Comparing The Five Most Common Cloth Diapers
It can be a bit overwhelming at first when looking into cloth diapers. You see or hear terms like inserts, prefolds, and covers being thrown around all over the place. So let’s take a look at the most common types of cloth diapers and some materials you should look for and look out for.
1. Pocket Diaper with Insert
The pocket diaper, like our models, consists of a cover and an insert. The covers have a waterproof outer shell sewed to an inside layer made from a wicking material. Diaper covers fasten with either velcro or snaps. While many diaper covers have one opening for placing inserts inside, our diaper covers have an opening at either end to make stuffing your diapers less of a wrestling match. Inserts can be made from a variety of materials. We recommend avoiding microfiber and going for a more natural hemp or bamboo insert.
2. Prefolds
Prefolds are basically a square or rectangular shaped cloth that has been layered to improve absorbency. They are folded and then used with either a waterproof cover or simply with a fastener (the modern take on safety pinning diapers). As these rest directly on your baby’s skin make sure to buy a safe material such as unbleached organic cotton. Keep your little baby’s Bungie soft and rash free!
3. All in Twos
Similar to the pocket diaper, these use an outer waterproof shell and an insert that either snaps or lays in place. The great thing about all-in-twos is that they use a waterproof cover that can be reused for a few diaper changes.
4. Fitted Diapers
Imagine a diaper cover made from an absorbent material such as bamboo, hemp, or cotton–that’s a fitted diaper. Alone it is not waterproof, so it needs a waterproof diaper cover the same as a prefold does. However, compared to a prefold, fitted diapers can be much easier to put on an active baby. You know who you are- your baby is doing barrel rolls away from you as you read this!
5. All in Ones
These diapers are quite similar to disposable diapers in that they are just one waterproof piece. The outer waterproof shell is sewed directly to the absorbent inside layer. While they are super convenient and easy to use, they do take longer to dry as they are so thick. This also means they tend to be a bit bulkier.
While all five of these styles are fairly common, at Bungies, we love how easy pocket diapers are and how well they absorb and prevent leaks. We recommend aiming for natural fibers as these will be resting against your baby's sensitive skin.