Cloth Diapering 101: Everything You Need to Know

Cloth diapering is easy to do—and much more affordable than using disposable diapers. Here’s the full scoop.

Cloth diapering is easier to do thank you may think, and using cloth diapers will save you a ton of money over disposable diapers. Here's the full scoop!

There are a million decisions to make when you’re expecting a new baby, and how to diaper them is no exception.

Many natural mamas see the appeal of cloth diapering, but just don’t know where to start. Other parents may not have even considered cloth diapering, or don’t know anyone who has done it other than their grandma.

Well, the good news is that cloth diapering is probably easier to do thank you may think. And today’s cloth diapers are a lot easier to use than your grandma’s.

Here’s everything you need to know to get started.

On this page…

Types of Cloth Diapers

There are almost as many cloth diapering choices as there are cloth diapering mamas, and it can be overwhelming to find the best cloth diapers for you and your family.

Here’s an overview of the most popular kinds of cloth diapers.

Types of Cloth Diapers – fitted, prefold, all in one, hybrid, flats, pocket, and more by Mama Natural

Flats

Flats – Cloth Diapering 101 Everything You Need to Know baby post by Mama Natural

These diapers are probably what your grandma used. They are a thin piece of fabric that you can fold in many ways to fit your baby. There is a little extra time involved in folding them but the advantage is that you can customize the absorbency (thicker in the front for boys, thicker in the back for overnight, etc). (Where to buy flats)

Prefolds

Prefolds – Cloth Diapering 101 Everything You Need to Know baby post by Mama Natural

Prefolds are rectangles of fabric that are extra thick in the center. You will have to do minimal folding to use these, since the absorbency is already built into the middle section. (Where to buy prefolds)

Fitteds

Fitteds – Cloth Diapering 101 Everything You Need to Know baby post by Mama Natural

Fitted diapers are similar to an all-in-one, except they don’t have a waterproof cover built in. They are absorbent fabric that has elastic at the legs and waist for a “fitted” style and usually have their own closures. (Where to buy fitted diapers)

Contour

Contour – Cloth Diapering 101 Everything You Need to Know baby post by Mama Natural

Contour diapers are similar to prefolds, except they don’t need to be folded in order to fit through the legs since they are tapered in the leg area. They don’t have their own closures. 

Each of these styles—besides the fitted—will need to be pinned with a snappi or good ol’ diaper pins. Each of these diaper styles also needs a waterproof cover. There are many choices for those, too:

  • PUL (polyurethane laminate) covers are usually polyester with a PUL coating for waterproofing. You can find them with snaps or velcro closures. Some styles range in single sizes from XS to XL, meaning you will need some of each size, while others have just two sizes that can be adjusted to fit your baby as he grows.
  • Wool covers are natural, breathable, and especially absorbent—great for nighttime diapering. They are usually a pull-on style that can double as clothing.
  • Fleece covers are similar to wool covers, but are less expensive and great for babies who are sensitive to wool.

(Where to buy contour diapers)

Pockets

Pockets – Cloth Diapering 101 Everything You Need to Know baby post by Mama Natural

Pocket diapers are made up of two parts, the outer waterproof shell with a “pocket” on the inside, plus an absorbent insert to stuff inside the pocket. These can be found in single sizes or adjustable sizes, too. (Where to buy pocket diapers)

Check out this post on why we chose Bumgenius pocket diapers.

All-in-ones

All-in-ones – Cloth Diapering 101 Everything You Need to Know baby post by Mama Natural

All-in-ones (AIO) are the most like a disposable, considering there is nothing to fold or stuff. These diapers are also made in single sizes or adjustable sizes. (Where to buy all-in-one diapers)

All-in-two

All-in-two – Cloth Diapering 101 Everything You Need to Know baby post by Mama Natural

All-in-twos (AI2) are similar to pocket diapers. They consist of an outer waterproof shell and an absorbent insert. Unlike pockets though, the insert sits directly against baby’s skin. These tend to dry quicker than the AIOs. (Where to buy all-in-two diapers)

Hybrid

Hybrid – Cloth Diapering 101 Everything You Need to Know baby post by Mama Natural

Hybrid diapers are similar to AI2s, except that the insert can either be cloth or disposable. They also tend to be the most expensive. (Where to buy hybrid diapers)

How many diapers will I need?

We recommend starting with at least a dozen cloth diapers. But having about 20 cloth diapers is ideal.

