As a cloth diapering mom of three children, I get asked by a lot of new parent about the various types of cloth diapers that are available in India and how they can be used.
This article will help you understand different the types of cloth diapers that are available in the market, how each work, including their advantages and disadvantages.
I hope it helps you choose a better cloth diaper that suits your and your child’s need.
Types Of Cloth Diapers:
FLAT DIAPERS:
What are flat diapers?
Flat diapers are large squares of single-layer material, typically made from Birdseye weave cotton. These diapers can be folded a number of ways in order to fit your baby and require fastening with either diaper pins or a Snappi.
Advantages of flat diapers:
- Cost – Flats are the most inexpensive option.You can either buy them from web store or use old cotton sarees or dhoti or IKEA tea towels if you don’t want to buy flats.
- Care – Flats are very easy to wash and care for. They can be easily hand or machine washed with a regular detergent like Tide or Dawn.
- Multi-purpose – Flats easy double up as burp cloths or cloth wipes.
- Natural fiber – No synthetic fiber next to your baby’s skin.
- Build up and stink – Natural fiber are less prone to stink and build up.
- Absorbency – Flats provide customization absorbency since you can add any number of boosters without making it look too bulky.
Disadvantages of flat diapers:
- Requires cover – Flats require either a waterproof cover or a wool cover.
- Not stay-dry – Natural fibers are never stay-dry. So if your baby is reacting to wetness, you can use a stay-dry liner.
- Folding – Flats need to be folded depending on the age and built of your baby, while customizing absorbency with extra boosters. Folding might seem intimidating for a beginner.
- Require fasteners – Might require a pin or Snappi to fasten.
PREFOLDS:
What are Prefolds:
A prefold is a rectangular cloth diaper that has an absorbent layer sewn in it. Prefolds come in variety of sizes, fabrics and thicknesses. A prefold needs to be folded to fit in to a waterproof cover.
Advantages of Prefolds:
- Cost – Prefolds are also inexpensive compared to pocket and all-in-one diapers. They can be made at home by sewing out of old towels. If you have Ikea near you, their tea towels can make great prefolds.
- Care – aPrefoldsn be easily hand or machine washed along with your regular laundry.
- Durable – Prefolds when taken proper care of, can last from birth to potty training.
- Natural Fibers – No synthetic material next to your baby’s skin.
- Multi-purpose – Just like flats, prefolds can be used as burp cloths or stuffed inside pocket diapers instead of regular microfiber inserts.
- Customization- As prefolds come in a variety of sizes and thickness, these can easily be customized depending on the age of your baby.
Disadvantages of Prefolds:
- Require waterproof cover – Prefolds require either a waterproof cover or a wool cover as their outer layer.
- Not stay-dry – Natural fibers are never stay-dry. So if your baby is reacting to wetness, you can use a stay-dry liner.
- Folding – Just like flats, prefolds need to be folded depending on the age and built of your baby, while customizing absorbency with extra boosters. Folding might seem intimidating for a beginner.
- Require fasteners – Might require Snappi or Boingo to secure.
COVERS:
What are Covers?
A cover provides the waterproof layer needed to keep your child’s clothing dry when using cloth diapers. Covers come in both sized and one size variants.
Advantages of Covers:
- Inexpensive – PUL covers are inexpensive than wool covers. You will need only a bunch of them through out your journey to potty training your child.
- Easy to use – Covers are easy to put on the baby, even for a beginner.
- Drying time – They take very little time to dry thoroughly. Even when they are dried indoors.
- Reusable – A single cover can be reused for more than 2-3 times in one go, unless it’s soiled.
- Quantity – You will need only a bunch of covers that suit your baby’s built.
Disadvantages of Covers:
- Trail and error – You might need to try out a few brands to see the fit on your baby. This might mean you need to buy a few covers from different brands before settling for your favorite.
- Breathable – PUL covers are not as breathable as wool or fleece covers.
- Bulk – Using a cover over a bulky fitted diaper might seems like an issue with small babies.
POCKET DIAPERS:
What are Pocket Diapers?
A pocket style diaper has a pocket opening between the outer waterproof shell (or cover) and the inner layer that touches baby’s skin. You can place the absorbent material (insert) inside the pocket opening.
Advantages of Pocket diapers:
- Easy to use – Pocket diapers are easy to use once you get the hang of stuffing them with appropriate inserts.
