrazy said, “I think cloth diapering is pretty mainstream.  I don’t see a stereotypical cloth diaperer anymore” while @ELWhitney responded that she fits the stereotype because they don’t vaccinate, practiced extended breastfeeding, co-sleep, babywear, and made their own baby food.

Photo by Amy Stempkowski

As I read through the variety of responses about what stereotypes come to mind of families who choose cloth diapers, I noticed five themes reflecting what we think of when we discover that someone cloth diapers their little ones.

1.  People who choose cloth diapers are really poor or really rich.

Sometimes this one is accurate, and sometimes it isn’t.  The truth is that many families do use cloth diapers as a way of living frugally. However, the start-up costs for cloth diapering systems can be a financial burden, and without the assistance of a group like the Cloth Diaper Foundation or kind-hearted individuals who are willing to pass their cloth diaper stash on for free to families in need, there are quite a few families who would like to cloth diaper but simply can’t afford it.

As more celebrities are choosing to cloth diaper their children, in certain circles it may be considered the chic choice to make.  Certainly there may be parents in upper socioeconomic tiers who choose to cloth diaper, but most of the families I know who use cloth diapers are just average, middle class people who have chosen cloth for a variety of reasons.

2.  People who choose cloth diapers are very into crunchy/granola/green living.

Photo by Crystal Biehl

This is probably the most recognized stereotype of the cloth diapering parent.  As Tsh wrote in 3 Compelling Reasons to Try Cloth Diapering, “In the U.S. alone, 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown in landfills each year, taking around 500 years to decompose. Disposable diapers make up the third largest item in landfills, after newspapers and food and beverage containers.”

I think it is an accurate assessment that many cloth diapering families feel a strong conviction to care for the planet and to make responsible choices (particularly when it comes to limiting waste).

I did, however, hear from parents who feel that their lifestyle doesn’t quite match up with the green living lifestyle.  Some shared that they drive SUVs or they don’t line dry their diapers or they use disposable plates and napkins, all choices which they felt excluded them from being typical “crunchy” cloth diapering families.

@LifeWithLevi offered this insight: “I cloth diaper for the money savings, so sometimes it’s awkward when people assume I’m doing it to save the environment.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a bit of a tree hugger, but that’s not the main reason we use cloth.”

3.  People who choose cloth diapers just love to do laundry.

I do have to confess that I don’t hate doing laundry, but there is quite a difference between not hating something and loving to do something, don’t you think?  Every cloth diapering family works out a laundry system that works for them.  I chose to wash a load of diapers every other evening.

Once I found my groove, it just became a natural part of my evening routine, and I never felt that having a child in cloth diapers meant having to do an excessive amount of laundry.

4. People who choose cloth diapers have a high tolerance for the “ick factor.”

Photo by Karen McVey

I had to giggle at my friend Jen‘s insight about how people respond when they find out she cloth diapers: “I am often asked why I would want to touch poop. Ummm . . . you still deal with baby poop with disposables, last I checked!”  The biggest question mark many non-cloth diapering parents have about the logistics of using cloth has to do with poop.

Technically, all human waste should be disposed of in the toilet, not just the kind that ends up in a cloth diaper.  And anyone who has parented a child in diapers of any kind knows that at some point, there is going to be close encounters of the icky kind with the contents of diapers.

In my experience, cloth diapers were much more effective at containing those infamous diaper blow-outs that happen so often with new babies, and so in some ways, cloth diapering helped me escape the “ick factor” for a few months.

It’s true that once a little one starts solids that things get a little more complicated, however there are handy devices like The Diaper Sprayer to make life easier (you can also make one).  Also, when the contents of those dirty diapers are dealt with immediately, your home doesn’t contain a trace of that dirty diaper smell!

5. People who chose cloth diapers have a lot of extra time on their hands.

One stereotype of the cloth diapering family is that one of the parents must be a stay-at-home parent because cloth diapering takes up extra time. I can only speak to my own experience, but other than a load of laundry every other evening, cloth diapering didn’t require any extra time from me.

Photo by Mama Oh Baby

This idea may cause those who are potentially interested to think they can’t fully commit to it. At Simple Organic this week, I  shared about how cloth diapering does not have to be an all-or-nothing choice.

Part-time cloth diapering is a wonderful way to make a choice that is healthy for a child as well as for the planet, even if cloth diapering can’t be done around the clock.

In this cloth diapering discussion on the SortaCrunchy Facebook page, Alissa Birkel made this observation that captures the evolving image of the cloth diapering family:

“I think I used to think of cloth diapering as a endevour of the crunchy types, but now I think with the recession and more and more people trying to stretch their money, cloth diapering is also a venture of more frugal types. Me? I’m a little crunchy, a little frugal, so cloth diapering makes sense for us.“

I would love to hear your contribution to this discussion! Do you think there is a stereotypical cloth diapering family? If you cloth diaper, do you fit the mold or break the mold of the conventional view on families who cloth diaper?

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• Exploring 5 Stereotypes of the Cloth Diapering Family
• Cloth Diapering 101: An Intro
• Cloth Diapering: Your Most Common Questions, Answered

Cloth diapers. What images just popped in your head? Granola-types who preach the evils of disposables? Upper-class families who have nannies to take care of the “dirty work”? Stay-at-home parents too poor to pay for “normal” diapers? Or maybe your parents, berating you with stories of plastic pants and leaks galore?

None of this is across-the-board true of cloth diapers anymore. And for the next three days on Simple Mom, we’ll chat about the myths, the how-tos, and the where-do-I-go-if-I-want-to-give-it-a-trys behind cloth diapering.

Tomorrow, Megan will explore the myths and stereotypes behind cloth diapers, giving you a more realistic picture of what it’s really all about.

Friday, I’ll highlight some of my current favorite cloth diapers, and give you a chance to win a handful of them!

Today, I’m going to park at the basics. Let’s discuss some of the reasons why it’s not totally insane to give cloth diapers a shot, and then I’ll share some visual demonstrations of the basic to-dos.

I’m going to give you links of posts we wrote last year here on Simple Mom, when we devoted an entire week of Cloth Diapering 101. Each of these posts has useful, thorough information.

A disclaimer: What this series is not about

The last thing I want to do is discourage a parent and make them feel not up to par. That’s not what this site is about. So if you’ve made a conscious choice to go with disposable diapers, that’s okay by me. We use a combination of cloth and disposable in our household.

But it is important to make a well-informed choice, and in today’s culture, disposables tend to be the default choice. I simply want this series to help you look into cloth diapering, so that if you ultimately go with disposable diapers, it’s with intention, not because you didn’t know you had other options.

