Usually, when I first tell people that I am a cloth diapering mom, they instantly picture a flat and diaper pins. And although there are numerous different types of cloth diapers out there, for my family the old fashioned flats are the best. 

(THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN OR USE MYSELF. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY HERE)

What is a Flat Cloth Diaper?

A flat cloth diaper is a huge chunk of fabric that is a single layer. They come in several different fabrics and are extremely versatile. The only downside that I have found with flats is that they have to be folded into a diaper for your baby.

And that is one big reason that many cloth diapering parents choose other types of cloth diapers for their baby.

But after using every type of cloth diaper on the market on my two children, I have consistently found flats to be my favorite. Somehow I always come back to the “old-fashioned” diaper that my grandma used. It’s like the old saying. If it’s not broke don’t fix it. And that is completely true for us as far as diapers go.

Many people have asked me, “But why? What’s so special about a giant chunk of fabric that you have to fold to fit your baby? Isn’t that a lot more work?”

And that’s why I want to tell you all of the benefits I have found after using flat cloth diapers on two different babies and why I am still in love with them.

So here are my top 6 reasons for choosing flat cloth diapers for my baby and why you should too.

1. Affordability

Yes! You are already saving a ton of money by choosing to cloth diaper your baby. But wouldn’t you like to save even more?

It’s true you can buy an all in one or a pocket diaper for only $10 but flats start at only $2 apiece online. Some are even cheaper. Or you can find used ones for pennies.

Not sure you want to fork over the money yet? No problem! You can use almost anything that is 100% cotton as a flat cloth diaper. For example, when my son was an infant, I used flour sack towels from my local grocery store. They came in a pack of four for only $3.98. That means that I paid less than $1 each for a diaper.

But wait! It gets better.

You can even use old receiving blankets, worn-out T-shirts, and more as a diaper. You can’t beat FREE diapers! I loved using the receiving blankets especially because they are so absorbent and are in a perfect square. Plus I was gifted a ton of them at my baby shower and needed a use for them.

So if you aren’t sure if you will fall in love with flats like I did use some of the 100% cotton fabrics that you already have laying around your house. Then you have nothing to lose.

2. Natural Fiber

So as I said earlier, flats are usually made of natural fibers. The ones I have are made of 100% birdseye cotton but some are made of bamboo, hemp, or even a blend of different natural fibers.

So why do natural fibers matter?

Because many babies have sensitive skin and are allergic to synthetic fibers such as microfleece and microsuede. Unfortunately, some babies can even break out when being put in diapers with these types of synthetic fibers.

My son was one of these babies. And although he seems to be doing much better as a toddler, he still does better with all-natural fiber diapers.

3. Less Maintenance

Think about it. When you make the decision to use cloth diapers everyone is always saying they have to strip their diapers because of build-up stink issues. Buildup happens mainly with diapers that have synthetic fibers.

The reason is that synthetic fibers can get detergent and many other things stuck in their layers of fiber causing a build-up that then leads to diapers repelling and not absorbing properly.

While on the other hand, natural fibers wash very easily and rarely ever have any build-up issues. And with flats, it’s even more of a rarity because they are one single layer of fabric. Which means they wash more thoroughly.

So since we are using flats, I rarely have any problems with build-up or smelly diapers.

What’s even better is the fact that they dry super fast and are extremely durable.

4. Universal

Flats are universal. They can be used in a pocket diaper, a waterproof cover, as a doubler, or even alone. They can be folded so many different ways that the possibilities are unlimited.

This was also a huge reason that I decided to use exclusively flats in my cloth diaper stash. I can use them so many different ways depending on my baby’s needs.

5. One-Size

Okay! Now you know that flats can be used in several different ways, but did you know that flat cloth diapers are one-size. That means you can use a flat cloth diaper on your baby from birth until potty training. WOW!

Flats can be folded in numerous ways to fit your individual baby as they continue to grow.

6. Super Absorbent

Absorbency is probably the number one reason that I tried using flats in the first place. I was becoming increasingly frustrated with having to stuff my daughter’s pocket diaper with countless microfiber inserts until her butt was like a balloon. I knew there had to be a better way to make her diapers more absorbent for my little heavy wetter.

And that’s when I found the answer. FLATS!

After successfully using flats with my daughter until she was potty trained, I was positive that they would be absorbent enough for my son as well. And they are! With flats, my son is completely leak-free and happy.

*DO YOU USE CLOTH DIAPERS FOR YOUR BABY? IF SO WHAT TYPE ARE YOUR FAVORITE? TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS. I ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR FROM MY READERS!