New Parent’s Guide to Cloth Diapers

Babies are a bundle of joy in parents’ lives. However, they also bring their own set of challenges—ranging from feeding and burping to sleepless nights. Diapering is a significant one among these challenges. A baby’s poo and pee hold a lot at stake during those initial two to three years. Disposable and cloth are the two broad categories of options available to parents. Disposables, though easy to use, are harsh on the environment and a baby’s bottom. They expose a baby’s super-sensitive areas to enormous amounts of chemicals, heat, and dryness. Not to mention the contribution of disposables to our landfills and the dangerous chemicals like furan and dioxin released from them.

On the other hand, cloth diapers are a more sustainable, healthier option but require more effort. The fact is, it is definitely harder than throwing a disposable (read money) in a bin, but it is simpler than you think and rewarding in many ways.

Anyways, hard choices pay off for an easy life in the long run, especially by avoiding health issues. Know more about it here.

Cloth diapering can seem overwhelming at first, with so many brands offering so many products all over the world. However, through my cloth diapering journey with my daughter and my interactions with fellow parents, I have identified a unique problem in the Indian market — the lack of awareness about various diapering options. Cloth diapering is not only seen as hard and messy but also costly and inflexible.

In India, what we generally know as cloth diapers is a waterproof outer shell paired with an absorbent insert. These so-called “All-in-Twos” are very convenient during travel, outings, nights, and the tough parenting days. But the thick, multi-layered inserts can be harder to clean and dry, especially in winters or monsoon, which together make up almost 6 months in India.

And what if you’re all for the environment and healthy bums but are really tight on budget? How do you cloth diaper then? Let’s tackle all these questions, simplify cloth diapering, and explore smarter, more versatile options. Then, you can choose what works for you.

Types of Cloth Diapers

While the variety of cloth diapers can be overwhelming, we’ll break it down into broad categories for clarity:

Understanding the Cloth Diaper System

Before diving into each type, let’s understand the basic cloth diaper system: it consists of an absorbent inner layer, which absorbs and can be anything from a flat diaper to an insert. Then there is your waterproof outer layer, which prevents leaks and protects your furniture from pee and POOnamis.

The waterproof layer is usually made from PUL (polyurethane laminate). This laminate is what makes cloth diapers waterproof; it can be applied to many fabrics, but generally, it is polyester, a synthetic fiber. However, some parents opt for wool covers. Personally, I’ve been using wool for my daughter at night for the past 16 months, and I find it incredibly satisfying to use only natural fibers against her bum. If you’re interested in learning more about wool covers, click here.

That said, regardless of the type of diaper you choose, this basic system remains consistent across all varieties, even when the type of fabric, type of absorbent layer, and construction change.

All-in-Ones

First Up is all-in-ones! These are often considered the most straightforward option in cloth diapering because they’re just like disposable diapers—only reusable!

PROS

• Simplicity: AIOs come with an absorbent layer sewn directly into the waterproof cover, so there’s no need to assemble anything before use. Just put it on your baby and go!
• Convenience: Perfect for parents who want the convenience of disposables but still prefer using cloth! They’re also incredibly easy to use for caregivers or babysitters who may not be familiar with cloth diapering.

CONS

• Expensive: AIOs can be quite pricey, and the entire diaper needs to be changed after every use.
• Drying Time & Cleaning: They are harder to clean and dry since everything is stitched together.

All-In-Twos

Next up are All-In-Twos. The inserts are detachable, which is how they get their name.

Cloth Diaper Jargon
Inserts - Rectangular (generally) or hourglass shaped, multiple layers of fabric stitched together. This piece is one of the kinds of absorbent pieces of Cloth diaper System.

Now, this gives you some flexibility to attach different kinds of inserts, making it slightly easier to wash and dry compared to All-in-Ones. Apart from this small difference, they are very similar to All-in-Ones, so the pros and cons remain the same.

Most of the diapers from Indian brands fall into this category!

