Cloth diapering requires you to spend a good chunk of money upfront to build up your “diaper stash” before your newborn arrives. Next to doing extra laundry (more on that later), that’s probably the biggest con associated with using cloth rather than disposables. However, you can always take advantage of the fact that you can add cloth diaper supplies to your baby registry.

Although it’s not cheap at first, when you divide the cost over two to three years of cloth diapering (and consider reuse for subsequent children), it can be very cost effective. Cloth diapers actually hold their value for resale, too.

How many cloth diapers you will need
On average, a minimum of six to eight cloth diapers are needed for daily diapering, assuming you do laundry once or twice a day. I did two or three washes a day in the first month with my newborn son because I only wanted to buy four newborn-size diapers (I knew he would outgrow them fast). Now that he’s about two and a half months old, I have seven diapers in rotation, and it’s perfect. I do a load of laundry in the evening and hang the diapers to dry overnight so they’re ready the next morning.

Here is a breakdown of the stash I started with:

Mabu Baby Hybrid System
1 starter kit (Newborn size) $33.99
2 packages of washable liners (4 pack, Newborn size) $10.99

1 starter kit (Mini size) $33.99
2 packages of washable liners (2 pack, Mini size) $10.99

2 starter kits (Midi size) $33.99 each
2 packages of washable liners (2 pack, Midi size) $10.99 each

Approximate Total: $202

What I like: These are soo soft! The material used for these diapers is really lovely, but it’s also strong enough to contain even the most explosive poops! They wash great, and I can reuse the shell and replace the insert area for pee diapers. These are my choice for when we’re out and about running errands or on day trips because they’re quick and efficient.

What I don’t like: There are no cool colors or prints (just a creamy white), but that makes them good for both genders. I also noticed that the sizing ran a bit small in the beginning. The newborn size was too small for my baby from the start even though he weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and was 22 inches long (which is average). If I had known this, I might not have spent money on the newborn setup. Now he fits perfectly into the Midi size, which is consistent with his height and weight.

Nighttime Use: Don’t count on this diaper to last for more than about four hours. I usually nurse and change my son three times at night, and I had to use two inserts in this diaper plus an extra fleece liner (just a scrap of fleece fabric cut to fit) to keep his skin dry. Now I only use this setup for the latter two-to-three hour stretch of the night.

Thirsties covers to use over cloth prefolds with Snappis

2 x-small size $11.50 each

Total $23

What I like: There are lots of cute colors to choose from, and they fit exactly like they said they would — the x-small fit my son until he was closing in on two months old! The leg gussets are great for containing potential blowouts, and they can be reused.

What I don’t like: The Aplix fastener tabs started to get a little weak towards the end. I had read about this in some reviews, and it’s true. It never got so bad that the diaper came undone though, nor did I worry it would.

I did not test these covers for nighttime use.

Blueberry Covers to use over cloth prefolds with Snappis

3 adjustable covers (size 10-40 lbs) $16.95 each

Approximate Total $51

What I like: Blueberry has one of the best selections of cute prints and colors, and the reusable covers have leg gussets (similar to the Thirsties brand), which I believe are crucial. The hook-and-loop tabs are very strong, and the snaps that allow for adjustable sizing are holding on too. I had read some reviews that the snaps can become easily undone while diapering, but that has not happened to me. The claim that one size fits from 10 to 40 pounds seems accurate so far (although it was a little big for my son when I switched him to this cover at 12 pounds).

What I don’t like: The material is not as soft as Thirsties or Mabu Baby, but I would still classify it as a soft fabric. Overall, I don’t have many complaints about this diaper cover.

Nighttime Use: These covers hold everything in and stay dry on the outside as long as I use them with a cloth prefold, a Mabu Baby liner and a homemade fleece liner. My son has his longest stretch of sleep in the first part of the night (normally about five hours), and this setup worked well for that amount of time; however, I don’t use it as often because it involves more steps and maneuvering, which I worried could jeopardize his sleepy state.

Gerber Prefold Cloth Diapers

2 10-packs $16.99 each

Approximate Total $34

What I like: They are small and cheap. They shrunk up after I pre-washed them, so they were perfect for newborn size and still worked well at 9 weeks. They aren’t too bulky in the middle, but that means they don’t absorb as much. I got creative and put the Mabu Baby washable insert down the middle as an extra liner.

What I don’t like: They shrunk as all prefolds do, but these were pretty small. I will not be able to diaper my son in these for more than another month or two, but I plan to keep them for doubling up in other cloth-diaper systems as well as for burp cloths and wash rags. As I stated previously, these provide little to no absorbency and required an extra liner to keep my little one’s bum dry.