“Why should I even bother? Disposables are easy.”

This is a valid question. And to be honest, disposables are easy, which is why we still use them from time to time.  In fact, it’s very common to use both types — Megan’s talking about that today on Simple Organic, in fact.

But cloth diapers are easy, too, once you know how to handle them. If you haven’t been around them much, there’s just a slight learning curve. With a little bit of patience and grace with yourself, you’ll eventually wonder why you even thought they’d be more difficult than disposables.

Read last year’s post to find out there are actually at least three great reasons to consider cloth diapers.

Photo from Thirsties

“I don’t even know where to begin.”

Read sites or forums about cloth diapering, and you’ll read words and phrases such as “AIOs,” “pocket diapers,” “fitteds,” “liners,” and “wet bags.” What? It’s like a whole other language.

Don’t let this intimidate you. Last year, Simple Organic editor Katie Fox wrote a great post that defines the main different types of cloth diapers, and what some of those common terms mean.

“But… What about pins? Blowouts? Laundry? And the smell?”

So even if you’re convinced there are great reasons to try cloth diapering, and once you understand the different options out there, you still might hesitate for one reason or another.

Perhaps you don’t want to deal with extra laundry. Or maybe you’re concerned that the cost of water usage offsets any savings from buying disposables. Or let’s be honest — maybe cloth diapering sounds like you’ll be dealing with a lot of poop.

Last year, Simple Bites editor Aimee Wimbush-Bourque answered seven of the most common questions about cloth diapering, and she gave her honest answers. You’ll want to read it if you’ve got your concerns.

Photo from Go Green Pocket Diapers

“Okay, I’m willing to try. But… How?

Great question. Honestly, the best way to cloth diaper is just to start, and you’ll learn soon what works for you and what doesn’t. But I wish I had someone in my life to show me the nuts and bolts behind what it looks like. Literally.

Last year, I created these simple vlogs to show you how to put on a cloth diaper, and then how to wash them. Here they are again — hopefully they’ll give you a clear picture of what it looks like to deal with cloth diapers.

How to Put on a Cloth Diaper

My son, Reed, was a willing participant and star of this first video. He’s almost three now… My, how time flies. I don’t even have that shirt I was wearing anymore. And of course, excuse the nakedness.

Here are the products I used in this video:

• Bummis Organic Cotton Prefold
• Bummis Super Brite Wrap
• Bummis Bamboozle Fitted Diaper
• Imse Vimse Organic Cotton Cover
• FuzziBunz Perfect Size Diaper
• Bummis BioSoft Liners — In the video, I inadvertently say that these liners are made out of rice paper. The rice paper liners are actually from ImveVimse, which we also use.

How to Clean Cloth Diapers

Every washer and dryer is different, of course. In fact, I’ve since returned to the States since this video was made, and my process here is a smidge different.

Right now, I’ve got a top-loading washer, and I run my diapers through two quick rinses of cold water and a splash of vinegar, then one final wash of hot water and soap nuts. Works perfectly, with no remaining residue or smell.

Excuse the bad hair day and the awkwardness on camera in general. It was one of my first-ever vlogs.

Here are the products I used in this video:

• FuzziBunz Perfect Size Diaper
• Bummis BioSoft Liners
• FuzziBunz In and Out Mess-Free Diaper Bag
• FuzziBunz Organic Double Sided Wipes
• Soapnuts from Laundry Tree
• All-In-One Diaper from BottomBumpers
• One Size Bamboo Velour Diaper from Blueberry
• Super Brite wrap from Bummis — I inadvertently called it a Whisper Wrap, also from Bummis

Photo from Sustainable Babyish

Cloth Wipes and Wipe Solution

I also use cloth wipes — washcloths, basically. Currently our changing station is in the bathroom, so I just keep a drawer full of thin baby washcloths, and when I’m ready to use one, I moisten it quickly with the sink faucet. Easy-peasy.

However, I know lots of people prefer using a wipe solution (I used to), and this is very easy to make. Here’s a simple recipe:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons baby shampoo or soap
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• a few drops of essential oil (optional)

Pour all the ingredients into a spray bottle and shake, then simply spray a washcloth when you’re ready to use one. You can also re-use one of the plastic boxes from traditional wipes, fold washcloths to fit, and pour this solution over the stack and give it a quick shake. That’s it!

Tomorrow, Megan will explore the stereotypes behind cloth diapers. It’ll be good.

What questions do you have about cloth diapers? Or if you already use them, what wisdom can you add to the conversation?

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• Visual Demonstration: How to Put on a Cloth Diaper, and How to Get One Clean
• The 411 Behind Cloth Diapering 101
• Weekend Links

Photo by Momma’s Baby

I’m currently working on a big resource list of helpful links related to cloth diapering, and it will be published tomorrow. But I wanted to write up a quick “extra” post to address the most repeated questions I found in the comments sections during our Cloth Diapering 101 week.

Q: What about those of us who don’t have a washer or dryer at home (as in, I go to a laundromat, or I live in an apartment and use their machines)? Those coin-operated machines cost so much money, and won’t my neighbors flip out if they hear I’m washing diapers?

A: To answer the last part first — several of you mentioned the “ick” factor about putting soiled diapers in washers, even in your own. A washing machine’s very purpose is to handle the ick in fabric and remove it, making clothes wearable again. Think of those times you’ve washed your newborn’s onesie soaked in runny poo, the sheets your toddler wet at night, or your preschooler’s shirt he vomited on — you put those in your washer, right?

I know it may feel weird at first to consistently use a washer to remove poop, but it really doesn’t make your machine dirty. If you dump the poop into the toilet first, you’re getting the bulk of it off, anyway — especially if you use a diaper sprayer.

Now, I can understand the issue of spending $3 per laundry load in a coin-operated machine — that’s not going to save you money. In this case, if you’re still interested in cloth diapering, I recommend looking up a cloth diapering service in your area. Diaper services are professional laundries who rent reusable cotton diapers to families. The diaper service delivers clean diapers, and picks up the soiled diapers on a weekly basis to launder them. Check out the National Association of Diaper Services for more info.

Q: How many cloth diapers should I get?

A: There’s no definitive answer to this one, because every baby and family is different. If you’re home full-time and can do a load of diapers every other day, you’ll need less. If you like the idea of going three days before doing a load, you’ll obviously need more. And if your child is a heavy wetter, they might need more, too.

Your baby’s age is a factor, too. If you go with one-sized diapers, where you can convert them to the size you need, you don’t need to buy as many. But if you buy diapers in individual sizes, you’ll need to start with a few and add as they grow.

