CD’s – Cloth diapers, of course.

Sposies – Disposable diapers.

Snappi® – Cool little stretchy thing used to secure diapers instead of pins

All in One (AIO) – Diaper, easiest to use. Just put on and take off, that’s it

All in Two (AI2) – Diaper with a removable insert that can be swapped out with a clean one after it gets dirty.

Pocket Diaper, has a “pocket” that the absorbent layers (inserts) go in. Dries fast. We have a pretty cool version of these suckers in our store. They are arguably the best Pocket diaper available. Actually, no they are the best Pocket diaper available.

Fitted Diaper, snug fitting like a tailored suit. Needs a cover. Again, we carry one of these bad boys. Beware: this diaper is only truly appreciated by the experts – which if u are reading this u might not be…yet. But, if you are daring give it a try and before u know it u will be a cloth diaper guru!

PreFold – Flat diapers that require some folding, but not too much. Fairly simple, you can do it!

Flats – The original cloth diapers from back in the day. Must be folded and covered, but not necessarily with plastic pants.

Insert – The absorbent piece that goes inside pockets, ai2’s, etc. These guys come in all sorts of variations and shapes (like our JoeyBunz)– but the concept is the same.

Doubler – A smaller insert that is added for a little more absorbency when an extra boost is needed. Yes, we make these too.

Cover – The waterproof layer on the outside of the diaper that keeps wetness in the diaper from getting on things like the floor, the couch, and you.

Liner – A thin piece of fabric that can either be reused or flushed down the toilet (disposable ones only). Usually used as a “stay dry” liner for babies with sensitive skin, or to make clean up easier.

Stay Dry Liner – A liner that keeps wetness from touching baby’s skin, works wonders for sensitive skin

Hook and Loop – Velcro®, you know the sticky stuff that was all the rage in the 80’s. It’s also called by other brand names such as Aplix® and Touchtape®.

Wetbag – Waterproof storage bag for dirty diapers. They come in all shapes and sizes and can be used when you’re out and about or even at home. No one needs to know what’s inside.

Pail – Where dirty diapers are stored until wash day. Many look just like tall kitchen cans and very well may be. These stay at home

Heavy Wetter – Exactly what it sounds like. If your child soaks through diapers in 15 minutes or lets out such a rush of ‘fluid’ all at once that it’s trickling down their leg, than you probably have a “heavy wetter” or “super soaker” and need more absorbency. As in, add a doubler or another insert.

Longies/Shorties/Soakers – Wool or fleece covers that look like pants, shorts, or underwear

Dunk & Swish – Yes, this means in the toilet. There will be diapers containing mushy messes occasionally, and one way to clean them off is the “dunk and swish” method. You don’t have to touch the mess or the toilet water… promise.

Blowout – When you pick up your little one and there is poop running down their legs and/or all over their back you have an official “blowout” on your hands. Perhaps quite literally. This happens all the time with disposables. But, put a smile on your face because it hardly ever happens with cloth, if at all. (Definitely a bonus!)

Plop – Dumping the solids into the toilet, and sometimes involves “shaking”. (See below)

Shake – Using a back and forth motion to separate poop from a diaper. We recommend doing this over the toilet… for obvious reasons.

Prep – Pre-washing to make sure the diapers do their job… absorb.

Strip – Washing multiple times to remove buildup from soap, diaper cream, or anything else that can cling to the diapers and make them repel (rather than absorb)

This should be enough to get you started. And, you should be thankful we didn’t bombard you with all the exciting info that comes with cloth diapering, such as the affect of breast milk and formula on your baby’s poo and why you want to know the difference. That’s really too much for beginners and we must leave something to your imagination. But, if you feel like you’re ready to take the plunge into full fledged Cloth Diaper College, feel free to check out the other pages on this site. Or, watch one of our free Cloth Diaper 101 webinars. We broadcast them monthly and you can watch from pretty much anywhere. It’s easy and anonymous (CDA- Cloth Diapers Anonymous). We promise, we won’t tell anyone if you decide to tune in.

And, remember: There is no risk in trying cloth diapers – especially ours (wink wink)– they’re awesome, easy to use and an excellent deal. If you can’t handle CD’s you can always go back to sposies. But, we have no doubt you’re capable of handling this stuff. You’re a dad, you can do anything!