  • Newborns, on average, use 10-12 diapers per day.
  • Infants use 8-10 diapers per day.
  • Older babies and toddlers use 6-8 diapers per day.

Really, it depends on how often you’ll be able to do laundry. But doing a load of laundry with fewer than 12 can be wasteful in terms of water and energy used. You will want to wash diapers every 3 or 4 days. Some mamas wash them every day, although we’ve gone up to a week between washes and our diapers came out fine.

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How to Properly Fit a Cloth Diaper

Cloth Wipes

If you’ve decided to cloth diaper, choosing cloth wipes is the next logical step. They have all of the advantages of cloth diapers, and don’t add much extra work, since you can throw them right in with the diaper wash.

Cloth wipes can be bought or made. Many mamas enjoy the store bought flannel ones, while plenty go the DIY route and use baby washcloths, old pieces of clothing, or terry cloth towels cut into squares.

Cloth wipes can be stored dry or wet. An old wipes container works well, but if you’re crafty you could try making a cute cloth wipe dispenser.

You can buy a cloth wipe solution for moistening the wipes, or you can make your own easily.

Simple homemade cloth wipe solution

  • 4 oz of water
  • 1 teaspoon baby shampoo
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • a few drops of lavender essential oil

Use the solution in a spray bottle, or pour it over wipes and store wet for up to three days.

Benefits of cloth diapering (CDing)

Good for your baby

Disposable diapers contain harmful chemicals. These chemicals can irritate baby’s skin, causing diaper rash. Dioxin, a by-product of bleaching, is listed by the EPA as the most toxic carcinogen. Disposables also contain Tributyl-tin (TBT) which is a chemical known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals.

Good for the environment

Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste and use twenty times more raw materials to make than cloth diapers do. Additionally, it’s estimated to take between 250 and 500 years for a single disposable diaper to break down in a landfill. Whereas cloth are used over and over before heading to the landfill, and they they take about five months to break down. You may even be able to compost old cloth diapers as long as they’re made from natural fiber such as cotton or wool.

Good for your wallet

There’s no doubt that cloth diapering will save you money, but how much? According to Diaperdecisions.com, cloth diapering from birth to age 2.5 can run from a total of $381 (for prefolds and covers), including the cost of washing, to $1,468 (for hybrids), while disposables would cost about $2,577. we’re going to cut that price of cloth right down the middle for this graphic here.

Cost of Diapering cloth versus disposable diapers meme by Mama Natural

In reality, you can get away with fewer diapers than they suggest, so your actual cost could be lower. With Diaperdecision.com’s figures, you are saving between 43% and 85% of the price of disposables.

Alternately, if you do choose to buy more diapers than absolutely necessary, you will put less wear on them, therefore your diapers can either be used for a sibling or sold for about 50% of retail, saving you even more.

Here’s a fun video we did a while back: 6 Reasons Why Cloth Diapers Are Better Than Disposables (And 1 Reason Why They Ain’t)

Why Other Natural Mamas Use Cloth Diapers

I asked the moms on my Facebook page how and why they CD with their little ones. Here are some of their responses.

