There are two main thoughts to cloth diapering. The first is to do it the easy way, spend some extra money and get all-in-ones that function just like disposables with the exception that you reuse them. (This is probably the easiest method for diaper-challenged dads.) The second method is to go for diapers and covers. When done properly, this method can truly be very inexpensive. It’s a bit more time consuming, but if you have the time, you might enjoy it. Here we will discuss how to do the second method.

First things first, with any method, do your research! There are a plethora of websites on cloth diapering with the do’s and the don’t’s as well as sites to order from. When choosing cloth, you must decide if you want prefolds or flats. Flats are more economical for several reasons. Flats wash and dry faster and will be useful for the whole duration of your diapering from newborn to toddler. Prefolds take a bit longer to dry, but require much less origami type folding to make them fit. Whichever you choose, you can look up various folding methods online to see how to use them.

Now lets discuss the covers. These are a must for cloth diapers unless you want to let your child run around without clothes (a very viable option in the summer!). Here again, it pays to do your research. There is such a variety of covers made from many different fabrics, from fleece to wool to PUL and beyond. Then add into the equation the different closure options, pull-up plastic or vinyl, velcro wraps, snap wraps, it truly can be a mind-boggling decision. But if you do you research, you will surely find what works for you.

On quantity. Many people will say how many diapers do I need. This all depends on how often you intend to wash. Newborns will go through anywhere from 8 to 12 diapers a day, whereas older babies and toddlers will use fewer. So plan to start with approximately a dozen a day, if you are starting with a newborn, then multiply that by how many days you want to go between washing. You must also take into consideration that the child must where diapers while you are washing, so be sure to include a few extra in your supply. For the covers, your quantity will be a great deal smaller. These only need washed when they get dirty. You should probably keep about 4 to 6 covers on hand.

If you want to save even more money on cloth diapering, you can make your own! There are multiple free websites which can tell you how to make whatever type of diapers you want to use. There are sites on all-in-ones, pocket diapers, as well as prefolds or flats with covers. You can purchase materials, or reuse items you have on hand, like cotton baby blankets, old fleece sweatshirts, flannel sheets, and even t-shirts.

Once your baby is out of diapers, you can recoup some of your expense by reselling your diapers on ebay or other resale sites. So in the end, you can wind up paying almost nothing for the use of cloth diapers.

So now that you know that cloth diapering does not have to be too difficult or too expensive, maybe you would like to give it a try!