For the last 3 weeks, we have been on a cloth diaper trial, and sadly, they are going back today. All but 1 that I am keeping. The rest that I like I'll look for online or secondhand.
The company we are doing the trail through is called Diaper Daisy. Here's the deal: You pay $29.95 and you select up to 9 different cloth diapers which is approximately a day's worth of diapering. All of the diapers come brand new. If you like them, you can keep all and get a refund on your rental fee because essentially you were just buying them. If you like certain ones, you keep whatever you like and you send the rest back. You're only charged for the ones that you keep (in addition to a the rental fee). Diaper Daisy is actually based out of Mission, Kansas- very close to where I grew up. But now I am in Houston and they have no problem shipping anywhere in the U.S. I really like this company. It's a small business that cares about the customer. I spent a long time on the phone with one of the employees going over which ones I should pick for the trial. He thoroughly explained each style to me, the advantages/disadvantages, what's popular in the store, and many other things. Then there was a little problem with the shipping on one of the diapers that was put into a separate order, so they didn't even charge me for that one.
I'm sad that our diapers are going back today. Some of them anyway. But excited to start buying the ones that we really love and start our family on a cloth diaper journey.
I've learned a lot over the last few weeks. One of the great things about cloth diapering is that if you really take care of them and get the right kind, they can last through multiple children. Many of them also go from birth all the way to potty training. Talk about extreme savings! And to add to that savings, I plan on using cloth wipes. Not only is it cheaper, but it's much easier to just fold the cloth wipes up into the diaper and wash them together. With the disposable wipes, I have to separate them from the diaper and if I'm out and about, I've got to find a place to throw them away and remember not to fold them into the diaper like I'm used to doing. We dont' want disposable wipes going through the wash!
Some things I love about cloth:
-They don't leak like the 'sposies do. In the last 3 weeks I've had maybe 3 leaks, which I've read in the beginning of use is normal with new diapers because it takes several washes for them to increase absorbency. One time the diaper wasn't on right. Another time I had a diaper on him all night that wasn't meant to be an overnight (absorbency wasn't thick enough).
Well, I started this post last week and I'm just getting back to it today (Monday). Let's see if I can actually finish today- ha! I haven't updated the blog like I wanted to. Life with a baby is busy...how do people do this with more than 1 child??
On to my diaper reviews:
1.Prefolds
The 2 covers pictured above are Thirsties Duo (orange) and Sweet Pea (penguin). I used the Thirsties cover 1 or 2 times and gave up. The velcro on it is terrible. It does not stay on! I LOVE the Penguin Sweet Pea Cover. It's one of my favorite diapers. It's actually the only one that I kept from the whole trial. It is a one-size diaper with adjustable snaps. One-size means it goes all the way until potty-training comes. One of my favorite features is the double leg gussets on the side. If you go to this link you can see a closeup of what I'm talking about. The double leg gussets provide double protection against leaks out the sides of the diaper. The cover is waterproof and I never had an issue with leaks. The inside of the cover can be wiped off so 1 cover can be used up to 4 diaper changes just by changing the inside cloth.
Pros:
-The cheapest way to cloth diaper
-Dries fast- I airdry the covers and dry the prefold inserts and they dry the fastest of all the diapers
Cons:
-Not babysitter/dad friendly
-I could see it being very difficult when baby is older and wriggling around
-Best for use when you're at home; it's probably more difficult when you're out running errands or traveling. You want a diaper you can quickly grab and put on baby, and this is not that diaper.
My take: I am going to buy a few covers and inserts and use them intermittently with other diapers. I like them for occassional use.
2. Pockets
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bumGenius One Size Pocket Diaper 4.0 |
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| Applecheeks diaper |
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| Fuzzibunz Elite |
Pocket diapers require an insert to be stuffed in their pocket. The cool thing about this is you can change the absorbency if you'd like. If you have a heavy wetter or want to use it as an overnight diaper, you can double or triple the inserts. There's all kinds of different inserts, too...microfiber, cotton, organic cotton, bamboo, hemp. The last 2 are extra absorbent. Like most of the diapers, you can choose between Velcro (I think it is technically called aplix) or snaps. Snaps last a lot longer from what I've heard so I think if cost is a factor, they are the best way to go. They are harder for some people to figure out though. Once you get the hang of it, it's fine, but it might still be a challenge for babysitters.
Fuzzibunz: I really tried to like the Fuzzibunz diapers. They have replaceable elastic in the legs, which I've heard does tend to wear out over time. They also have 3 snaps instead of 2, which keeps a flap of the diaper from sticking out the side. And get this....they have LIFETIME warranty on each diaper. That means if anything wears out on it, say when I get to baby #2 or baby #3, they will send me a replacement for free. Another thing I really liked about this diaper is it's very trim. Not big and bulky. In fact, you can't even really tell the baby is wearing a cloth diaper under clothing. The only thing I did not like about the diaper is the waterproof liner on the outer layer made it really hard to stuff the diaper with the insert. But I think I can get over that with all those other great perks.
