Cloth Diapering

As we get ready for little A's arrival this Fall, I'm starting to put together our cloth diaper stash! Look here for photos, links, and posts about this great option for any baby!

Types of Diapers and Supplies in Our "Stash"

Cloth Wipes:

To be used instead of the typical disposable wipes. You can make your own wipe solution or buy it; soak your wipes in a wipe case or squirt solution on as needed. Once used, toss with your diapers into your wet bag to wash.

You can make your own cloth wipes. I decided to buy ours from a couple of Etsy sellers. 

All-in-Ones:
All-in-ones function just like a disposable, put on, baby does his thing, take off. The only difference is that you wash them afterwards instead of tossing them out. We got a handful of one-sized all-in-ones from a friend. The one-sized diapers are resized using the snaps down the front and along the waist.

An one-sized all-in-one showing the snaps on the front. The outside is made of PUL which is waterproof. No more plastic pants!

The inside of the all-in-one. The center area has additional padding for absorbency and elastic at the legs and waist for a snug fit.

A "modeled" all-in-one.

gDiapers:

gDiapers are designed as a hybrid or all cloth diapering option. The hybrid option uses a biodegradable, disposable, compostable, flushable insert. gdiapers.com has information on composting these inserts and the length of time needed for the insert to biodegrade in studies. The all cloth option uses a cloth insert (shown below). The cloth inserts and pouches are washed with diaper laundry (or you can hand wash the pouches as they tend to air dry very quickly). The gPant (outside part) is washed with baby's regular clothes.

From left to right: gPant (outside piece), the pouch (snaps into the gPant and provides the waterproof barrier), and a cloth insert. To assemble the diaper, snap the pouch into the gPant. Then stuff the insert into the pouch. This will make the diaper curve into a U shape. The inserts are changed at every changing and the pouches are taken out as needed. The gPant should only have to be changed rarely.

A "tiny g" which is gdiaper's newborn size. This is the pant and pouch built in as one. You use the disposable inserts in these. The cloth inserts will likely leak through the stitching here.

The gDiaper fastens with velcro, but unlike traditional diapers, the velcro attaches towards the back. This is great for  babies who learn to take off their diapers.

Pocket Diapers from Alva:

I was able to pick up a bunch of these Alva pocket diapers through a local co-op. I got about a dozen diapers for around $50. It's a great deal for trying to go cloth on a budget. These are a lot like the all-in-one's except that you stuff an insert into a little pocket in the back of the diaper for the absorbency. This gives you more flexibility with how absorbent the diapers are compared to the all-in-ones. They came with microfiber inserts, but charcoal and bamboo are popular options. These are one-sized as well which fit from generally 8-35 pounds.

The Alvas come in all sorts of fun, bright colors!

The Alva in a larger sized setting.

The Alva in the smallest size.

Chickapea Baby Extended Tab Prefolds:

These are my go-to nighttime diaper at 8 months. Made by a local WAHM, they are like traditional prefolds but with "wings" or tabs that you can use to help secure the diaper.

Hand-Me-Downs:

Many cloth diaper mommas will try multiple types of diapers. Many are also willing to help a new momma get started. Get involved in local cloth diapering groups and you might just get blessed by a hand-me-down lot of diapers! We were blessed to get a huge garbage bag full of diapers from a local cloth mom. We kept some and passed some others on to a friend.

Hand-me-downs can be a great way to try some different types of diapers and fill up a stash!

Boingo:

I use the boingo to fasten diapers that don't have snaps or velcro. It seems much easier than the snappi and I really like it.

Our Laundry System:
We have a laundromat on the grounds at our apartment will use those machines for washing. We plan to line and rack dry as much as possible to keep the life in our diapers for as long as possible.

Rack Drying:

A basic wooden rack in the bathtub makes a great place to dry diapers and wipes!

Clothesline:

We don't have a yard currently, but we have strung up a clothesline on the porch that we use to dry our diapers. I prefer to dry mostly on the line with the occasional trip through the dryer to reseal the PUL every so often.