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April 6, 2017 by Bailey

Cloth Diapering with Receiving Blankets

Today I want to talk about my obsession with receiving blankets. I’ve talked about receiving blankets and cloth diapering before but never dedicated an entire post to the topic.  I have been using receiving blankets with my kids for over three years now (because yes, I updated this post in 2018). Want to learn more about cloth diapering? Check out my book, Cloth Diapers: the ultimate guide to textiles, washing, and more. 

Hey Guys, so that you know this post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made at those links may result in me receiving a commission. The FTC wants you to know about this, and that’s okay because I’m just another mom trying to hustle her life on the internet. 

The cheapest cloth diaper insert is anything you can repurpose. You could bring out those old t-shirts and use them, or cut up an old cotton towel, blanket, or sheet. These are all great things to repurpose for the purpose of soaking up pee in your child’s diaper without breaking the budget. We could talk about other budget-friendly cloth diapers here. 

What’s the Deal with Receiving Blankets?

Receiving blankets is one of the cheapest, most affordable, absorbent material you could use for cloth diapering and these two reasons, plus more is why I am smitten about Receiving Blankets.

Microfibre might be cheap, but it is not awesome, I’d rather touch a spider than touch microfibre. Flour Sack Towels are also cheap, but I’m not a fan. 

  1. Cheap & Affordable.
  2. Reliable Absorbency.
  3. Simple, Straightforward, No stink washing.
  4. Easy to Use.
  5. Multipurpose

Why not buy new? 

New receiving blankets are not affordable. Seriously. A new package will cost you 15+ dollars, and work out to like $8/each. At that price, you might as well buy a SmartFold or GroVia Prefold diaper or a HumBird Flat.  [okay, those are not fair comparisons but hey]

Buying them used is super easy, get onto your local buy and sell (BST) group and look. Usually, parents sell them for $1-2 a piece. You can also find them at second-hand shops for similar prices. 

For $1-2 a recieving blanket, you can barely buy microfibre inserts for that cost. 

When you buy them used, you’re also reusing  a product and potential diverting them from our waste streams. You could switch to family cloth and reduce waste, or you could recycle receiving blankets from a friend. From an environmental stance, this is a win for me because sometimes things need a second chance in life before they hit the can.

Always Absorbent & More

After a time, microfibre begins to wear out because as a plastic based product it sheds while being washed. Natural fibres begin to disintegrate too (that’s why you get holey products), but their life expectancy seems to be much longer and complaints of reduced absorbency much fewer.

Not only are we talking time, but a large Carters receiving blanket will hold upwards o 12-14 oz of absorbency. That’s like two microfibre pads and fewer COMPRESSION LEAKS. (That’s what happens when something heavy sits on a wet spongey absorbency). I also believe this is significantly trimmer, even when padfolded because it’s less fluffy.

Receiving blankets are one of the best options for cheap, affordable DIY cloth diapers. Easy to use, easy to wash/laundry, these little blankets will easily take on the task of most heavy wetters. #clothdiapers #makeclothmainstream #frugalmama #budgetfriendly

Inside a Buttons Super, Best Bottom Bigger, Nuggles Tuck & Wrap Go Cover

Double them up for night time, and use one during the day. It’s all-purpose, all day kind of absorbency.

Easy Washing

If you’re stressed out about washing cloth diapers, flat cloth diapers are the answer for you. This love of receiving blankets also applies to any flat cloth diaper. Because it’s just one layer of material, there’s nothing complicated about washing, and it’s less likely to hold the stink because of their’s no layers for stinky things to get trapped in.

That’s why we use them for the Flats and Handwashing challenge because it’s just easy. My receiving blankets have yet to stink, unlike my fitted diapers, my AIO, or any of my other absorbent materials.

Fold & Go

You’re probably thinking but now Bailey, I have to fold diapers. Well, yea, but it takes like less than thirty seconds. I find folding receiving blankets super straightforward, and no different than folding any other basket of laundry. I lay mine on top of pockets in a padfold because in my opinion stuffing a diaper takes too much time.

Multipurpose

Have you ever been somewhere and thought fudge I should have brought XYorZ? Well, there’s a good chance a Receiving blanket can solve those problems. Clean up a big mess, act as impromptu nursing cover, maybe a little blanket to sit on? Or a sunshade for the stroller? A receiving blanket in your bag offers a plethora of options should you need it for something else.

A few other things I like about receiving blankets – The pretty colours they come in. The connect with snappis and Boingo’s without a problem. 

Have you tried receiving blankets for your cloth diapers? What’s your take? Love or hate?

I exclusively cloth diaper my toddler with receiving blankets. Sometimes we use a GroVia Size 3 prefold, but really there isn’t anything out there I like any better. He’s a big kid, and he’s outsized my traditional sized prefolds, so these are quick and affordable. Creating this stash cost me $15.

Can I use receiving blankets for cloth diapering? absorbent, cheap, and best choice for cloth diapering

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Comments

  1. Erin says

    December 9, 2017 at 11:39 am

    I’ve actually replaced all my microfiber inserts with homemade flannel sheet tried folds! Flannel sheets are easy to find cheap at thrift stores and a king size sheet set will make around 15-18 pretty beefy inserts (probably could get about 25-28 newborn size or light wetter thickness). I could serge the edges as flats, but they wash and dry very well as tri-folds and there’s less fussing (receiving blankets could easily also be pre-folded and sewn into tri-folds for those who hate wash day prep).