  • When my 1st daughter was born I was scared to even look into cloth diapering. As I got more and more into natural methods, I started researching cloth diapers. When I did, it was so overwhelming. I found a page that broke it down and found that pockets were my best option. So, I started with a small purchase. I was pleased, and chose to purchase some [similar brands]. Now with my 2nd on its way (still don’t know the gender), we’re doing cloth diapers almost right from the beginning (after meconium is out). – Dania Viñuela
  • They’re not as intimidating as people think. And people freak out when I tell them we cloth diaper our kids. They look at me like I’m crazy. But then I explain the benefits of cloth and how much safer it is for our kids especially since they have eczema and are very sensitive to disposables. I also explain how much better it is for the environment and how much money we’ve actually saved with cloth. They are the best decision I made for my kids and will never go back to disposables. – Maetzin A Nguyen
  • Skip the cloth diaper detergent and homemade detergent. research how to use your washer properly and know what kind of water you have (hard or soft). Buy detergent (and a water softener) that works! A good wash routine is key to surviving and thriving while cloth diapering! – Michelle May
  • We cloth diapered because im too cheap to literally throw money away. – Cassi Lynnette
  • I’ve cloth diapered for over three years, now on baby number 2 with many of the same diapers. We start with prefolds and covers and then eventually use pocket diapers. It has saved us lots of money and blowouts! – Sarah Hammer
  • This is my 1st time! My baby is due in May. I bought a gently set of used [hybrid diapers] for newborn off craigslist… And I’m slowly buying my stash to use until he’s potty trained. – Julie Marie
  • I did cloth diaper! I did it to both save money, and to keep toxins off of my baby (Dioxin is one chemical used in disposable diapers, also in tampons that is just one I wanted to avoid). I always recommend to people to get 20-24 diapers, which is enough to wash about every other day. Keeping diapers stored while dirty any longer can allow scents & soiled spots to set in. – Caroline Janssen
  • I use all in one for newborn stage, prefolds and a cover for the rest. I got a deal with the all in one’s but it’s nice to have when you have a newborn since its closest to disposables(therefore easy). I chose prefolds because they are the cheapest option, especially if you want the most natural, organic material on baby’s skin. They also don’t hold stink bad like microfiber. I cloth diaper because I don’t want chemicals on my baby from disposable diapers, save money! And the earth. – Jamie Alvarez
  • I love cloth diapering. I did it off and on with my first (didn’t have a huge stash and the drive to keep up with everything) but am now CD’ing her and my 5 m/o. It makes me sick to spend $30+ every week just to throw it away when it was dirty. I’d much rather have something I can reuse and always have available! I also recommend a diaper sprayer for solids poop! It has saved our lives haha. – Amanda Nelson

Want More Information About Cloth Diapering?

Here are all our posts on how to cloth diaper, from how to strip your diapers, when to strip your diapers, why we chose the brand we use, and more.

How About You?

Did (or do) you cloth diaper? What type do you use? Why did you choose to CD? Share with us in the comments below!

Read This Next…

Genevieve Howland

About the Author

Genevieve Howland is a childbirth educator and breastfeeding advocate. She is the bestselling author of The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth and creator of the Mama Natural Birth Course. A mother of three, graduate of the University of Colorado, and YouTuber with over 130,000,000 views, she helps mothers and moms-to-be lead healthier and more natural lives.

54 Comments

  1. Cloth diapering isn’t just environmentally friendly—it’s also surprisingly easy and cost-effective compared to using disposable diapers. With the right tools and techniques, parents can embrace cloth diapering with confidence, reducing waste and saving money in the process. For those considering making the switch, exploring resources like diaper recycling technology can further enhance the sustainability of their diapering practices. Learn more about eco-friendly diapering solutions at https://diaperrecycling.technology/.

    Reply

  2. When our daughter was a baby,i used the regular cloth pin on diapers and rubberpants on her all the time and they worked great! I didn’t mind washing them and they saved us money! The daughter is now 12 and in puberty and bedwetting because of it.I am using the cloth diapers and rubberpants on her again for the bedwetting.I bought the cloth diapers from a website as well as the rubberpants in adult size.She has the rubberpants in white,and pastels and some with babyprints on them and refers to her bedwetting as her ‘second babyhood’.She doesnt mind at all wearing the diapers and rubberpants to bed every night.Back on June 5th she made her First Holy Communion with the 2nd graders and wore a cute,poofy,knee length communion dress and veil and she wanted to wear apair of her babyprint rubberpants over her diapers under her dress,so i put them on her and they looked cute under her dress!

    Reply

  3. https://diaperrecycling.technology is a technology company solely focused on advanced diaper recycling solutions. Our technology is used within hygiene plants (Adult-Baby-Fem) to reclaim pulp & SAP from rejected products.

    Reply

  4. Thanks for sharing this helpful post its very informative. All details you describe in your blog post are very informative for me and my baby

    Reply

  5. It is very important to get some knowledge about reusable baby diapers as in my opinion they are better. Thank You so much for giving such good information.

    Reply

  6. This has been SO helpful for me! Thank you for the video on how to properly put on a cloth diaper…Im new at it and this has been a huge blessing and encouragement!

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    • I love cloth diapers. I was fortunate enough to learn about them when I nannied and now cloth diaper my daughter. We did flour sack towels and the water proof shell when she was a newborn and not we do pocket diapers with bamboo inserts. For overnight I simply add a thirties stay dry line on top and have never had a leak. To me cloth diapering just made sense since I have sensitive skin and I assumed my daughter would too plus the environmental impact severely out weight me having to do an additional load of laundry every 2 or 3 days.

