There are few things as satisfying as putting your baby in a fresh, utterly beautiful cloth nappy and witnessing that adorable bubble butt! Whether you're looking to save money or help the environment, cloth nappies are a great alternative to disposables. But looking into them and the options can be overwhelming, feeling like a total minefield.
In this blog, we'll take you through the different types of cloth nappies available (remember, all cloth nappies basically have two parts to them, one part absorbent and one water-resistant).
The most convenient but also most expensive option is the AIO. The absorbent insert will be sewn to the water-resistant outer layer in some form, whether one end or both.
With an AI2, the absorbent inserts will either be able to be popper or simply laid into the water-resistant outer shell, a quicker drying option as the two parts can come apart.
As the name suggests, the outer water-resistant shell includes a pocket for you to pop whichever absorbent inserts that work best for your baby inside. Again, this is a quicker drying option and can be cheaper too.
A fitted nappy is actually just the absorbent part to a two part system as it is a fully absorbent shaped nappy, meaning that they are usually incredibly absorbent and often used as night time nappies. However, because of this, the drying time tends to be much longer. You will also need a separate water-resistant layer over the top to prevent leaks.
Flat nappies come in quite a range, but ultimately are all a flat sheet of material that is then folded in varying ways to create the absorbent part of the nappy. As they can be laid flat again when drying, they can be a much quicker drying option, plus some flats tend to be much cheaper too. Again, you will need a water-resistant layer over the top to avoid leaking.
These create the water-resistant layer over the top of any nappies that need it (i.e. fitted/flat nappies) and can again vary in style. They range from a more standard shape, to looser bloomer styles, to pull up short style covers so there are options to suit every family.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are a fair few options, all offering different pros and cons so it’s important to consider these and what you are looking for out of building your own stash while also remembering how important it is to trial a range of options. What you think you will like best or will work best for your little one isn’t always the case (in fact often not) and it can be so easy to end up spending a fortune on nappies that don’t actually end up working great for you (something I have had to help a fair amount of families rectify). This can also be incredibly discouraging and often has nearly, if not totally, put many families off of continuing with cloth.
If you want to find out much more detail about the different types of nappies, including their all important pros and cons (plus so many other incredible bonus support materials), then the Essential Cloth Nappy Guide will be perfect for you! No need to stress about starting cloth anymore, all the essential information is now all in one simple but brilliant place (basically what I wish I’d have had access to make the start of my journey so much easier)! Just click on the button below!
