Plastic pants are a cloth diapering method of the past. Now there are so many options available for the family who decides to go cloth! Here is an overview of the options available today.
Some CDing (cloth diapering) terms to become familiar with:
Insert: the absorbent pad that is used in pocket diapers. These hold the pee.
Soaker meaning 1: The absorbent pad that gets snapped or lays in a diaper, for example in an all in two, fitted, or "quick dry All In One" . These are made of absorbent material to hold the pee and is often topped with something soft since it will lay right against the baby's bottom.
Soaker meaning 2: A fleece or wool soaker is something that often pulls up over a fitted diaper and provides a waterproof barrier.
(I took this picture from
OceanBabies on Etsy)
Shell: The usually 2 or 3 layer body of the diaper. The term does not include the absorbency pad unless we are talking about an All In One
PUL: the waterproof laminate that is a layer either on the outside or hidden in an All In One or All In Two diaper. Diaper covers are made primarily out of PUL.
Doubler: Similar to an insert and is used to add extra absorbency.
Fluff: CLOTH DIAPERS! :-)
Sposies: the "other" kind of diapers... you know, the trash kind. ;)
OTW/OTB: You may see these abbreviations in cloth diapering groups, they just want to know what kind of diapers are On The Way to you and what kind of diaper is On The Bum right now, respectively.
Now what are the different types of cloth diapers and what is the best option for my family?
Starting with the cheapest option : Prefolds and Covers
Prefolds are a flat absorbent piece of cotton (usually) that is often thicker in the middle and thinner on the sides. They are rectangle and can be wrapped around baby and fastened with pins or a snappi. They can also be folded and placed in a cover or folded and put into a pocket diaper. They come in many different sizes. What size you want is determined by baby's size and how much absorbency is needed.
Covers
(This is a
Thirsties cover with leg gussets)
Covers are a waterproof diaper made of PUL and will be fastened by snaps or aplix (a stronger version of Velcro). They do not contain any absorbent material therefore must be used over absorbency such as a prefold or a fitted diaper. The covers that have an inner layer of PUL may be wiped and reused while just changing the prefold/fitted, making them an inexpensive option.
Fitteds
Fitted diapers are cloth diapers without PUL, allowing the bottom to breathe. They are made of absorbent material and there are many different styles of fitted diapers. They may snap on, have aplix, or be closureless and need snappis or pins. They are typically made with 3 layers in the shell (outer a cotton knit, cotton woven, bamboo velour, cotton velour, etc) a hidden layer of something absorbent and an inner layer of cotton velour, bamboo velour, flannel etc. Sometimes the absorbent soaker is sewn hidden into the shell, sometimes it snaps into the shell, and sometimes they lay into the shell.
Hybrid fitteds have a hidden layer of poly fleece in the shell instead of the absorbent hidden layer, which allows the outer to stay dry longer.
AIO's. (This is a
Snap-EZ)
All In One (AIO) diapers have 2 or 3 layers in the shell. The PUL is either the outer layer or the hidden middle layer and the absorbency is sewn onto the diaper. The benefit of AIO's is that there is no assembly required. You just put the diaper on and go. The negative side is that these diapers typically take longer to dry and can be the most expensive option. They also can be harder to get clean.
AI2s
(This is the inside of a pooz old pattern small)
All In Two (Ai2) diapers are similar to an AIO or Pocket diaper except the absorbency snaps or lays into the shell. The benefit of this is a faster dry time. Also, if you leave the soaker snapped into the diaper during wash there is no assembly required. However, it is best to unsnap the soaker during wash to ensure a longer snap-life and quicker dry time.
Pockets
Pocket diapers use a pocket where the insert is stuffed in between the inner material and the PUL. The benefits of Pockets are that the absorbency may be customized; stuff smaller inserts for smaller/light wetters, stuff larger or more inserts for bigger babies/heavy wetters. The downside to Pockets is that stuffing the inserts after the wash can sometimes be a pain especially for moms or dads with big hands.
So there is the low down of cloth diapers. Do you feel smart now? There are many different types of diapers, inserts, soakers, etc. There are also many different materials used that I have not yet covered. But this should be enough to get you started. :) Let me know if you have any questions!
Krystal
