Learn the Cloth Diaper Lingo from A to Z

As a new-to-cloth-diapering mom, you may be wondering what the heck is an AIO or pocket diaper?!? You may not know your micro-terry insert from a burp cloth. So let’s discuss some of the common terms you’ll hear spoken in the cloth diapering communities.

AI2: AI2 stands for All-in-Twos. The diaper has an absorbent layer (like an insert) that attaches to the inside of the diaper with snaps. You can remove the layer for washing and then snap it back on. The closures are also adjustable.

AIO: AIO stands for All-in-Ones. All-in-Ones don’t have a pocket opening, rather, the entire diaper is one piece – the outer shell is connected to the absorbent middle and then connected to an inner liner. The closures are adjustable and these diapers require no “stuffing” – everything is one piece making it super easy to use, albeit this style diaper does take longer to dry.

AP: AP stands for Attachment Parenting, a common term in the CD community.

Aplix: Aplix is similar to a Velcro closure, but it is often said to be softer and more durable. Some people refer to it as Hook & Loop closure too.

BF: BF is an abbreviation for breastfeeding.

CD: CD stands for Cloth Diapers. Many moms refer to themselves as CDing moms.

Contoured: These diapers are similar to pre-folds and flats, except they are contoured to fit baby (usually with an elastic leg casing).  Most contoured diapers require a cover.

Diaper Cover: A diaper cover is usually made of some sort of plastic, vinyl or waterproof polyester material and is needed with pre-fold and flat diapers to keep wetness contained.

Diaper Sprayer: A diaper sprayer easily attaches to most toilets and allows you to “spray” and rinse your dirty diapers over your toilet. A diaper sprayer is similar to the pull out spout you might have on your kitchen sink. Since you don’t want blobs of poop in your washing machine, you should consider getting a diaper sprayer so you can rinse off the poop over the toilet before washing.

Doubler: A doubler is another liner that can be added to the diaper and that can “double” the absorbency of the diaper. You can place it in any style diaper to add more absorbency.

Fitted: A fitted diaper is usually a cotton diaper that fits baby snugly and is tailored or contoured to baby’s bottom. No folding or special closures (like a safety pin) is required, however, a diaper cover is needed to contain wetness.

Flat: Similar to pre-folds, flats are flat pieces of cloth but they don’t have the thicker middle layer.  A diaper cover is needed to contain wetness.

Fleece: Fleece is a common fabric used inside cloth diapers. Fleece is said to allow wetness to pass through it, making it a great barrier between baby’s bottom and the diaper.

Hook & Loop: Hook and loop is the generic way of saying Velcro™. Velcro™ is a brand name and hook and loop is a generic Velcro™-like closure.

Hybrid: Hybrid diapers, popularized by gDiapers, are part cloth, part disposable. Usually the inner lining can be thrown away and the outer shell is washed between uses.  Many hybrid diapers can also be converted into a full time cloth diaper by adding a reusable insert.

Insert: An insert is a rectangular-shaped cloth that is inserted into the pocket opening of a pocket-style cloth diaper. An insert can be made of a variety of materials, including micro-terry cotton (most popular), hemp, bamboo and minky (soft, cotton-like material) fabrics.

One-Size: One-size is a very common term in cloth diapering. It means the diaper can be adjusted to fit a variety of babies’ shapes and sizes from 7lbs to 30lbs and more – i.e., a one-size-fits-all diaper! Each one-size diaper adjusts a bit differently, some with snaps on top like bumGenius, others with adjustable elastic buttons hidden inside like FuzziBunz.

Pail Liner or Diaper Pail: Every cloth diaper nursery is made more complete with a reusable diaper pail or diaper pail liner to store soiled diapers between washings/uses. Instead of using plastic trash bags to store dirty diapers, parents use these reusable bags instead. The reusable bags get washed alongside the dirty diapers, making the process easier for parents. Some diaper pails have zippered bottoms to allow easy release of dirty (and stinky!) diapers into the washing machine without having to touch the diapers at all.

Pocket: The pocket diaper craze was started by FuzziBunz in 2000 when the company introduced the first modern cloth diaper of this kind. Pocket-style diapers have a pocket opening between the outer shell layer and the inner layer that touches baby’s skin. Inside the pocket opening you can stuff absorbent materials, like a wash cloth or “insert” (see definition of insert). According to the DiaperShops 2011 Annual Cloth Diaper User Pulse survey, pocket diapers are the #1 choice style for CDing moms!

Pre-fold: Pre-fold diapers are rectangular pieces of cloth that have a thicker middle layer. They are called pre-folds because the extra padding in the middle is already “folded” or connected to the diaper. Pre-folds are quite cheap and require a plastic pant or diaper cover to keep wetness contained. Pre-folds also require some sort of pin or fastening system (such as a Snappi).

PUL: PUL stands for polyurethane laminate – it’s a material used to make outer shells of many popular brands of diapers and diaper covers.

Reusable Wipes: Reusable wipes are usually made of small cuts of micro-terry cloth. Moms wet the wipes, wipe baby and then wash the wipes along with their diaper loads.

SAHM/SAHD: SAHM stands for Stay At Home Mom; SAHD stands for Stay At Home Dad.

Sized or Perfect-Size: Perfect sized diapers come in sizes (vs. one-sizes, which are adjustable). Sizes typically include XS, S, M, L and XL.

Snappi: Snappis are a brand name diaper fastener that can easily fasten a pre-fold or flat diaper without the use of pins.

Soaker: The term soaker is used to describe the middle, absorbent layer of a diaper. This layer is often made of a different material than the rest of the diaper.

Stripping: No, stripping isn’t what you might think at first!! In cloth diapering, stripping is a way to remove built-up residue from cloth diapers. Individuals who strip their diapers should check with their manufacturer for details on how to properly “strip” their diapers.

WAHM/WAHD: WAHM stands for Work At Home Mom; WAHD stands for Work At Home Dad.

Wet Tote: A wet tote is a small reusable bag that usually has a zippered top. You can put a soiled cloth diaper in the tote and carry it around with you in your diaper bag or car until you get home and can put it into your laundry hamper.  Wet totes are great for day trips or day care settings.

Wicking: Wicking is a common term to describe diapers that aren’t functioning properly. If the diaper doesn’t absorb properly, the urine will not get absorbed and will roll off the diaper and out the baby’s leg openings. The cloth diapering community calls this process “wicking.”