5 Things You Need When Cloth Diapering

When my first child was just 6 months ago, I had a few new mommy friends that were using cloth diapers and it got my curious cloth diapering, wondering if it would be a good choice for my family. It was a huge learning curve for me figuring out what I would need when cloth diapering. My searching and reading taught me a lot, and I decided to give cloth diapering a try myself. That was over 7 years ago, and I have learned so much over the years and my own trial-and-error. There’s a ton to learn if you want to start using cloth diapers. This handy guide can help you get the essentials to get started.

I received compensation and Sunflowerbaby diaper samples in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own. 

What You Need When Cloth Diapering

Diapers – First, and most obvious, you’ll need a supply of cloth diapers. You’ll want to start with at least 15 diapers – which will last you about 2 days. There are a lot of different styles and types available, but my personal favorite are one-size pocket diapers. They have an adjustable rise which let you snap down the front of the diapers to make them smaller or larger letting the diapers grow with your child. You can see here how Sunflowerbaby diaper can be sized for small, medium or large needs.

They won’t fit your newborn well or large toddlers if you potty train closer to 3 or older, but they have been a big money saver for my family. We stick to disposables those first early weeks and then make the switch. Below is a picture of my 1 month old wearing a Sunflowerbaby one-size cloth diaper. Using cloth diapers has encouraged my boys to start potty training around the age of 2, meaning the one-size diapers have been a perfect fit for us through nearly our entire diapering days.

Wet Bag – A wet bag is a zippered or tied bag that is used to store the soiled diapers until they are ready to be washed. When you change your baby, you will separate the layers if using a pocket or similar type of diaper and then toss all the soiled part into the wet bag, closing up the bag to keep out any stinking. I used one large hanging wet bag that I stored in my laundry room to hold the majority of my dirty diapers as well as a smaller portable wet bag for in my diaper bag.

Fleece Liners – You can very quickly and easily make a set of fleece liners yourself with a pair of pinking shears (scissors used to make a zigzag edge to prevent fraying and rolling). Just buy a quarter yard of fleece and cut a piece a fleece the same rough dimensions of the inserts your cloth diapers use. You’ll use these liners to lay right next to your baby’s bottom inside the diaper. They can protect your cloth diapers from diaper rash cream, when needed, and help pull moisture away from your baby’s bottom if your diapers don’t already do that. They are really great to have on hand for times when you need them.

Cloth Wipes – You certainly don’t have to use cloth wipes, but I find it is much easier to use all cloth once you start cloth diapering full time. When you use disposable wipes, you have to trash the wipes while everything else goes right into your wet bag. It’s much simpler to just toss cloth wipes right in with your dirty diapers.

Homemade Laundry Detergent – Maybe the hardest part about starting with cloth diapers is trying to figure out your own wash routine. You can use store bought detergent, but making the switch to homemade laundry detergent saved me a ton of money and made me worry much less about my diapers while washing because I know exactly what is going into my wash cycle.

Starting off cloth diapering can be a bit of an investment. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get started on a budget. Sunflowerbaby has one sized pocket diapers that can help you begin using cloth diapers without breaking the bank. Their one-sized design will give you a long range of use with your child. Their diapers come with a super absorbent stay dry insert that goes inside the back pocket of the diaper diaper away from baby’s skin. I really like the design with a pocket for the insert as I feel like everything gets washed much better when the insert can be pulled out for a more thorough cleaning. The diapers are made with a TPU lining with gives them a breathable quality and ensures they will last long term.

I love that this one diaper can be used for both my 1 month old and my just turned 2-year old which simplifies wash time and allows me to carry less in my diaper bag for on-the-go. As you can see below, my 2 year old is only on the second rise, so he still has a lot of room to grow in this diaper should he need it.

Sunflowerbaby cloth diapers are available on their website. You’ll also find wet bags, newborn diapers, wet bags, additional diaper inserts and liners available to round out just about everything you need to start cloth diapering in one online store. Their one-sized cloth diapers retail for $19.95. You can get started cloth diapering for around $300, which can save you a ton over your years cloth diapering which can run up to $2,000 in disposables!