Cloth diaper ins outs pros cons

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fleyreva

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Few questions as I’m considering trying cloth diapers. Do they chafe like plastic ones? As a first timer to cloth what’s recommended? AIO? Pocket? Anywhere decent in Canada to buy from? Open to all other details that can be provided. Would like to avoid plastic pants if at all possible. Open to other options that aren’t plastic pants though.
 
I wear cloth diapers most of the time. I haven't had any problems with chafing, as long as I use baby powder. However, plastic pants or some other waterproof cover or some other type of cloth diaper (like an all-in-one diaper) are a must if you wet and you want to keep your bed or clothes dry. I think Rearz carries cloth diapers and they are located in Canada. There probably are other vendors in Canada, too.
 
Cloth diapers are more expensive than disposables, but they'll last for years so they will save you a lot of money. Vinyl pants wear out quickly if they aren't properly taken care of but PUL plastic pants can be put in the washing machine and they'll last for years with proper care. You will have the expense of washing, but you still come out ahead money wise and they're better for the environment.
 
I use cloth most of the time as well--and powder helps stop the chafing. I have purchased from Kins (Babykins), located in Canada, and I like their products and quality.
 
I'd recommend pockets over AIOs, as the covers on AIOs wear out long before the absorbent parts. That said, I prefer prefolds, pins, and pull-on plastic pants. And not for any objectively good reason, although that arrangement is widely regarded as one of the most leak-proof nighttime diapers around. Instead, I just have a fetishy thing for prefolds that goes back to my early childhood. They're what I wore as a baby, so for me, there's just something especially diapery about them.


If you try the prefold route, I'd recommend Rearz (also in Canada) over Kins. The Kins prefolds are made of flannel, which you'll notice is almost never used for baby diapers, and for a good reason: Its flat texture and tight weave mean that it just doesn't absorb as quickly. Its only redeeming quality is cheapness, which is why some adult diaper makers use it. You should go for twill (Rearz, Changing Times, Baby Pants), gauze (Adult Cloth Diaper, Baby Pants, Angel Fluff), or Birdseye (Baby Pants) before flannel (Kins, LL Medico, Angel Fluff).

(I mention all that prefold business because prefolds are also a popular thing to stick in pocket diapers.)
 
Cottontail has, as usual, hit the nail on the head: Pocket diapers or prefolds and plastic pants are the way to go. If you go the prefold route, be sure you order a large enough size ... the common mistake is to order something too small and then struggle to get it on.

Pocket diapers can be aggravating because they don't have the seemingly endless capacity of prefolds and plastic pants. However, they're a good, economical choice for everyday wear.

Gauze prefolds are still my favorite, although I seldom wear them these days. I was disappointed in Angel Fluff's variety, but Baby Pants and ADC are good sources.
 
And to add slightly to the good advice already given.. “Cloth” diapers imo are really two categories now: Old school cotton prefolds with plastic pants or... Modern PUL fitted covers over natural fiber, microfiber or zorb inserts. Plus lots of pockets and padding that are gimmicky.

Given what you're asking, I recommend a blend of the two. An Ecoable cover (shape of a pocket diaper with no pocket - avail on amzn) over a Changing Times Diaper Co twill prefold that you fold in thirds and lay in the cover.
If you like that you can branch out from there
 
To double up on what smbccue said, You must buy large enough. Cotton diapers will shrink on the order of 20% during the first few wash and dry cycles, so buy bigger than you think you need. They are also not ready to wear until having ben washed and dried at least once.
 
I use cloth per fold diapers full time with incased elastic vinyl pull on, off and on I use disposables. I use Johnson's Baby Oil Gel. and I don't have much trouble with rashes.
I use large per fold diapers they are big but I don't have to worry about going 5 to 6 hours in a wet diaper. and ex lager vinyl pants the incased elastic help with stopping leaks, I find. I get my diapers from babykins
 
I'm using the same CTDC prefolds that I bought over 6 years ago for overnight wear. I have 8 of them. Only cost I've had since then
is my Arm&Hammer with Oxi clean and diaper pins. I've gotten 3 years out of my PUL panties before the elastics have wore out, with
the PUL matl still good. Also use the twill booster pads which are still in excellent shape.
 
sbmccue said:
Gauze prefolds are still my favorite, although I seldom wear them these days. I was disappointed in Angel Fluff's variety, but Baby Pants and ADC are good sources.
I'd be more inclined to label the Angel Fluff prefolds "intriguing" if not for the high price, which does make them somewhat of a disappointment. Mine had a very odd sort of micro-wrinkled texture once prepped, and were extremely stretchy, almost like sheets of elastic. The texture didn't really do anything for me, and the diapers, despite being "night weight" were also the thinnest of all my prefolds. Making matters worse, Angel Fluff has--or at least they had--a notice on their website stating that they always order whatever gauze fabric is the cheapest, which basically means you have no idea what you're going to get. Really, the only interesting thing about Angel Fluff is that they can custom-size their diapers, but then so can Adult Cloth Diaper, and ACD's products and pricing are better, IMO. (Exacerbating the matter of Angel Fluff's sky-high prices is also the fact that they advertise acceptance of VA benefits--which just makes me question their integrity. While we're at it: $2500 toilet seat, anybody? Uncle Sam's got the tab.)

Sorry. Diaper preferences are so unique in Fetish Land that I'm usually very reluctant to write a negative review, but... Sometimes I can't resist a "me too."

For what it's worth (not a lot), my own current favs are the twill prefolds from Changing Times--same design and overseas manufacturer as the Rearz ones, just with blue thread on the short edges. But again, my preferences are very much fetish-driven (there are visual and texture cues that, for me, are more important even than the function of a diaper), so I would encourage experimentation--to what extent one's budget and spirit of adventure can endure.
 
Cloth diapers are the most comfortable, especially after several washings. I have worn cloth diapers for 8 months 24/7 and now only feel comfortable and confident when wearing them. Yes, cloth diapers are initially expensive and the cost of diaper covers isn't cheap either but consider a good quality disposable is only wearable once and then throw it away with your money.
 
Eocables and other pocket nappies are probably the most discreet of all cloth nappies, but as has been said, they do have their downsides. My favourite solution is from Blankencare / Snuggleblanks - their ContiSlip Light (also called a Superwetter) is very thin and takes inserts to add absorbency, and needs plastic pants on top.
 
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