Steadfast Living: Cloth Diapering 101

Here in our home, we cloth diaper.  I credit the St. Louis Science Center and their contrasting videos over the pros and cons of both disposables and cloth diapers that I watched EVERY time I went (yes, when I was in fifth grade).  I could just never get out of my mind those images of landfills and the knowledge that disposables contribute a lot to that without being biodegradable.  Yes, we are the reduce, reuse, recycle generation.

That said, when we had kids, I began looking into the current options for cloth diapers.  Now, four years later, we have enough stock to diaper 2.5 (one is half-potty-trained) for a week and I have experienced quite the gamut of cloth diapering possibilities - from convenience to price, there is quite the balance to be struck.  Generally, we have purchased whatever I could find on sale, and, thus, we have a number of different types of cloth diapers in our home.  Here are my opinions on my experiences (from cheapest to most expensive):

Pre-Fold Inserts with Diaper Covers:

The pros: A smaller investment.  You can get away with just a few covers per child (we have about six total) and, especially if the diaper is just wet, you only need to change the pre-fold when changing, using the same cover multiple times.  The covers are generally $10-15 depending on the brand.  The pre-folds are generally $1-3 each, depending on the quality.  It is generally recommended to get 4x8x4 style for optimal absorbency (this indicates three sections of the diaper, with each of the sides having four layers of cloth and the middle providing eight layers).  

The cons: While you can get one-size covers, the pre-folds are generally size-specific, so you may need to buy multiple sets of inserts.  If your child's diapers tend to be rather messy, you may not get to re-use the cover as frequently and may need to have more of these on-hand.  Also, these form of diaper tend to be much more bulky, making it harder to put pants on over them.

How many do you need?
We have three covers and 12 inserts per child.  This is enough to get through a day or two (depending on the mess of the diaper).

The brands we've used:

Thirsties Diaper Cover: We are generally not a fan.  These tend to be our last option (as in, the diapers they wear when all the others are in the wash).  The velcro does not tend to be very secure and these have fallen off more than once (especially at naptime).  Also, while they have a one-size option, we have not used it, so I cannot give an opinion on that feature.

Bumkins One-Size:  These are my current favorite for our youngest.  The material on these is very unique for a cloth diaper; I wasn't sure how I would like it at first, but I have come to love it.  It does not allow moisture to seep through at all!  The one-size feature works well and we have little-to-no leakage.  Also, you can get "Irregulars" for only $5 each!  The print options on these are limited, but $5 is pretty much unbeatable for a cloth diaper/cover.  (Also, ours are "irregulars" and there are no flaws I can see, so don't let that concept scare you.)

Bumkins Cloth Pre-Folds: We have the "Premium" form of these and they seem too large, even for our biggest kids.  This may be what contributes to the issue with the covers not staying closed on the Thirsties, because there is extra folding that needs to be done, adding a lot of bulk.  They are, however, very absorbent, so their "Infant" size may work perfectly!  At $14/6pk (for the "Infant" size), they are a little pricier, as well.

Indian Pre-Folds from CottonBabies: We have the "Infant" size of these and they work great (especially with the Bumkins covers), but they really are just "infant" size and we would need to get another set of the "Premium" if we wanted to continue with these.  

Verdict: Right now, our ideal Insert/Diaper set is the "Infant" Indian Pre-folds with the Irregular Bumkins One-Size cover. We experience great fit with very little leakage.  This is, by far, the cheapest option and works great for our youngest (we have not tried these covers on our older ones yet, though we could).

Pocket Diapers:

The Pros: With the inserts going into a pocket in the diaper, there are fewer possibilities for construction malfunction.  The inserts stay put and, depending on the quality of the diaper, there can be less leakage than with a traditional Pre-Fold.  Also, these can be assembled straight from the dryer, so when it comes to ease of use when diapering the baby, it can be a lot more convenient to grab a pre-assembled pocket diaper, rather than working to get a pre-fold into a cover while the baby is squirming on the table (and hoping he doesn't spray if you're dealing with a boy).  The snap options of these diapers tend to be more secure than velcro, as they don't get worn with time.

