At Esembly, we're all about answering the real questions that come with cloth diapering - the practical, everyday stuff that goes way beyond the basics like sizing and wash routines. (Although, we do LOVE a good conversation about laundry science 🤓)
A question we get often from parents and caregivers, maybe one you’ve even wondered yourself is, “Can I use cloth diapers if my baby goes to daycare?"
Here's the honest truth: While every daycare has different policies, many are surprisingly open to cloth diapers when parents approach it the right way. We've helped countless families navigate this exact situation (as well as several mamas on our team!), and we're sharing everything we've learned about making it work - from what to communicate with caregivers to packing the perfect daycare diaper bag.
We're here to give you the real scoop - the know-how and honest advice to help you navigate cloth diapering at daycare. Because every family deserves diaper solutions that align with their values and lifestyle, no matter what their childcare situation looks like.
Let's break it down together!
Table of Contents
How to Find Out If A Daycare Allows Cloth Diapers
In our experience the vast majority of daycare centers do allow cloth diapers. So as you’re navigating daycare choices, you can open up the conversation with something like:
“We use cloth diapers – is this something you would be able to accommodate with the right instructions and supplies?”
HOT TIP: We find it often helps to let them know that your diapers snap on (no pins or complicated fasteners) and that you will bring a small waterproof Day Bag every morning with clean diapers and that they just toss the dirties right into that same bag for you to take home at the end of the day.
Keep the conversation open, positive, and collaborative! They’ll either say yes, in which case you can provide all the helpful tips and information – or they’ll express some reservations, in which case you can:
Continue exploring other daycare options
Accept the no and opt for part-time cloth diapering (cloth at home/disposables at daycare)
Do a bit of research** to see what your state’s diaper-changing guidelines for licensed daycare facilities are, and see if you can negotiate (nicely! ❤️).
Wait and try again in a few months. We’ve found that once caregivers fall in love with your family they can be a bit more open to considering accommodating your cloth request. So once your baby is settled in and the daycare routine is going well, you can try bringing the diapering question back up and see how they respond then.
**Tips for researching: Search for "Your Sate + Child Care Licensing Regulations"
Example: "Texas child care licensing diaper guidelines"
Look for official .gov websites
Once you find the document you’re looking for, search for terms like "diaper changing," "hygiene," or "cloth diapers." (control + f will allow you to do this)
While policies vary, here are some common requirements we’ve seen:
Waterproof storage (wet bags or sealed containers – our Day Bags and Ditty Bags are perfect for this!)
Daily laundering (parents take home diapers at the end of each day for cleaning – makes sense!)
No-rinse diaper policy (no dunking/flushing in toilets – which are already not advised for your Esembly diapers!)
Help Prepare the Daycare for Cloth Diapering
If they say, yes, it’s time to move into collaborator mode – we recommend connecting with the care team to ensure they’ve got all the basics covered. As mentioned, ensuring that everyone is on the same page creates a more positive experience for everyone.
So first, if possible, try to do a diaper-change demo with at least one of the childcare providers (ideally in person, or make them a quick video at home!) so they can see exactly how you like the diaper to be fastened, etc., and then they can hopefully show the others.
We also have a Caregiver Instructions PDF that you can share with the staff, which is included below! This PDF and other helpful resources (including videos) are available on our How it Works page, so feel free to share this link if you’re able to as well.
Then, while you’re providing info, don’t forget to mention the fact that only cloth-friendly skincare products can be used with your cloth diapers! (Which you’ll have packed in your Day Bag, of course 😉) You’ll want to stress that things like Aquaphor or other petroleum-based products should not be used. (We'll talk about this more below!)
Prep for Poop!
One of the most frequently asked questions we get about cloth diapers is, “what are you supposed to do with the poop?!” – this comes up with caregivers too.
You can let whoever will be changing your baby's diapers know that if they are on a milk-only diet, they don’t need to do anything but toss soiled diapers in the Day Bag.