Snappis

1 3-pack $9.75

What I like: I love Snappis! They come in a variety of fun colors, and they never come undone when used on the correct fabric.

What I don’t like: They’re easy to lose, and I wish they gripped all fabrics.

Approximate Grand Total: $320

Cost Comparison: Cloth Diapers vs. Disposables

According to BabyCenter’s Baby Cost Calculator, disposable diapers cost an average of $72 a month for the first year, and disposable wipes add on an extra $20 a month, totaling more than $1,100. Bargain websites provide tips for cutting the cost down to between $500 and $900 a year, but that still doesn’t come close to the $320 I spent up front on cloth diapers! (See Graph 1.) Even if I buy some more cute prints or experiment with different prefolds, I can say with confidence that the total I will spend on cloth diapering in the next two years will most likely never exceed $500.

If I had bought disposables for just the first two months of my son’s life, I would’ve spent $165.60* — about half of what I invested in my whole cloth diapering stash. That means that in the next couple months, my cloth diapers will have paid for themselves! (See Graph 2.)

*Cost based on buying 360 Huggies Newborn Snugglers at $0.26 per diaper and 360 Huggies Snugglers (Size 1) at $0.20 per diaper.

A note about laundry
It has been argued that extra laundering adds to the overall yearly cost of cloth diapering, with water and electric bills as well as the cost of detergent. As I mentioned previously, I usually just do one load of special diaper laundry per day and let it air-dry overnight. The detergent I use (Ecos Free & Clear) is not expensive, and I only use about a tablespoon or two for each wash, so it lasts a long time. Front-loading, energy-efficient washing machines can help you use less water and electricity too. Overall, I don’t consider laundry costs being worth reporting. That would be like adding in the cost of trash bags and garbage disposal when calculating the cost for disposable diapers.

Update: Adding a pocket diaper to the stash

Blueberry One Size Deluxe – Snaps w/ Microterry inserts 

1 giraffe print $23.95

What I like: Well, the print of course! I decided to go with all snaps instead of Aplix/Velcro this time, and I Iike it! This diaper fits well, and the inside fabric that touches my little one’s skin is soft as well as absorbent. It’s easy to stuff the pocket area and also easy to wash. This is my hubby’s favorite cloth diaper!

What I don’t like: I was disappointed to find no inner leg gussets; however, this diaper has not failed me yet. The inside is pure white and stains easily, so I get upset when it gets soiled. It’s also by far the most bulky of the setups I have, and you can only use it one time before it goes in the hamper.

Nighttime Use: Night diapering was the main reason why I bought a pocket diaper. I feel confident putting this soft, comfortable diaper on my son for his long stretch of 5+ hours at night. It’s consistently held up well for that long, and I have a feeling it would make it through a full night. These diapers are just as quick and easy to pull off and put on as disposables, so I plan on buying two more to add to our nighttime routine.

In Conclusion

Despite the relatively short time I have been cloth diapering, I can truly say that I love it. I am thankful that so many other parents who use cloth diapers put their time and effort into great reviews, blogs and video tutorials to get me started. I would not be writing up my own cloth diapering experience if it were not for all of them. Hopefully I have given you some good insight into this money-saving and eco-friendly solution. It is well worth it!

When I found out I was pregnant with my second child in 2012, I immediately wanted to research my options in the cloth diapering department. My top two reasons are the ones that most likely come to your mind: saving money and being kinder to the environment.

My cloth diaper journey was full of research at the beginning, and still is today. If you type “cloth diapering” into a search engine, you get tons of websites, blogs, videos and pictures. It was a good thing I had nine months to learn the ins and outs and do’s and don’ts! I highly suggest doing as much of your own cloth diaper research as you can.

I am not a cloth diapering expert by any means — just one mommy passing on my experiences to other moms and moms-to-be. When my now-two-month-old son was a newborn, I continued to use disposable diapers at night so that all the frequent changes were quick and painless (every little bit of sleep counts!). Remember that cloth diapering is not an all-or-nothing venture, and do what works best for you!

Cloth diapering is definitely worth looking into, and hopefully this blog post will give you a foundation of general information as you begin to navigate through the cloth diaper world.

Goodbye Old-School Safety Pins, Cloth Prefolds and Plastic Balloon Pants

Meet Snappis
Whoever invented Snappi diaper fasteners to replace safety pins is a genius. They are only used with prefold cloth diapers, so you won’t need them for all the cloth diapering systems offered today. They have plastic teeth that grip the cloth diaper to keep it securely in place — no more fears of sharp pins sticking your precious little one!

