What Is An All-In-One Style Cloth Diaper?
An All-In-One (AIO) diaper is a cloth diaper style that has a waterproof exterior and an absorbent interior all sewn together so that it is one piece. It does not require additional pieces added, snapped in or stuffed into a pocket before you can use it on baby. It's truly the simplest wash and wear cloth diaper available and is the closest cloth diaper to a disposable that you will find.
How the absorbency is sewn into the cover will vary by brand. Some have petals of fabric sewn down on one side as seen below on this Thirsties AIO or as Blueberry Simplex or Smart Bottoms do. Some will have an insert sewn down at both sides so it arcs like a rainbow as seen in a BumGenius Elemental. Or for something really cool, have a look at the bookfold insert sewn into the Lighthouse Kids Co. AIO.
Regardless of how the absorbency is attached to the waterproof shell, AIOs make for easy to use diapers.
When it's time to change baby, just remove the diaper, dump any solids into the toilet and store in a wet bag until wash day. Couldn't be easier. Most AIO cloth diapers come in a one size adjustable style so they can be used from about 8-35lbs. or roughly birth through potty learning. Choose an AIO if you want a modern style cloth diaper that is full of convenience. They are vey similar to disposables and some even come with hook/loop or Aplix (velcro) closures, so they are a good choice for anyone who might be reluctant to try cloth or those assisting with diaper changes who aren't familiar with cloth (babysitters, daycare, grandparents etc.)
PROS of AIO Diapers
- Super convenient and easy to use
- Often come as a one size design with snaps in front that can adjust it to fit babies aprox. 8-35lbs, roughly birth right through to potty learning.
- Great for daycare, babysitters or those unfamiliar with cloth
- Closest cloth diaper you will find to a disposable
CONS of Pocket Diapers
- They tend to be one of the more expensive cloth diaper choices available
- Longer dry time
- Require a good wash routine to make sure all the layers get fully clean at wash time
- They may not work overnight for all babies. While you can add more absorbency into the pocket to meet your baby's needs, the limiting factor is the leg elastics. If you add so much absorbency that the bulk causes gapping at the leg, then you'll get a leak no matter how much you stuffed in there. If you need super absorbency for night time, a fitted might work better.
AIO cloth diapers are readily available from many different brands and are as simple to use as you can get making them a great choice for diapering your baby.
All In One diapers we stock here at Cloth Diaper Kids:
AppleCheeks
Blueberry
Tots Bots
Thirsties
BumGenius
Lighthouse Kids Co.
GroVia
Smart Bottoms