Cloth Diapering 101 - Part 1: The Terminology and Lingo...Say What???

Hello.  My name is Victoria, and I admit to being a bit of an environmental freak....I can't help it, I've always been this way.  I hate being wasteful and can't stand when people purposely don't recycle. It drives me INSANE!  The thought of all of that garbage just piling up somewhere....ugh, can't stand it.  So it wasn't surprising to my family and friends that when I found out I was pregnant I wanted to cloth diaper.  It just made sense....no landfills were going to be filled by my kids poop!  And although I had several naysayers who doubted that I would stick with it (ahem, my  DH being one!), I couldn't wait to get started.  Luckily, I had a couple of friends who cloth diapered too so I felt great about having my little fluffy bum support group to turn to when in need and promptly started my cloth diapering journey.

People cloth diaper for several reasons - perhaps their child has sensitive skin or they simply don't want the chemicals from disposables on their baby's rump.  But it seems that folks mainly choose to CD for environmental and/or economic purposes.  Yes, it definitely can be much cheaper if you stick with the basics, and you definitely can save even more money if you reuse your stash on more than one kid.  This was the selling point to my DH, so if your other half is skeptical use this tactic....it SO works! As I said, for me it was the unnecessary garbage that would accrue overtime.  Whatever your reason, go for it....you won't regret it!

First thing's first....you MUST learn the lingo!  As you do your research to find out what type you want to use and what brand you'll like, you will come across a plethora of terms and acronyms that you have never heard of before.  This was SUPER confusing and frustrating to me since I didn't know what half of these things looked like since it was all new to me, so hopefully the short list below will help you out.


Diaper types:

Flats - This is super old school...like biblical times old school.  This is basically one big square piece of fabric that is about the size of a receiving blanket.  This get folded and forms a diaper which must be held by a fastener and requires a cover.

Prefolds - This is a rectangular sewn fabric that has 3 panels of which the middle one is thicker.  A prefold is old school too, but think more 1950's.  It resembles a burp cloth and like a flat, it is held by a fastener and requires a cover.
Covers - These go on the outside of a fabric diaper (flat, prefold, fitted, contour, etc) and are used to keep the yuck in and off you!  They are often made of some sort of fabric - mainly wool, plastic, TPU, or PUL.  Covers are reused several times before washing as they don't become soiled every time generally speaking.

Soakers - A wool cover that often resembles underwear.

Longies - A wool cover that are pants

Pockets - Type of diaper that has a cloth cover (generally PUL) and a liner (generally fleece or suede cloth) sewn together where an opening (generally front or back) exists for an absorbent insert to get stuffed into a "pocket", hence the namesake.

All-in-Ones (AIO) - This is most like a disposable diaper...it is all one piece (liner, cover, and insert are all sewn together) and goes on and off like a disposable.  Definitely the easiest route as it doesn't require thinking of any sort which is nice when you're a middle of the night walking zombie.

All-in-Twos (AI2) - Just as it states, it has two parts - cover and inserts.  Generally the inserts snap onto the cover when used and then can be replaced by a different insert when soiled all the while using the same cover.

Hybrids - Like with anything called a hybrid, it's a cross between two things...in this case, it's a cross between the cloth diapering world and the disposable diapering world.  It's a cloth cover with a disposable insert.  You can also use a cloth insert if you so desire.

Fitted - These are made up of layers of thick fabric and require a cover but do not always require a fastener as some brands use snaps as closures.  These are super absorbent and are often used as nighttime diapers.  They typically have elastic waist and legs.

Contours - These are like fitted diapers, but they are generally thinner, have a more contoured shape, and do not have elasticized waists and legs.

Swim Diapers - Self explanatory...you use them for swimming and keep poop out of the water.

Training Pants - These are for older kids as they transition to the potty training phase.  They resemble underwear.


Other associated terminology:

Hook and Loop/Aplix - Cloth diapering world's fancy version of saying Velcro

Inserts - These are the absorbent components of the diaper and are made up of a variety of fabric choices to include: Charcoal Bamboo Insert (CBI), Bamboo, Hemp, Microfiber (MF), or Flour Sack Towels (FST).

Wet bag - Smaller bags used to store a few dirty diapers (usually when you are out and about) and typically have a zipper closure.  They are also generally made of PUL.

Pail liners - Larger bags used to store several dirty diapers (usually when you're at home since they hold more) and have a drawstring toggle closure.  These can be used to line a garbage pail or hang from a door.

Fasteners - Used to keep the cloth diaper on the baby.  Types include: Snappis, Boingo, and the old school never fail Diaper Pins.

Liners - These can be disposable or fabric (generally fleece or some other soft fabric).  These lay on top of the diaper and act as a protective barrier between the baby's bum and the diaper itself.  There are several reasons to use a liner...to easily remove poop, to prevent staining from changes in diet or medication, or even to prevent a rash cream from getting on to the diaper fabric.

Booster - This is an extra piece of fabric that is used along with the insert for added absorbency.  Sometimes the can be stuffed along with the insert if using a pocket diaper or they can be placed on top if using an AIO, AI2, fitted, etc.

Polyurethane laminate (PUL) - Fabric often used for diapering as one side is cloth and the reverse is laminated to create a waterproof diaper.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) - Fabric that is similar to PUL, but instead of chemically laminating it, it uses a heating process to laminate the fabric.

Diaper Service Quality (DSQ) - High quality prefolds and flats

Sized - Refers to diapers that fit a specific size baby by weight therefore providing a trim, precise fit.  If you go this route, you will need to purchase a different set of diapers as your child grows. 

One Size - Refers to diapers that can grow with your baby and uses either an elastic adjustment system or a series of snaps that change the rise size to create a fit that is appropriate for your child.


Hopefully you find this helpful as you begin to research the cloth diapering world.  Comment below if I've forgotten one!  Look forward to other posts to include further information about cloth diapering basics and reviews!