Which diaper is our favorite? Which brand? These questions have been coming up frequently in recent conversations. The answer is not simple. To us, each different diaper meets a different need (fit, absorbency, comfort) so it is too hard to have one favorite. Instead I will tell you which we use and why.

Matty’s Stash
Matty was using bumGenius 3.0 AIO’s exclusively and these worked wonderfully on him. They were trim and never leaked. We’d use the extra doubler at night and he always woke up dry. We never had any issues with Velcro or elastic wear ‘n tear. Now, at 2 ½, he’s in pull-ups. This is not a budget or environmentally friendly option, but don’t worry, I’m making some fleece (Batman and Wall-e) training pants this evening. I’m planning to use organic cotton and prefolds as a sewn in doubler with more fleece lining on top. More on that later…

Mila’s Stash
With Mila I loosened up a little and decided that all of my diapers didn’t have to be the same brand (I can be a little obsessive) and I’m so glad I did. First in her rotation we have about 12 fitted Kissaluvs (we use homemade fleece and wool covers or Bummi’s Whisper Wrap). Those are the first I reach for and my personal favorites at this stage.

Next is a Swaddlebees fitted. I love the soaker on this one, it adds a little bulk, but it’s great for overnight and still has an excellent fit on her tiny butt. We have one Thirsties AIO (she outgrew the others) and I like this one better than Matty’s OS (one size). It’s much trimmer on such a tiny baby. They don’t tend to be as absorbent as my others so if I’m planning on having her in it for a while I add a doubler… or sometimes two.

Then we have some Happy Heinies pocket diapers. They’re great for outings or going to Nanna’s house because the actual change time is just as quick and easy as ’sposies and you can customize absorbency depending on what you ’stuff’ it with. We keep some prefolds around for laundry day (and Kyle prefers them) and gdiapers in case I’m too sick to do laundry or if I need to squeeze Mila into an almost-to-small outfit.

Other thoughts...
I’ve found that water resistant covers work best for us and they seem more comfortable than a lot of PUL covers (all though a lot of PUL’s are very good quality and can be very cozy – not stiff at all) and I love the fitteds (partially due to the fact that I don’t enjoy stuffing pockets). These are just my personal preferences now. As Mila grows and starts getting taller other brands will fit just as well or better. I am very anxious to try some bamboo fitteds and wool skirties or longies.

I found a really cool pattern online for the fleece soakers I’ve been making, http://katrinassqs.blogspot.com/, I’m a novice and the few problems I’ve had were not due to the pattern but my absent-mindedness and unwillingness to thoroughly read directions… Including cutting time I’ve gotten to where I can turn out 1 for every 15-20 minutes. So if you’re crafty (or even if you’re not) then you may want to give it a try.

Shopping for cloth diapers can be overwhelming whether you’re new to cloth diapering or you’ve been doing it for years. There are so many types and brands of diapers and they come in a huge assortment of fabrics it is hard to make a decision. It’s great to have a lot of choices, but shopping should be fun, so we’ll try to take the guess work out of it for you by breaking it down.

Here are the basic types of cloth diapers:

Bum Genius AIO

All-in-ones (AIO) are very easy-to-contoured diapers, thus making them great for babysitters, grandparents, daycares, or even dad. They use snap or hook and loop (Velcro) closures and consist of a waterproof outer layer, absorbent hidden layers, and a soft inner layer to keep baby comfortable. Some people use AIO’s full time and some just keep a few for convenience. If you decide to use them full time be sure to stock up and have plenty in rotation because frequent washing can reduce the effectiveness of the waterproof outer layer.

All-in-two (AI2) The AI2 is basically the same as the AIO except that the absorbent soaker is not attatched to the diaper, it must be layed in the diaper. The point of this is to shorten drying time.

A Happy Heiny's Pocket Diaper

Pocket Diapers have been around for about a little over a decade, making them the newest type of cloth diaper. They use snap or hook and loop closures and consist of a waterproof outer layer and a soft inner layer. There is an opening at the top which creates a pocket between the two layers and you stuff it with a doubler or even a prefold. These are nice because you can customize the amount of absorbency you want.

Kissaluv Fitted Diapers

Fitted Diapers are just that – fitted. This quality makes them great for newborns and hard-to-fit babies and for containing runny poop. They come with snap or hook and loop closures and are made of absorbent fabrics but do not have a waterproof layer so they require a cover.

Prefolds

Prefolds are rectangular and divided into three absorbent sections, the middle section being the most absorbent. Sometimes prefolds are defined as 4-6-4 or something similar, this is describing the number of layers in each section. Prefolds are the most economical choice but also take a little more learning time. They require diaper pins or a Snappi.

Contour Diapers

Contour diapers are pretty much modified prefolds. They’re hourglass shaped and have no elastic. You can use a snappi or diaper pin to fasten contour diapers. There is no waterproof layer so they will require a diaper cover.

Waterproof diaper covers are usually made from PUL or some other sort of laminate and can use snap or hook and loop closures. They keep access moisture from soaking through the diaper onto clothes.

Water- resistant diaper covers (also called “soakers”) work to absorb extra moisture from the diaper but still keep your baby’s clothes dry. These are our preferred covers, especially for night time.

These are Snappies

Snappi is a closure method for prefolds to substitute diaper pins. They’re rubbery and shaped like a “T” with claws at each point. We have several of these and they work wonderfully.

Doublers are also referred to as soakers or liners. They are absorbent pads that you lay in the diaper or cover for extra protection, a must have for heavy wetters or night time.