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Modern Cloth Diapering in a Snapshot

2013/02 By Lauren B. Stevens 5 Comments

I’ve talked about how I came to the decision to cloth diaper, but I’ve not really talked about what modern cloth diapering really means.  For starters, it means no rubber pants or diaper pins.  There is much, much more to these wonderfully reusable pee and poop catchers, let’s take a look:

L-R: flat, prefold (w/ cover underneath), bamboo insert (w/ pocket diaper underneath)

There are many great resources out there to become cloth diaper-literate, so I won’t go into great detail here.    I’ll provide links to some handy-dandy resources at the bottom of this post.  My aim is to give cloth diaper ‘virgins’ a snapshot of what cloth diapering looks like these days.  There are so many cloth diaper options out there, and more hybrids are being created all of the time, but 3 of the 4 basic options are pictured above.

The flat diaper is the oldest of the bunch, and least expensive option, as it is a large piece of cloth that you fold into a diaper shape and wear with a cover over top.  Flat diapers cost a little more than a dollar each and are a one-size-fits-all option (there are many different ways to fold flats and YouTube has some great tutorials).  The next option is the prefold, which is our favorite and the cloth diaper we use the most.  Prefolds are the evolution of the flat, with the material already layered and sewn together for convenience.  We use the trifold, which is the simplest fold, fasten with a little gadget called a Snappi, and finish with a diaper cover.  Prefolds will cost anywhere from $3-10 each, depending on the material and size you choose; sizes range from preemie to toddler.  We prefer unbleached natural fibers, as seen above, but have some of both.  The last two options are the pocket diaper and the all-in-one diaper (not pictured); these are the closest to disposable diapers and the more expensive options.  Pocket diapers have absorbent inserts that you either stuff inside of the pocket in the diaper shell or snap on top of the shell (conceptually like a maxi pad).  Pockets typically cost $15-20 each and you will likely want to buy additional inserts for use (around $3 each).  The all-in-one or AIO diaper is exactly as the name suggests, with absorbent padding built in; this is your closest option to a disposable diaper.  AIOs take longer to dry and cost $20-25 each.

Here is a great link to all of today’s cloth diapering terminology, from Diapershops.com.  Another wonderful resource is Kelly’s Closet .  For those of you super interested in the world of cloth, Kelly Wels, owner of Kelly’s Closet and Diapershops.com, has written a veritable tome on modern cloth diapering, entitled Changing Diapers.  Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.  My next cloth diaper post will deal with all of the cloth diaper accoutrements, as that aspect can get a bit overwhelming as well.
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Filed Under: Cloth Diapering, Editorial, General Topics Tagged With: cloth diapering, cloth diapers

Comments

  1. Christy isttc says

    2013/03 at 1:48 am

    I am thinking of cloth diapering. Thanks for this post – it was helpful 🙂

    Reply
  2. momtomany says

    2013/03 at 8:40 am

    After cloth diapering my two boys with flats, pins and plastic pants, you cannot imagine how wonderful it is to do it with my grandaughter I am raising with just the covers and fitted.

    Reply
  3. Pepa Perez says

    2013/03 at 3:41 am

    Cloth diapering is the best choice a modern mom can make, it’s not only eco-friendly, it also saves you a lot of money and it’s even easier than using disposables! For instance, I can change my daughter while she’s standing and holding on to furniture (she’s 10mo, she doesn’t walk yet), something I could’ve never done with a disposable, cause I would’ve never found the right fit. Try the pocket diapers and you’ll see how great this is as an experience.

    Reply
  4. Lauren Stevens says

    2013/03 at 11:12 pm

    I’m actually thinking of using my pockets now that our little guy has filled out a bit.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Cloth Diapering? The Median Daddy Gives His Scoop (on the poop) - lo-wren says:
    2015/02 at 8:28 am

    […] I had that moment of husband-ly wisdom and let the mother of my child lead us into the land of “Modern” cloth diapering.  Scared at first, with how am I ever going to get this piece of cloth on my son without it […]

    Reply

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Lauren B. Stevens is a former publishing rep-turned-writer, whose work can be found on ChildVantage, The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy and Care.com, among many other websites. When she's not chasing her precocious preschooler, Lauren pens hilarious and heartwarming stories about her life as a mother, ghostwrites blogs for businesses, and sometimes even finds the time to write a bit of creative non-fiction.
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