 Pocket Diapers

Pocket diapers consists of a waterproof outer layer and a soft inner layer with a cozy pocket in between. Just stuff it with your favorite absorbent insert (like cotton , hemp , microfiber or bamboo , or old T-shirts if you are feeling crafty), and you’re ready to go! The inner layer , which is mostly synthetic , wicks moisture away from your baby’s skin and keeps them dry. When it’s time for a change, again the entire diaper goes in the wash.

While I don’t particularly like the dry feel layer, and Indian brands don’t make pocket diapers with inner layer made of natural fabrics like cotton or hemp-cotton blend, I still use them during travel because they make changing very convenient on the go , even with the kiddo standing. Some US brands which do make pocket diapers with natural fiber inner linings – Like Thirsties , Smart Bottoms etc.

PROS

• Convenient
• Customizable
• Easier to wash and dry than All in ones

CONS

• Effort: Inserts have to be stuffed in every time and pulled out every single time for washing. That can be annoying!
• Limited Absorbency: The size of the pocket limits the absorbency you can add.
• Still More Expensive: They are still more expensive than other budget diapers.

Hybrid Diapers

PROS

• Dual Functionality: Hybrid diapers typically consist of a reusable outer shell that can accommodate either cloth inserts or disposable inserts. This means you can choose what works best for you at any given time!
• Eco-Friendly Option: By using cloth inserts most of the time and only resorting to disposables when necessary (like during travel), you can significantly reduce waste compared to traditional disposables.
• Convenience: The ability to switch between insert types makes hybrids ideal for parents looking for a balance between convenience and environmental responsibility!

CONS

• Can Be Expensive: They can be an expensive alternative, but still cheaper than using disposables exclusively.
• Availability: Not many brands in India offer this. Bdiapers (website currently not functional) is one such brand. Foreign brands like Grovia and Gdiapers (currently closed) also offer hybrids.

When used as diapers, they can be  just pad folded like a rectangle and put it in cover. And you are set ! Or u can get very creative and do many fancy folds with these. For the fancy folds you will need to use snappy or safety pins (Yes Safety Pins are safe, these are those old sari pins used by our mom’s and grandmoms) . Do checkout this playlist of videos on fancy folds for flats to get a hang of it!

Cloth Diaper Jargon
Snappy - Three legged faster er to hold the flat diaper in place like an underwear :)

Remember that this is absorbent layer and it needs a waterproof cover—either wool or PUL—to prevent leaks. But this can be very very cheap way of cloth diapering . The diaper cover used with the flat can be wiped with a wet cloth upto 4-5 times unless it has been pooped upon. So in a day you will need 6-7 covers with a newborn because they poop more often and lesser with a toddler and even lesser with toddler practicing Elimination Communication. Wait what’s that Elimination Communication. EC can be simplified as Infant Potty Training. Want to know more about it ? Let me know in the comments.

So in PROS

• Cheap: Flats can be a very very cheaper way to cloth diaper.
• Fun & Crafty: If u are little crafty u will enjoy doing the fancy folds.
• Very Customizable
• Super Easy to clean and dry

CONS

• Has a Learning Curve
• More Effortful than other options

Now you might be wondering Where do you Source Flat Diapers from ?Well ,You might already have some suitable materials at home! So old nani dadi ki cotton ki sari can be made into square like this. Or dadaji ki dhoti or tatha ki vesthi can be turned into this. Receiving Blankets. Alternatively, you can buy soft cotton muslin fabric and have it stitched or purchase from local vendors like Fluff Trials , CMD or TBB.

Prefolds

Prefolds come pre-folded with a thicker middle section for added absorbency. You can simply pad-fold them or use an “Angel Fold,” which involves folding them into a trapezium shape before securing them on your baby with Safety Pin or Snappy.Like flats, prefolds also require a waterproof cover to prevent leaks.

PROS

• Easier than flats

CONS

•  Could be harder to dry
•  Slightly expensive than a flat

The homegrown brands like TBB , Cute monster , Fluff trails stock flats, prefolds & preflats.

Preflats

Now let’s talk about preflats! These are like hybrid cars- a delightful hybrid between flats and prefolds, designed to make your cloth diapering experience even easier. Preflats feature a flat body with attached wings, which adds convenience and versatility while still allowing for customization in fit and absorbency.