More Options for Prefolds
Your basic 100 percent cotton prefold cloth diapers are still sold in almost every baby store or department, but online, particularly on amazon.com, you can find the basics as well as more high-quality options. Many independent companies make their own prefolds, boasting better absorbency, fit, and overall wear and tear. Remember that if you plan to use Snappis, the cotton and “weave” patterns are the ones that Snappis grip to. There are also prefolds made of hemp, bamboo and wool, which are all very absorbent materials.

Diaper Covers in Cute Colors and Patterns
Welcome to the addicting world of colorful patterned diapers! “The cute factor” is what draws many moms to cloth diapering. I know I’m constantly aware of the new patterns and colors that come out, so I keep wanting to buy them. A lot of other cloth diaper moms are the same way, and I think it helps brings us together. Who doesn’t want their little one’s bum to look good?

Plastic or rubber ballooning covers from the old days are gone! Cloth diapers always add a little more “poof” to a baby’s behind than disposables, but in my experience, they fit just fine under baby clothes. Some brands will try to sell you on a more trim-looking fit, but I’ve never noticed that big of a difference from one brand to another.

You may be wondering, If it’s not plastic or rubber, then what is it? The most common material used for cloth diaper covers is a PUL fabric (polyester/polyurethane laminate). The first benefit of PUL material is that it’s waterproof. Important, right? YES. It is also washable, breathable (important to prevent diaper rashes), and hypoallergenic. This is reassuring because I have heard stories of babies with sensitive skin being allergic to the materials used in disposable diapers. Different cloth diaper fabrics are used by other brands, but they are all waterproof and comfortable for babies.

New cloth diapering systems
The following is a list of several contemporary cloth diapering methods with two example brands listed for each, which I encourage you to research further yourself.

1. Covers (Thirsties, left, or Blueberry, right) over prefolds with Snappis
   When you change these diapers, you can reuse the cover if it’s just a “pee” diaper or if the cotton prefold has contained any solid deposits. Simply replace the wet/dirty prefold with a new dry one, and do a quick wipe of the inside of the cover.
2. Covers and specially fitted cloth diapers (Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted, left, or Kissaluvs, right)
   This is the same setup as No. 1, only with fitted cloth diapers (which is usually made from hemp or bamboo) instead of prefolds with Snappis. Reuse the covers when you can, and replace the fitted cloth section with each change.
3. Covers and wool fitted cloth diapers (Biobottoms, left, or Baby Beehinds wool fitted covers, right )
   I put wool diapers in their own category because they are much more expensive and require more maintenance in washing and drying; however, they have very absorbent properties and keep babies nice and dry. Wool ‘’covers” are also used over prefolds.
4. All-in-one cloth diapers (Bumkins, left, or Bumgenius, right)
   As the name indicates, this system includes one single diaper unit. The absorbing fabric is attached to the outside fabric, which is often a fun color or cute print. It is one unit, so there is no removing anything or wiping anything down. You basically treat this diaper as you would a disposable one, only you wash it and reuse it.
5. Pocket cloth diapers (Rumparooz, left, or Fuzzibunz, right)
   These diapers have a soft stay-dry fabric which sits next to baby’s skin attached to an outer waterproof shell. The difference between these and all-in-ones is that there is an opening in which you insert an absorbent material — either a specially made insert or a basic prefold diaper. Like with the all-in-one, you replace the whole set up at each change. Separate the insert and the diaper for washing.
6. Hybrid cloth diapers (gDiapers, left, or Mabu Baby, right)
   This setup is a cross between a basic cover and a pocket diaper. Hybrids have an area where you can remove and replace whatever absorbent insert you choose (a specially made one like the ones that come with the Mabu Baby diapers or a prefold and it can be a washable insert or a disposable insert). You can reuse the outside of the diaper like you would a cover and simply replace the insert.

I hope this was enough to interest you in cloth diapering and possibly get you in the door! Here are some additional resources to help you with your continued research:

www.kellyscloset.com
www.diaperjunction.com
www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com
YouTube editorial “Cloth Diapering 101”

Part 2: Cloth Diaper Ratings and Cost Comparisons

Click here to buy cloth diaper supplies.

About Kristin

Kristin and her family, husband John, six year old Johnny, and their new recent addition baby Joey, live on a small farm near Doswell, Virginia. She has a love for nature, animals, and teaching children how to ride horses and connect with animals. She encourages her family to embrace the outdoors to help balance out an increasingly technological world. Anything more simple, natural, and down to earth is always of interest for her to investigate when it comes to the over all health of her family.

Thanks to Mollee for editing and creating the numbered cloth diaper graphic!