Cloth Diapering 101

There are so many of you who have asked me about cloth diapering that I thought it would be best to do a post about what we use, our routine, and all the mishaps that have taught us lessons about what to do in the future. I want to preface this post by stating I am a cloth diapering novice. A great deal of what I've learned has come from my sister-in-law (Amy), my friend from church (Crystal), and various websites. However, I hope this is somewhat helpful to all of those who are interested in trying it out with your little ones. For those who think those of us who cloth diaper are nuts, you're invited to read along too. These aren't the cloth diapers your grandma or mama used! I'm not talking about primitive diapering methods with safety pins and rubber pants. Everything is a little fancier these days....

To begin, I'll give you an introduction to some of the cloth diapers we've tried and our opinions of each type.

1. The least expensive diapers, and the type we've used the most, are prefolds. Crystal loaned us several diaper covers and a ton of prefold inserts when I began talking about cloth diapering. Initially, they didn't work well for us because of the bulk on a newborn baby. However, since then, we've preferred them because they are easy to use, don't clog, rarely leak, and are easy on our bank account. There is a lot less laundry with these because you can reuse the covers instead of washing a ton of bulky diapers.

We've tried Thirsties Duo Wraps and Bummis diaper covers. I prefer the Thirsties because they adjust in size with snaps to fit the baby better lengthwise. (However, the regular Thirsties covers don't adjust so make sure to look for the Duo Wraps.) The Bummis only adjust around the waist with Velcro like a disposable does, requiring you to purchase different size covers more frequently and often not fitting as snugly. I love the print patterns Bummis uses though. Amy suggests Prorap covers because they are less expensive than some and work well. I've never tried Proraps so I can't give my opinion on those.

Inserts and Thirsties covers

Here is a step by step guide of how I do this:

1. First, I lay the insert flat and fold it. When Caleb was really small, I folded it in thirds to make it fit in the diaper, but now that he is older I just fold it in half.

2. Put the insert inside the diaper cover.

3. Diaper that baby! (As you can see from the picture, these tend to be pretty bulky.)

Here is a website for purchasing prefolds, but there are many to chose from: bananapeelsdiapers.com. Because prefolds sometimes tend to be bulky, Crystal says you can also use other types of inserts, even old towels, washcloths, hand towels, or blankets cut to fit in the diapers.

2. We also have tried gDiapers which are similar to prefolds in that you have an outer cover and that they require inserts. The difference is that the outer cover is made of cloth with a snap in liner that holds hemp inserts. It also fastens in the back unlike normal diapers, which can confuse dads who may accidentally put these on backwards (wink, wink). While I loved how these fit and looked on Caleb as a newborn, they quickly became too tight around the middle for our chunky boy. They also often leaked which was probably because they didn't fit him quite right. From a financial perspective these really aren't the best option, but they were easier to find in stores that most of the other types.

The gDiaper company offers a starter package with newborn diapers though which is nice because a lot of the cloth diapers seem to swallow the babies at first. Another unique option they offer is disposable inserts rather than just the hemp. It is supposedly better for the environment than a traditional disposable because they are plastic free and can be used to make compost or can even be flushed because they are biodegradable. Personally, I choose to use a regular disposable when leaving the house because I don't like the wetness against Caleb's skin if I can't change him quickly. I also think disposables are much more convenient when you're on the run.

1. Fill the liner with a hemp insert.

2. Snap the insert into the diaper cover.

3. Turn the diaper the opposite direction it looks like it should go (i.e. the tabs should be in the front.


4. Wrap the tabs around to the back to secure.

Rather than using the hemp inserts, you can use these disposables. When you are done you can put them into a compost pile or flush them. To flush them, just tear one end and let the middle fall in. Then, you use the little stick here to stir it around and break it up. Personally, this wasn't something I ever decided to do and it may not be the best option if you have a septic.

3. Pocket diapers are another type to consider. They have a outer cover that can be stuffed with an insert. You can choose what type of inserts to stuff the diapers with based on how much your baby wets. We tried: Fuzzibunz and BumGenius. Both can be purchased or put on a registry at Target. Both types have adjustable snaps that allows the diapers to grow with your baby. You still will have to purchase several different size diapers but these snaps help you to buy fewer sizes and to adjust them as necessary based on your baby's body shape. They are not the most expensive diapers out there but they aren't as inexpensive as prefolds either.

The Fuzzibunz fit Caleb best. I loved how these looked on Caleb, how they adjusted to fit his body, and how durable the snaps were. While the Velcro sometimes makes adjustments more precise and diaper changing quicker, the snaps are great because you don't have to worry about the diapers getting stuck to each other in the laundry because you forgot to secure a tab. The outer shell is very soft and waterproof; the inside is lined with a fleece pocket that holds an insert. I also thought they were also very absorbent. Sometimes I couldn't tell by touching the fleece if Caleb was wet and had to pull the insert out to see if he need to be changed. This is definitely a plus over the prefolds where the wetness is against his skin.

