Cloth Diapering Basics: Types of Cloth Diapers

Getting started with cloth diapers can be a bit overwhelming, but at Stella's Baby Boutique, we are always to help with any questions you may have.  Even if you decide to purchase elsewhere, our passion is for cloth diapers, and we welcome any opportunity to encourage parents to use them under any circumstances. 

There are several different kinds of cloth diapers. Pocket diapers are diapers that have a waterproof outer shell and an inner pocket that you can place an insert into. They are nice because the pocket can be stuffed with more or less absorbency depending on your needs. For example, during the day, you might stuff a pocket with one insert, while at night you might use two.

All-in-one diapers are the easiest cloth diapers to use and the most like disposables. All-in-ones are just what they sound like, diapers that are all one piece. The outside is made of a waterproof material, and the inside contains absorbent material. Some AIO diapers have a pocket that allows you to add absorbency as well.

Prefolds, flats, and fitted diapers all require a separate waterproof diaper cover. Flats are just flat pieces of material, which you can fold in a variety of different ways and then fasten onto your baby. Prefolds are similar, but they have already been folded and sewn into a smaller rectangular shape. They can be fastened onto your baby or folded in thirds inside a diaper cover. Fitted diapers are diapers that have been fitted to the shape of a regular diaper, such as a disposable.

Buttons Diapers are yet another kind of diaper called all-in-two diapers. With these, you can reuse the cover several times and just remove the soiled insert and replace it with a clean one. They are a very economical choice, and they are also very highly rated by customers. 

Most of the diapers Stella's Baby Boutique currently sells are one size diapers, which means they can be adjusted to fit from birth to potty-training. Usually, one size diapers start fitting well around 8-10 pounds and fit to about 35-40.

If you are planning to cloth diaper from birth, you can purchase newborn diapers, but I would recommend Lalabye Baby diapers, which actually fit really tiny babies and can be used as newborn diapers all the way up to potty training.

Lalabye Baby diapers come with bamboo inserts, and you can use them inside the pocket or snap them on if you prefer natural fibers against your baby's skin. They are very trim diapers, but they are also absorbent enough for overnight. They also have a ton of cute colors and prints. They are my favorite diapers, and I have tried many different brands.  They are also our customers' favorite!

I hope this helps as you get started. Please feel free to contact me at Charity@StellasBabyBoutique.com any time with any additional questions. I know it can be a lot to learn, but it really is a lot of fun to use cloth!

My store is at http://www.stellasbabyboutique.com. I am still in the early stages so I do not have many brands yet, but the ones I do have are awesome. If you have questions about other brands, let me know because I have used a bunch of other ones.