So there’s no hard and fast number. As for me? I have 10 pocket diapers, 3 all-in-ones, one fitted diaper, three covers, and 40 prefolds (head here for definition of these types). I have way too many. I plan to sell some soon, since I barely go through a quarter of my stash before washing.

If you’re unsure where to begin, and you don’t know what kind of diaper will ultimately work best for you, I recommend starting off with only a few. You can always add more as you go.

Q: I love the idea of cloth diapering, but I can’t stomach the up-front cost. Thoughts on how to get around this?

A: Most of use cloth diapers for the money saving benefits — but that doesn’t mean you won’t get sticker shock in the beginning. If you know you want to go with cloth diapering and you’re still in your first or second trimester, start saving now for your system. Just like saving up cash for all things in life, create a sinking fund for your diapers.

Many sites offer baby registry services now, too. Or you can customize your own internet-based baby registry on sites like Wishpot (here’s my list of baby basics recommendations, fyi, as Wishpot’s “Simple Mom Expert” — I’ll make a cloth diapering one soon). Create a cloth diapering registry, and people can load you up at showers.

And if you’re late in your pregnancy, or if your baby’s already here, you can start off small. Just buy a few diapers at first and combo diaper with disposables. Gradually buy more cloth diapers as you find great deals, and slowly taper off your need for sposies.

And finally, remember that cloth diapering doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing game. We still use disposable diapers for long trips — there’s no shame in starting off with just a few CDs.

Q: My husband can’t get around the poop factor — until you can guarantee that my baby will never poop in her cloth diaper, he’s not willing to try going cloth. Thoughts?

A: Aimee already addressed the poop issue in her excellent guest post answering common misconceptions about CDing. But I’ll reiterate it here, too — it’s the poop that’s gross, not the diaper type. You still have to mess with poop in a sposie.

In fact, I don’t deal with poop any more than I did with disposables, and I think the smell is actually less, since we flush 99% of it down the toilet. If he seriously won’t even put a disposable liner into the toilet, I’ve read some comments this week that some people don’t even get rid of the poop before throwing it into the washing machine! Apparently that’s okay.

The other most common questions were mostly related to finding cloth diapering resources. I’ll be sharing a bunch of links tomorrow, so hopefully those questions will find their answers then. In the meantime, let me know if you have any more questions, and I’ll ( or any other CD mama out there) do my best to answer them!

Don‘t forget to enter the cloth diaper giveaway going on right now — it ends Sunday night!

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - meal planning made simple.
• The Justice Conference - Justice hangs by a thread.
• Lil' Soak - Sewing hope with handmade goods.
• Treed - A simple, flexible, effective project planning tool.

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• Cloth Diapering: Your Most Common Questions, Answered
• Cloth Diapering 101: An Intro
• Weekend Links: Cloth Diapering edition

This giveaway is closed.

So far during our Cloth Diapering 101 week, you’ve heard about the different types of cloth diapers available, why you should at least consider cloth diapers, answers to common misconceptions about cloth diapers, and two videos that show you how to use and clean them. Today, I’m going to review the cloth diaper brands I recommend.

This list is not exhaustive. There are many, many cloth diaper brands that do a great job, and have their superiority for any wide variety of reasons. But I don’t want to review something I haven’t actually tried, so today’s information is solely based on my personal experience. In the comments section, feel free to use similar criteria to add your $.02 about another brand you like.

The reviewed criteria are absorbency, cost, overall fit, drying time (on a clothesline), the cute factor, the company’s customer service, and Dad and Grandparent-friendliness. This last category is contributed by my husband, who rated each diaper based on his first-hand experience. Hesitant dads, grandparents, and other caregivers is a major consideration with cloth diapers, so it’s important to give honest feedback regarding a diaper’s ease of use.

I’ve rated the diapers in each category from one to five clothespins. Here are the definitions:

• Perfect Size Diaper from FuzziBunz (Pocket Diaper)

This is a great diaper from FuzziBunz. It’s the one we have the most quantity of, so we use one of these almost daily. They’re a cinch to snap, and the shape is great around the legs — we’ve never had a blow-out with one of these. My son is skinny, so the caboose is a little loose, but that means there’s plenty of room to add a doubler or extra insert at night. These are one of the fastest-drying diapers we have, and the customer service is wonderful. I’ve interacted with them a few times, and they’ve always responded very quickly to my emails. FuzziBunz is a great company.

I also love their other products I have. We use their hanging diaper pail, and we’ve never had an odor problem. After we wash it with the diapers, it dries really quickly. We carry their travel wet bag in our diaper bag, so the few times we’ve needed it, there’s never been a smell issue — you can’t tell anything’s in your diaper bag. This comes in handy in other ways, too, since it’s waterproof — our older daughter wet her underwear and jeans one time, and we just tossed them in there until we got home. It can also go in the wash.

I like their wipes, too. With their Organic Double-Sided Wipes, one side is cotton and the other side is a soft fleece. They work great for getting off poop, especially in combo with homemade diaper wipe solution.

Overall, I don’t think you can go wrong with anything by FuzziBunz.

• 3.0 One-Size Diaper from BumGenius (Pocket Diaper)

This is a great, quick-drying diaper that fits my trim baby really well. We’ve never had an explosion in this one, either, and the Aplix (super-strong velcro) stays put. I only have one of these diapers, but I’m happy every time I use it. The insert has snaps so that you can optionally shorten the insert and make it thicker in the front, which is great for a boy. And because you can adjust the size with the snaps in front, you only need one set of these diapers to last from birth to potty.

BumGenius is very popular with cloth diapering mamas, so even though it’s on the pricey side, you might be able to find secondhand diapers on the internet.

• Blueberry One-Size Bamboo Velour Diaper from Swaddlebees (Pocket Diaper)

This is quite the luxurious diaper from Swaddlebees! It’s easily adjustable for any size you need, and the inside is a super-soft organic bamboo cotton blend. The Aplix is really strong, too. The best thing about this diaper is the inserts — each diaper comes with two! One is smaller, for the really young age, and the second one is longer that snaps together as a trifold. You can use the smaller insert as a doubler at night, so you’ve essentially got four layers going on. Each layer is really thin but absorbent — this is often our nighttime diaper.

My only complaint is the cost. It’s one of the pricier pocket diapers out there, so if you’re interested in Swaddlebees, you could first look secondhand.

