Cloth Diapering 101: Types of Cloth Diapers

 parenting  No Responses »
Mar 142013
 

There’s a renaissance in cloth diapering going on right now.  Cloth diapering has always been the most frugal and environmentally-conscious choice for parents, but cloth diapers have also been 1) less convenient to use than their disposable counterparts and 2) yucky to clean, which is why they had been rapidly declining in popularity for the last 40 years.   No so anymore- advances in technology have transformed the cloth diapering landscape.

Soft, woven waterproof fabric has replaced vinyl diaper covers, Snappis have replaced diaper pins, and thank goodness diaper sprayers have replaced toilet dunking.  Numerous companies have taken advantage of these new technologies to create cloth diapers that are convenient to use, easy to wash, and completely adorable.  If you’re interested in using cloth diapers on your child, here’s an overview of the different types of cloth diapers that are available.  I’ve used links to Amazon product pages so that you can see pictures of the diapers I’m describing, as well as read reviews about them and find out pricing.

Types of All-In-One Diapers (AIO)


Let’s start off with the ultra-convenient “All-In-One” style of diaper (also called, “AIO”).  An All-In-One is a one-piece leak-proof cloth diaper that Velcros or snaps around the baby.   They have the look and function of uber-stylish disposable diapers, but instead of throwing the diaper out when you change your baby, you throw the whole diaper into your diaper pail and wash your diapers every 2-3 days.  All-In-Ones are so convenient that they tend to win over spouses, grandparents, babysitters, daycare centers, and anyone else who might not be initially enthusiastic about cloth diapering.  They come in countless irresistible colors and patterns, and use super-easy snap or Velcro-like closures.  Depending on the brand, they are either “one-size,” meaning they fit from birth to potty training, or sized.

Popular brands include:

Types of All-In-Two Diapers

All-In-Two diapers are two-piece cloth diapers that require one extra step compared to all-in-ones: you place a cloth insert into a cover that is specially designed to hold the insert in place.  Being able to separate the insert from the cover after the diaper is soiled makes all-in-twos arguably easier to wash and faster to dry than all-in-ones.  On the other hand, after you’ve laundered your all-in-twos you do have to take the extra step of matching your inserts to your diapers, whereas all-in-ones will be ready to go straight after drying.  There are two main types of All-In-Two diapers: pocket diapers and hybrid diapers, and within those two types some brands are one-size (fitting from birth to potty training) and others are sized.

Pocket Diapers (All-In-Two)

With a pocket diaper, the insert stuffs into a pocket in the cover.  When the diaper is soiled, both the cover and insert are washed together.

  Popular brands include:

 

Hybrid Diapers (All-In-Two)

The “hybrid” version of an All-In-Two is comprised of a leak-proof cover that an absorbent liner snaps, or is placed, into.   The advantages over pocket-style All-In-Twos are: 1) there is no stuffing of uncooperative inserts into snug pockets, and 2) there are many instances when the baby has only soiled the liner, so you can change the liner without having to change the cover, making these especially convenient on-the-go.

Popular brands include:

  • GroVia Shell (one-size, choice of cotton, microfiber, or disposable snap-in insert)
  • BumGenius Flip (one-size, choice of cotton, microfiber, or disposable insert)
  • gDiaper (sized, choice of cotton/microfiber insert or flushable insert)

Types of Prefold Diapers + Snappis + Diaper Covers

Of all the different types of cloth diapers, Prefolds are the cheapest option.  A prefold is a rectangular cloth that you place on your baby, secure with a Snappi, and then cover with a leak-proof diaper cover.  You don’t change the cover every time- just the soaked prefold- so you only need approximately 1 cover per 4 prefolds.  Prefolds and covers can be washed together in a washing machine, and dried in a dryer, though line drying the covers will help them last longer.  Prefolds are the type of diaper used by diaper services, so if you aren’t interested in washing cloth diapers yourself, you can subscribe to a diaper service that will pick up your dirty diapers every week and drop off cleaned and sanitized ones.

Popular brands include:

Types of Fitted Diapers + Diaper Covers


Fitted diapers are the same essential concept as prefolds, in that you secure them around your baby and then cover with a leak-proof diaper cover.  But instead of being a rectangular cloth that you secure with a Snappi, fitted diapers are form-fitted and have snaps or Velcro to secure them.  Because they are form-fitted they have a reputation of being the most bombproof of all diapers, in terms of being able to contain the biggest of poop blow-outs and heavy wetting without any leaking onto clothes.  The downside is that they are bulky- you can tell this just by looking at the two images above.  The entire fitted diaper, pictured on the left, has to fit inside the diaper cover pictured on the right.  Despite this bulkiness, many parents swear they are the best cloth diaper option because of their prowess in containing leaks.  Popular brands include:

So there you have it! I’ve tried to give you an overview of all the different types of cloth diapers that are available.  Hopefully this list has helped you make sense of all of the options out there.  Keep in mind there are many other brands out there besides the ones I highlighted, and it could be helpful to visit your local cloth diaper shop and see the diapers in person.  You can also make your own cloth diapers, or buy homemade ones on Etsy.

 Do you use cloth diapers already?  Are you thinking about using cloth diapers?

Free Baby Sling

 parenting  No Responses »
Sep 202012
 

Seven Slings is giving away free baby slings (regularly priced $40) while supplies last.  You just pay shipping.  Their slings are the simple over-one-shoulder type, which I liked using when my daughter was 0-4 months old.  Some people like using them all the way up to toddler age, but I preferred other carriers when my daughter was older.  Anyway, if you’re interested in scoring a free baby sling, use promo code SMARTMOM.