If your baby has started solids, ideally, your daycare will remove the poop into the trash (with or without the help of our Tossers or Stay-Dry Liners ). But, many times we find they may send the poop home with you, same as they would with milk-only poop. If they do, it's not the end of the world! Just flush the poop as soon as you get home and clean out the bag ASAP.
Pro Tip: Always keep a Day Bag fully stocked, organized, and clean so that if any poopy diapers come home with you, you can toss your Day Bag into your Pail Pouch (or wherever you store your dirty diapers) for washing, and be prepared with a fresh Day Bag + stash for daycare the next day. (Having 2-3 in rotation generally works well!)
What to Pack in Your Daycare Bag for Cloth Diapering
It’s hard to predict exactly how many diapers your little one will go through at daycare… but sticking to our regular changing instructions is a good place to start: the diaper needs to be changed every 2 - 3 hours, or right away if there’s a poop. So determine how many hours your baby will be there, and then add an extra Inner (aka our cotton fitted diapers) or two as a buffer. For Outers (aka our diaper covers), most parents find packing 2 - 3 is fine, but some daycares may require a fresh Outer at each change, so check with them to be certain!
You can also relay to staff that our Day Bags have one side for clean diapers, and one side for dirties. So everything can be stored together easy peasy 🙂
Skincare
Anyone who is caring for your little one and using cloth diapers, whether it’s daycare, grandpa, aunt, babysitter, etc… you’ll need to make sure they know to only use cloth-friendly skin care products. (So no aquaphor, buttpaste, triple paste, or other petroleum-based creams!)
If you leave them with our Everyday Balm or Rash Relief Cream , you can rest easy knowing these products are guaranteed to fully wash out of cloth. Just let them know while the Everyday Balm can be used as frequently as you’d like, the Rash Relief Cream should really only be used if your baby has an active rash. No need to apply it as a preventative. For daycare, you can generally label these products with your last name or your child’s name and toss them in the clean side of your Day Bag for easy use.
Skincare Pro Tip : Let them know to always work the product into the skin (like you would a lotion) to avoid leaving gobs of it on the top layers that will pile up on your diapers.
Want to know all about cloth-friendly skincare?
More Sustainable Swaps for Daycare
We’ve got to shout out a few other day care essentials! Our Snack + Sammy Pouches, Ditty Bags, and Sippers are here to make your life easier.
Our Snack + Sammy Pouches are snack time MVPs – but that’s just the beginning! They’re perfect for pacifiers, wipes , teethers, or anything small you need to tuck away. Reusable, easy to clean, and adorably practical – they’ll simplify your daycare prep in seconds.
Ditty Bags are your go-to for packing a change of clothes, nap blankets, or bottles. And if daycare needs to send home messy clothes? No problem – your Ditty Bag will keep everything contained (and soil off the rest of your diaper bag!)
And don’t forget our Sippers – ideal for toddlers, preschoolers, and beyond! Not only do they replace single use straws, but they "unzip" to make for super easy cleaning. They’re also a fantastic class donation if your daycare is open to it.
Final Thoughts for Using Cloth Diapers at Daycare
Cloth diapering at daycare might feel like uncharted territory at first, but with a little preparation (and a well-stocked Day Bag!), it’s totally doable. Yes, mistakes will be made – but be graceful and keep the exchanges light and positive. The goal is to have a successful experience.
And remember, every caregiver who learns the ropes is another ally in normalizing cloth diapering, making it easier for the next family who walks through their doors.
Here’s to fewer blowouts, more confidence, and one less disposable in the landfill – one daycare diaper change at a time!
Cloth Diapering 101
Our co-founders host a free, virtual, Cloth Diapering 101 class every month to help cloth-curious parents get all the tools and information they need!
You'll leave with the confidence to Live Less Disposably and a 20% discount code to use on your first order. 🥳 We hope to see you there!