• Side Snapping Diaper from BottomBumpers (All-In-One Diaper)

BottomBumpers as more of a hybrid of a pocket and AIO, because BottomBumpers includes a soaker that snaps on top of the inside. It’s a double-folded, super-soft organic cotton padding topped with bamboo velour. It’s a breeze to snap in because you don’t even need to reach inside. But what I love best about these diapers is the fit — for my slim little man, these are the best-fitting diapers we have. They contour wonderfully between the legs, and the side snaps keep it nice and trim on the bottom.

Again, the only issue is the cost. But for an AIO, it’s not bad. And I love that I’m supporting a small cottage industry run by a mom.

• Bamboozle from Bummis (Fitted Diaper)

Oh my goodness, I love this diaper from Bummis. This diaper has four layers of bamboo, which means it’s compact yet super-absorbent. It is unbelievably soft! I love that a 100% bamboo is so eco-friendly — bamboo is a renewable resource with a very short growth cycle and it is grown without fertilizers or pesticides. Plus, it’s breathable, cool, and absorbs 60% more than cotton. This is one of our favorite diapers, and I’d have more if it weren’t for the cost. Still, I love how slim-fitting these diapers are. There’s absolutely no puffy bum here.  He’s wearing this diaper under the Imse Vimse Organic Wrap photo, reviewed below.

• Organic Cotton Prefolds from Bummis (Prefold Diaper)

These are the prefolds that come with Bummis’ Organic Cotton Diaper Kit, a complete diapering system in a box. These unbleached prefolds are super absorbent and soft, and they’re a great size for my son — he’s wearing one under the Bummis Super Brite Wrap photo, reviewed below. So far, they’ve held up very well. As we’ve mentioned all week, the best benefit of prefolds is the cost — they’re definitely the cheapest cloth diaper available. But I also love their versatility — you can fold them a myriad of ways to fit your baby, and depending on the wrap you use, you could hold it together with a Snappi or simply hold it securely within the wrap. Don’t be intimidated by the idea of prefolds. Once you get the hang of them, diaper changing goes really quickly.

The main downside is possible reluctance from dads, grandparents, or other caregivers. If this is the case, and you want to mostly use prefolds and wraps, I’d recommend still using a few pockets or AIOs, and they can use these when it’s their turn.

• Super Brite Wrap and Super Whisper Wrap from Bummis (Diaper Cover/Wrap)

Bummis makes great wraps! I love both my Super Brite wrap in Blue and my Super Whisper wrap in Froggy Pond. They fit really well around a Bamboozle or a prefold, and the gussets around the legs has meant no leaks at all. I also like that there’s a little pocket in front so that you can slip in a prefold without Snappis. The Aplix on these guys are also the strongest I’ve seen — there’s no way my son could ever take this off. And since these are quite popular wraps, you’re likely to find some secondhand.

• Organic Cotton Cover from Imse Vimse (Diaper Cover/Wrap)

This is a very lightweight, soft cover with the most adorable farm print. I think this is my favorite in the cute department! The hook and closure front is softer, but our son has never been able to remove this. I do wish there were inside velcro tabs to close up the velcro for wash time, but it’s no problem just to adhere it to the front. This cover also fits my son perfectly – there’s no bagginess, and the gussets in the legs work wonderfully. It’s a bit pricier than other wraps, but if you’re going for cute, you can’t go wrong with these covers.

gDiapers (Hybrid Diaper)

If the thought of cloth diapers still seems challenging to you, then perhaps a hybrid diaper is your answer. gDiapers consist of a washable, cotton outer ‘little g’ pant and a plastic-free flushable diaper refill. They are made of breathable material just like sports clothing. So the outside is a simple cotton cover, and inside is a detachable waterproof liner. Inside the liner, you add a flushable diaper insert, which makes the diaper absorbent. When it’s dirty, you can either flush the insert, compost it (it breaks down in 50-150 days), or even toss it in the trash — there’s no plastic, so it’s biodegradable. You should still toss poop in the toilet, though.

I thought these would be harder than they were. Putting in the inserts were just as easy as refilling a pocket diaper, and the simple procedure behind flushing the insert is easy, once you get the hang of it. gDiapers’ website has a video on how the process works, and their customer service is fabulous — I called them with questions, and the woman on the phone was friendly, down-to-earth, and helpful.

My main complaint is the cost. These diapers are expensive. If your driving factor behind using cloth diapers is cost, then gDiapers aren’t for you. You can buy them locally at a wide variety of stores like Whole Foods, but the refill inserts still average about $.47. Quite a bit more than standard disposables. Until their price is lowered, I can’t really use gDiapers. But their covers work great as wraps for prefolds, and they’re super cute.

In addition to all these diapers, I also highly recommend using Snappis, Bummis BioSoft Liners, Imse Vimse Flushable Liners, and Soapnuts for cleaning. Many of you use all kinds of products, so please share your recommendations in the comments section. We can make this post a resource guide for people overwhelmed by their choices. So please contribute all you can!

Giveaway Time!

Okay, I know you’re all curious what the giveaway is about. To celebrate Cloth Diapering 101 week here on Simple Mom, several companies want to give away some of their products to the readers!

• From FuzziBunz, two people will win three pocket diapers — two of their one-size diapers and one of their perfect size diaper. Each set of diapers is worth over $55.

• BottomBumpers will give one reader a three-pack of their all-in-one diapers, worth around $60.

• Swaddlebees is giving one reader two of their diapers, a Blueberry Minky One-Size snap pocket diaper and a Swaddlebees EcoNappi, worth $62.

• Bummis is giving one reader a complete Organic Cotton Diaper Kit, everything you need to start using cloth diapers right away! This kit is worth $169.

For a chance to win any of these prizes, here’s what you do:

1. Submit a comment on this post, and do the following: If you’re already using cloth diapers (or did, when you had kiddos in diapers), recommend a brand and type of diaper you liked, and why. If you haven’t used cloth yet, share one reason you’re willing to give it a try.

2.For a second entry, Twitter about this giveaway, using the hashtag #clothdiapers and my Twitter name, @simplemom.

3.For a third entry, write about this giveaway on your own blog, linking back to this post so that I receive a trackback.

This giveaway will only last this weekend — I’ll close the entries on Sunday, June 7 at 11:59 EST. I hope you win! And thanks again to these great companies who want to bless the socks off of Simple Mom readers.

This weekend, I’ll provide a list of a ton of links — from diaper brands, to stores, to services, to online communities, and more.  Stay tuned!

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• Visual Demonstration: How to Put on a Cloth Diaper, and How to Get One Clean
• The Simple Mom Cloth Diaper Review
• The 411 Behind Cloth Diapering 101

Photo from Parents

Earlier today, I shared the reasons that convinced me to switch to cloth diapering. While those reasons are compelling, some people might still be concerned that cloth diapering is a massive chore. They hear people say it’s really not that hard, but it’s difficult to believe when parenting little ones is challenging enough! Sometimes, it’s just easier to understand a process when you can see it. So today, I’ve got two videos my husband and I made this week, and hopefully they’ll further clear up and confusion about what it’s like to use cloth diapers.