Free Printable Thank You Notes for Kids

 parenting  No Responses »
Sep 072012
 

Next time you need thank you cards for your kid’s birthday, check out these adorable free printable thank you notes.  Many of these would match perfectly with a birthday theme, whether it be pirates, princesses, Disney characters, or jungle animals.

Speaking of jungle animals, LelloandMonkey created this cute safari theme thank you note template:

For princess fans, here’s a thank you card that manages to squeeze every possible Disney princess onto it:

And for dinosaur fans, here’s a cute one, also from LelloandMonkey, that includes a thank you note template:

This pirate theme thank you card is probably best suited for older kids (it just looks a little scary to me, but I’m probably just old-fashioned that way):

And finally, here are three sweet thank you notes for kids that don’t include branded characters:

Hope you enjoy!

The Secret to Stress-Free Mornings

 parenting  No Responses »
May 042012
 

Tired of rushing about in the mornings, trying to get yourself presentable and your kids to school on time?  A morning routine is helpful, but I’ve found that the real secret to a stress-free morning if found in what you do the night before- a good evening routine sets you up for success the next day.  Imagine it:

  • Instead of shoveling down your oatmeal so that you have time to make your kids’ lunches, the lunch is already prepared, waiting in the fridge for your child to grab it off the shelf and stick it in their lunch bag. 
  • Instead of tearing through your closet trying to find the right clothes for your meeting at work, your outfit is already picked out, just hanging there waiting to be put on.
  • Instead of arguing with your kids about what they’re going to wear to school, they put on what they already picked out the night before.
  • Instead of forgetting to load the extra car seat that was supposed to be dropped off at school so that the babysitter could pick your kid up, the car seat is already loaded into your car.

You may have already implemented some of these strategies from time-to-time, but if you found that they just didn’t stick- that too many tasks are still being left to the morning- then a checklist is critical to getting your household running smoothly.  A “routine” is a concept, but a “checklist” is the way to put the routine into action.  When my husband and I were both working full-time, and our daughter was in day care full-time, I created an evening routine checklist for us to follow and it really helped make our weekday mornings less hectic. I’m providing it here, for free- download and print the checklist out, and put it on the kitchen counter for everyone to refer to after dinner.  You could laminate it so that everyone can check off their tasks each night, or you could print out a new one each night.  (If find that you only need to do the actual “checking off” for about 3 days- after that, people can just look at the checklist for reminders.)

Using a checklist results in fewer forgotten items, less hurrying, and more time to interact in a positive way with each other.  Not only does it help your household run smoothly, it’s a great way to model efficiency for your children.

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Free Easter Paper Dolls

 crafts, parenting  No Responses »
Mar 282012
 

Here’s an adorable free paper doll printable for Easter.  The kit includes the clothes and various Easter items- print the actual dolls here, here, and here.  Since I don’t have a laminator or heavy card stock, I printed these out for my daughter to use as an art project- she figures out how she wants everything arranged on a piece of 8×10 plain paper and then uses a glue stick to glue all of the items on.

This printable is from TipJunkie, and was designed by Tricia Rennea.

Book Review: Raising A Child the Montessori Way

 parenting  No Responses »
Mar 272012
 


[NOTE: I originally posted this review 3 years ago, but a recent movement in my community to start a public Montessori school reminded me that the Montessori method continues to be of interest to parents, so I'm re-posting this today.]

How To Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way is written by Tim Seldin, who happens to be the president of the Montessori Foundation.  So, I suppose it should not be surprising that the book is essentially an infomercial on Montessori schools. But does that mean it’s not worth reading?

In fact, the book does have value, even for (or maybe especially for) parents who don’t intend to send their children to Montessori schools.  Many Montessori activities can be replicated in your own home and can supplement whatever type of primary education your child might be receiving.

  • Games and Activities: Seldin provides numerous examples of at-home educational activities and games you can play with your infant, toddler, and child up to age six. The book is replete with photographs of the activities Seldin describes, making it a visually enjoyable read. The activities listed are probably the single biggest reason I will keep this book instead of swapping it at a used bookstore- as my daughter gets older, I can see that it will be useful to refer back to it to get some fresh ideas.  However, I would have liked to see activities for children over 6 years old- Montessori schools can go up to grade 8, or even through high school, so there’s probably no shortage of interesting activities for older children.  Unfortunately, Seldin doesn’t cover those.
  • Ideas for Child’s room: Seldin describes ways in which parents can “evolve” a child’s room, and the whole house, to fit the child’s needs as they grow. I am fairly new to the the Montessori philosophy, but I can tell you that I immediately saw a difference in my daughter’s fussiness and tantrums when I started making the house more accessible to her.  For instance, when she was two years old I put her bowls, plates and cups into a low kitchen cabinet- she was able to get a bowl by herself and fill it with some crackers and raisins when she was hungry.  She LOVED the independence this gave her.
  • Discipline Advice: One chapter in a book probably isn’t enough to overhaul a parent’s disciplinary practices, but Seldin does provide a few useful tips on minimizing tantrums and teaching care and compassion.
  • Appendix of Montessori Resources: This alone isn’t enough to buy the book, but I did appreciate that Seldin devoted one page at the end of the book to compiling a list of various Montessori organizations, books, and suppliers of Montessori educational materials. (If you’re curious, my favorite supplier currently is Montessori Services – they have lots of useful games, puzzles, furniture, housewares and other stuff for kids.)

 

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