Gerber cloth diapers: readily available, but are they any good?

Gerber cloth diapers can be found just about anywhere, Walmart, Target even Amazon but are they really worth your time?

I’ve done some math and made some comparisons and I feel maybe back in the day Gerber cloth diapers were “the bee’s knees” but I really don’t think that’s the case today.

Gerber cloth diapers are very easy to find and relatively cheap however they do lack the quality of a lot of other brands.

If you are interested in what I think is the best cloth diaper check out my article ” What is the best cloth diaper”

Gerber birdseye cotton flats

Gerber flat cloth diapers are a single layer of 100% organic cotton in a birdseye weave.

Gerber refers to their flats as ” flatfold” cloth diapers, and sell them in most Walmarts across the united states.

I personally Gerber flats have never been a favorite for me.

Most standard flat cloth diaper are 28″ by 28″ ( 71.12 by 71.12 cm) but the Gerber flats are much smaller at 19″ by 19″ (48.26 by 48.26 cm)

Even most newborn flats are about 20″ by 20″ ( 50.8 by 50.8 cm) so even pad folded with all the absorbency in the center, they probably won’t last very long absorbency wise for most babies.

They are a birdseye weave which so they are more absorbent than something that was a just a plain over-under weave like a receiving blanket.

However a receiving blanket would probably be more absorbent just based on size.

Price of Gerber flats

Flat Type	kid	Price per diaper
Gerber birdseye	4 month old	$2.97
Cloth-eez muslin	4 month old	$3.95
Gerber birdseye	3 year old	$7.92
Cloth-eez muslin	3 year old	$7.90

A pack of 10 Gerber flat cloth diapers on Amazon is $9.98.

Meaning each flat costs $0.99 a piece.

Since they are so small I need to put 3 Gerber flats in each of my 4 month old’s diapers.

I use mostly pocket style cloth diapers so I am folding the Gerber flats into a rectangle and stuffing them inside the pocket diaper.

So 3 Gerber flats at $0.99 each = $2.97 per diaper for my 4 month old.

Now if I wanted to make up a diaper for my 3 year old, here is where things get really expensive and bulky.

My 3 year old pees a ton so I would need about 8 Gerber flats minimum, so not only is that going to be super bulky, it may not even last a full 2 hours.

8 Gerber flats at $0.99 each =$7.92 per diaper for my 3 year old.

Gerber birdseye cotton prefolds

Gerber prefolds are also made from 100% organic cotton in a birdseye weave but unlike the flat cloth diapers they are a much smaller square and have several layers of fabric sewn together.

The name “prefold” comes from the fact that they are already pre-folded down and are ready to be wrapped around baby.

However the Gerber prefolds seem to have the opposite problem from the Gerber flats which are very small.

The Gerber prefolds are very long, I’m guessing the purpose of the extra length is to be folded over onto itself in either the back or the front to add more absorbency there.

Then there is the fact that the Gerber prefolds are very narrow, and extremely thin, having only 3 layers throughout the diaper.

Meaning when folded in 3rds to make a pad fold you will only have 9 layers of absorbency, whereas a pad folded flour sack towel of receiving blanket would have 12 layers.

If you were wanting to wrap the prefold around your baby diaper pins would probably be okay since the the point is concealed in the plastic at the end.

But if you were wanting to use a Snappi you will definitely need to be careful of the points pocking through the fabric and into baby’s skin.

A Bandie-band (which is basically a belt that Velcros together at the front) would probably be a really good option here since it has no sharp points at all.

Price of Gerber prefolds

Prefold Type	Kid	$ per diaper
Gerber Prefold	4 month old	$2.78
Cloth-eez small prefold	4 month old	$3.54
Gerber Prefold	3 year old	$8.34
Cloth-eez small prefold	3 year old	$10.62

As far as cost Gerber prefolds are cheaper than the brand I prefer to use however the Cloth-eez prefolds are going to be way less bulky.

You can get a pack of 10 Gerber prefolds on Amazon for $13.99.

Making each prefold $1.39 a piece.

For my 4 month old I’d need at the very least 2 per diaper.

So 2 Gerber prefolds at $1.39 each = $2.78 per diaper for my 4 month old.

For my 3 year old I’m probably gonna need at least 6 Gerber prefolds.

So 6 Gerber prefolds at $1.39 a piece = $8.34 per diaper for my 3 year.

Gerber plastic pants

On Amazon you can buy a 2 pack of 6-9 month size Gerber plastic pants for $9.99.

Making them $4.99 each.

I have never personally tried Gerber plastic pants.

I’m not a huge fan of having to pull them on and off like underwear as opposed to just detaching the wings and opening it up like a disposable diaper.

I have also heard that they tear very easily.

Also you cannot adjust the size of the Gerber plastic pants, but they do come in 7 different sizes.

• 0-3 months
• 3-6 months
• 6-9 months
• 12 months
• 18 months
• 2T
• 3T

The smaller sizes are cheaper and they get more expensive as they get bigger.

$8.89 for a 4 pack of 0-3 months to $14.99 for a pack of 4 in 2T.

A 4 pack of 3T is $8.99 I’m guessing cause they are less popular but I’m really not sure, they are referred to as ” toilet trailing pants” .

So are Gerber cloth diapers worth the money?

In my experience and from what I have heard I don’t think that the Gerber flats, prefolds and plastic pants are really as economical as they seem.

There are a lot of very affordable cloth diaper brands out there that are better quality, easier to use and cuter, which of course is the most important factor.

Brand	$ per diaper	$ stash of 24
Gerber	$9.16	$219.84
Alva baby	$5.69	$136.56
Imagine baby	$14.99	$359.76

Resourses

Link to Gerber flats on Amazon.com

Link to Gerber prefolds on Amazon.com

Link to Gerber plastic pants on Amazon.com

Link to Cloth-eez muslin flats on Greenmountaindiapers.com

Link to Cloth-eez prefolds on Greenmountaindiapers.com

Link to Alva pocket diapers on Alvababy.com

Link to Imagine pocket diapers on Nickisdiapers.com