Cloth Diapering 101: What do I need to start cloth diapering?

Everyone has to start cloth diapering somewhere. With all the information available online at your fingertips, it can be very overwhelming. The great thing about cloth diapering is that it only takes a little bit to get started. A question we are frequently asked is

"What do I need to begin cloth diapering?"

If you want to start cloth diapering an infant we recommend:

• 24 cloth diapers in the style of your choice. If you are choosing a two-piece system such as Flip or Econobum, we recommend 24 inserts and 6 covers. This number is based on changing an infant 8-10 times a day and washing your diapers every other day. We recommend washing every other day to prevent mold and other issues.
• A diaper pail or wet bag to store dirty diapers until laundry day. For a diaper pail, we recommend a vented pail. The air flow also helps to prevent mold. Wet bags come in a variety of sizes, fabrics and styles to suit the needs of any family. If you are not using a diaper pail, you will want a wet bag large enough to hold 2 days worth of dirty laundry. You may also consider a wet bag that is a smaller size to hold a few dirty diapers for your daycare provider or those times you are out and about with your little one.
• A cloth diaper safe laundry detergent- Safe detergents are those without enzymes, brighteners, dyes, scents or fabric softeners. More information on why to avoid these ingredients can be found in our detergent blog post. Make things even easier on yourself by checking out the natural laundry section on CottonBabies.com where we sell only cloth diaper safe detergents and offer free economy shipping.

If you are beginning to cloth diaper an older child, you may not need a full 24 cloth diapers. Many people even begin their cloth diapering journey with just a few cloth diapers for each day. Our Change 3 Things campaign encourages any parent to change just 3 cloth diapers a day. We chose 3 cloth diapers because we feel it's a manageable goal for any parent, whether all of baby's caregivers will change cloth diapers or not.

For a gradual start like this, we recommend checking out our Change 3 Things packs. Don't forget to add a wet bag and detergent to your Cotton Babies order as well. These 3 things are all you really need to begin your cloth diapering journey.

As you grow confident in cloth diapers, you may find you want to branch out to try new styles of cloth diapers, use cloth baby wipes, or try new accessories. As always, we are glad to answer any questions you may have if you give us a call at 1-888-332-2243 or live chat with us at www.cottonbabies.com