Choosing the Right Cloth Diaper for Your Baby

My youngest child was born five years ago. It has been four years since I stopped cloth diapering. Once mine were able to walk I used disposable diapers because they kept them drier at night. All too well do I remember with my third child making the decision to move to cloth diapers. My husband thought that I had lost my mind. No one used cloth anymore. It was unheard of in the year 2011. Since the age of the internet though, almost any research can be done.

After much research and deliberation I decided this was the most cost effective way for us to save money. Diapers are expensive. I was a reformed out of the home worker and current stay at home mom. We were on one income and the budget was tight. After convincing myself that I could do this my search for the type I would use began.

 

Types of Cloth Diapers

There are six basic types of cloth diapers, and I narrowed my research to three. Too many options left more questions and confusion for me. So, I chose my top three and proceeded forward. Before I list the types I want to say that cloth diapers have exploded with many new and cute styles so I am giving

 

information from when I used the diapers. Right now check all options and styles before purchasing.

Prefolds– These are my favorite. They held in wetness very well. Easy to wash and bleach. I washed mine well to make sure all of the bleach was out, then hung them on the line to let the sun hit them. Prefolds are pretty inexpensive and easy to use with a wrap. The best part is they can also be used for all kinds of cleaning so buy some extra prefolds if you choose this type.

All-In-One- This kind is great because it is close to disposable diaper and it does not require any assembly. I used this a lot in the newborn stage because they were so easy to use. All-in one is very popular at stores in many different sizes. On an affordable level they are more expensive than the prefolds.

Contour–  the style of this diaper fits the baby’s legs much better than the prefolds and they do not need to be folded before using. The contour is ready to use and fits nicely inside of the wrap. I don’t like to use the plastic diaper cover so when I used the contour that is designed to be like the disposable diaper I made sure the wrap was heavy duty material. Nothing is worse than being late for an appt., work, or church and having a baby soak through right at the most stressful moment.

 

Questions to Consider Before Buying Cloth Diapers

Some questions to ponder before making a big purchase such as cloth diapers are: Why am I choosing to use cloth diapers? Will I use cloth diapers consistently? and finally, how much do I want or need to spend on this investment? Cloth diapers are an investment of both time and money.But, well worth it in my opinion.

Recommendation

Before making the entire purchase of 10-20 diapers per day (newborn needs) buy only a few to try them out. Buy one of each type to see which one you decide will be the best. Moms are the ones who do the most work with them and it needs to be their choice and desire to use cloth diapers.

In the event that you decide you like the idea, but do not want the upkeep it is ok to use a diaper service. Diaper services’ do the cleaning and prep and spending that money is a good idea. It is a good idea because I rationalize it like using a cleaning service. My time is precious and I would rather spend those moments with my children making memories than cleaning a home. Now the same applies to cloth diapers. I would rather clean my home or take my kids to play than spend a ton of time cleaning and folding cloth diapers. Hire a service and use the cloth diapers to be more safe and chemical free with your baby’s care.

If you use cloth diapers please let us know in the comments.

Cheers.
Michelle