PROS

•  Design: The body of a preflat can be folded into thirds, similar to a flat, or laid directly on your baby like a prefold. The wings help secure the diaper in place, making it easier to put on and adjust.
• Adjustability: You can easily modify the rise by folding back the wings or adjusting the front fold to suit your baby’s size. This flexibility ensures a snug fit for babies of all shapes and sizes.
• Boosters: If your little one needs extra absorbency, you can add boosters in the middle section. This feature is particularly useful during longer outings or overnight use.
• Fabric Variety: Preflats are available in various fabrics, from affordable cotton blends to more fancy tie and dye fabric. Many preflats contain blends of spandex or lycra with cotton or bamboo, providing stretch for a better fit. The one I’m showcasing today is homemade from 100% organic crinkled muslin cotton, which has some stretch but is still all natural fibres.

CONS

• Expensive :  Than prefolds and flats
• Like Flats Preflats have a learning curve.

Fitted Diapers:

Fitteds are a fantastic option for parents looking for a highly absorbent solution.

PROS

• Design: They come with elastic around the legs and waist to ensure a snug fit, preventing leaks and messes. They typically feature snap or hook-and-loop closures for easy adjustments.
• Absorbency: Since they’re made from multiple layers of absorbent material, fitteds are perfect for heavy wetters or overnight use. Just remember, they need a waterproof cover on top to keep everything contained!
• Variety: What I like about fitted is that they are moslty all natural fibres – Cotton Hemp Bamboo and very absorbent if it is hemp. U can also make your own fitteds out of old cotton t shirts , here is a video on How to make fitted diapers out of T-Shirt.

Fitteds are a great choice if you want something that’s super absorbent and reliable but don’t mind adding a cover for waterproofing. And these are the bullet proof solution for night time diapering , which is a common challenge for all cloth diapering parents.

CONS

• Expensive than flats, prefolds etc but cheaper than all in ones, All in twos
• Harder to Clean and Dry
• Harder to work with than All in twos and All in Ones

Check out fitted diapers offered by EcoSnug here.

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To sum up, Flats, Prefolds, and Preflats can be great options for cloth diapering if you’re looking to cloth diaper on a budget. Flats, in particular, are very easy to clean and dry and work best for winter and monsoon seasons in India, where line drying is preferred over using a dryer. Even during travel, they are easy to clean and dry. Pocket diapers stuffed with flats are my go-to for travel!

For convenience, All-in-Ones, All-in-Twos, Pocket diapers, and fitteds are good options, in that order.

For night time cloth diapering, fitteds—especially those made of hemp and cotton with a wool cover—are a bulletproof solution.

Now, how do you decide what would work best for your family?

What to Buy?

Go by the Montessori method in this: Use and decide what suits your baby and family. You might like a mix of many options or prefer to stick to just one. Buy a few different kinds and try them out before buying a lot. Cloth diaper companies might offer bundles to tempt you into buying more, but it’s best to buy one of each kind to explore.

Most Indian brands offer All-in-Twos, but some homegrown brands provide other options mentioned under each category of diapers. Eco Snug offers flats and fitteds made from 100% organic, unbleached premium cotton muslin. You can explore that too.

My husband prefers flats, pad-folded with diaper covers, while I like a bouquet of options for different situations. I now avoid All-in-Ones because of drying issues.

How many to Buy?

This would depend on many factors:

• How often you want to change diapers?
• How old is your baby, and what is your baby’s pee and poo pattern?
• How often you want to wash?

Still, to give a ballpark figure, for a newborn, 8-12 diapers might be needed in the initial months. If you’re washing every day, 16-24 diapers might be a good number to start with. I would suggest having a larger newborn stash for peace of mind during the initial days.

Your stash size will decrease as your baby grows and pees less frequently but in larger amounts. The number of diapers you need in bigger sizes or One-Size will be less.

 As your baby grows, you’ll need to increase the absorbency in the cloth diaper. Many cloth diaper brands claim that their diapers will last for 3-4 years of use. What they essentially mean is that the size will work for your baby, but the absorbency will not last the same number of hours for an 8-month-old and a 2-year-old.

