Different Types of Cloth Diapers

Pre-folds

Layered pieces of cloth that are placed inside a cover. The cover prevents leakage.

All-in-ones

Do not require a separate cover. They have an absorbent cotton or bamboo layer built in and GroBaby and Bottom Bumpers both have snap in inserts so you can use the same diaper more than once for lightly wet diapers.

Which to use?

I use both! Using Prefolds gives you the advantage of being able to use the same size diaper for a long time and definitely for one or two more children. Most parents will only need two sizes of this style of diaper during the entire diapering age of their child, as the same size diaper can be worn for a long time. The covers will need to be exchanged for a larger size as your child grows.

All-in-ones are convenient and easy to get other family members to use.

How may Diapers do I need?

• For Newborns you'll need about 10 - 12 diaper changes per 24 hr period - so you will need about 24 - 30 diapers and about 7 to 8 diaper covers. If you want to use the All-In-One Diapers you'll need close to the same amount, but no cover required. The GroBaby and Bottom Bumpers diapers both have snap in liners requiring less diapers. As you can see the amount of diapers depends on how often you want to wash.
• For older babies (about 5 months plus or when their BM slow down) 6 - 8 diaper changes per 24 hrs period is usually a good amount - 15 to 20 diapers will usually do. At this age most babies don't need to be changed at night, which cuts down the amount of diapers.
• For toddlers you will probably need about 6 diapers per day.

What else do I need to complete my Cloth Diaper System?

• Diaper Doublers (or Diaper Inserts) are the most effective way to increase the absorbency of your diapers as your baby gets older – these are important at night or if you go out. I suggest owning between 6 and 12 inserts, especially if you have a heavy wetter.
• Using the Flushable/Disposable Liners can help you to flush the solids down the toilet! These are not necessary, but can come in hand, especially when traveling. As your child begins to eat solids you can shake the solids in the toilet, and don't worry, just run a rinse/pre-wash cycle (before adding detergent) and your washing machine will rinse out any stool left on the diaper. These are also not necessary for breastfed newborns, as their stool will rinse out very easily in the Pre-wash Cycle of your washer (their stool only consists of breast milk and is thus very clean).
• I also recommend a cloth wipe, instead of using regular diaper wipes because it will save you money, keep chemicals away from your baby and pulls the stool away better requiring less wipes than disposables. Wash those with your diapers. You can purchase cloth squares, or make your own from fleece or terry cloth. I like to keep a squirt bottle or diaper warmer with a little water in it on the changing table to moisten the wipes (put fresh water in daily).
• A Diaper Pail (trash can) and Wet Bag are very necessary too! I like to use the washable Diaper Pail bags (wet bags) that can be washed with the diapers and then pulled out before you dry. You can also use a medium sized trash can with lid, as I do. Our Bottom Bumper's pail liners are cloth bags with a water-proof interior.  They have an elastic band to fit around the rim of the trash can/pail, and can be washed with your diapers.
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