      Reply

  7. Hi Genevieve, and other natural mommas. What cloth diapering method, brand, or specific diaper do you recommend using while the umbilical cord stump is still attached? Do you HAVE TO have snap down ones made for that stage specifically (that are expensive and get outgrown super quick) or is there an alternative you prefer?

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  8. Is bumgenius now called Alvababy?

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  9. Would love to hear from the community where they have purchased gently used cloth diapers if you have gone that route!

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  10. Time for the US to stop using landfills.

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  11. Thank you for this article! Do you really save money using cloth diapers?

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  12. I am trying to learn about cloth diapering. I understand the all in ones, and the all in twos. I have read you can get like a disposable biodegradable towel type thing to put in it, to throw poop out. My question is, if the baby pees, does the entire diaper have to be changed, or is that what the inserts are for? I’m still really confused but want to try this so much! I want to use the most practical types!

    Reply

    • There are disposable liners that just catch poo (pee goes through), and there are also ones that absorb pee like a disposable diaper would. You can also make reusable poo liners out of fleece or flannel, which you can use to carry the poo to the toilet, and then wash with the diaper laundry. Fully disposable liners are great for travel and long days away from home, so you’re not toting heavy wet used diapers around with you. The other liners are mostly just for ease of poo disposal. Fleece liners can also be helpful in wicking moisture away from the skin. I wish I’d discovered them sooner for overnight diapering!

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  13. I’m pregnant with #3 and we’ve used cloth with our first two and LOVED it. We went with prefolds and love the simplicity with washing and drying, plus the variability of folds. My husband was hesitant at first but now loudly declares that disposables are more funnels than anything else ? We started cloth diapers because of the cost savings, but have really appreciated having fewer blowouts, fewer rashes, and a bunch of other additional benefits that we had not anticipated. Thanks for the post, yay cloth diapers!

    Reply

  14. Raised three babies with cloth diapers. I had 3 kids in 5 years, so lots and lots of diapers.

    So soft; so nice against baby’s skin. No allergies. No rashes.

    Because I knew I’d be saving money and having my first two very close together, I bought (or got via presents) 10 dozen diapers and 4 diaper pails. Sounds excessive I guess, but still WAY cheaper than disposables.

    A diaper pail in the baby’s room, one in the bathroom where I rinsed the poopy diapers, and two pails to switch out with those.

    It was soooo easy! Just ran a load of diapers whenever I had enough. and I lived in
    California, meant drying on the line took mere minutes.

    After they were all trained, I had these fabulous cloths that I’ve used forever.

    It was plastic pants in my day, which, honestly weren’t awful; I gather there are better options now.

    But I’d strongly urge any new mom to consider CD. Best for Baby, Best for Environment, Best for Wallet!!!

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  15. Hi there,
    thanks so much for all the info, this is so immensely helpful! One very basic question: when you change a (poopy, not just wet) cloth diaper, if I understand correctly, you have to 1) scrape and dump most the poop in the toilet 2) dump the diaper in that bin you recommend. Problem: my bathroom is tiny, so I won’t be able to change my baby’s diaper in it: I plan on having the changing table/station in his room. It’s next to the bathroom, but well, I guess my question is, concretly, you can’t just take the diaper off, leave the baby on his/her own on the changing table while you scrape it and dump the poop, come back to the table and dump the diaper in the pail… What’s the choreography here, so that you can both attend quickly to the hygienic demand, and not leave your baby hanging?

    Also, I might be mistaken but I believe the link to the sprayer your recommend is missing, can you add it back, I’d love to take your recommendation on that and it might elucidate some of my question actually!

    Thanks so, so much again (also I love your pregnancy week by week book: thanks for that!).

    Claire

    Reply

    • When baby is brand new, you don’t have to do anything for breastfed poop, just toss the whole thing in the wash. For formula fed babies, just rinse and pop in the diaper pail. Once they’re older and things are more solid, you can plop the solid waste in the toilet, rinse and put in the diaper pail.

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    • Hi Claire, your question about choreography for solid poops is so spot-on – even if your change table is in the bathroom, unless it is RIGHT NEXT to the (open) toilet, this part requires a specific “dance” to do safely. In my experience, you either need a team of two, or a safe surface (away from baby’s flailing feet and graspy hands) to place the soiled liner until you completely finish changing bub and can then place her somewhere safe while you dump in in the bathroom and do any other clean-up. Hope this helps! 🙂

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      • Lol so true. For us we have a little spot to put the liner on the table next to us while we change baby so we don’t leave her on the changing table while doing the bathroom run.