The Cons: These diapers are a more expensive option (generally $16-$20) and the quality can vary widely.  We do deal with a lot of leakage, especially overnight, with these ones (which is one reason we stopped cloth-diapering overnight).  They can be messier, with having to remove the insert from the pocket before washing.

How many do you need?
As our first purchase of cloth diapers, we had about a dozen in each size (so, really, only a dozen per child) and could make it about two days between washings).

The brands we've used:

FuzziBunz: Our FuzziBunz are a few years old and were purchased from craigslist (a viable option if you're looking for going a cheaper route, just be sure to wash a few times before use), so I cannot comment on their quality brand new (softness, etc.).  I do know ours have pilled and roughed up a bit, so they're not quite as cozy on our little ones.  Also, ours are not one-size, so we have to switch out sizes (clearly a more costly option when purchasing brand new).  I do know they have a one-size option these days, but I cannot comment on their effectiveness.

Lotus Bumz: My current favorite!  These are extremely soft and the pocket is a nice, tight fit, so the insert doesn't wiggle around, but, also, the elastic is secure enough in the back to keep blow-outs contained.  I love these!  Seriously.  Keep in mind, we've only had these for a couple of months, so I cannot say if their quality deteriorates with age.  Also, we purchased our Lotus Bumz from Zulily.com - these seem to go on sale there every once in awhile.  But even if you can't find this particular brand, Zulily often has cloth diapers on sale (generally for $10 and under) so keep an eye out!  This is a great way to stock up without the hefty price tag!  Willingness to experiment with different brands can get you great deals!

Verdict: These are a nice mid-range option if you want the convenience of an all-in-one without the price.

Final Tip: We line all of our pocket diapers with fleece liners we cut ourselves - these protect the diapers themselves from stains.  We just set the fleece in the diaper when we fold them, so it's already lined and ready to go!

All-In-One Diapers:

The Pros: These diapers are referred to All-In-Ones because the cloth diaper is one piece.  There are no pockets to stuff or covers to fill with inserts.  Just snap on and go!  These are, by far, the most convenient.

The Cons: The price!  Convenience comes at a cost (generally $20+).  Also, while you could also line these with fleece, we have not (it detracts from the convenience factor), so the staining is pretty bad.

How many do you need?
As with the pocket diapers, a dozen will probably get one through two days.  We currently have eight of these and, because of their absorbency and lack of leaking, these last two days (also because older babies don't mess their diapers quite as often).

The brand we have used:

GroVia: Because of the cost associated, we have only tried one variety of these, but I LOVE these diapers.  They are the trimmest of all our cloth diapering options.  They fit great under clothes and have adorable prints.  They are one-size, but we found they leak a TON on our littlest one.  They do, however, work wonderfully on our larger babies.  For this reason, I would highly recommend these for anyone who can afford them.  Also, we found ours on sale at ecomom.com during their Black Friday sale last year - always look for sales!

Verdict: If you can afford it, go for it, but if you're on a budget, the convenience is not so much greater that it's worth the sacrifice.

Bottom Line:

As stated earlier, the best way to get a good price on cloth diapers is to be open to different possibilities.  Keep your eye open for deals on various websites (there's even a Cloth Diaper Co-Op on Facebook!) and be willing to try something new.  Of course, reading consumer reviews (on amazon or other retailer websites) is always going to help - don't walk into a deal blindly, if you can help it!

Even with all of these to consider, we actually still use disposables at bedtime and when we go out.  With all of the possibilities, disposables are still the most absorbent option, so they last longer for a day out and also for night-time.  Of course, not having to tote around a dirty diaper when we're out is another benefit of using disposables for this time.

More than anything I want to emphasize how grateful I am that we cloth diaper.  I love only buying one package of diapers a month (if that) and I love having less trash to deal with.  The extra laundry has never been much of a burden for me (especially now that we have a good-size stock) and I feel the effort is worth it.  I definitely recommend considering cloth diapers!


PS If you're concerned about mess, using a diaper sprayer can help a little.  We recently purchased this one and, though the pressure took some time to get used to (flush first to lower the pressure!), it's been nice.  Though we did survive four years without a sprayer, so it's not a necessity!