The first video is how to put on a prefold diaper, a fitted diaper, and a pocket diaper. Keep in mind that this was just before my son’s naptime, and he endured three diaper changes in one changing table sitting. And excuse the suddenness of his rear-end appearance.  Thanks, little guy.

How to Put on Different Types of Cloth Diapers

I didn’t demonstrate an all-in-one diaper, but putting one on is exactly the same as a pocket — it’s simply sealed where the pocket remains open. There’s no difference in how to put one on.

Here are the types of diapers and covers I used in this video (in a few days, I’ll have a master list of all the links to brands I recommend, along with scores of other cloth diapering resources):

• Bummis Organic Cotton Prefold
• Bummis Super Brite Wrap
• Bummis Bamboozle Fitted Diaper
• Imse Vimse Organic Cotton Cover
• FuzziBunz Perfect Size Diaper
• Bummis BioSoft Liners — In the video, I inadvertently say that these liners are made out of rice paper. The rice paper liners are actually from ImveVimse, which we also use.

The second video is the process of dealing with a soiled diaper, washing a load of diapers, hanging them to dry, and then folding or stuffing the diapers so they’re ready to use.

How to Clean Cloth Diapers

Here are the products I used in the video:

• FuzziBunz Perfect Size Diaper
• Bummis BioSoft Liners
• FuzziBunz In and Out Mess-Free Diaper Bag
• FuzziBunz Organic Double Sided Wipes
• Soapnuts from Laundry Tree
• All-In-One Diaper from BottomBumpers
• One Size Bamboo Velour Diaper from Blueberry
• Super Brite wrap from Bummis — I inadvertently called it a Whisper Wrap, also from Bummis

This didn’t make the final cut, but I also keep a simple spray bottle of homemade diaper wipe solution next to the changing table. When I need it, I simply spray a bit on to the wipe, and it cleans up the mess just as well as a disposable wipe — for a fraction of the cost. Here’s the recipe:

Homemade Diaper Wipe Solution

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons baby shampoo or soap
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• a few drops of essential oil (optional)

Pour all the ingredients into a spray bottle and shake. That’s it!

Tomorrow, I’ll give a comprehensive review of different diaper brands, along with a fun giveaway from some of these companies. Several of you will win some new cloth diapers to try out for yourself! And then we’ll end the Cloth Diapering 101 series this weekend with a full list of helpful links.

What further questions do you have about cloth diapering?

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• Visual Demonstration: How to Put on a Cloth Diaper, and How to Get One Clean
• The 411 Behind Cloth Diapering 101
• The Simple Mom Cloth Diaper Review

I‘m a self-confessed newbie at cloth diapering. I was interested in it from day one of my oldest daughter’s life, but I didn’t know anyone else who did it, and I wasn’t sure where to even begin.

About a year later, a friend of mine told me that she was going to cloth diaper her second, and my now waned interest was rekindled. She told me about a few sites and the myriad of options, but it seemed so overwhelming. All I knew of CDs were that our grandmothers had to use them, many of our mothers had no other option, and when disposables were invented, they breathed a huge sigh of relief.

So I moved on, and finished up my daughter in disposables. With my son, however, I switched to cloth earlier this year. And I now have no idea why I waited so long.

Here are three reasons that compelled me to make the switch.

1. Cost.

This was my main reason. Disposable diapers are expensive. If a child is potty trained at 3, he will wear an estimated 8,000 disposable diapers — and buying Luvs, Pampers, or Huggies in their economy-sized packs at stores like Target, Babies R Us, Amazon.com, or Costco works out to an average of $.19 per diaper. That’s an estimated $1,520 per child, assuming I buy the diapers at this economic price every time. If I buy the diapers in a regular-sized pack at a grocery store, the average price is $.24 — that’s a whopping $1,920 per child.

The price range varies for cloth diapers, depending on what kind you choose. But to make things fair — even if you picked the most expensive kind, the all-in-ones, the average price for those are around $18 per diaper. Or if you buy the 12-pack one-size all-in-ones from BumGenius, you’ll pay $203.40 with free shipping. If you also bought a 12-pack of their flannel wipes at $12, and bought Imse Vimse disposable liners five times a year at $13, that totals a little more than $400. You can use these diapers and wipes for every child, too, so you’re looking at barely more than $400 for all your diapering years. If you had three kids in disposables, that’s $4,500.

Sure, you’ve got slightly more water usage (though not as much as you think), and the use of chemical-free laundry soap, but that’s still a small price to pay, especially considering that you can do cloth diapering for much cheaper than listed above. Go with prefolds and wraps, buy them used off Diaperswappers or Craigslist, or even make your own diapers and wipes, and you’re saving money left and right.

I consider one of my main jobs as a home manager to be a good steward of our family’s finances. So for me, going with cloth was a no-brainer.

2. Good Environmental Stewardship.

Photo from Sattler Clothing

I have no idea why, but it never crossed my mind until recently that when I used disposable diapers, I was throwing human feces into the garbage. Officially, the disposable diaper companies say you’re supposed to shake the poop off into the toilet. But how many of us ever do that? In some cities, it’s illegal to dispose of human waste in to our garbage systems.  And the World Health Organization says it’s against their guidelines to put it into landfills.

In the U.S. alone, 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown in landfills each year, taking around 500 years to decompose. Disposable diapers make up the third largest item in landfills, after newspapers and food and beverage containers–a big deal, since they are a single product, used by a limited portion of the population. Once I started thinking about that, it just didn’t sit well with me. I want to steward well the earth God has given us. And while we still use disposables for long trips, switching to cloth primarily has significantly cut down our contribution to the landfills.

But what about water use? Isn’t it good eco-practice to cut down our household water consumption? Sure thing. But washing cloth diapers at home uses 50 to 70 gallons of water every three days–about the same as a toilet-trained child or adult flushing the toilet five to six times a day. They’ll start doing that once they’re potty trained anyway. If you use a diaper service (a great option for those of you who say you don’t have laundry capabilities in your own home), they’ll use even less water per diaper.

Life is about give and take, and the environmental question with diapering is no exception. For me, though, I’d rather use slightly more water than empty human waste into the garbage.