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    • I changed baby, put poopy diaper in the diaper pail next to the changing table (in babyl’s room). Settled baby. Then took icky poopy diaper to bathroom, swished in toilet, squeezed out (sorry, too much info), then tossed it into the diaper pail in that bathroom.

      I found it to be rather easy.

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  16. Can I let cloth diapers soak for a few days?

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    • I let my diapers soak for several days (I’m the one with 10 dozen diapers and 4 diaper pails!)

      As a pail got filled, it got taken to the garage (near the washer) waiting for a second pail to have a full load.

      Rinsing in the toilet, before throwing into the diaper pail makes a big difference. You can use a deodorizer in the pail, but I never bothered…. threw in some laundry detergent and a little water if it started to seem rank….. but usually by then I had a full load ready to wash.

      My CHEAPO washing machine handled 8 years of cloth diapers, plus everything else from a family of 5. Was still going strong (and smelling fresh) after the kids were all trained.

      No one likes handling poop….. but seriously, it isn’t that big of a deal to rinse out a baby’s diaper then wash your hands!!!

      Do parents now use rubber gloves to change diapers????

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  17. My issue with cloth diapers is that you must wash them every single day in order to avoid the stinky smell that builds up quite quickly. That takes up a lot of water, which ends up being more expensive than using disposables, and also negatively impacts the environment. Also, cotton is one of the crops heaviest in pesticides, which harms the soil, destroys wildlife and our environment! I really wanted to use cloth diapers, but after doing some research I came to the conclusion that it’s neither cheaper nor environmentally friendly.

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    • Have you used cloth diapers prior to making this statement ? You stated that cotton and its pesticide use was the reason for your decision. Does this mean that the cotton in your clothing, linens, etc. renders those items unsafe? It seems that you are using this rationale to not cloth diaper (which is your choice) but it is very misleading with your comments you made.

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    • There are plenty of organic cotton and hemp cloth diaper options.

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    • You bring up good points, but I read that EACH disposable diaper takes an average of NINE GALLONS of water to produce in the factory.. So even using 45 gallons of water, which is what a big washer uses for a load of laundry, is better than that. Although I have seen people in California claim it is better to use disposables because they are having that hugh drought. It is best to get as much information as possible, then make the best choice we can.

      As far as water use goes, if you use flats they wash up with fewer rinses and washes, saving water. I never had stinky diapers or even heard of “stripping” diapers, when I was diapering with flats.

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    • ‘negatively impacts the environment’ – I’m sorry I don’t want to be rude. But that statement made me laugh. You’re spreading such awful misinformation there without any accurate facts. You do realize that one disposable diaper baby accumulates up to 1 ton of waste material that goes directly to our dumpsites where it takes decades to decompose? By comparison a cloth diaper baby accumulates about 2.2kg of waste from particles in washing and the manufacturing process included. You can re-use and/or re-sell as well which is the number one rule of environmentally friendly – reduce, re-use, recycle. According to research disposable nappies uses 6.1 kilolitres per disposable nappy to manufacture. Cloth nappies in manufacturing and washing still on average only uses 1.2 kilolitres. You can also use grey water to wash your nappies or hand wash them in your bathtub after taking a bath and hang them up. Also – if you use a pail liner in your laundry bin and store them correctly you truly don’t struggle with stinks at all and we wash every third day. If you’re concerned about cotton you can use hemp or bamboo. But there are companies who source organic cotton so just do your homework before purchasing from a company. As far as saving money goes – I bought a stash of nappies that I can use until potty training for $250. This stash includes re-usable wipes, re-usable breast pads and the wetbags I store the wet nappies in. In comparison if you use on average 6 disposable nappies per day for your baby – even considering you save on electricity because you’re not washing nappies – you would spend around a $1000 per baby. And if you have a second baby its the same cost – whereas you can re-use your cloths again. Plus the chemicals in disposable diapers and the unnatural bum creams you use to combat that are way worse for the environment than the zero chemicals in cloth and you won’t need those expensive bum creams. Please stop spreading misinformation.

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    • If everyone were buying their diapers brand new, and only used them on one baby, there might be more concern.

      But I think most folks get at least some of their diapers second-hand, and use them for more than one baby, and a lot get passed on after that. The covers may break down over time, but prefolds and flats and other stuffing material can be reused for years.

