You decide "I think I'll have a look at giving cloth nappies a go, it will save us money and help the planet, why not see what's what?". Then you type into your search bar "cloth nappies" and you find you're met with a huge array of new words and an overwhelming sense of "where on earth do I start?!".
Let me try to break things down here for you and make it easier to understand, so you can browse and buy with confidence.
Cloth nappies can often be bought 'sized', meaning that you replace the cloth nappy as your baby grows; they are usually sized by weight, much like disposables. However, the best value, and generally more popular cloth nappy, is the 'Birth to Potty' (B2P). I will focus on the B2P options mainly because I have had more experience with these and they are the most widely available.
Birth to Potty = Also known as One Size Fits Most (OSFM) is a cloth nappy that will generally fit a new-born until potty training. Again, it's based on weight which is usually advised for babies from 8lbs to 35lbs, although some brands go smaller. They are adjusted in length through a popper system, and at the waist by either hoop & loop (Velcro) or again with poppers.
Most brands will offer a sized nappy specifically for new-borns, as lets face it they are always so tiny and cute, and it can be easier to have less material to adjust to their tiny frames. Since new-borns tend to pee a lot (or at least Cohen did!), they need to be changed more often so don't need the level of absorbency that comes with full size BTP cloth nappies.
A cloth nappy or cloth diaper tends to come either as a one part system or a two part system which are made up of the "nappy" and the "cover".
Nappy = the absorbent part, also known as the "soaker" (I will use this term throughout this post, and use 'cloth nappy' to talk generally about the product as a whole). This is the part that draws in the urine and can be made up of numerous materials such as bamboo, cotton, microfiber, hemp or charcoal, and sometimes a combination of these.
Cover = The waterproof outer part that you can see - usually with beautiful designs colours or patterns.
One part system = Better known as an "All In One" often abbreviated to AIO .This is when the soaker, liner and cover are all stitched together in someway so it cannot be broken down into separate parts for use or for washing. This type of cloth nappy is the one most like a disposable. It's easy to use and you put it on and take it off just as you would with a disposable; you just place the whole cloth nappy into the wash instead of the bin.
Two part system = This is where things can get confusing as there are many options in a two part system and I will break this down further. It's basically an outer and a soaker style of your choosing that is used and washed separately.
Nappy styles:
Pre-folds/Tri-folds - these are large square/rectangular pieces of layered cloth made from the previously mentioned fabrics. You fold these to fit your babies preference/needs. There are many different folds, however one of the easiest and most popular is just to fold in three to make a long pad like soaker (tri-fold)
Pads - They are layers of fabric stitched together into an oblong/rectangle. An easy to use soaker that just needs placed into the cover, no "pre-folding" required. Sometimes designed with poppers to pop into a specific outer cover - when they do this its is also known as an "All In Two" (AI2).
*this is a hybrid of an "all in two" with a pocket for optional absorbency to be added.
Fitted - A soaker that looks like a full cloth nappy but still requires a waterproof outer wrap on top. These tend to be used as night time cloth nappies or for a heavy wetter and are usually a bit bulkier than other options. (I am yet to add these to Cohens choices so I do not have a picture for you , sorry)
Cover Styles:
Wrap - A waterproof cover that is wipeable; it covers your soaker choice, and it can fasten with hoop & loop or with poppers depending on brand and preference. You generally will use it for up-to four cloth nappy changes. This means you remove the soiled/wet soaker from the wrap and can put it straight into your laundry, and wipe the interior wrap. Then only the soaker part needs to be replaced and you can re-use the same wrap.
Pocket - This looks similar to the wrap but will have a cloth interior which acts as a "liner" (I'll explain liners too!). There will be a small opening at the top of the wrap, this is the "pocket". The pocket is there to "stuff" the nappy with your choice of soaker (eg a pre-fold will get folded and placed into the pocket). This means that when the cloth nappy is being changed the whole item goes into the laundry pile (like the AIO). When you put it into the washing machine you must 'un-stuff' the soaker from inside the cover.
Extras/Accessories:
Liners : Liners are what you place between the made up cloth nappy and your babies skin and it is there to catch the poop. It allows easy disposal of the poop and you can get disposable, reusable and built-in liners.
Disposable liners tend to come in a roll and you tear one off and place it into the cloth nappy. As the name suggests, you bin the liner with the poop like you would do with a full disposable nappy.
A reusable liner tends to be made from micro-fleece and it not only catches the poop, it is very efficient at drawing all wetness away from baby's bottom. I also find it draws some dampness from the poop to make it a little firmer. The poop doesn't really stick to micro-fleece so you can usually just shake it over the toilet and it will fall in ready to flush away. Then, just add the liner to the rest of the nappy going to laundry.
A built-in liner is basically what you get with a pocket and a AIO cloth nappy and acts the same way as a reusable, but it's just attached.
I personally use a separate reusable with all my nappy styles as I find it keeps Cohen's bum super dry and keeps poop touching the interior of the cloth nappy giving it longer life and less staining. That's just my personal preference and not necessarily required.
Boosters: These are for extra absorbency. You add them into your cloth nappy along with your soaker choice. For a heavy wetter and for cloth nappy wearing at night, you will most likely need a booster as you will require your cloth nappy to last for more hours than in the day time. They look just like a soaker pad but may be made up of more layers.
What to do with the dirty bits before the wash
You will most likely want and need some kind of storage system in place to put your dirty nappies in before you have a few more ready for the washing machine. There are two main options for this which are:
Nappy Pail - basically a lidded bin
Wet bag - a waterproof bag that can hang on the back of a door or sit in the laundry room, either with a zip or pull cord access
Once you enter the cloth nappy world you will hear people talk about their "stash"; this is simply their bundle of cloth nappies that they have chosen to use. Some people have a huge stash and will talk about "rotation" which is simply the ones they are currently using.
This post definitely does not exhaust all the options out there but it does explain the bulk of what you will come across.
I truly hope this has simplified the mine-field and helps you on your cloth nappy journey. If you have any questions about cloth nappies or about this post please ask away. I'd also love to hear about your cloth nappy journey, preferences and experiences but until then...
Enjoy reading, have courage and be kind!
T.x
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