    Reply
  2. Rebecca says

    February 27, 2018 at 9:08 am

    So I took your advice and bought second hand receiving blankets to cloth diaper our LO. My question is the washing. The tags says wash on cold gentle and dry on low. I imagined using hot water to wash all the yuck away. How do you wash yours?

    Reply
    • Bailey says

      February 27, 2018 at 1:37 pm

      Yup. I wash on high hot water. It might shrink (a little bit maybe, mostly the dryer will do that overtime) but that’s the best way to get out the poop. Flannel is pretty resilient. I’ve been washing mine for years and they wear a little bit but not much more than fading.

      Reply
  3. Bridget says

    April 8, 2018 at 6:23 pm

    Thanks for the idea! I hadn’t thought of that before

    Reply
  4. SarahF says

    June 28, 2018 at 8:20 am

    I hough some recieving blankets used, and I got some new at my baby shower. How do I prep the new ones for diaper use? 2 washes ok? I washed once on hot, and once on sanitize (super duper hot), and used some detergent, but not as much as if they were soiled.

    Reply
    • Bailey says

      June 28, 2018 at 8:43 am

      Just wash in hot to warm water.

      Reply
  5. Catherine Gagne says

    October 16, 2018 at 5:47 am

    What material should the blankets be for maximum absorbency? 100% cotton?

    Reply
    • Bailey says

      October 16, 2018 at 11:29 am

      They typically tend to be 100% cotton. Bamboo or hemp blends will still work and offer a different type of absorbency.

      Reply
      • CKIDS says

        April 10, 2019 at 10:12 pm

        I feel ridiculous asking, but is flannel cotton?

        Reply
        • Bailey says

          April 16, 2019 at 9:11 am

          Most of the time. Not always. Check the label

          Reply
  6. Krista says

    March 6, 2019 at 10:03 pm

    I also love using recieving blankets for diapers! Or, need a towel for after baby’s bath? Recieving blanket.
    I started diapering with recieving blankets out of desperation. Sometimes you find that baby goes through diapers extra quickly. On those days, when all the other diapers were dirty or in the wash, I’d start grabbing the blankets. Over time I found that folded recieving blankets make some of the best inserts, for the same reasons you mentioned. You can find used ones pretty easily, too, at any used baby item sale.

    Reply
  7. Peggy Correll says

    March 26, 2019 at 11:29 pm

    I use receiving blankets! I’m working on building up a bigger stash of them. I actually scored 6 at our fave thrift store for $1.50 this past Friday! I’m also getting some for free f rom a family member this next week.

    Reply
  8. Jeff Morfit says

    September 30, 2019 at 10:51 am

    Can we also use receiving blankets as inserts/liners in adult cloth diapers? Should there be any issue in doing so with diapers from a diaper service? The concern being that the inserts would not be sent back with the clean diaper shipment the following week.

    Reply
  9. Sam says

    December 28, 2019 at 11:54 am

    So you can use receiving blankets as inserts for pocket diapers or also as flats with covers?

    Reply
    • Bailey says

      January 3, 2020 at 11:04 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
  10. MW says

    August 31, 2021 at 7:18 pm

    My cotton flannel receiving blankets do not seem to work well with Snappi. They are Luvable Friends brand, but maybe they don’t have enough weave…?

    I tried the same Snappi with FST, and it worked, but I really prefer receiving blankets over FST.

    Do you know any brand of receiving blankets that work well with Snappi?

    Reply
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    October 6, 2021 at 3:37 am

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Trackbacks

  1. Prefold Diapers - Cloth Diaper Podcast says:
    August 10, 2019 at 8:20 pm

    […] cross that bridge when you get there. When my son hit 30lbs, I tried a few size 3 prefolds but opted for receiving blankets because they were […]

    Reply
  2. Just Say No to Flour Sack Towels for Diapers - Simply Mom Bailey says:
    January 19, 2020 at 9:03 pm

    […] Learn about repurposing Receiving Blankets […]

    Reply
  3. Nerdy Momma's Pocket Cloth Diaper Review (+ Big Kid Comparison) - Simply Mom Bailey says:
    June 29, 2020 at 9:23 pm

    […] diaper and trying to make sure the insert was at the front for boys can be fishing in the dark. I used receiving blankets and size 3/4 GroVia or Osocozy Prefolds with my big […]

    Reply
  4. OsoCozy Cover Review - Simply Mom Bailey says:
    August 12, 2020 at 11:41 am

    […] need to purchase a fitted diaper, prefold, or flat separately. You could also repurpose materials such as receiving blankets or t-shirts to be used with this system. You can use anything you want, as long as it […]

    Reply
  5. *Updated* Budget Cloth Diapers in Canada - Simply Mom Bailey says:
    October 13, 2020 at 2:22 pm

    […] because we needed the absorbency, but you can also DIY your absorbency using something like a receiving blanket or t-shirt for heavy wetters and […]

    Reply
  6. Padfold Flat Cloth Diapers {Small Flats on Big Babies} - Simply Mom Bailey says:
    October 15, 2020 at 2:44 pm

    […] mostly use receiving blankets for my flat diaper stash. They are large, absorbent and awesome. However, I recently got my hands […]

    Reply

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