- Drying time – The drying time of pocket diapers is next to that of covers. They dry faster than other type of diapers like all-in-ones and fitteds.
- Customization – A pocket diaper can be stuffed with any number of inserts, depending on the types of absorbency you are looking for. Hence it can be easily customized according to the age of the child.
- Stay dry – Pocket diapers are typically lined with a fleece or suede fabric providing stay dry feel to the baby.
Disadvantages of Pocket diapers:
- Washing – For beginner, separating a soiled diaper from the stuffed inserts might seems difficult.
- Stuffing – Stuffing a diaper might look tedious if you are a busy parent of multiple kids.
- Cost factor – Some pocket diapers don’t come with inserts, that means you will need to buy inserts separately.
ALL-IN-ONE DIAPERS:
What are All-In-One Diapers?
All-in-one is basically one piece diapering system. The diaper has an inner absorbent layer attached to an outer waterproof layer with adjustable closures (either hook & loop or snaps) at the waist.
These diapers are just like disposable diapers except you wash, dry and reuse them.
Advantages of All-In-One diapers:
- Easy to use – All-in-one diapers are the easiest of all the diapers because they don’t need the hassle of stuffing, removing, and folding, then all-in-one diapers for you.
- No cover needed – These diapers already have a PUL outer layer so there’s no need to add anything to make it waterproof.
- Fit – All-in-one diapers generally offer a very trim fit.
Disadvantages of All-In-One diapers:
- Drying time – Many thirsty layers together mean a diaper takes longer to dry.
- Cleaning – Cleaning could be a bit more difficult if the diaper is soiled. Otherwise it’s not too difficult.
- Absorbency – For an all-in-one diaper it’s generally not very easy to adjust the absorbency.
- Cost – All-in-one diapers are probably the most expensive of all the diapering systems.
ALL-IN-TWO DIAPERS:
What are All-In-Two Diapers?
All-in-two or hybrid diapers are a two part cloth diaper system. It is made of a waterproof outer shell and a detachable insert for absorbency.
Advantages of All-In-Two diapers:
- Trim – Most all-in-two diapers offer trim fit to the baby.
- Cost – Less expensive that a full set of all-in-one or a pocket diaper (with inserts).
- Customization – aAll-in-two diapers can be easily customized because extra boosters can be added to the diapers depending on the baby’s need.
- Durability – All-in-two diapers seem to last a little longer than other diapering system.
Disadvantages of All-In-Two diapers:
- Wetness – The inner layer might get wet after the baby pees, so it might need to be washed to reuse.
- cleaning – While cleaning the diaper, you may need to touch the wet inserts before throwing them into the washer.
- Time consuming – All-in-two diapers are slightly more time consuming to put on the baby than all-in-one diapers because they have separate inserts that needs to be snapped on to the diaper cover.
FITTED DIAPERS:
What are Fitted Diapers?
Fitted diapers are a style of cloth diapers that have a shape as well as elastic and closure for easy diaper changes. They are a variety of fabrics; from stretchy fleece knit to stay-dry suede.
Advantages of Fitted diapers:
- Fit- A fitted diaper offers a very snug fit around the waist and thighs, preventing any possible leaks.
- Absorbency – As the whole diaper is made up of absorbent layers, the whole diaper is thirsty and absorbs thoroughly.
- Appearance – Most fitted diapers have either knit or flannel as their outer most layers and come in adorable colors and prints.
- Night time diapering – Most fitted diapers work perfectly for medium and heavy wetters. A booster can be added to further increase the absorbency. Therefore an ideal solution for those looking for a night time cloth diapering solution.
Disadvantages of Fitted diapers:
- Bulk – Fitted diapers have many absorbent layers making them slightly more bulky than other type of diapers.
- Require cover – Cotton knit or cotton flannel is generally the outer most layer in a fitted diapers, so it requires a cover that’s either made of PUL or wool or fleece.
- Drying time – Number of layers add to the drying time of a fitted diaper.
- Cost – Typically fitted diapers are made of hemp or organic cotton or bamboo, hence they are expensive. Addition cover also should be considered.
As a cloth diapering parent, which or what type/brand of cloth diapers I recommend other new parents?
I generally recommend getting one diaper in each type from various brands before settling for what works best for your child and then building a stash accordingly because every child has different body type.
Do you find this article helpful?? Have a question regarding cloth diapering? Leave me a comment down below and I will try my best to answer it for you. Happy cloth diapering!
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