Building Your Cloth Diaper Registry: Don’t Make this Mistake

Let’s Build your Cloth Diaper Registry!

We’ve done the research for you so that you can build your registry with confidence. Read on for our expert cloth diaper recommendations.

Feeling overwhelmed?

Pockets.  All-in-twos.  Fitteds.  Flats.  Wool.  PUL.  There seems to be infinitely many types of cloth diapers these days—and just as many resources advocating for different styles.  Many parents just give up and go with a popular favorite, like pocket diapers.  Unfortunately, these parents often run into a couple of problems down the line.

Problem 1:  Lots of leaks.  Especially at night.

Structurally, a pocket diaper has an outer waterproof layer (PUL) and an inner “wicking” layer like microfiber or suede.  These two layers form a pocket into which you insert an absorbent pad.  In short:  baby pees, the pee goes through the microfiber and gets absorbed by the pad, and the outer layer keeps the liquid contained.  Easy, right?

Until that microfiber layer starts causing problems.

Microfiber and suede tend to pill after repeated washes.  They’re also susceptible to “build-up” from detergents and diaper creams, which causes them to start to repel liquid instead of wicking it away.  The result?  Lots of leaks.

Problem 2:  Alligator Ninja Rolls.

Picture this:  You’ve been cloth diapering your baby with success for months.  Diaper changes are a fun time to play with your sweet, cooing, immobile baby.  Fun, right?

Until that baby learns to roll over.

And now you’ve got a little escape artist on your hands.  Every diaper change quickly becomes a massive battle to get your child to lie still.  Baby tries to roll, crawl, or run away while you’re struggling with a million snaps, pants, and onesie.  Complete, utter chaos ensues.

Problem 3:  Poop.

When you’ve got a sweet little breastfed newborn, poop is no problem!  Liquid poops can simply be thrown in the wash without fuss.  Simple, right?

Until your baby starts solids.

Suddenly those meek little liquid poops turn into hellacious mixtures of chunks and foul-smelling mush.  You either need to line your diapers with disposable liners, invest in a diaper sprayer, or dunk the diaper in the toilet to remove the poop before washing.  This is about the time that a lot of cloth diapering parents stumble on the concept of Elimination Communication (EC).

EC, also known as baby potty-training, is a great way to jump-start the potty and keep poop out of your diapers.  Except… remember the point above about your alligator ninja?  Normal cloth diapers and pants really inhibit the EC process because of how many layers you’re constantly putting on/taking off.

Don’t make that mistake!

At Flappy-Nappies®, we’ve made it our mission to solve these common cloth diapering issues.  We’ve completely scrapped the mainstream designs and come up with a revolutionary drop-flap cloth diaper.

Flappy-Nappies® have a separate waist belt that goes on your baby first.  Then you snap the diaper to the belt.  This simple change makes a HUGE difference in how the diaper can be used and changed.

Problem 1:  SOLVED.

Flappy-Nappies® come in three styles:  Pockets, all-in-twos, and wool.  NONE of these have microfiber or suede against your baby’s skin.  Instead, our pocket diapers are lined with 100% cotton and our all-in-two and wool styles only use 100% cotton pads.

Cotton is superior to synthetic fibers because it retains its absorbing powers even after repeated washings and contact with diaper creams. 

Problem 2:  SOLVED.

Here’s where the real magic happens.  Flappy-Nappies® can be changed while your baby STANDS.  Or crawls.  Or one-handed with your baby in your arms.

Flappy-Nappies® are the only cloth diapers that can be effortlessly changed without a changing pad.  Yep, public bathrooms without changing pads are a problem of the past!

Problem 3:  SOLVED.

Flappy-Nappies® were designed with EC and potty-training in mind.  No one wants to have to change more poopy diapers than necessary, and Flappy-Nappies® can dramatically reduce them from as young as birth.

Since Flappy-Nappies® can pop open easily from the front or back like a flap, the potty is more accessible than ever.  Best of all, they can be paired with Chappy-Nappies, which are crotchless pants that you can use instead of the belt for warm legs and easy diaper changes all year long!