      My mom passed on lots of her flats and prefolds from the early 80s over the years, and still has about a dozen that she uses as cleaning cloths.

      I’m about to hand off my stash of diapers to newly settled refugees in my town, and I’m glad to save them the money. Some of my newborn diapers were already second or third-hand, so they’re the gift that keeps on giving!

      And as far as washing, I did small daily loads during the newborn phase, but before long it was just twice or three times a week. For awhile, I didn’t have a washer, so I was washing one diaper at a time in the sink, as needed, and hanging to dry.

      It doesn’t have to be the wasteful, expensive, time-consuming circus some people make it out to be.

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  18. We’re thinking of taking your advice and going with bumgenius pocket diapers. What inserts do you suggest?

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  19. Has anyone used natural laundry soap with their cloth diapers and had success? if so, which brand worked for you?

    Reply

  20. Hello Mama Natural,

    First of all, thank you for your pregnancy & childbirth book, it has helped me a lot on my pregnancy. We are still waiting for our first born to come out (he’s due on the 12th) but still no signs of contractions. And I have decided to cloth diaper,too, and glad that the husband agreed with my decision. And this article has helped me a lot in understanding more about cloth diapers. I hope it’s ok that I’m going to put the link of this article on my blog post so friends can also understand more about cloth diapering.

    All the best!

    Reply

  21. I’m not pregnant yet but trying to learn as much as I can. I’m really learning toward the pre-folds and covers because I cannot stomach paying $20-$40 for ONE diaper (there’s not that much to them, why do they cost so much????). Anyway, is there anyone who tried pre-folds and hated them and why? I’ve found tutorials on folding and it seems easy enough and some say they don’t even use the pins to hold them in place. Seems like a no-brainer so I feel like I’m missing something.

    Reply

    • Check out PatPat. They have GREAT deals for CD. I bought 24 new pockets with inserts for about $5-7 each! I started CDing with my 4th, after looking into how bad the chemicals in disposables are. Then I realized that’s why my older kids always had horrible rashes. I love the variety, colors and options. We are stocking up for baby #6 now!

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    • Girl get on Facebook and there are tons of buy/sell/trade groups for diapers!! Plus you can order on Amazon or ebay! I got my first lot on eBay. I spent about $80 for 20 diapers and each had 1 liner (Alva one size). I also bought some bamboo liners for use during nighttime. I got some prefolds and I use either 2 liners or a liner and a prefold. I’m sure I could do just one liner, but my lo is a heavy wetter! You can definitely make it more affordable! Best of luck momma!

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    • You are not missing anything:) I am expecting my 7th child that I will cloth diaper. We use profiles and covers and do not use any closure (diaper pins or snappis). We tri-fold them when they are younger and need a narrower fit, and then just fold in half later on when we need a little
      More width. I guess if you are missing anything it would be that by doing it this way when they poop it almost always gets on the cover and so thait cover cannot be used again. So you might need a couple extra covers 12 instead of 6 perhaps. But this we have found is the easiest system for us!

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    • my mom bought flannel cloth by the yard and made her own diapers. Babies born in 52, 55, and 60 😉

      They worked fine! I used some for MY babies!!!

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    • I used flats very successfully. I was given a couple of prefolds after I started diapering, but was afraid the many layers of cloth would catch poo and pee, and not be as clean as my flats. So I used them for burp cloths now and then. I can’t say enough good things about cotton flats, We used those plastic pants and had fewer leaks than it seemed my disposable-using friends did.

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    • Flats, definitely flats – and whatever cheap covers you can find on Amazon. I just folded into appropriate size rectangles and laid them in the cover. For awhile, I didn’t have a washing machine, so I was hand washing (I just did one diaper at a time, as needed in the sink), and I really only needed 3 covers (one drying, one on the baby, one ready to go), and a handful of flats. If you’re doing laundry twice a week, you will need more than that. But it’s really not as extreme as some people may portray. I’m about to hand off my stash of diapers to newly settled refugees in my town, and I’m glad to save them the money. Some of my newborn diapers were already second or third-hand, so they’re the gift that keeps on giving!

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  22. I loved these cloth diapers when my kids were babies! They are a lot easier than people think!

