Forget learning Spanish or another foreign language, I know the language of the cloth diaper addicts!! The lingo is reason enough to scare away a curious first time momma! What does, "AIO", "OS", "Fitted", and "Hybrid" mean anyway? What in the world is a "wet bag", "boingo", or "diaper liner"? What do I even do with a "flat", a "prefold", or a "cover"?! Why are you confusing me with these words?! Ok, I promise I will try to make this as simple and painless as possible.
Cloth Diapers pretty much fall into three categories: Sized Diapers, Two-Size Diapersand then the most popular One Size Diapers (OS). Sized Diapers are sold in different sizes: small, medium, large or if they are Two-Sized they come in two sizes that are based on weight. They are bought for their trimness and fit. They also last through multiple children since you aren't using them as long as One-Size diapers. The downside is you have to purchase multiple sizes as your baby grows. One-Size Diapers are true to their name and fit a baby from infancy to potty training. They do this by adjusting in the rise as the baby grows, however because of this they are bulkier in the beginning than a Sized Diaper. However, they are one of the most economical cloth diaper investments since you will not need to buy more diapers.
Kinds of Cloth Diapers
The gateway diaper- The All-In-One (AIO). This is the infamous diaper that started my diaper addiction, and it is commonly called the easiest diaper to use and the closest comparison to a disposable (sposie). This diaper usually has a layer of polyurethane laminated fabric (PUL) that surrounds an attached cotton or fleece layer that lays next to the baby's bum. It then fastens with snaps or velcro just like a sposie.
An example of an AIO is Cotton Babies' Elemental Diaper pictured here:
The Pocket Diaper is the second diaper I tried and is still my go-to diaper. There are three parts that make up the pocket diaper. The first is the PUL layer just like the AIO, then secondly the pocket diaper has a moisture wicking fabric that will be touching the baby directly, the third and what makes it different than the AIO is that these two layers form a "pocket" that you then stuff with an absorbent insert.
An example of a pocket diaper is Kanga Care's Rump-a-rooz pictured here:
Picture of Rump-a-rooz insert
Then we have the All-In-Two (AI2) and Hybrid diapers, these diapers are made of two parts; a cover and then absorbant inserts that snap into the diaper and can be removed when the baby needs to be changed. With these diapers you can usually get by with 3-4 covers, which makes them a big money saver
And with Hybrid diapers you can also use disposable inserts that are biodegradable instead of cloth inserts.
The Fitted Diapers give your baby a contoured fit but require a cover to make them waterproof. You are guaranteed to get a perfect fit with a fitted, pardon the pun. However, they can be a more expensive way of cloth diapering. If you go the fitted route you will need Fitted Diapers and then covers either PUL, fleece, or wool to complete your stash. Most Fitteds are made of natural fibers that are breathable and there are some really, ridiculously cute Fitteds out there, which is always a plus!
Lastly, we have Prefolds and Flats, the diapers than transcend the generations. Flat diapers are the grandmother of all diapers, a big piece of absorbent cotton that you then fold to fit your baby. A Prefold diaper is only slightly different than a Flat as the middle has a more absorbent layer than the sides. Both diapers need covers to be waterproof but are definitely the most economical way of cloth diapering or growing a smaller stash quickly. After you have mastered the different folds, Flats and Prefolds are actually quite fun. They are the pure and simplistic way of cloth diapering.
So there you have all the different diapers! In my next post I will talk about covers.