For affordability, it’s also better to buy a mix of newborn and one-size diapers so that your one-size diapers can be used for a longer time. You can repurpose your newborn diaper inserts (if detachable) as boosters for your one-size diapers as your baby grows, allowing the diaper to last for extra hours.

Cloth diaper Jargon
Absorbency : A term used to state how absorbent your diaper is.

Booster/Boosting : Adding additional inserts less absorbent than the main insert for extra absorbency.

The tradeoff is that you will be using a slightly bulkier diaper for your newborn. But wait, are you one of those parents for whom the bulkiness of cloth diapers is the main problem in switching to cloth? See this blog post for the answer.

Are cloth diapers better for babies’ bum than disposables?

This is a definite yes! Disposables release a lot of chemicals onto the baby’s private parts, trap heat, make their skin dry, and cause rashes. Chemicals like dioxin are released due to the bleaching process used to enhance absorbency. There are many research papers raising concerns about fertility issues in baby boys due to the trapped heat from using disposable diapers.

On top of that there is no regulation on the chemicals used in the disposable diapers or even sanitary napkins in India. Many countries like Japan,China and those in EU have regulations on Phthalate content, Chlorine as Bleach Agent etc. Source – here.

Truth be told – Bleached Cloth Diapers or Cloth Pads have also been found with traces of Dioxin when Chlorine is used as Bleaching Agent. Therefore, consumers should demand information about the bleaching agents and, if that information is unavailable,opt for unbleached hygiene products (diapers and pads) as much as possible.

EcoSnug’s fitted diapers are 100% organic and unbleached. Another such brand is Green Mountain Diapers (US-based), which offers many unbleached cotton diapering options and specifies the bleaching agent used in their bleached products.

Are Cloth Diapers environment-friendly?

The answer to this question is nuanced, as there are no India (Tropical or Developing Countries)-specific studies comparing the impact of disposables and cloth diapers on the environment. Answering this, would make this blog post very lengthy. So, it has been dealt separately here.

How to Wash Cloth Diapers?

Handling soiled diapers might seem Yucky but with the right tools you can do it!  Follow these steps for STORAGE of soiled diapers:

• Remove the POOP in the diaper, STRONG FLOW in JETTER helps until baby’s POOP becomes solid post starting SOLID food.
• Rinse with Water & Store in OPEN & AIRY Pail. PEEed Diaper directly store in OPEN & AIRY pail. This prevents diapers from becoming stinky.
• Laundry every day or alternate day.
• Use NO FRAGRANT Powder Detergent – Surf Excel, Tide. No FANCY baby detergent required.
• In my experience LIQUID DETERGENT has not worked but for some it does. Though, you can experiment and learn.

While all Cloth Diaper brands give specific instructions on how to wash, broadly it is these four steps 

• PREWASH – During Laundry Rinse the diapers ALONE first, with little detergent on the smallest cycle available on your machine on Cold / Warm cycle.
• MAIN WASH – Here you can add other normal clothes to get 60-70% of FULL LOAD Cycle. Hot wash (not more than 50 deg Celsius) with detergent on regular cycle. Extra rinse required if you see soap suds in the machine. Reduce detergent next time if you see soap suds now.
• Extra Spin helps in faster drying during Winter/ Monsoon
• Sun DRY or Dryer

The natural fiber cloth diapers might need some extra washes to build absorbency.

Conclusion

Cloth diapering, like all other things in life, doesn’t have to be binary — either 0 or 1. There are many numbers between 0 and 1. Life, as a working parent or even as a stay-at-home parent, is hard with the stress of fast-moving modern life. Some parents use disposables for travel or nighttime and cloth otherwise. Some use disposables for the first few weeks after delivery and then switch to cloth. So, choose the mix that works for you.

We have learned to crawl, walk, and finally run in this world, starting as babies who couldn’t even turn on our own. We have survived in this not-so-easy world. So, don’t abandon cloth because you’re afraid. If I can, you can too! You make your decision and take it slow. Take one diaper at a time. You got this!

Snaps of my daughter in Cloth Diapers from 2 months to 18 months!