A Beginner’s Guide on How to Use Cloth Diapers

Remember how Indian grannies and mommies would cut rectangular pieces of cotton langots for diapering their babies? Fast forward to 21st century: cloth diapers have greatly changed since then. Adorable prints, chic designs and leak-proof qualities, you can find it all in cloth diapers today. Dethroning disposable diapers for their cost, comfort, style and environment-friendly reasons, cloth diapers are rapidly rising among parents’ popularity charts.

But what type of cloth diaper should you use, are they really better than disposable and most importantly, how to use cloth diapers? We answer all these questions and much more right here in this article.

Types of Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers have come a long way since their humble beginnings. Today, there are numerous types of cloth diapers available in the market. Let’s take a look at the most popular types of cloth diapers:

1. Pre-fold Cloth Diapers

Pre-fold cloth diapers are the most basic diapers you’ll find in the market. They have been folded and stitched already and come in a variety of fabrics. One of the cheapest cloth diapering options, these diapers are great for newborns. Don’t forget, you’ll need to buy an outer waterproof cover separately which can be reused.

2. Hybrid Cloth Diapers

Hybrid cloth diapers combine the benefits of cloth and disposable diapers. They consist of a waterproof outer cover and two inserts: a cloth insert and a disposable insert. You may need to stock up on disposable inserts, however. Hybrid cloth diapers are usually biodegradable and more convenient because of their reusability benefits.

3. All-in-One Cloth Diapers

As the name suggests, all-in-one cloth diapers contain both a waterproof outer cover and an absorbent layer, all in one piece. With these diapers, you can be done with inserts once and for all. Once the diaper is soiled you can toss the whole thing into the laundry. They do, however, charge a little higher because of their super-diaper qualities.

4. Pocket Cloth Diapers

Pocket cloth diapers come with an inner pocket for adding an absorbent insert, which is removable. You can try a different insert or add two depending on your baby’s needs. They cost similar to the all-in-one cloth diapers but can be more convenient, given their personalisation and reusability options.

5. One-Size Cloth Diapers

Imagine diapers that grow with your baby. Indeed, the future is here. Mylo offers cloth diapers that come with snap buttons to customise their size according to your baby’s height and weight. Additionally, they feature a super-absorbent insert to allow you and your baby to sleep through the night.

Are Cloth Diapers Better Than Disposable?

The answer boils down to three things: your finances, your lifestyle and your attitude towards the environment.

• Cloth diapers may cost more up-front compared to disposable diapers but they are washable and can be reused multiple times. You can save up to ₹20000 a year compared to a disposable diaper as Mylo Cloth Diapers can be reused multiple times.

• If you travel often with your baby, cloth diapers may require you to carry waterproof travel bags to contain soiled diapers. Or you may use disposable and cloth diapers in combination- disposable for outdoors and cloth for indoors.

• Cloth diapers are made with hypoallergenic fabrics, which means no toxins or chemicals near your baby. Additionally, they won’t end up in a landfill and can be reused hundreds of times.

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How to Use Cloth Diapers?

Using cloth diapers is not much different than using a disposable diaper. They just require pre-assembly of the inserts or outer cover, depending on the type. For some options, you may even need to snap the buttons or Velcro to adjust the size according to your little one.

Some points to remember:

• Any buttons or snaps along the top of the cloth diaper are to adjust the waistline.
• Any buttons or snaps down the front will help make the diaper big or small as required.
• Cloth diapers will feel hung down or stiff when they require a changing.

How Many Cloth Diapers Do You Need?

While some diapers are super absorbent and some not so much, you will still need around 1-2 dozen diapers for your newborn. Babies go through 10 to 12 diapers in a day whereas toddlers need 6-8. If you’re potty training your child, they’ll need even fewer, around 4 diapers a day. In case, you are using a combination of cloth and disposable diapers your diaper requirement may go further down.

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How to Wash Cloth Diapers?

• Once you have changed the cloth diaper and removed the insert, rinse the soiled diaper before adding them to a dry container or pail.
• Or you may soak the diaper in a pail of water before washing it. For extra convenience, try keeping the diaper pail or container in the bathroom.
• When it comes to washing, wash normally as you would in the washing machine or you may even hand wash using a detergent.
• Follow a cold rinse with a hot water wash for best results. Additionally, you may follow the instructions on the pack.

Cloth Diaper Tips for Parents

Here are some helpful cloth diapering tips to make your life easier:

• For drying cloth diapers, just put them on a clothesline that receives ample sunlight. It will accelerate the drying process and the Sun will act as a natural stain remover.
• Put all the dirty diapers in the washer every night or other and dry them in the morning, this way you will rarely run out of fresh diapers.
• In case you’re travelling with cloth diapers, keep a waterproof bag or ‘wet sack’ handy to store the dirty diapers.
• Once your baby has passed the diaper age, you can resell or donate all your cloth diapers.

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The Bottom Line

Now that you know how to use cloth diapers, you don’t have to declare a war on disposable diapers. They both have their own set of advantages. For added convenience, you can use cloth diapers at home and disposable diapers when travelling and get the best of both worlds.