What to Look For When Choosing Cloth Diapers

Diapers That Are Easy To Use

Make sure it is easy to size if it is a one size design. Some have snap adjustments for the legs, waist and rise. Do you think your husband might use the excuse that he can't figure out how to size the diaper as a reason not to change them? He would actually have a valid point.

Make sure the diapers are easy to put on the baby. With a squirmy baby snaps on a diaper can be difficult so can some with Velcro closures that have the extra pad sewn to the front or back of the diaper.

Diapers That Are Affordable

Pretty much any cloth diapering system is going to cost you less money than disposables in the long run. The initial spend on cloth is more and if you opt for a one size system that's it you're done spending. Careful though it is not worth it to spend $20 a diaper and buy only 20 because you just can't see spending nearly $800 upfront, instead find a less expensive system. If you are looking at diapers that are not a one size the initial cost will be less depending on the brand and style of diaper probably around $300 but keep in mind you will spend another $300 when your child requires the next size and in most cases another $300 for the next size up from that.

Enough Diapers

Regardless of what other websites and manufactures with pricy diapers or who are just trying to make a quick sale tell you, you will need at least 36 diapers and 20 covers with about 10-12 of the covers size small. We say at least because formula fed babies require more diaper changes and might need a dozen more to keep you from living in your laundry room. With 36 diapers in the beginning you will be washing every 2-3 days and after about 6 months every 3-4 days.

Diapers That Are Safe

Pins are an obvious safety concern for you and your baby (we have firsthand experience with this). Another is the snaps on a one size diaper, because a one size diaper is used from birth to potty training. It will be washed 2-3 times more than individually sized diapers, which may cause the snaps to loosen and come off which becomes a choking hazard.

Diapers That Dry Quickly

Watch out for cloth diapers made with several layers of flannelette sewn in, they take a very long time to dry (90+ min) and long drying times will increase the laundering costs quite a bit. Most of the All-In-One diapers take longer to dry and have to be dried on a low heat so the outer shell won't crack right away. This is why a lot of manufactures will do a two layer flannelette diaper with a four layer pad sewn to the middle, front or end of the diaper designed to cut down the drying time dramatically. However this loosely attached pad can make getting the poop out a bit challenging at times and can be difficult to adjust.

Diapers That Are Not Too Bulky

Flat, prefold, All In One diapers and one size AIO's can be quite bulky which of course isn't very aesthetically pleasing. Also if the diaper is too thick and bulky it can cause problems with the baby's ability to crawl and in really rare cases walk.

Diapers With Properly Placed Velcro/Hook
And Loop Closures

If you choose a system with Velcro closures which we recommend for ease of use and safety reasons: make sure the hook (rough) Velcro on the tabs has the loop (soft) Velcro beside to fasten when washing. Otherwise the hook (rough) gets clogged up with lint and stops sticking and you will also get diaper chains (all the diapers stick together) which increase drying time and wear out the Velcro. If there is no loop tab beside the hook you will have to close the diapers before washing which will prevent them from washing properly, takes longer to dry and is just a pain.

One Size Diapers That Are Truely A One Size

Don't get us wrong we think one size diapers are the way to go but watch out because some say they are a one size and the rise (how high they come on baby's waist) is about as low as you would want it on a 20lb (average 8-10 month old) baby. Another problem is when the one size diaper has all of the absorbency pads attached to the diaper making it way too bulky for a newborn. Elastic can also cause a problem if your baby is on the chubby side and of course we have no way of knowing if our baby will be chubby or not. As mentioned earlier the One Size Diapers with snaps to adjust the leg size, rise and waist size can be a bit confusing especially for people who don't use them all day every day (Dad's, grandparents, sitters, daycares)