Are you ready to learn everything you ever wanted to know about all in two cloth diapers!??
Well, hold onto your bums…. cause I’m going to tell you exactly what AI2 diapers are about and how they make cloth diapering easier.
I’ve personally used AI2’s on all of my kids and don’t know what I’d do without them!
Affiliate Disclaimer:
This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you click on any of my fun-little-links and purchase something, I'll make a small commision at no extra cost to you. It's a win-win for both of us right?
Click the image above to play the video.
All In Two Cloth Diapers
All-in-two (AI2) cloth diapers happen to be one of my personal favorite types of diapering systems.
The diaper is as described. Everythings is in two parts; the diaper shell and the soaker pad.
Normally the insert will snap or partially tuck right into the waterproof diaper cover.
This keeps your inserts from shifting around and makes diaper changes a little bit quicker.
Who doesn’t love efficiency?
Now you might be thinking that using a Prefold And Cover (or similar) could be considered an AI2 system but it’s not quite the same.
With prefolds and flat’s you’re dealing with folds and sometimes having to fasten them with additional Diaper Fasteners.
An AI2 diaper is the simpler version of the prefold / flat and cover.
AKA the idiot-proof version.
You don’t have to learn Exotic Origami Folds or worry about pricking your finger on a diaper pin… You simply snap the insert into the diaper cover and BAM, you’re ready to go.
What I’ve truly begun to appreciate about AI2 systems is how simple they are to put together after washing.
Pockets, yuckkkkk
If you stick around my blog long enough (God bless your soul) you’ll learn that I absolutely loathe stuffing inserts into pocket diapers.
Now I do have several pocket diapers that I have to stuff after every washing. I don’t complain about it … most of the time…
I’d just prefer snapping the inserts in overstuffing because it helps to save time during diaper laundry.
I have more important things to do with my time like blog about baby poop and make tacky YouTube videos, come on!
Using Diaper Inserts (Aff link) over prefolds or flats also save you time because you don’t have to fold them after washing. I also like that the A12 system is so easy to put together.
We have several different pocket diapers and my husband can never remember which inserts go in which pocket diaper but he can snap inserts in like a boss!
All-In-Two’s also allow you to wash and dry your covers separate from your inserts.
This is a nice feature because I like to hang dry my covers and throw my inserts in the dryer.
Sometimes I like to bleach my inserts but not my covers. If you have all-in-one’s (AI0’s) you cannot wash the inserts separately because they are sewn directly into the diaper shell.
Another benefit to using AI2’s is that you can choose the type of insert you want to use with the diaper and mix and match.
I have a lot of Buttons All-In-Two Diapers and I decided I didn’t like using their hemp inserts any longer because they held onto smells.
Instead, I started using my Charcoal Bamboo Inserts (Amazon aff link) with my Buttons covers, and now I have no issues with odors and the bamboo inserts are just as absorbent.
Some all-in-one diapers come with inserts that are microfiber or a material that doesn’t work as well.
Having the option to use whatever soaker that you want is the beauty of the AI2 because every baby is different and there is no “one size fits all.”
Types of AI2 Diapers
Disadvantages Of The AI2 Cloth Diaper
Some of the disadvantages of the AI2 style cloth diapering system is the expense.
Normally it’s going to cost around 15-20 dollars to purchase the shell and the soaker. A lot of times they are sold separately and can even cost more than that.
Cutting Costs:
Buttons Diapers (aff link) are an affordable option and you can buy cheaper inserts if you need to keep the costs low.
You don’t have to buy the same inserts that come with the diaper shell. I personally do though because I like for my inserts to neatly snap-in. I’m picky like that.
To cut costs, even more, you can buy fewer covers and wipe them out and reuse them before washing.
The biggest disadvantage to the AI2 system that I have come across is how difficult they are to clean compared to Pocket Diapers.
Yes, pocket diapers are my least favorite system when it comes to cloth but they do save the day when it comes to spraying off your diapers!
Because the inserts are all exposed in an AI2, runny poo can get all over the inserts, underneath them, and on the covers.
I end up having to spray all of that along with my cloth wipes (while trying not to curse under my breath). Pockets are a flat surface and the inserts are protected under the pocket.
This is why I always liked to put Asher in a pocket in the morning when he’d usually do his “business”.
Overall, I love using my all in two cloth diapers and highly recommend them. There are no perfect cloth diapering systems but the AI2 is very flexible and has a lot to offer!
