Our cloth diapering system

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Tara recently left me a comment asking about the diapers we use:

I have not tried cloth diapers before, but I am wanting to. With the RRP pattern, do you also need to make the cover to go over the diaper? Also, could you explain in more detail about “stuffing” the diaper? I’ve read all your blog posts on cloth diapering – thanks for all the tips.

I answered her in an email, but then I thought that others might be interested in the information as well.

Depending on how you make the Rita’s Rump Pocket diapers, you will need a cover. Mine have fleece on the outside, so they’re not waterPROOF but they are water resistant. They’ll leak if they get too saturated. You could make them with just cotton flannel, and they’d work wonderfully, but you would need a cover.

We use microfiber cloths from Walmart to stuff them. We fold one side down about a third of the way, and then fold it in thirds in the other direction.

Almost folded:

Ready to use:

Then we place a thicker soaker on top of it.

The soaker is a washcloth, also folded in thirds, covered in flannel. Here’s one that isn’t sewn together yet. It might not need the flannel on the outside, but that helps keep it together and makes stuffing diapers easier.

Then we put the two inside the diaper, with the cotton closest to baby’s skin. For our son, the thicker end of the microfiber cloth goes in the front. For our daughter, the extra layers go in the back.

I just realized that I have this picture backwards though – the extra layers are in the front like I’d stuff for my son, only it’s a pink diaper. Oops.

This is what works for US. Other people may have a system that they prefer. I like this because it’s pretty versatile, it’s relatively effortless, and was VERY cheap to make. I would like to find something trimmer to stuff the diapers with, but for now this works just fine. I’d love to try bamboo and hemp, but haven’t been able to try either one yet. I’ve also considered making some PUL covers to go with the diapers, to make them less prone to leaks. I haven’t gotten that far yet either, lol.

Hope this helps explain things a little better!