The awesome Toledo Nesties ordered me the Changing Diapers, Changing Minds trial package from Jillian's Drawers. Link to site for complete details, but the general idea is that they send you a variety of cloth diapers (unused) to try out for 30 days. You try them all out, decide which ones you like best, and then send the rest of them back to the store in exchange for credit towards a full order of diapers. (there's actually a huge market for used cloth diapers, as odd as it sounds, so they turn around and resell them) If you're considering cloth diapering I highly recommend the program. It's a great and cost-efficient way to test drive a variety of diapers. The packages vary by the size of the baby, so I received the newborn selection.
Please note that these are only my opinions and I personally know other moms who disagree completely with my assessments. From talking to other moms I've discovered that diaper performance is heavily dependent on the baby in question - differences in overall size, butt size, and leg chubbiness all need to be accounted for. Charlie Beta is long and skinny, especially his legs. What works for him won't necessarily work for your baby, and what works for your baby might not work for him.
The Lineup
Kissaluvs Size 0
Thirsties Fab Fitted
Thirsties All In One Diapers
BumGenius Organic One-Size All-In-One
BumGenius 3.0 (one-size pocket)
Organic Imse Vimse Cover
Bleached Chinese Prefolds
Snappi
** I bought these on my own **
Unbleached Chinese Prefolds
Thirsties Cover
WonderWrap One-Size Cover
The Results
Loved
BumGenius 3.0 (one-size pocket) - Everything I had hoped they would be. No leak issues, fit Baby C perfectly on the smallest setting, liner keeps his skin dry, great for overnight and being out and about. These come with 2 inserts, a newborn insert and a larger one for later on. You can continue to use the NB inserts for doublers down the road. I stuff the larger insert in there for overnights since he's such a good sleeper. He's gone 7 hours through the night with no leaks.
Bleached/Unbleached Chinese Prefolds/Snappi - The most economical option, can be found for $1-$2 each and you can get by with 2 covers if you need to. I like the Snappi, it's pretty idiot proof and I imagine it's much easier than using pins. I was intimidated by this option at the beginning, but I researched the folding options and practiced on a stuffed bear and was very surprised to discover how quick and easy they are. These will remain a staple in our house. The downside to these diapers is that when they're wet they're WET and need to be changed NOW. He lets me know the moment that he pees. I don't use these for going out or overnight.
Organic Imse Vimse Cover - This was a great cover, didn't leak through at all. It's much trimmer and softer than the other covers I tried out. I actually liked this one best but decided not to go with these as a permanent option because I discovered the WonderWrap One-Size. I'd prefer to buy a few one-size covers that will last throughout the diapering stage than have to rebuy covers in different sizes after each growth spurt.
Liked
Thirsties Cover - This is the main cover that I use with the prefolds. It's trimmer than the WonderWrap but not as trim as the Imse Vimse. I prefer this one over the WonderWrap right now because it fits Baby C better, but it's sized so I'll have to buy more as he grows.
WonderWrap One-Size Cover - I use this one when the Thirsties cover is dirty. Right now it's pretty bulky for him and I don't think he looks very comfortable in it. When he gets a little bigger he'll probably fit into it much better. I like it because it's one-size so I can use it until he's potty-trained.
Thirsties All In One Diapers - These worked out much better for us than the BumGenius AIOs. They fit him very well, weren't too bulky, and didn't leak at all. I would have loved to go with these as a permanent option but because I'd have to keep buying new sets in bigger sizes I decided not to go with them since the BumGenius 3.0s worked just as well. If you don't mind buying sets in multiple sizes then this diaper is wonderful.
Kissaluvs Size 0 - Out of all the options this one fit him best, which makes sense since it's specifically designed for teeny tiny newborns. It was super soft and if they made undies for "big people" out of the same fabric I'd totally buy myself some. They were plenty absorbent and wicked the moisture away from his skin. I ranked these under the Thirsties AIO because they need a cover - the simplicity of the AIOs really appeals to me.
Wish I Hadn't Bothered
BumGenius Organic One-Size All-In-One - Tried this one three times and it definitely didn't work for us. I didn't like the design or the fit on Baby C. It was much bulkier than the BG 3.0 and leaked from both sides every time we put it on him.
Thirsties Fab Fitted - We only used this twice and it was a disaster both times. Diaper on, poop everywhere!
Miscellaneous Note
I use Charlie's Soap to wash my diapers. I also use it for Baby C's clothes, so it's not a unitasker. It has no scent and is completely natural.
If you want more information about cloth diapers check out diaperpin.com. It's full of useful information on why to use cloth diapers, how they work, how to wash them, reviews of every diaper imaginable, and reviews of online cloth diaper retailers. Very helpful. I'm so glad we decided to go with cloth diapers. It's definitely saving money in the long run, it's so much better for Baby Charlie, it's better for the environment, and they're so darn cute :)
Update to include a review of Haute Pockets
A few months ago I ordered a few Haute Pockets from Nikki's Cloth Diaper Clearance. I had been wanting to try them for a while. They come in cute colors, have a version that snaps instead of velcros, and are very soft inside and out. Needless to say, I really, really wanted to like these diapers. Unfortunately they didn't quite live up to my expectations. I think these diapers suffer from the same problem that the BG2.0s suffered from. There's no barrier at the top of the diaper to prevent the moisture from wicking onto the clothes. The BG3.0s have that tab around the top edge of the diaper. The Haute Pockets do not.
The soft inner lining goes right up to the top edge. For us, this has meant that any piece of clothing touching the top of the liner is likely to end up wet. This is an even bigger problem at night since his pajama shirts are a little tighter and really hug around the diaper area. We've never had a successful dry night in these. During the day it's a little bit better because he's changed frequently, but I don't trust them enough for trips away from the house.
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