Starting at daycare
When searching for suitable childcare for your little one, multiple options will be considered, and tours or intake interviews may be requested. The tours and interviews are also a good opportunity to inquire whether they are open to cloth diapers. You can also request a meeting with the daycare worker or manager.
Bring a cloth diaper to the meeting so that the childcare center gets a good idea of the cloth diaper. People often still have the old-fashioned idea of cloth diapers as a 'fold and change', whereas modern cloth diapers nowadays look very much like disposable diapers. Also, immediately explain how the changing process works and that all necessary products are provided. Think of a diaper bag or pod, all the diapers, and an instruction card. Also mention that washing is done at home and that they only need to put the dirty diapers in the provided diaper bag. And above all, do not forget to mention that the chance of blowouts is much smaller, which saves the childcare center some clothing changes!
Make it as easy as possible for the daycare!
The best tip for cloth diapers at daycare is: make it as easy as possible for them! Daycare staff are naturally busy enough providing the best care for all the children. Changing children is often routine work for them, so the process needs to be simple. Send complete diaper packs to the daycare in a handy pod or wetbag. Ensure that the cloth diapers are already resized to the correct setting. If a liner is used, fold it into the diaper in advance.
Do not choose a system where they have to fold diapers, for example. The easiest system for daycare is the AIO system, because it most closely resembles a disposable diaper. However, you can also provide the other systems ready-made so they can put them on quickly and easily. For convenience, it is best to provide cloth diapers of the same system so they quickly get the hang of it and do not constantly have a different type of diaper in front of their eyes. For pocket, SIO, and two-piece systems like fitted diapers, ensure that all absorbent parts are already inside the water-resistant section. Fold the liner and any booster into this section in advance. During the change, the daycare only needs to undo the diaper, without having to insert all the extras themselves. It is most convenient to provide complete sets where the diaper covers are replaced with every change. This way, the daycare does not have to hang the covers out to dry, but can simply grab a new one each time.
Used liners containing stool can be thrown in with the dirty disposable diapers. If there is any resistance to this, indicate that they may be left inside the dirty diaper so that they can be disposed of at home. This way, the daycare does not have to do anything with the dirty diapers, only fold them up and put them in the diaper bag.
What do you need for a day at daycare?
At most daycare centers, children are changed routinely. This often happens every 3 hours. Therefore, enough complete diaper sets must be provided to last the day and for any accidents. Often, 4-6 complete diaper sets are sufficient. With the two-piece system, this means 4-6 fitted diapers with 4-6 diaper covers.
A pod or wetbag is ideal for providing the complete sets. The diaper sets can be packed neatly inside. An extra diaper bag can be provided for dirty diapers, but in a double wetbag, clean diapers can go in one compartment and used diapers in the other.
If the daycare center is unfamiliar with cloth diapers, an instruction card for putting them on and changing them is handy. We have created a daycare instruction card specifically for this purpose, which can be downloaded here for free. Each child has their own basket at the center, so the card can easily be slid inside.
My daycare doesn't want to use cloth diapers.
Much is possible through consultation, but unfortunately, it can happen that the childcare center rejects the idea of cloth diapers. If the childcare center is unwilling, ask why and see if you can come to a solution or compromise together. A trial period could be agreed upon, or you could ask if it is acceptable for children to be brought in cloth diapers, so that disposable diapers do not need to be purchased at home.
And do not be too hard on yourself if a center only wants to use disposable diapers. Disposable and cloth diapers combine perfectly well and can be used alongside each other. Part-time cloth diapering is better than full-time disposable diapers, because don't forget: every disposable diaper you save is one less in the trash!
