At first, I was so overwhelmed by all the options and what a daily routine would actually look like with cloth diapers rather than disposables. Luckily, I have two friends who chose to go with cloth and could bounce questions and ideas off of them when I needed to. I started watching YouTube videos on the cloth diapering process and decided to try a few different types to figure out what worked best for our family.
I registered at Diapers.com and they have a decent selection of cloth diapers. The first diaper I received was a gDiaper. These things are adorable! They're size-specific, just like disposables, meaning you will have to stock up on different sizes. They have a reusable shell with a disposable insert. In theory, you can toss a wet insert and replace it with a new one in the same shell. As soon as I got my hands on a gDiaper, I wasn't particularly impressed with the quality. They felt thin and the fabric seemed scratchy. Plus, I was beginning to think a one-size diaper that grows with your baby would be a much better (and more cost-effective) option. That said, I decided the gDiaper wasn't right for us and returned it for another option.
This Flip diaper is a similar set-up (waterproof shell with cloth liners that you can replace when necessary). Like the gDiaper, you can buy disposable inserts as well. I originally tried two Flip diapers and found that they were pretty even in the pros and cons. I like that they are a one-size diaper that works with a child 8-35 pounds. However, once I started using them, I wasn't wild about replacing the inserts. When there was only a wet insert, the inside of the liner was still wet and I didn't like putting a clean insert into a shell that already had pee in it...I could be wrong, but it just seemed like it would never be clean and fresh. Plus, I found that the inserts retained stains more than some of the other diapers I had used.
Moving on, I tried FuzziBunz one size Elites. I was convinced that I would love these based on personal reviews I had heard and YouTube videos. With that expectation, I wound up with about 10 or 12 of these diapers. Big mistake. The sizing was difficult to pinpoint; I had a notebook where I would record every combination I tried for leg elastic, waist elastic, and snaps. Every combination I tried resulted in wet rings on Niamh's pants right around the leg openings. I eventually got so frustrated that I sold them on eBay and used the money to purchase a different type of diaper.
Another good friend had recommended BumGenius 4.0s, another one size diaper (featured in the YouTube video above). I purchased four of these pocket style diapers - which means the diaper itself has an insert that has to be stuffed into a slit every time you do your diaper laundry. These are nice because you can double up your inserts for bedtime or older babies who are heavier wetters. However, I found them to be a bit of a pain to stuff and unstuff all the time. Plus, Jeff was not a fan and had a bad habit of throwing the whole dirty diaper, with insert still inside, into the diaper pail...meaning Mom gets to pick that nasty insert out when it's time to do diaper laundry. Not pleasant.
FINALLY, I found the solution to all my cloth diaper needs: the BumGenius Freetime! This diaper is very similar to the 4.0s, but it is an All-In-One (AIO) rather than a pocket diaper. This just means that the inserts are semi-attached to the diaper itself, so it doesn't require any stuffing. Just toss the whole dirty diaper in the pail and fold the inserts over themselves when clean, viola! These are super easy to use and Jeff thinks they're just as convenient as disposables!
I have about 20 Freetimes with snaps (I've read that toddlers have an easier time undoing velcro diapers than the snaps and that the velcro wears out more quickly) and we use those throughout the day. At night, I double stuff my 4.0s with hemp inserts and use those because Niamh sleeps 13-14 hours at night and we need a little extra absorbency! So far, this system has worked out perfectly for us and I couldn't be happier with the decision to go with cloth. We have never once had to run out to the store on an emergency diaper run. Granted, cloth diapers are a higher cost up front, but it doesn't take long for them to pay for themselves. I do use disposable wipes (I tried cloth wipes with my own solution but Niamh's skin seemed a little more irritated with the cloth wipes, so I went back to disposable).
I always keep a package of disposables on hand and use them occasionally overnight to fend off any diaper rash (diaper rash ointments should never be used with cloth diapers!) or if we're on vacation, have a babysitter, etc. Any questions on cloth diapers? Send 'em my way!
