Hi friends! I have recently started learning about cloth diapering and trying it out on my youngest baby. Rather than waiting until I'm an "expert" on it, I think I'll frequently update a running "learning process" post. Bear with me as I have almost no idea what I'm doing! I started a Facebook group for helping each other learn as well. You can join that here if you'd like to! I've also started a separate Instagram page for this as I dont want to bombarde my standard teaching motherhood followers with all of these cloth diaper pictures, you can follow me here!
I will be gathering diapers from different brands to be able to compare them and make recommendations based on my personal experience. If you're looking for diaper discount codes, I'll add those here as well. Some may be affiliate codes and some may be VIP codes I find on Facebook.
This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps to support my blog and family! Read my full disclosure here.
Websites I have found that sell cloth diapers and whether I've purchased yet or not. This list is not just for you but also for me to remember. I'm hoping to review quite a few brands so this will be helpful. I've also found quite a few to have VIP or rep codes so I'll add those if I find them or I'll add my own if I have them available.
For reference my son isn't a string bean and he isn't a mega chunk, he's a midsized "average" baby. ALSO, this chart is useful for readers to see what I've purchased so you can ask me my thoughts on them or check out pictures of them on my instagram page. I do my best to answer all messages, so feel free to contact me there!
Store Name | Discount Code? | Have I bought yet | Notes |
CLEVERLYVIP or TEACHINGMOTHERHOOD 10% off | Cleverall pockets/inserts, wet bags | Pockets AWJ w/ double gussets, tummy/back elastic, hip snap, extra row of rise, front and back insert snaps, 2 side pocket access. Best fit and security on my son, favorite style. | |
HBH or TEACH10 10% off | EZ Pocket diapers, twobytwo inserts | "basic" pocket w/ gray AWJ, standard pocket diaper. No complaints, fits my son well. | |
TEACH5 for 5% off | Wilder Pockets, Pods, 3 set Bags, diaper bag | Great thick back elastic on the newer ones, good snaps, unique shape. Really nice fit on my son. | |
WELCOME10 10% off | | | |
TEACHINGMOTHERHOOD 15% off | OS pockets, 4 layer inserts, pod | A decent pocket with a ton of print options. I don't care much for the inserts I got, they're a bit floppy! People say these run small compared to other brands. I am not fond of the huge gaping pocket but there are surely worse diapers out there! | |
Thirsties | I ordered from Southcoastbabyco | OS snap pocket | I can't believe these cost what they do. I got one for $12 and I'd never pay more than that. My son hates the fuzzy feeling of wet suede/fleece |
N/A | OS Pockets, trifold inserts | Still troubleshooting fit on my son. Leaked each time which means the fit was off. | |
TEACH10 10% off | ALVA OS pockets, 6 layer inserts, Greener Odyssey OS pockets, wet bag, pod | These pockets are all similar if not identical in material and shape, great value. | |
| OS Pockets, 4 layer AWL edge inserts | These seem to run a bit big, and the inserts I got are quite long! My guy is 13 pounds now and I may have to try these later. *note, one batch of these was supposedly defective. a number of unhappy customers. They have rebranded entirely. | |
TAKE10 10% off | OS Pockets w/inserts, wet bag | These are considered 'rebranded Alva' by a lot of people, they're very basic and microsuede which I don't prefer over AWJ. When I say "I" I mean my son of course. | |
Rep code I found: MF-SHAYLA10 | OS Pockets, hemp/cotton inserts | I found the inserts to be extremely stiff, I wonder if I didn't prep them enough. Still troubleshooting fit. | |
10% off when joining email list | OS Pockets, 5 layer bamboo terry inserts | Pockets are nice, very buttery soft and stretchy PUL. The owner is very very kind. | |
Henry & Howie | Going out of business sale | OS Pockets | Runs a little big but not bad. Feels like the PUL is stretchy which is nice! |
Wickham Wild | | OS Pockets | Buttery soft and stretchy PUL. Very unique. Runs a hair big compared to my other brands. |
Gordis Tela |
For starters, I was told 'Pocket' diapers were easiest so I grabbed a few of those from my friends at Cleverly Bags. Their pockets are called "Cleverall" and have snap-in inserts that you put inside of the pocket. Easy enough, right?
