Frequently Asked Questions about Cloth Diapers Green World for Babies

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about cloth diapers.

How do I use cloth diapers?

They are really easy to use they come with either Velcro or snaps. You have to place an insert inside the pocket of the diaper and then place the diaper on your baby like you would place a disposable one. Look at the image below.

Which is the easiest way to start out and try cloth diapering?

It depends on what you like. I personally feel that to start with you should start as simple as possible until you get comfortable and see what works best for you. Buy all in one diapers and pocket diapers such as Bumgenius, Happy Heinys or Fuzzi Bunz. These are the top of the line and also the easiest to use because they are the closest to a disposable diaper.

One Size diapers are re-adjustable up to 35 pounds and you won’t have to buy different sizes as they will be good until the baby reaches 35 pounds and by then you can switch your child to training pants to potty train him/her. Pocket diapers are super easy too and you don't have to be adjusting them because they come in small, medium or large for your baby. Most babies only use two sizes until they are potty trained.So no matter which choice you nake to buy you can't go wrong.

I realize there are many styles and brands and it might be a bit confusing in the beginning but once you start using them it is quite simple. You should probably mix and match different styles such as Velcro and Snaps so that you can decide which style you prefer.

Which are the best cloth diapers?

Personally I do not like to use pins and prefolds because I feel they are complicated to fold, are hard to stay in place on a wiggly baby and are a bit antiquated. My favorite diapers are the all in ones and the pocket diapers because they are the easiest to use and the closest to a disposable diaper. They are also the easiest diaper to use for other people who are taking care of the baby, such as the daycare or grandparents. I personally use the all in ones from Fuzzi Bunz, Bumgenius and Happy Heinys on my children.

Note: I also use fitted diapers because I like the fleece and wool materials but I do not recommend that you start out with these as you also need to put a cover on top of the diaper because these do not have a waterproof layer built in. Therefore, you might want to try this type later on when you have figured things out. You will pick it up pretty quick!

How many diapers should I buy to start with?

Well I do not like to do laundry every other day. When I started using cloth diapers for my newborn, I bought 16 diapers to start with and I was doing laundry every 2 days so I bought 16 more diapers and found my level of comfort. Now, with 32 diapers I am cleaning a load of dirty cloth diapers every 3 ½ days which I found reasonable. Therefore, it depends on your lifestyle, level of comfort, and how often you want to be washing them. The following is recommended:

Newborns= 12-15 diapers per day

3-6 months=10-12 diapers per day

6-24 months= 8-10 diapers per day

24+ =6 diapers a day and 1-2 training pants at night. Or 5-6 training pants during the day and 1-2 training pants at night.

I do recommend that you start out with at least 15 diapers because a lot of people make the mistake I did and buy too few and find out that they have to be doing laundry very often and give up because they find it to be too much work. Therefore, buy closer to 30 diapers for infants and around 20 cloth diapers for older babies when you are starting out because infants and newborns go through a lot of diapers the first few months. You can always buy more if you feel that you need more.

Note: I do not recommend that you to store soiled diapers for more than 3 days. Typically, you should wash your soiled diapers every 2-3 days.

I also recommend that you buy the following:

- A wet diaper bag to store the soiled diapers until you wash them. A wet diaper bag is the best because it seals odors and smells.

- 3 dozen reusable wipes. (These are very good. I personally use these too. Just wet them and use as you would a normal wipe and then throw it into the washer and dryer along with the cloth diaper)

But cloth diapers are very expensive?

First, it is important to know that even if you decide to buy the most expensive cloth diapers they are still cheaper than the cheapest disposable diapers when you spread the cost over a 3 year period. Also keep in mind that you can reuse the cloth diapers with your next baby or you can sell them for almost close to what you paid for if they are in very good condition.

Can I really use cloth diapers at night?

Absolutely! If your child is a heavy wetter I recommend that you use two inserts inside you cloth diaper to start with and if you see that the diaper is not that wet and heavy when you remove it then maybe you can use one insert instead of two.

Do daycares let me use cloth diapers?

Yes! Usually they require that you provide your own diaper wet bag so they can return your diapers in the diaper wet bag at the end of the day. If you are not sure, you should ask the day care provider and most likely they will tell you which cloth diapers they like or they have worked with in the past.

Differences between cloth diapers:

TYPE	DEFINITION	PROS	CONS
Prefolds	Pre-fold diapers are rectangular shaped diapers that are divided lengthwise in 3 sections	Pre-folds are the cheapest alternative in diapers. They can be enclosed in a velcro or snap fastened diaper or they can be pinned with safety pins or snappi fasteners.	They can leak at times if not properly folded and pinned and you need to use a diaper cover. They are bulky and hard to keep in place on a wiggly baby.
Fitted diapers	Fitted diapers resemble disposable diapers. They have a contoured shape and have gathered edges around the legs. Instead of tape, they are fastened with either velcro or snaps.	They are trimmer than Pocket diapers or All in One diapers. Fitted diapers are great at containing messes, wash and dry fairly easily, and are usually easy enough for even novices to figure out. These dry faster than all in ones or pocket diapers.	You need a diaper cover as there is no waterproof outer layer. Fitted diapers are more expensive than pre-folds but easier to use.
Pocket diapers	Pocket diapers are a two piece diapering system typically with a piece of fleece that makes up the inner portion of fabric and a waterproof layer that makes up the outermost portion. An absorbent material is placed inside the diaper making the whole system act as an all in one system that keeps babies dry.	They have a waterproof outer layer to prevent leaks and contain diaper messes. You can add extra inserts inside the diaper for heavy wetters at night. The only difference between a pocket and an all in one diaper is that pocket diapers come in small, medium, and large sizes. Most children only use two sizes (Medium and Large) throughout their life.	More expensive than Fitted and cheaper than All In Ones.
All in one diapers	The easiest to use of all the diapers. These diapers resemble the disposable diapers the most.	Daycares prefer these type of cloth diapers. There is no guesswork and they are the fastest diapers to put on a struggling toddler. They have a waterproof outer layer to prevent leaks and contain diaper messes. You can add extra inserts inside the diaper for heavy wetters at night.	If you hang them to dry then, they may take to long to dry because of the waterproof outer layer (It takes me 45 minutes in the dryer to dry them though.) Typically, more expensive than the Pocket and Fitted diapers but not by too much more.

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