All in one cloth diapers (AIO for short) are a welcome addition to the reusable diaper industry. They are highly favored due to their ease and simplicity of use, and are a huge upgrade from the boring safety-pin prefold diapers of yore. There are many attributes to make these washable diapers the ones to beat...
In 1950, a young wife invented what is believed to be the beginning of the AIO cloth diaper; it was 4-ply, held together by sewn in fasteners and reversible. The AIO of today usually is made of a fitted waterproof outer shell that is sewn together with extra absorbent cloth that acts as the inner layer. They come already fastened with velcro or snaps and have elastic leg openings that keep the leaks at bay. After the baby eliminates his waste, the diaper is removed just like a disposable, but is not thrown into the trash. If there are solids present, they are dumped into the toilet and the diaper is rinsed or spot treated for fecal matter. Urine soaked diapers can be placed into a pail for up to three days (any longer will cause a nasty, stinky bacteria breeding frenzy) or washed with other soiled cloth diapers in a closed, washable bag.
The manufacturers of all in one diapers have sought to make them very fashionable with vibrant colors and prints. Furthermore, each brand brings something different to the table in terms of design. Bumkins has a line with microfiber inserts for extra leakage protection, as do BumGenius. BumGenius also manufactures an organic all in one cloth diaper. Other popular brands include Bummis, Thirsties, Kushies, Kissaluvs, Drybees, and GroVia.
Like with any cloth diapers, the start-up costs of 0-300 can be daunting. However, that is still less expensive than the entire cost of buying disposables from newborn to toddler. Deals can be found at diaper swaps (check your classifieds), mom groups, garage sales, thrift stores, and local and internet based classifieds.
Lastly, all in one cloth diapers are great for the environment! Over 3 million tons of disposable diapers take up precious landfill space every year. While the regular disposable is barely degrading in the dirt, the AIO is freshly washed and basking in the sun to be used for another day!