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Cloth Diapering according to Jo.

Getting started and types of diapers for beginners.

Feel free to message me on FB, or you can email me at onesmiledesigns@yahoo.com should you need additional info.

DISCLAIMER: I have been called a lot of things on facebook, but I assure you, in person I am none of those things. I am here to help, I was a beginner at one point too. Secondly, this is how “I” do things, things I have learned from trial and error, things I've read, things I've done, messed up and fixed. Remember, everyone's cloth diapering experience is different. You will see “this has always worked for me” or “I never had any issues” while that's wonderful, “That” may not work for YOU. YOU have to find what works for YOU. I may be wasting my time here, because there may not be one thing that works for you in this document, but it may help you break it down, or think of things you haven't thought of yet.

There are many things to consider BEFORE you start down the road of cloth diapering. Thinking about things BEFORE you start will help you in the long run.

~How many babies will you diaper?
~What kind of water do you have? Hard/Soft/in between? This is HUGE, find out before. Call your local water authority, get a testing kit from the hardware store, or pet store for fish tanks. It will help you BEFORE you even get started. “MOST” people have HARD water or a variation of hard water. Do you have a water softener in your house? This is also very important to know.
~What kind of washing machine do you have? Also very important. This changes how you and others do their diaper laundry.
What kind of diapers would you like to use? This is the age old question, of course just starting out, you have no idea right? RESEARCH!!! I cannot stress this enough. Popping on any message board and saying “I'm new, what kind of diapers do I start with?” Is not going to help you, it's just going to overwhelm you more.
What kind of detergent will you use? This is a topic that will never go away in the Cding world. I use cloth diaper safe detergent, others use Tide or whatever is cheap at their local store. RESEARCH!!!!!

There are several different types of diapers. And ways to close it.
Closures on diapers:

Aplix, Sticky tape, velcro: All the same, each company uses a different term to confuse you. Snaps Pins Snappi/Boingos: plastic contraptions with teeth to grab the material to close the diaper.

****Diapers that require covers (covers are what go over the diaper to make them waterproof, or resistant) are prefolds, flats, fitteds. Covers are made from PUL, TPU, fleece or wool.

Types of Diapers:


**AIO- All in ones. Means just that, all- in-one. Cover and insert are connected and do not come apart
**AI2- All in two. Meaning there is an insert that goes directly against baby's skin, and has a cover made for that system. Once the diaper is soiled, most times the insert can be changed and the cover can be reused.
**Pocket Diapers: A diaper with a waterproof lining, that has a pocket that you stuff with inserts.
** Hybrid Diapers: a system with a waterproof cover, but has a disposible insert that you purchase
**Prefolds: the “real” cloth diaper. These are what our grandparents used. They are several layers of absorbant material, sewn together in such a way that you can trifold them. Requires a cover of some sort
**Fitteds: These are sized diapers, that fit your child, the entire diaper is MEANT to absorb liquid. Requires a cover.
**Flats: A LARGE piece of square fabric, made out of thin material, when folded (Look on youtube for vids on how to fold a flat) becomes very absorbabnt. Also requires a cover.
** Some wacky name that a company or work-at-home Mom came up with. Just read what they are, most likely they will fit into a category above.

**Inserts, doublers, boosters OH MY!-
Inserts: they are INSERTED into a pocket, layed into a shell (cover) etc. made out of several types of materials. Most common is Microfiber, NEVER NEVER NEVER put Microfiber next to baby's skin, it's very drying, and will cause rashes and burns. Prefolds and flats can also be used as inserts. Inserts can also be made of Zorb, Bamboo, hemp, cotton, and several others or combos of these.

**Boosters: boost absorbancy. Usually thin, long, and made of natural fabrics so you can allow it to touch baby's skin. ** Doublers: inserts that are thin, made of several types of fabric and used to DOUBLE absorbancy.

That about covers the basics of WHAT KIND OF DIAPER TO USE. You have to do what works for you.

Of course there will be people that say what I have written is WRONG, or NOT complete. Trust me when I tell you that I am no pro, I have just done my research and used my head, trial and error, and just went with it. You will figure it out. I will ONLY discuss things that I KNOW, that I've researched etc. If the topic is something I don't know about, then I won't discuss it or I will research it until I do.