This is what a pocket typically looks like:
These are very neat little creations. On the internet you can find hundreds and hundreds of prints of pockets. Lots of 'cloth moms' have huge stashes and collections.
You can put different sized or shaped inserts inside depending on the size/needs of your baby. Here is what the Cleverly inserts look like:
This insert shape is very unique and I haven't seen it anywhere else!
And here's a little diagram of how the pocket looks. I found this to be really overwhelming before I actually had the diapers in hand and tried them out, but that's how a lot of extensive diagrams can make us feel!
So this is what I've started with. I'll add bullet point notes when I remember with new things I've learned and eventually when I know more I can further elaborate.
Wash before using to "prep". Especially inserts. These have some kind of treatment/coating on them from the factory, they won't absorb properly unless prepped. People say to wash 3 times.
The front snaps are called the "rise" to adjust the height of the diaper. This is not the actual closure snaps but the lower set of vertical rows of snaps.
Certain diaper rash creams are "cloth safe". A common recommendation is coconut oil.
Wash routines are important and water hardness matters. I don't know nearly enough about this yet and I just literally hand wash mine in the bathtub.. To be continued.
You typically need to spray poop off before putting in a bag and waiting to wash. I wash mine right away but obviously still spray the poop off. You may not need a fancy device tailored specifically for this.. just a "splatter shield" made of a trash can and some clothespins can do the job. I have not made one yet but will try, I currently just use my bathtub and spray it down after (probably not the best but I'm learning okay)
Note that EBF (exclusively breastfeed) baby poop can "dissolve in the wash" according to other people, they do not always spray off.
With pockets, you need to separate insert and pocket when washing- and then when they're done stuff them back together. This is called "stuffing", some people consider it a chore and some people find it fun and the perfect time to take stack pictures like this!
A lot of people like to get aesthetically pleasing pockets and take pictures with them, I will admit it's pretty fun but at the end of the day these are just poop catchers!
You do not need to unsnap the 'rise' to wash, this causes unnecessary strain and wear on the snaps.
You do not need to match the diaper and insert you bought from the same place. Often times they're mixed/matched and each kid has different absorbency needs.
You can get EBF (exclusively breastfed baby) poop stains out of diapers by "sunning" them, which means to literally hang them in the sun. You want to re-wet the stain before hanging, you may need to repeat that part.
You can "boost" or "add boosters" by adding an extra insert or other absorbent piece of material in the pocket.
There are a lot of cloth diapering facebook groups, and these moms are SPICY. Don't ever mention things like not needing a wash routine/worksheet, trademarked prints, circumcisions, or 'banned brands' which seem to vary by group. They will rip you a new one.
Important cloth diapering supplies
Diaper bag. if you go out, you'll need a diaper bag. This can be as simple as a grocery tote or as fancy as a backpack with a built in removable wet bag and a ton of pockets. It's truly up to you what you want to have.
Wet bags for soiled diapers, these can also hold a lot of other things. You can find them in large size for a day or more's worth of diapers, a medium size for a handful, small for one or two, or even mini for just one or wipes. I have an abundance of wet bags from a bunch of different brands, but you don't need fancy ones. I recommend smaller ones for travel, and larger ones for at home. If you're using a large one to collect the day's diapers, I would get two so that you have one to use while the other is in the wash. *Note for breastfeeding moms who have wet bags they use for pump parts- I personally will not cross a pump wet bag with a diaper wet bag. I keep them very separate regardless of the fact that they can be washed.
You may want a splatter shield for your toilet. You can purchase one premade or DIY with some dollar store trash cans.
IF YOU WANT ONE, a mini washer that washes a few diapers at a time. Great for small spaces or those without a full washing machine. I have this one (11L) and it's been great, I also ordered this one (7L) to try. UPDATE: it died. they leak water internally, somehow, and rust out the electronics. This wasn't a fluke, they sent me a replacement which did the same thing. (the 11L). The 7L my husband has not installed because I told him I would prefer to not wash one diaper at a time, that's how small it is. I do use a salad spinner to spin mine out between washes with the small 11L machine as it does not spin.
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