• Cloth Diapers (Consult chart for the number you want to have on hand)
  • 1 or 2 Pail Liners
  • 1 or 2 Wetbags
  • 24 Cloth Wipes
  • Flushable Liners/Diaper Sprayer (after solids are introduced)
  • Cloth Diaper Safe Detergent

Our diaper chart below details recommendations on how many cloth diapers to purchase based on the age of your little one and your intended washing frequency.

We recommend that you wash your diapers every 2-3 days. Washing every two days works out to approximately 3 loads of laundry per week (e.g., Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday), and washing every three days works out to approximately two loads of laundry per week (e.g., Wednesday, Saturday). We do not recommend leaving your cloth diapers any longer than 3 days maximum before washing.

The more frequently you wash, the less diapers you will need. However, keep in mind that these diapers will be used more in rotation, which means they will experience more wear and tear than if you have a larger stash.

If you are purchasing one-size diapers, most people will purchase 20-24 cloth diapers.

Baby’s Age

Laundry Freq

Qty. Diapers

Newborn (10-12 changes per day)

Every 2 Days
Every 3 Days

20-24
30-36

Infant (8-10 changes per day)

Every 2 Days
Every 3 Days

16-20
24-30

Toddler (6-8 changes per day)

Every 2 Days
Every 3 Days

12-16
18-24

 

I’m not certain I want to cloth diaper full-time. How many diapers should I purchase?

Choosing cloth diapering doesn’t have to be all or nothing. For your lifestyle, it may work best to use a mix (e.g., cloth at home, disposables when running errands or on vacation); you may prefer cloth 100% of the time (wet bags are amazing); or you may simply feel cloth isn’t a good fit for you.

If you would like to try cloth diapering, but aren’t ready to commit fully, we recommend purchasing around 5-8 diapers to start. Two fitted diapers with one cover, one or two pocket diapers and one or two all-in-one diapers is a good mix to try.

Won’t I need to change my baby more often if I cloth diaper?

Your baby should be changed regularly; in newborns this is often every 2 hours or even less. Sometimes when we use disposables, we leave them on babies for much longer than that simply because we can given the super absorbent polymers they contain. We should always change our babies whenever they have wet the diaper.

If I can re-use covers, I won’t need to buy the full quantity of covers. How many should I have?

We typically recommend a minimum of 8-10 cloth diaper covers if you are using fitted cloth diapers or prefolds full-time.

When is it too late to start cloth diapering?

Cloth is always an option! Cloth diapers typically pay for themselves within 6 months, 9 months maximum. Most babies in cloth begin to toilet train around 2 – 2.5 years. If your baby is a year old already, it is still financially (not to mention environmentally!) beneficial to make the switch.

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