Welcome to our beginners series! In this series, we're going to explore all you need to know to be a cloth diaper guru! In this blog, we're talking about diaper liners. What are they? Do they make life easier? Are they necessary to your cloth diaper journey? Let's explore.
What is a diaper liner?
A cloth diaper liner is a thin disposable layer that is added to make cleanup a bit easier. These liners will allow moisture to pass through them while catching all of the solids, making cleanup as easy as removing and disposing of the soiled liner and putting the diaper in the wash or diaper pail. The alternative to using liners is to spray your diapers and get the solids out by hand. Sometimes that's no big deal. Other times, those poo's can be pretty tough! So they can certainly be nice to have.
One drawback, however, is that they aren't always easy to keep straight in the diaper. Liners have no way to strap to the diaper, so they can sometimes get twisted up if you have a very active little one. Additionally, in order to use them, you have to place them every time. And if you're traveling, it is one more thing to pack with you and keep track of.
Are Cloth Diaper Liners Necessary?
Simply put, cloth diaper liners are absolutely not necessary. But they are certainly a welcomed addition, especially to new parents. When Teracyn and I began cloth diapering, we used them and loved them. It made clean up much less intimidating. As time moved on and we became a bit more comfortable with the poo removal, we eventually quit using them. They were certainly a great addition, but they were in fact an addition. As I mentioned earlier, it was one more thing that we had to do and keep track of to cloth diaper. And eventually, the convenience at diapering overruled the convenience at cleanup.
However, if you decide to use them, please know there are a ton of biologically friendly options out there. Whether they are made of natural materials or they're made to be biodegradable, using a liner does not negate the good you're doing from cloth diapering.
Cloth Diaper Liners Could Be For You
Are cloth diaper liners necessary and for you? They very well could be! We are all on our own cloth journeys, and that means that everyone's journey can look different. It's up to you! We love every aspect of cloth diapering, and using cloth diaper liners could certainly be a great thing to explore for you!
