Do I really need fitteds? If so, by what age?

[viovio]

I'm expecting my second but I never cloth diapered with my first. I have gathered a variety of cloth diapers, mostly prefolds, covers, pockets, AI2s and AIOs. Most of my stash is bamboo. Some microfiber pockets and doublers. I'm trying to bring my husband on board therefore simplicity is a must. In any case, I havent gotten a single fitted diaper. I'm wondering whether it is a must after a certain age.

I plan to cloth diaper from the start but I'm not sure if prefolds/covers will only work at nighttime for a short period of time before I start experiencing leaks. From what I've heard, a lot of people use fitted and covers for nighttime.

What are everyone's experiences with fitteds? Did you get by without? What alternatives did you use for nighttime? and at what age did nighttime leaks start mattering? (like soon after they were born or well into a couple of months?

Thanks for all your advice!!

[Chamomile Girl]

I have never used a fitted and my kid is three (and has been in cloth since birth). I'm a prefolds girl myself.

As far as leaks so, when a prefold starts to leak it means it is time to size up is all. Right now he is in GMD green edge.

ETA: For nighttime I have found wool covers to be pretty bulletproof as far as leaking goes (as long as you have the right size diaper and a doubler).

[Kabuki24]

Night time CDing is extremely challenging but some do get by without fitteds. I would wait and see if you have nighttime success without fitteds. Generally people start having nighttime absorbency issues at the one year mark.

[qsefthuko]

I diapered a toddler never used fitteds. I currently have some fitteds but 90% of the time I use flats unless my daughter or my husband did the last diaper of the day. They will put on either a fitted or a prefold. At night I use 2 padfolded gerber flats in a pinned imagine flat. During the day I use only 1 padfolded gerber flat.

If he starts wetting more during the night I will add either a wool doubler or a hemp doubler. Currently at 13 months this isn't needed.

[WildHoney]

The short answer is no, you don't NEED fitteds. Personally I prefer them, for leak-proof abilities you can't really beat a good fitted with wool cover.

Obviously a huge cost difference tho, personally I have always had a good dozen or so prefolds going in rotation and a couple dozen fitteds, maybe a few pockets or AIO just for fun.

[Melmonkey]

my whole stash is fitteds and wool.....giggle We used fitteds from birth, because David said that he liked them better because he could feel when Claire was wet. Your husband may in fact surprise you!

[MichelleSG]

My hubby didn't want to cd so while I tried fitteds with wool he hated them. I've used AIOs or pockets for us since birth and it's worked great. I don't have overnight issues at all and my lo (1yr) sleeps through the night. When she was a nb we used GroVias overnight and they worked awesome. When she moved up in size the OS GroVias weren't enough for on use so we use Flip organic inserts in a pocket. Works great, no leaks. EVER. Yes that's right, 1 year old and we've never had an overnight leak. Can't say the same way back in the day with our first that we used sposies on.

In short no, you never have to use a fitted if you don't want to.