In every cloth diapering system, you must have two essential things: absorbent fabric and waterproof fabric. There are many types of absorbent fabric. Some examples are natural fibers such as cotton, hemp and bamboo, as well as synthetics like microfiber and microfleece. Examples of waterproof fabric/fibers are fleece, wool and PUL (Polyurethane Laminate). To read more about the many fabrics and fibers used in cloth diapering, please click here. Some systems use absorbent diapers with separate waterproof covers, and others use diapers that have absorbent inner fabric and waterproof outer fabric sewn together.
Let's first talk about the systems that use separate diapers and covers. Absorbent diapers that require separate waterproof covers are flats, prefolds, and fitteds.
Flats are the old fashioned diapers that your grandma probably used. They typically measure 27 inches square and you can fold them numerous ways to fit your baby. Most flats are made of birdseye cotton or muslin. The Gerber brand flats that you can buy at your local Wal-Mart are not the size or absorbency of the flats that you can purchase online. The most popular online retailers of flats are Little Lions and Osocozy. These flats usually come bleached or unbleached. Some people leave them this way, and others have fun dyeing them different colors. IKEA also carries muslin burp cloths that work great as flats. I personally use these on Little Man. You can secure the flats with diaper pins or a Snappi. Some pros to flats are that they are the most inexpensive cloth diapers, they dry very fast, and there are many different ways to fold them to customize the fit for your baby. Some cons are having to learn the folding techniques, folding one at each diaper change or all of them on laundry day, and getting them on a squirmy baby can be difficult at times. Also, there is no elastic on the legs to contain runny poo, but rolling in the legs (referred to as the jelly roll) can usually prevent that problem. I love flats and am considering switching my entire diaper stash over to flats. Here is a great thread of people discussing flats, showing pictures, sharing folding techniques, etc.
Next up are prefolds. These are similar to flats except that you do not have to fold them. They are folded and sewn in such a way that the diaper has extra absorbency in the center. Green Mountain Diapers makes a very popular prefold. Prefolds come in different sizes, so you do have to continue to purchase them as your baby grows as opposed to flats that you could just fold differently. Prefolds can be folded into thirds and laid in a diaper cover or they can be pinned or Snappi'd just like the flats. For photo instructions on use, please click here, and scroll down the page a little bit. I personally did not like trifolding them in a cover, because the poo always got on the cover. When I started using them with a Snappi, this prevented that problem for me. Most prefolds are made from bleached or unbleached cotton muslin. Some people have fun with these as well by dyeing them or embellishing them with a fun fabric print sewn down the center panel. You can also find "boutique" prefolds made from bamboo fabrics. The biggest pro about using prefolds to me is that they are easy...easy to use, easy to store, easy to dry. You can just toss a few in your diaper bag with a Snappi and extra cover and you are good to go. Some cons are that even though you don't have to fold them, they can be intimidating to use for dads and babysitters. Also, the fit isn't always great. Many times they don't seem wide enough to go around the baby's tummy. And just like the flats, there is no leg elastic to contain poo. But I don't really have problems with that. Little Man gets a lot more poo on his clothes in disposables than he does in prefolds.
Little Man in a Green Mountain Diapers red edge prefold at 6 months and about 18lbs.
Last in this category are fitted diapers. Ah, the world of fitteds. So many options...where do I begin. Basically, fitteds look like a disposable. They have elastic in the leg area and most use velcro or snaps to secure, although some use pins or a Snappi. The fabric choices are endless, and so is the price range. The infamous Goodmama's can cost you $30 a pop. But many people swear by these. Fitteds can come in specific sizes or one size options. The one size have snaps so you can adjust the rise. It is all about your preference of fit versus longevity of use. Fitted diapers often come with a "pad" (called a soaker layer or doubler) that can be snapped in or just laid in the diaper for extra absorbency. The reason this is not sewn in is because the thicker the diaper, the longer it takes to dry. Some pros to fitteds is that they are adorable with many styles and fabric options to choose from, you can get a better fit than you can with flats or prefolds, they are more user friendly than flats and prefolds, the elastic in the leg casings makes poo leaks minimal, and they are usually the most absorbent diapers making them great for naps and overnight. Some cons to fitteds is that they are pricy, can take longer to dry, the elastic and velcro can wear out, snaps can eventually break, and they can be harder to stack for storage. I personally struggle with justifying the cost. But they are very popular! In addition to Goodmama's, some sought after brands of fitteds are Mutts, BSRB, Motherease and KL0's (a newborn favorite).
My next post in this series will be on the different options for waterproof covers to go over the diapers discussed today. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
Always,
Amanda
