Skip to main content

The dirty truth about cloth diapers

This is how many cloth diapers you really need

Using cloth diapers can sound daunting and leave you asking a lot of questions. How many cloth diapers do you need? How often do you change cloth diapers? How do you clean cloth diapers? How much do cloth diapers cost? Getting started can seem so tough that you might just go disposable for convenience. Discovering the answers to these questions may reveal that cloth is the better choice for you.

There is a lot to learn when preparing for a new baby and deciding between cloth and disposable diapers is one big decision worth researching. Thankfully, we’ve put all of the answers to your questions in one place. Once you get started with cloth diapers, you don’t have to keep buying new diapers over and over again. Let’s dive into the honest answers to all of your cloth diaper questions.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

How many cloth diapers do I need?

You’ll see a range of advice out there, and it depends on how often you’re willing and able to do laundry as well as the age of your child. You’ll need different amounts depending on whether you’re starting with a newborn or throwing in the towel on disposable with your 6-month-old. For a newborn, assuming you can do laundry every 2-3 days, you’ll need anywhere between 20 and 36 cloth diapers for full-time cloth diapering. You’ll probably want to err on the side of 36 to have plenty to be safe. They’re not something you want to run out of!

Recommended Videos

Does that sound like a lot? It is! But newborn babies go through 10-12 diapers per day, whether disposable or cloth, so you’d be buying and throwing away just as many disposable diapers. With a stash of 36, you have enough for 3 days with some wiggle room for extra blowouts. (You can always have one box of disposables on hand for emergencies.)

With cloth, diapers means both inserts and covers. In the picture above, you can see the rectangle inserts. The item in the middle is the cover. Typically, the inserts go into the diaper cover. You may choose to place 1-2 inserts into the cover.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

How often do you change cloth diapers?

You change cloth diapers as often as you change disposable diapers–whenever the baby goes pee or poop in the diaper. You’ll want to keep the baby dry so they don’t get diaper rash or cry from discomfort. Because disposable diapers are more absorbent and can wick away moisture, you may be able to get away with not changing them for a few pees. But you do need to change a baby in a cloth diaper after every pee.

You’ll need a place to keep the soiled liners (just like you would have a diaper pail for dirty disposable diapers). For cleanup, you’ll just put the poop in the toilet and keep the dirty liners in the hamper. Put a load of the dirty ones through the laundry on the hot or the sanitize setting every other day. If you wait longer, not only will smell be an issue, but so could staining.

A mom making a cloth diaper change on a baby
Goncharov_Artem / Shutterstock

What do I need to know about cloth diapers before getting started?

Cloth diapering expert Ashley Wilson told The Bump that the total cost of cloth diapering a baby is around $800, whereas disposable diapering can be $2,000 to $3,000. While your cost upfront might be $800 instead of $50, in the long run, you’ll save money. You can also resell your cloth diapers when you are finished with them.

Besides budget, the main reason to get started is the environmental impact. While the 40 or so total items you’ll use on your baby will eventually end up in a landfill after they potty train, that’s nothing compared to the approximately 7,000 separate disposable diapers you’d likely throw away if you went that route. That’s also a lot of trash to take out, diaper pail liners to buy, and the dirty diapers waiting to be taken to the dumpster stink just as much as the dirty liners waiting to be washed.

No matter what you choose, the most important thing is that it works for you and your baby. If your baby is crying all the time in one type or the other, saving some money might not seem as big a perk as it once did.

Sarah Prager
Sarah is a writer and mom who lives in Massachusetts. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, National…
Is the cry it out method right for your baby?
Find out the CIO method is right for your family
Baby sleeping in their crib with a stuffed bear

As parents of an infant, getting the whole house to sleep is one of the most important milestones of the day. An established bedtime routine and a sleep training method are key to getting your baby down for the night. No matter if you need to sleep train your first or third baby, you want to know about all the options before you start. One you may have heard about is the cry it out method. See if this sleep training method is right for your family and your baby before you commit.
What is the cry it out method?

Also known as the Extinction method, the cry it out method is when you let your child self-soothe themselves at night to fall asleep through a mix of letting them cry and predetermined external comfort. When you hear about the cry it out (CIO) method, your mind goes to the baby being alone to cry all night in a dark room, left there until morning when the parents can check on them. While it is a controversial sleep method, in reality, it is a little more complex than that.
Cry it out method

Read more
Myths about breastfeeding — debunked
The truth about these common misnomers
Woman breastfeeding older infant outside

Mothers and expectant mothers hear a lot of information when it comes to breastfeeding. Sometimes that information can be overwhelming and confusing and it can be hard to decipher fact from fiction.
In an updated policy statement in 2022, the APP cited that breastfeeding could reduce the risk for diseases and conditions like obesity for the baby, lower breast cancer rates in lactating parents, and promote a bond between the caregiver and baby. Despite the benefits and centuries of parents who have breastfed, there are many myths around the topic.
Misinformation about breastfeeding can cause parents to stop before they would like. A 2021 study suggested that interruption of exclusive breastfeeding and increased stress levels put mothers more at risk for postpartum depression. Separating breastfeeding facts from fiction is essential in helping parents meet their goals. Let’s debunk some common ones.

Breastfeeding is easy

Read more
Try these great tips when baby hates tummy time
With these tips, your little one will love tummy time in no time
Baby playing on tummy and reaching for a toy

It's not uncommon for babies to dislike tummy time, especially for those just being introduced to this new position. It can be a bit stressful for parents when their baby starts to cry or squeal the minute they're placed on their stomach, but it doesn't have to be. There are many ways to get a baby to like tummy time; it's just a matter of finding the right strategy for your unique child.

Tummy time is when you place the baby on their belly so they can work their core and neck muscles to get them ready for new activities like rolling over, sitting up, and crawling. Studies have shown that when tummy time isn't as encouraged, babies are likelier not to crawl. They've also shown that babies who spend more time on their tummies crawl sooner. The WHO recommends tummy time which has also been shown to improve gross motor skills and overall development and prevent flat head syndrome.

Read more