3. Possible earlier potty training.

Photo from Working Mommy

Back when disposable diapers didn’t exist, the average child was potty trained by 18 months. Now, it’s not uncommon for children to be potty trained at 40 months (3 years, 4 months). Every child is different, of course, and you can train your child earlier in disposables. But because disposable diapers have absorption chemicals that keep a baby from feeling wet, she has less incentive to get out of diapers. A baby still feels wet in a cloth diaper, and she gets uncomfortable faster.

Who wouldn’t want to try out something that might make the potty training process go quicker? I’m curious to see if this will help my son when he’s ready.

There are other great reasons to cloth diaper–less toxic chemicals on your baby’s bum, the amount of petroleum used to simply make a disposable diaper, and less diaper rash are some other common reasons. But these first three were enough to give cloth diapering a go — and I’m so glad I did.  Katie has shared her reasons for cloth diapering on her blog, This Natural Life.

Later today, I’ll post two short videos demonstrating the how behind my cloth diapering system — how to put on various kinds of diapers, and how to properly store dirty diapers and then clean them.

What are your main reasons for going with cloth diapers? If you’re still unsure, what are your hesitations? Or if you feel like disposable is the best option for your family, share the reasons why. There will be no guilt-inducing conversations, however, so any comments that hint at a motive of judgment will be deleted.

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• 3 Compelling Reasons to Try Cloth Diapers
• Cloth Diapering 101: An Intro
• Exploring 5 Stereotypes of the Cloth Diapering Family

This guest post is written by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque, editor of Simple Bites.

We’re switching up my usual food talk today to chat about another subject I am passionate about: cloth diapers!

When Tsh asked me to expand my repertoire to write about cloth diapers (CDs), I eagerly jumped at the chance to share my personal experience with you. There are so many debates going on about CDs versus disposables, and so many opinions about which is better, so I don’t want to just spit out more random facts and biased feelings on the subject.

Instead, I want to share with you what I have personally discovered about cloth diapers over the past three years. If, by sharing my perspective of CDs, I can encourage you or answer a question you may have had, then I have succeeded. The best thing I can do is share my experiences, and you can take them or leave them.

That said, after daily interactions with two little bums, here are a few cloth diapering questions that I encounter often, and my responses to them.

1. I consider myself to be pretty green, but I’ve heard that neither cloth nor disposable diapers can claim environmental superiority. Why bother with cloth?

This is a hot debate right now and it is difficult to find unbiased data on it; however I feel my choice is the most environmentally friendly for my location. Here’s what I am doing: first off, all waste goes directly into the toilet to be flushed into the sewer (did you know it is illegal to dispose of human waste in your garbage?), then I wash my second-hand cotton flats in cold water with biodegradable soap; finally, three seasons out of four, I air dry them on the clothes line.

People can grumble about the precious water I use to wash the diapers, but I am fortunate that water is plentiful where I live.  Someone living in Arizona, however, may want to choose differently than I have.

With this process in place in my home, I’ve managed to eliminate the number one category of household waste, and that feels great.

Obviously potty training your children early is the greenest way to go–eliminate diapers altogether!

2. Isn’t it a lot of work?

Okay, if you’re concerned about a lot of work, maybe having kids isn’t the best idea for you! Heh!

Although it may seem like there are a lot of steps involved with CDs, they seem to simplify with practice, and practice is what you get! Remember when you gave your baby its first bath? It was a long, terrifying process! There were all these steps to remember, many items to assemble ahead of time, and the slippery baby seemed too awkward to hold.

Compare that experience to bath time now– it’s a cinch, right? In a similar way, cloth diapering soon becomes as easy as tying a shoe, and just one more load of laundry.

3. Don’t cloth diapers cost a lot of money up front?

There are already so many purchases to be made that come with the arrival of a newborn that the cost of outfitting your baby’s bum can seem like a big hurdle. When our firstborn arrived, my husband and I considered our options and decided to purchase a new cloth diapering kit, and go with second-hand for many of the other baby items that were needed. One of the advantages to cloth diapering was fully realized when our second son came along–no start-up fee! We were already in business.

Remember, prices may vary, but my initial start-up cost was not nearly as pricey as most people think. At Bummis, our local CD Mecca, we spent a total of $300 to outfit our little one in styling CDs from birth to potty. If all goes as planned and I use the same kit for a third child, we will have spent $100 per child on diapers. Yes, yes, one must factor in the detergent and other costs, but still, you have to admit it is a fraction of the cost of disposable diapers!

4. I’m afraid of the smell; how do you combat odours?

With the exception of that one staggeringly smelly moment when I transfer my diapers from their pail to the washing machine, they don’t pollute my bathroom at all. In fact, my kitchen compost is ten times worse! I’m fortunate to have a few windows in my laundry room that I can fling open during the washing process and that helps quickly to clear the air.

At this point, I’ve already eliminated the waste and partially rinsed the diaper in the toilet (if needed), so there is no decaying pooh sitting around. Between washings, my diapers sit in their airtight pail in a vinegar-water soak which starts the cleaning process immediately. Also, my diaper pail is washed and disinfected with each load; my garbage bin would probably smell a lot nicer if it got washed between each change and stayed as fresh as the diaper pail!

5. Aren’t you afraid of poking your baby with a pin?

I still get this question!  Folks, I don’t think you can even buy diaper pins anymore. Nope, no more storing them in a bar of soap to keep them sharp, no more cute pink and blue heads, no more diaper pins, period. There are several methods for diaper fastening nowadays, but my preferred method is the Snappi Cloth Diaper Fastener. It is an affordable $2.29!

To give you an example of their durability, I used the same one the whole time my firstborn was in CDs. I tossed it when my second baby came along and splurged on a new one, though. Here are some photos that demonstrate how the Snappi is used.

6. Isn’t it terribly messy?

If cleaning cloth diapers conjures up images of kneeling in front of a galvanized washtub, scrubbing poopy diapers on a washboard, then you are in for a pleasant surprise. I would like to introduce you to….the flushie. This disposable, biodegradable liner sits inside the diaper and makes it possible to pick up solid waste and deposit it directly into the toilet. Voila. I use the Bummis Bio-Soft Flushable Liners.

For sanitary reasons I have my change table in my bathroom and I find this set-up works really well. I love having the sink right there for washing baby, as I tend to use a warm wash cloth rather than a disposable wipe.

The bottom line? Baby’s diapers are messy no matter whether they are cloth or disposable–it’s the pooh that is messy!

7. Um, I hate to bring it up, but what about liquid poo?

Oh, yes, it happens. I’ve heard some mothers say that they change (and wash) their child’s clothes with every pooh because the disposable diaper doesn’t contain it. That’s a lot of extra laundry I’ve thankfully never had to do. My experience was that the diaper covers made such a reliable seal around baby’s legs and tummy that messy leaks were always prevented.

