Toni The Chic Momma: Real Diaper Week Blog Hop: Real Simple Real Diapers Outreach

I'm joining The Eco Chic for The Real Diaper Week Blog Hop! The Real Diaper Week Blog Hop is the kick-off for the 2nd Annual Great Cloth Diaper Change which takes place world-wide on April 21st! Feel free to join the discussion and link-up! Join the fun and celebration of Real Diaper Week! The link-up is at the bottom of the post!

Today's post is about Cloth Diapering 101. If you're thinking about cloth diapering, the whole process of getting started on your fluffy adventure can be quite daunting. The first fluffy decision you need to make is which type of diaper to use on your little one. There are so many choices out there and for me, the decision was easy. I began cloth diapering my little one with pocket diapers. With a pocket-style cloth diaper, you stuff an insert (usually microfiber) into the pocket opening of the diaper between a piece of fabric and the water-proof shell/cover. The shell/cover is lined with PUL (polyurethane laminate) which is a material that forms the water-proof barrier on the diaper cover/shell. As you ease into the world of cloth diapering, you'll gain confidence to explore other cloth diapering options... fitteds, flats, and pre-folds, oh my!

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Pocket diapers are pretty user-friendly and are available in snap closures and hook-and-loop closures. For a cloth diaper newbie, I would suggest using the hook-and-loop closure as it most closely resembles the velcro closure for disposables. Since I had been using disposables on my little one, I felt more comfortable with the hook-and-loop closure and it made the transition from disposables to cloth a much easier, smoother transition. After cloth diapering my little one for about 8 months, I now actually prefer the snap closure. However, my husband prefers the hook-and-loop closure. As you become more comfortable with cloth diapering, you will master the snaps. All of those snaps on a cloth diaper can look rather confusing, but after a little practice, I figured them out!

I have two favorite pocket-style cloth diaper brands. See, after meeting Jennifer Labit cloth diaper entrepreneur extraordinaire, I was blessed with the opportunity to try some fabulous bumGenius 4.0 pocket diapers. The bumGenius diapers quickly became a favorite of mine due to their user-friendly function and style. Then, after creating a local cloth diapering group on Facebook, I met a local mom who owns Green Bees Diaper Co. I purchased some Green Bees Diapers from her and have really liked them as well. They're only available in snap closures, but I love supporting a local mom/business and Green Bees Diapers are truly cloth diapers for any budget.

Join me tomorrow for another Real Diaper Week Blog Post about the environmental benefits of cloth diapering!

Happy Blogging!

Toni The Chic Momma