Please know that I am not endorsing any one brand of diaper over another; I used what I had on hand to model the different types of diapers for you. There are many many brands of diapers available other than the ones shown here. These photos are just to give you a general idea of what the different types of diapers look like. I have added a brief paragraph covering some of the advantages/disadvantages of each type of diaper- these are very general and may vary with different brands. Please email me if you'd like to see more info covered here or have any suggestions! Thanks!
Above is a flat diaper. It is made of one layer of
fabric, and can be folded in many different ways to
create thickness for absorbency where needed. Use with
a cover. Advantages: good for custom folding, wash
well, and dry very quickly. Disadvantages: not as
absorbent as some other cloth diapers, and it may be
hard to find good quality flat diapers (I don't know-
these were handed down to me).
Above is a 4x8x4 (4 layers of fabric on each side, and
8 layers of fabric down the center) prefold diaper.
It's called a "prefold" because the layers of thickness
are already prefolded for you. (You still need to fold
it onto the baby!). Use with a cover. Advantages: not
as much folding involved as with the flat diaper, but
you can still custom fold the diaper to fit your
particular baby. Washes well and dries fairly quickly.
Disadvantages: The many different types of prefolds
out there differ in quality and absorbency. It can be
hard to tell the difference at first. In general, if
you want an absorbent prefold, find a Diaper Service
Quality (DSQ)prefold with 4x8x4 layers. 4x6x4's aren't
quite as absorbent, but also aren't as bulky. (They
work fine on my 8 month old who isn't a heavy wetter.)
The best quality prefolds are usually found through mail
or internet order. The diapers usually found in department stores,
while they have their place, are generally not as
absorbent and have a reputation for leaking. Try to
get samples of each and see what works best for you.
Above is a fitted diaper. It does not need folding like
the flat or prefold diapers. Use with a cover.
Advantages: fitted diapers generally have elastic
around the legs, helping to keep leaks in the diaper
and away from the cover. Easy to use and require no
folding. Disadvantages: not always as easy to custom
fit as a flat or prefold diaper. Many brands of fitted
diapers take a long time to dry. Not every cover will
fit over every fitted diaper. You may need to do some
research to find the perfect covers for your fitted
diapers. Fitted diapers can also be expensive.