Since we’re on the subject, you should know that the aforementioned flushie is rather helpless to combat liquid pooh; however, I have a trick for a quick clean. I drop the entire diaper in the toilet water, then, holding one corner (usually the only clean one), I flush the toilet and essentially give the diaper it’s own ‘swirly’ to rinse it before depositing it into the diaper pail.

Don’t worry, this too shall pass; things tend to solidify down there with the introduction of solid food.

Okay, enough talk about pooh! Well, almost.

Here are a few small things I wish I have been told before I started cloth diapering:

• CDs can sometimes add extra bulk to the baby, so for example, if your child is 12 months old, keep those 18-month outfits around! You’re might need them.

• Extra bulk around the midsection sometimes means slightly restricted mobility. Your baby might sit, crawl and walk a few months behind “schedule.” I was always fine with that. Less running for me!

• A cute diaper cover works perfectly for a bathing suit. With its elastic seal around the waits and legs, it traps any ‘floaties’! No need to spend money on those expensive Little Swimmers.

• Putting a line-dried cloth diaper on baby is like trying to diaper them with a sheet of plywood. Those things dry stiff! It’s not a bother, though, in the end. Ha! Get it?

Do I think that CDs are for everyone? No. Has it suited my lifestyle and integrated well into my mothering? Absolutely. In the end, each mother (or father) has to do what best suits their lifestyle, and then be at peace with their decision.

Parenting is challenging enough with out stressing over the minor details. Hopefully this post and this Cloth Diapering 101 series will help you with your decision.

What are your thoughts on the environmental pros and cons of cloth diapering? Is it debatable?

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• 7 Cloth Diapering Questions, Answered Mom-to-Mom
• Cloth Diapering 101: An Intro
• Cloth Diapering: Your Most Common Questions, Answered

This guest post is written by Katie Fox, editor of Simple Organic.

Anyone looking into the world of cloth diapers for the first time can feel very overwhelmed. There are so many different websites with so many different types of diapers available that it’s easy to experience information overload. But cloth diapering is really very simple once you find the system that works for you.

There are certainly some variations, but overall, there are four basic types of cloth diapering systems. All systems include some sort of absorbent cloth next to the skin, as well as a waterproof outer layer.

1. Prefolds and Covers

This is the primary system I use. A prefold is a piece of cloth that has been folded up and sewn to stay that way–hence the name. A prefold diaper looks like this:

Photo from Diaperware

These are NOT the same as the cheapy brands you can buy at Target or Babies-R-Us; they are far more absorbent and much better quality. You can fasten them on your baby with diaper pins or a Snappi. A Snappi is a little stretchy plastic fastener that has grippers like an Ace bandage. It looks like this:

Photo from Satara, Inc.

So, that’s the absorbent part; you still need a waterproof cover (also called a wrap) over the cloth diaper. These are usually shaped just like a disposable diaper, but they are made of a waterproof fabric (usually polyurethane laminate, or PUL – which is more breathable than the old vinyl covers), and they fasten either with Aplix (heavy-duty Velcro) or snaps. There are many brands, but here is one example:

Photo from Imse Vimse

You can just air out the covers between changes, swapping them back and forth, and re-use them until wash day (unless they get poop on them – then, into the diaper pail they go).

Advantages of Prefolds

1. This is the cheapest way to do cloth diapers by far–that’s why it’s our primary system!

2. The prefolds are the easiest kind of cloth diaper to get really clean.

3. The waterproof cover is separate from the cloth, so you can take better care of it and it will last longer. The waterproof covers really shouldn’t go in the dryer or they won’t last as long.

Disadvantages of Prefolds

The only disadvantage I find to this system is that it is less convenient than some of the other systems because you have more pieces (the diaper, the cover, plus a Snappi or pins). Because of that, other people like babysitters, grandparents, and child-care workers get nervous about it.

2. Fitteds and Covers

A fitted diaper is like a prefold, except that it requires no folding and no pins–it is already in the shape of a diaper (like a disposable), and fastens either with Aplix or snaps. Here is an example of a fitted diaper:

Photo from Wildflower Diapers

I have also used this system, and I really like it. Grandparents and babysitters tend to be a lot more comfortable with fitteds than prefolds. You still need to use a waterproof cover on these fitted diapers, just like with the prefolds (see the cover above). Besides the PUL covers, another popular choice for is a wool cover. Wool is very breathable, so it’s great for night-time (or anytime, really) and doesn’t need to be washed very often; just aired out, unless poop gets on them. Wool covers are expensive, though, so we only have two, and only use them at night. Here’s an example of a wool cover:

Photo from Babyworks

Advantages of Fitteds & Covers

1. This is still a pretty cheap way to do cloth diapers.

2. Fitteds are easier than prefolds because they’re already diaper-shaped, and you don’t have to deal with pins or Snappis.

3. The waterproof outer layer is still separate from the cloth, which means it will dry faster and last longer.

Disadvantages of Fitteds & Covers

1. Fitteds are still not as convenient and easy as some of the other systems I will cover next.

2. Fitteds are not as cheap as prefolds.

3. Pocket Diapers

Pocket diapers can be a little hard to explain. With a pocket diaper, there is an outer waterproof layer made of PUL that is sewn to a cloth layer which goes against the skin, and there is an opening left in the back between the two. Here’s an example of a pocket diaper:

Photo from The International Breastfeeding Symbol

You put an absorbent insert into that opening, and then you remove the insert for washing and put the insert and diaper both into the wash together. Most brands come with their own inserts, or you can use prefolds or purchase additional inserts. The whole diaper fastens with either Aplix or snaps. We use these at night, too, and they are very absorbent.

Advantages of Pocket Diapers

1. This system is easy and convenient–you can have a bunch of diapers with inserts already inside of them at the changing table and in the diaper bag, so you just pull one out and put it on your baby. Babysitters will love it.

2. You can separate the inserts out from the rest of the diaper for washing and drying, so you get the inserts really clean. Then you can dry the inserts in the dryer, and you can line-dry the rest of the diaper, which means it will last longer.

Disadvantages of Pocket Diapers

1. They’re a bit more expensive than the first two options.

2. It’s a little bit harder to get the diaper itself really clean. I have found that anytime the cloth against the skin is sewn to the waterproof outer layer, it’s just a little harder to really clean them well. But tons of people love and use this system without any problems, myself included.

3. Pocket diapers rarely use natural fibers in the layer that’s against the skin–it’s usually some sort of polyester microfiber which is designed to wick moisture away from the skin. For many people, that is fine, but some people prefer to stick to natural fibers. There are natural fiber pocket diapers available, but they are hard to find.