After stuffing the insert into the fleece lining, there are several sets of snaps to help you adjust the diaper to fit your little one around the tummy and legs.

The BumGenius diapers were decent as well but I probably would prefer to buy others instead. Other people I know love these diapers and use these exclusively though, so don't take my word for it alone if you are interested in them. They have snaps on the front to help adjust to the appropriate length but are bulky as a result. Unlike the other diapers, the covers cannot be dried in the dryer so it takes some extra time to go through and pick them out. I didn't realize they couldn't be dried and I think I may have messed them up because they often leak now.

1. First, use the snaps to adjust the diaper to the correct length.

2. Then, stuff the diaper fleece pocket with an insert. (Note: You will need to stuff the Fuzzibunz above the same way, but there is no use being repetitive with pictures.)

3. Finally, fasten the Velcro.

4. There also two All-In-One (AIO) diapers we've tried: Thirsties and Kushies. This type of diaper is the most similar to a disposable diaper. There are no inserts to stuff or pull out and no covers to use. Just put it on and close the Velcro!

I actually love the Thirsties AIO diapers!!!! Crystal also told me she preferred these and found a decent sale for me - about $12 a piece. Their extra small diapers were the first diapers that I think really fit Caleb. They cannot be adjusted in size like the pocket diapers we tried, but I thought they fit him great and looked super adorable. Unfortunately, because they can't be adjusted, they are the most expensive; you have to buy quite a few different sizes from newborn to toddler. On the other hand, since they don't have to be stuffed, they weren't bulky at all and were incredibly easy to use. (If your child is a heavy wetter though, there is an inner pocket where you can put in an insert if necessary, especially for over night.) I also really liked the lining around the legs that helped prevent leaks. The main problem I had was that they didn't always dry thoroughly in the dryer; I had to turn them inside out and try to dry them more. Thirsties has now discontinued these diapers despite my love for them, so I've only been able to purchase them from retailers who still have them in stock.

There is no step-by step instruction needed for these because you simply do the same thing you would with a disposable.


The Kushies diapers, on the other hand, are definitely not my favorite even though they have some perks. I think the main reason I dislike them is because the outer shell is a stiff plastic-like material. (Some websites said it is nylon coated polyurethane and another said polyester - either way it is stiff and looks terribly uncomfortable.) On a positive note, the inside is a cotton flannel versus the fleece most of the other diapers I've described use which makes it more breathable and seems to prevent them from clogging as easily. I'm pretty sure I remember reading reviews a while ago from people who felt the diapers fell apart in the wash but I never had this problem. They provide an extra piece of flannel to lay in the diaper if you need more absorbency but it was very thin. They can be purchased or registered for at Babies R' Us, but I couldn't find them in any of the actual stores. Overall, I just really don't recommend these even though I thought they worked okay. They're just awkward feeling and not worth the money in my opinion.


Again, no instructions are really needed for these. If you can do a disposable, Kushies are easy. If you feel the need to add an extra fleece layer, you have the option of doing so. Plus, if you want to use a disposable liner, so you can throw the waste away or to prevent diapers from staining or getting diaper cream on them, that's an option too.



5. Thirsties also started selling a new diaper to replace the AIOs called a Duo-diaper. It's similar to their old diaper except now there is are openings for inserts. The openings are not quite like the pocket diapers though because the Duo-diaper is open on both ends. This is good because rather than having to separate the wet insert from the outer layer after the baby wets, the insert is supposed to fall out in the wash. They include two inserts (terry and hemp) which is supposed to be seven layers total of maximum absorbency. Sometimes I don't use the hemp though because it is so absorbent that it holds a ton of water from the washing machine, making it difficult to truly dry out. I still prefer the AIOs because I like not having to deal with inserts and I like the look of them better, but the new diapers only require you to buy two sizes from birth through potty training making them much more economical. Like the BumGenius, these diapers have snaps on the front to adjust for the child's height as he/he grows and Velcro around the waist to adjust to their belly.


1. Again, with these you will need to use the snaps to adjust for the baby's length.

2. Here are pictures of the two inserts I mentioned above. You simply snap them together.

3. Notice that both ends of the diaper have openings for the insert so it can fall out in the wash instead of having to be pulled out like the pocket diapers. Once you stuff the inserts into the cover, you'll be ready to attach the diaper just like a disposable.




I hope that gives you a decent overview of the kinds of diapers we've tried. Some are more work than others and everyone has their own preferences. For those who cloth diaper, please comment on this post telling us what diapering methods you like or don't like.

Next time I'll talk about our cloth diapering routine, how to clean the diapers, diapering accessories, and things I've learned not to do!

Publish Post

Any questions?