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  23. I tried cloth diapering with my baby but stopped because of leaks and having to wash and dry without having the convenience of my own dryer right now. But aside from that my biggest concern now is how do I keep my name warm in the winter time while wearing cloth diapers none of his clothes fit when he has them on and the house isn’t very warm. Any ideas would really like to hear them as well all anyone know of more absorbent inserts for all in ones?

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    • You need to get baby leggings and shirt or oversized onesies.

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    • I would say to invest in a pair of
      Wool pants! They are amazing almost peak proof and require very infrequent washing!

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  24. I would love to use cloth diapers, however I’m not sure I can considering I don’t have my own washer & dryer, I either have to pay $2/ load to do laundry in my apartment building or take it to my mom’s, I wouldn’t want to impose dirty diapers on somebody else’s machine. Is there a somewhat clean way of washing them? Could I throw them in a pillow case used for that purpose? I’m thinking about making my own, but I don’t think I’ll be able to seeing as how I have to convert my sewing room to the baby’s room… what’s best to start off with a newborn?

    Reply

    • I hear where you’re coming from. In my experience, the diapers are nasty going into the machine, but clean coming out. And the washing machine looks no worse for the wear. So I’d say no worries on inflicting the diapers on a family member’s machine. But that’s just me 🙂 Good luck!

      Reply

    • *I know this is an old comment but commenting in hopes to help someone else*

      If you are nervous about the poop aspect then
      what you can do is get as much poop off before washing. You can use an old spatula, scrape it off, and drop in the toilet. You can buy (or diy) a diaper sprayer to help spray the poop off into the toilet. I would NOT suggest putting your diapers in a pillow case. You want your diapers to get as aggitaged as possible so they can get as clean as possible. Putting them in a pillow case/laundry bag will hinder that. I have washed my diapers in a couple different family members washer and no harm came from any of it.

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    • I have personally used the Wonder Wash when a friend stayed with us. Portable, super easy to use, Works, hand powered. Even on farm jeans. Check out laundry-alternative for the machine.
      Perspective from exclusively cloth diapering/ EC for 13 years/ 5 with 1 on the way. We spent $150 on new diapers orginally, 1 hand me down lot, spent another $120 on used, 1 more handme down lot, and another $80 on used. Not always easy, but budget friendly. Can use natural dishwasher pods to get the funky smell out of older synthetics. Thanks Genevieve for all you do!

      Reply

  25. Hello, this is my 2nd child that I have used cloth diapers with and love it! Although this baby wets her diapers literally every 15mins-30mins and absolutely refuses to sit in it waiting for the next tinkle. So you can imagine how many cloth diapers I go through daily with her. Anyways my biggest issue is that at night she nurses ALL night so she’s wetting her diaper ALL night and this used to mean I would need to change it 2-3 times while she slept (which was hard on me). I have recently switched to Seventh Generation disposables (for night time ONLY) and I now get more sleep because it holds me. My question is: is there a cloth diaper out there that wicks away the wetness and holds a lot with out leaking (like the pocket diapers do)???? I really want to go back to only cloth! Any suggestions would help!

    Reply

    • I meant that it holds MORE, not holds me! Sorry

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    • I have found the most absorbent option for overnight is a prefold and a cover. I use both OsoCozy and Econobum prefold. They are both VERY absorbent. I’ve never had a leak with a prefold and a cover and my baby is almost 8 months old. We use pocket diapers (various brands) during the day but I have had those leak from time to time when they didn’t get changed soon enough.

      Reply

  26. I learned after I discovered my prefolds wouldn’t fit around my newborn to use a snappi that you can simply fold them and place them inside the cover, no closure needed.. easy peasy

    Reply

    • Yes! This is what we do too!

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    • Hi, I’m due in 6 weeks and researching cloth diapers. I’m leaning towards prefolds but wonder what diaper cover people tend to use with them?

      Reply

      • My little one is now 4 months and a very heavy wetter. I’ve had my share of leaks as I’ve figured this all out. Everything was given to me as hand-me-downs…I’m super thankful. And it’s helped me figure out what works best for me. During the day, I use the prefolds wrapped around his body and held together with a snappie…that made a huge difference! And the cover I like the best is the Thirsties brand..at least now while he’s still young. We rotate covers at diaper changes because the edges get damp. They dry quickly. No big deal. But at night, we’ve been using a prefold in a pocket diaper with a bamboo liner. AMAZING! He almost never leaks now! And he can take 7-9 ounces right before bed and sleeps through the night (8-12 hours)!

        Reply

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