5 things I Wish I Knew About Cloth Diapers Before I Started

Even before I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to do cloth diapers. The main reason, was the Planeteer in me (if you grew up in the early ‘90s, you know). I knew that I wanted to have two children, and that by using cloth with two children, I’d be saving the environment “one diaper at a time.” Even better, I was able to get most of my stash (diapers) preloved (used). Environmental bonus!

I knew diapers were a huge expense (disposable and cloth), so there were a lot of things I looked up before I started cloth diapering. However, there were a LOT of things about cloth diapers I didn’t know. And even now, several months in I’m still learning. That being said, I wanted to share five of the biggest things I wish I would have known before I started cloth diapering.

1. There is a learning curve

And it’s so annoying. Especially if you don’t have a supportive community right around you (your partner/family). If there’s one thing I would recommend you do before you start diapering is find a community, or at least one person that you trust to help you out.

This cloth diapering thing is an adventure. And as your little one grows, things will change. Having a group of people you can ask for help is huge.

That being said- make sure it’s a positive community. Not all support groups (Facebook or otherwise) are the same. Some cloth communities (just like other mom pages) can turn into a venting space or just be downright mean. You’ve got a new little one to take care of, so protect your sanity as well and skip the negative groups and posts. It sounds cliché, but you can do it if you set your mind to it.

You’ll have to be flexible, and you’ll have to adjust as your little gets bigger, but you can do it. Give yourself grace. Just like everything when it comes to a new baby, there’s a learning curve.

2. It can be a bit confusing at first (i.e there is a lot of vocabulary and abbreviations, and you will figure it out)

When you first get started all the vocabulary (and abbreviations) can be overwhelming. But you will figure it out! Once you figure out the main kinds of diapers (Pockets, Covers, AIO, AI2) the rest of it will come fairly easily. Here’s a website that has a list of most of the common terms, but just in case, I’ve listed the ones I needed right away below!

• OS- One Size

• NB- Newborn

• AIO- All in One

• AI2- All in two

• MF- Microfiber

• FST- Flour sack towel

• Hook and Loop- Generic term for Velcro

• EBF- Exclusively Breast Fed (what baby is eating: breastmilk, formula, solids- is an important differentiation when it comes to poopy diapers)

• Stash- Your diapers

• Preloved- Used

3. Fiber Matters 

When it comes to cloth- the type of cloth is key. A lot of the less expensive diapers come with microfiber inserts, which may sound exciting when you’re originally shopping for diapers. However, once I started my cloth journey I quickly realized where my difficulties (leakage) were stemming from. Microfiber. And while doing my research to figure out a better solution I found out that microfiber isn’t environmentally friendly I was even more bummed about the abundance of microfiber in my stash.

The worst part about the fiber thing is that it can be confusing. Bamboo and hemp are great for capacity, but slow to absorb. Microfiber is quick to absorb, but leaks easily when squeezed (or sat on, or laid on… you know, what your baby is doing to her diaper). Cotton is in the middle of all the things.

Figuring out the best combination of fibers for your diapers is probably the most challenging part of cloth diapering. However, it can be done! If you’re able to start with more natural fibers for your absorbency (flats, prefolds or inserts), you’ll probably be happier in the long run. (Check out this chart for more info)

4. Bamboo charcoal is basically microfiber 

Ugh. This one is SO DUMB. Seriously. Bamboo Charcoal. It sounds like it should be awesome, right? Especially after you’ve done the research on fibers.
Unfortunately, when you read the “fine print” description of most bamboo charcoal inserts, they are primarily microfiber with the outside (2 layers) made of the bamboo charcoal. Ugh. Did I mention this one is dumb? Because it’s dumb. My pregnant/newly postpartum brain hurt as I figured this one out.

5. There are no set rules

Yup, that’s right. No set rules.

• If you want to do disposables at night or when you travel, that’s up to you! 

• If you want to use a diaper service, no one said you had to do the diaper laundry yourself!

• If you want to use disposables until baby can fit into OS diapers, that’s totally fine too!

You can use any combination of cloth (pockets, covers, AIO, etc) and disposables (‘sposies!) however works best for you. It doesn’t make you a “bad” mom for not doing cloth 100% of the time. And it doesn’t mean you’re not cloth diapering. Everyone has their own reasons for cloth diapering (environment, budget, health, etc). Let your reasons dictate your own rules.

Let me repeat that for those in the back. There are no set rules- let your reasons for choosing cloth dictate your own rules. As I mentioned before, the main reason I wanted to do cloth was for the environment. So even though I’ve already started diapering, I’m continuously learning more and more about the environmental impact of all kinds of things and cloth diapers is no exception. Some of my stash is more environmentally friendly than other parts of my stash (like the diapers that are on their third baby), and I’m still learning how to wash the most effectively.

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Bringing home a baby isn’t easy. There are a million decisions to be made and diapers is just one of them. So if you’re considering cloth diapers, I hope this list helps you get started. There are lots of resources out there from websites to Facebook groups, and what it comes down to is that a lot of them will give you the exact opposite information. Annoying, I know.

Unfortunately, a lot of this parenting this is like that. Opposite thoughts and opinions. And everyone is convinced that theirs is the right one.

**Breathe**

The right decision for you and your family may be different than the right decision for someone else and their family. And that’s okay.

Just like our health and fitness isn’t one-size-fits-all neither are our parenting decisions.

But if I may, I’ll add one more incentive for the cloth diaper camp. Fluffy butts are the FRICKin cutest! =)

BONUS RESOURCES

5 MORE things I wish I knew about cloth Diapers (coming soon)
We Can Do Hard Things
Postpartum Motivation
13 Reasons Why You’re Not Seeing Results