Types of Cloth Diapers

Cloth diapers in general can be broken down into three categories:  Two-part diapers, one-part diapers, and wool.

Two-part diapers consist of an outer waterproof cover and a separate inner absorbent diaper.  You may have heard of prefolds, flats, and fitteds; these are all inner absorbent diapers that must be covered with a separate PUL cover.  All of them require a lot of pinning, folding, and layering, which makes them a major pain to use.  Wool diaper covers are a natural alternative to synthetic PUL covers.

One-part diapers go on baby in one piece, similar to a disposable diaper.  Examples include pockets (which need to be stuffed with an absorbent pad) and all-in-ones.

At Flappy-Nappies®, we have an option in all three categories.  Keep in mind, ALL Flappy-Nappies® have a separate waist belt and can pop open easily from the front or back to go potty!  Many Flappy-Nappies® are also adjustable from newborn to toddlerhood; take a look at our product comparison chart or video demonstrations to learn more.

Pockets (one-part diapers)

Flappy-Nappies® pocket diapers are the easiest diapers on the market to use and change.  Unlike other brands, our pockets are lined with a cotton training pad.  This means that they can be used by themselves as training pants (ideal for EC or potty-training).  If you need more absorbency, simply insert a soaker pad into the pocket.

Changing a Flappy-Nappies® pocket diaper is ridiculously easy.  Just pop the used diaper off the belt and replace it with a fresh one.  Your baby can stand or sit on all fours, or you can scoop your kid up with one hand and change the diaper with the other.  As long as the belt isn’t soiled with poop, you can re-use it all day.  Toss the used diaper straight in the hamper—just be sure to remove any extra pads before washing.

All-in-Twos (two-part diapers)

Flappy-Nappies® PUL all-in-twos consist of a waterproof diaper cover and snap-in pads.  The cover can be re-worn between changes as long as it is not soiled with poop—simply swap out the wet pad for a fresh one.

Unlike other types of two-part diapers, Flappy-Nappies® all-in-twos require ZERO folding or pinning.  Since the pad snaps straight into the cover, the whole diaper can pop open quickly for standing diaper changes or potty trips. 

Wool

Flappy-Nappies® wool diaper covers work just like the PUL all-in-two system.  They are belted and have separate snap-in pads.  The only main difference is that the cover itself is made of wool instead of PUL.

Wool is a natural and eco-friendly material.  It is soft and breathable, antimicrobial, ventilating in summer, and insulating in winter.  Although it does require special care, once you get the hang of it, washing your wool is a breeze.  Read more about washing instructions here and benefits of wool here.

What about cloth diapering at night?

We’ve established that Flappy-Nappies® are the ideal choice for daytime diapering, and they might also be your go-to nighttime choice if you’re also offering the potty at night.

Many parents, however, want the most absorbent and leak-proof option for nighttime diapering.  In that case, your best bet is a full-coverage wool diaper like the Disana cover pictured here:

 

Wool is THE choice for nighttime diapering for many reasons.  It outperforms even the most absorbent disposable diaper!  We’ve got an entire article discussing nighttime diapering here.

Building your registry

Be sure to check out our product comparison chart here for a breakdown of the three types of cloth diapers to determine which type will be right for you.  Keep in mind that, while some parents strongly favor only one type of diaper, many parents still prefer to try out multiple styles. 

For reference, as a cloth diapering mom of three, my go-to diapers are as follows:

• Flappy-Nappies® pocket diapers at home and daycare for effortless diaper changes
• For outings, I pack a Flappy-Nappies® PUL all-in-two cover and a couple spare pads (they take up less room in my bag than pockets)
• At night, I use the Disana wool cover over fitted diapers until we introduce the potty—then I switch to the Flappy-Nappies® wool drop-flap cover with snap-in pads

Once you decide which types are right for you, use this cloth diaper registry checklist to build out the perfect registry!

Have suggestions for our checklist that we didn't think of? Let us know in the comments!