4. All-in-Ones

An all-in-one is just what it sounds like – the waterproof layer, the absorbent layer, and the layer against the skin are all sewn together in one diaper. It’s diaper shaped, and it fastens with Aplix or snaps–super easy, it’s essentially a reusable disposable! Here’s an example of an all-in-one diaper:

Photo from Southern Homegrown

Advantages of All-in-Ones

1. This is by far the easiest and most convenient system of them all! The grandparents will barely know the difference.

Disadvantages of All-in-Ones

1. All-in-ones are the most expensive of the diapering systems. We’re talking between $16-20 per diaper, maybe more. There may be a lot of up-front sticker shock, but you will still save money in the long run over disposables, even if you ONLY use all-in-ones and nothing else. You can re-use them for the next baby and save even more!

2. These are the hardest kind of cloth diaper to get completely clean.

3. They may not last as long as other systems if you put them in the dryer. The PUL will wear out much faster.

That covers all the major cloth diapering systems. As I mentioned, there are a few variations, but for the most part this is what you need to know in order to decide which system will work best for you.

There are a few other things to consider.

Cloth Wipes

Some people like to use cloth wipes, too–it just makes sense to stick the wipe into the diaper after you change the baby (just like you do with disposables) and throw it all into the diaper pail and then into the wash. We use cloth wipes–sometimes. You will need about two to three dozen. I keep a spray bottle with water at the changing table, and either just use spray that onto the bare bottom, or sometimes I use this spray, too, if I need a little extra clean-up help. For really messy diapers, I still use disposable wipes – I just find it easier.

Washing The Diapers

If it’s a pee diaper, you can just throw it into the diaper pail. With the poopy ones, you need to wash the poop down the toilet unless they’re not eating solids yet–then it can still go straight into the wash. You can dunk them up and down into the toilet, or you can use a sprayer attached to the toilet to spray it off.  Simple Organic contributor Nicole from Gidget Goes Home has an excellent tutorial for making your own toilet sprayer inexpensively.  Here’s an example of a toilet sprayer:

Photo from Instructables

I love spraying them with BioKleen Bac-Out–the enzymes start the cleaning process right away and leave no stains behind! Then we have a separate smaller diaper pail in the bathroom where we put those diapers until wash time.

You need to wash about every three days, or you risk the growth of bacteria. You also shouldn’t use detergents that leave residue behind–no softeners or scents–it should be totally clean-rinsing. Charlie’s Soap is my favorite, but there are a lot of good options. Tsh recently shared how she uses Soapnuts from Laundry Tree.

Here’s how I wash: a cold cycle with a full scoop of detergent, a hot cycle with a half scoop of detergent (and maybe some Oxi-Clean Baby if it’s really soiled), and then a warm rinse with no detergent, for extra rinsing. Then, covers get hung up to line-dry, and diapers and inserts go into the dryer.

I hope this information is helpful if you’re making a decision about cloth diapers. No matter which system you choose, you are making a great choice for the environment and for your budget. And oh yes, I forgot to mention one other factor–they’re just so darn cute! Nothing cuter than a baby crawling around with a little cloth diaper on.

If you cloth diaper, which system is your preference? If you don’t, or if you’re still deciding, what further questions do you have about your choices?

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• 4 Cloth Diapering Choices Defined
• 4 Cloth Diapers Worth Trying (…to Win!)
• The Simple Mom Cloth Diaper Review

Photo from Susannah Paul

I get quite a few emails from readers asking for my opinion on cloth diapering. From handling the up-front cost to the cleaning to the poop, making the switch cloth diapers can feel overwhelming before you take the plunge. Since this blog focuses on making things simpler at home, it’s an honest question–do cloth diapers really make life easier?

There’s so much information to cover, I thought it best to make an entire week of Cloth Diapering 101, where we’ll discuss the multiple cloth diapering choices, dispel the common myths behind them, share a step-by-step process for dealing daily with cloth diapers, and give honest reviews of different brands. We’ll end with a comprehensive list of useful links to make switching to cloth diapering easier, along with a little giveaway for some of the best brands in cloth diapers!

What Cloth Diapering 101 is Not About

The last thing I want to do is discourage a parent and make them feel not up to par. If you’ve made a conscious choice to go with disposable diapers, that’s okay by me. We still combo diaper–based on where we live, it’s much easier to get out for the day in disposables. So this week is not meant to make those of you who choose to use disposable diapers feel badly.

But I do encourage you to make a deliberate choice, and don’t assume disposables are the best choice without investigating your options. I’m new to cloth diapering, mostly because I just didn’t take the time to look into cloth diapering. I wish I looked into it sooner! Thinking about the money we could have saved makes me cringe.

No matter your decision, make it a well-informed one, and don’t write off cloth diapers without first learning more about them.

A Newbie’s Guide to Cloth Diapering

As I mentioned, I’m rather new to cloth diapering. I hesitated for the longest time, mostly because it seemed like so much work. There’s scores of information on the internet, and much of it is contradictory–pocket diapers are better than prefolds! But prefolds are the true economical choice! Cloth diapers are worse for the environment because of the water use! No wait–it’s worse to throw away human waste into our landfills!

It’s hard to sort through it all.

From my experience, I learned that in taking the plunge and just trying some sort of cloth diapering choice, you’ll learn quite a bit rather quickly. You’ll find what works for you, because it turns out there’s lots of ways to cloth diaper, and no one way is the right way. You’ll get a feel for what works best for your babies bodies and your budget, and you can slowly add to your cloth diapering system, as your pocketbook and needs allow.

Don’t let all those strange words and acronyms confuse you (PUL, AIO, and DSQ, anyone?). Find the answers to your questions, and ask the mamas who seem to be cloth diapering experts for sage advice. Be careful for those CD evangelists, though–they’re out there!

I know you all have your cloth diapering opinions, and that’s good. But I encourage you to spend this week either re-affirming your choice to cloth diaper, learning more about the CD process and making a decision to go cloth, or rest assuredly that disposable diapers are the best for you.

What are your biggest cloth diapering questions or issues?

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Plan to Eat - meal planning made simple.
• The Justice Conference - Justice hangs by a thread.
• Lil' Soak - Sewing hope with handmade goods.
• Treed - A simple, flexible, effective project planning tool.

© 2008-2012 Simple Living Media, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Simple Mom subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please contact hello@simplemom.net to let us know. Thanks.

• Cloth Diapering 101: An Intro
• Weekend Links: Cloth Diapering edition
• Cloth Diaper Winners