These cloth diapers are the most basic type of cloth diapers you can find. Your parents or grandparents might actually recognize these.

You can actually buy these in a prefolded version or a flat insert. The only difference is that the prefolds have stitched lines so that they are much easier to fold to fit inside the diaper cover.

Once you have decided on prefold vs flat (I recommend prefold), you have to decide what you will use to secure the diaper on you baby.

Securing Options:

Pins

Covers

Snappy

The most old-fashioned version included flat inserts and pins. I do not recommend this though. This cloth diapering basics method is probably not going to keep much in the diaper. Using covers with your insert is much simpler that the pins or Snappy in my opinion.

This version of the cloth diapers is typically the cheapest and easiest to wash.The drawback is that these are typically the bulkiest and can look really strange on a tiny baby.

However, if you are trying to decide whether to start cloth diapering, this is where you should start. I started with an Econobum starter kit to see if I liked going cloth. The kit came with 3 one-size covers, 12 inserts and a small wet bag for less that $50. This is enough to cover you for 1 to 2 days before you need to wash them. You don’t have to change the cover every time you change the insert. This is because the covers can easily be wiped out if a little gets on them.