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About Cloth Diapers
Welcome to the world of cloth diapers! Please don’t feel badly if it seems like you’ve stepped into some strange country where everyone but you speaks the same language (which is, of course, complete jibberish to your ears!). We’re here to help you learn what you need to know to keep your baby’s bum buttersoft with wonderful, modern cloth diapers.
To start in cloth diapering, you need to know and understand the various types of cloth diapers. There are really four main types of diapers:
Prefold Diapers – Prefold diapers are what most people think of when you say, “I’m going to cloth diaper my baby”. And usually, they then give you the “What have you done, fallen and hit your head??” look. Prefold diapers are the traditional flat diapers of yesteryear, although they are now much more absorbent than they were in our mothers’ time. Prefold diapers require a diaper cover of some sort, and it’s often recommended to fasten them with either a Snappi fastener or diaper pins.
Fitted Diapers – Fitted diapers are a step above prefold diapers in that they self-fasten in some way. Usually, this is either by snaps or Velcro. Fitted diapers can be made of various fabrics, including cotton, hemp, and sherpa. Again, however, these diapers require a diaper cover of some sort in order to be waterproof.
All-In-One Diapers – All-In-One diapers are exactly as they sound – they’re everything you need included in one diaper. All-In-Ones (also known as AIO’s) are diapers that include both the waterproof outer shell and absorbent inner material in one compact design. AIO’s are often favorites of dads, grandparents, and day cares. Some people find, however, that they aren’t as absorbent as other options, and they can take longer to dry since everything’s sewn together.
Pocket Diapers – The newest diapering option on the market today are pocket diapers. Pocket diapers combine the ease of an all-in-one with the flexibility of various absorption options. To best explain how a pocket diaper works: picture a diaper laying flat in front of you. There are two layers of fabric, a waterproof shell and a soft interior. On the long sides of the diaper (the sides that go along the baby’s legs) and the short side of the diaper that rests against baby’s tummy, the two layers are sewn together. However, along the short side that rest against the baby’s back, there’s a gap in the sewing. So you can then reach between the two layers by sticking your hand in this gap; this area between the two layers is the “pocket” in pocket diapers.
In this pocket, you need to place absorbent material. There are many types of diaper inserts available on the market today. The two most common fabrics are microfiber and hemp. Each has its own positives and negatives.
Microfiber is an extremely lightweight material that was actually designed for the space program. It’s amazingly absorbent for its weight, absorbs very quickly, and is extremely quick to dry. However, it can be not absorbent enough for those “super soaker” babies and toddlers.
Hemp, on the other hand, is an all-natural fiber that absorbs…and absorbs…and absorbs! Hemp can absorb more liquid than just about any other fabric out there. However, hemp takes quite some time to dry, and can become stinky if it’s not cared for properly. And if your baby urinates quite quickly and/or with a high-pressure flow, the hemp may not be able to absorb the urine fast enough and leaks can occur.
Many parents use a combination of microfiber and hemp inserts as their baby grows. Microfiber is usually enough for newborns and small babies; as babies and their bladders grow, many parents switch to using two inserts. The microfiber insert goes closest to the baby’s bum to allow for quick absorption of urine, and the hemp goes further away to allow for holding the maximum amount of urine.
I hope that this has helped you understand the in’s and out’s of cloth diapers. As always, if you have any questions, I’m right here to help!
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