BumGenius: This diaper was really easy to stuff. I didn't like the liner very well but that's one of the great things about pockets is you can trade liners off from other diaper brands. The inner liner is a part you cannot change though. I think it is made of polyester. I did not like that part of the diaper. It's the part that goes right up against baby's skin. Also, the snaps tend to leave the edge of the diaper sticking up. I didn't like that part, either. The elastic doesn't seem too easy to replace when, not if, it wears out. I have one of these and I'm keeping it, but I don't think I'll be getting any more.
Applecheeks: I liked the applecheeks a lot because it functioned as a pocket or as an all-in-two diapers. I liked the insert made of organic bamboo cotton- very absorbent. It could be stuffed inside the pocket or laid directly in the diaper against baby's skin so sort of like a prefold. Applecheeks are based out of Canada and seem hard to find with a lot of diaper shops so I decided against getting them but I did like them. Also, the pocket is designed in such a way that the insert brings itself out during the wash so you don't have to pull it out and get your hands messy.
Pros of the Pocket Diapers:
1. Fast drying time- the outer liner is supposed to air dry but you can tumble dry the insert. I've found that by the time the inserts are done drying, the outer liner is almost dry too.
2. Once they're stuffed, very easy and quick to put on baby
3. If you do the stuffing ahead of time, they're easy to use when out and about or for babysitters/dad.
4. Probably a good option for nighttime diapering because you can increase the absorbency.
Cons:
1. Takes some time to put together.
- I was reading a cloth diapering blog the other day, and this mom commented on how she had to put a disposable diaper on her baby because she didn't have any of the pocket diapers stuffed after they had been washed.
2. The insert has to be stuffed inside the pocket usually. A lot of the inserts are made of material that would be irritating to baby's skin if pressed up against it.
3. With most of the pockets, you have to pull the insert out of the pocket before washing so your hand gets messy.
My take: I have a baby shower coming up and I'm registered for the Fuzzibunz Diapers. I decided to get over the difficult-to-stuff part for all the other perks. Maybe I'll figure out a trick along the way to make it easier. I plan to use these when going out and about, and when I don't feel like using the prefolds at home.
3. All-in-twos
Taken from diaperjunction.com:
All-in-Two cloth diapers have a waterproof cloth diaper shell and an absorbent insert. Unlike a pocket cloth diaper, the diaper insert goes directly against the baby's skin. When the cloth diaper becomes wet, you simply change out the insert instead of washing the entire cloth diaper. All In Two cloth diaper systems (AI2) are quickly gaining a following among cloth diaper fans!
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| Softbums Echo with Insert |
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| Grovia Hybrid |
Softbums: These were one of my favorites from the diaper trial from the very beginning. Instead of having lots of snaps, there is adjustable elastic inside the legs and it is much simpler to adjust than the fuzzibunz. The insert was easy to put in/take out. The reason I decided against Softbums is because of the velcro. It's stronger than some other brands for sure. But I noticed that it often came undone in the washer and snagged on other diapers which was a pain. I know it will easily wear out.
Grovia: These are another favorite of mine. At first I hated them and was about the pack them away with the Thirsties diaper cover. I didn't like them because I thought I should be getting more use out of them but I couldn't ever seem to get past 1 cover per diaper change. I did figure out a little trick that seemed to improve things. The inserts have leg gussets so when changing him, I made sure to stretch those to the sides. After that adjustment, I was able to use the cover more than once a few times. I like that the insert snaps on both ends. It seems to keep it in the diaper more securely. It's a little tricky when changing though. I usually have to hold the baby's legs up in the air with one hand and try to unsnap the inserts with the other hand. Still...I really like Grovia. One of the best things about this diaper is the EXTRA STRONG Velcro. I've read lots of cloth diaper reviews and many moms say this is hands down the strongest velcro out there. There are also little tabs to secure the velcro down during the washing so they don't snag on other diapers. I've never had any problems with the velcro coming undone on this diaper.
Pros of All-in-Twos:
1. You can dry the outer cover. To get a longer life, it is better to air dry. Air drying doesn't take long.
2. They can be used for multiple diaper changes.
3. They take less time to put together than pockets.
4. Once the inserts are in, they are very easy to use- dad/babysitter friendly.
Cons of All-in-Twos
1. At least with the 2 brands I tried, you can only use the inserts that come with the diaper because of the snaps. But actually that's not true- you could also use the cover for a prefold.
2. Getting the snapped insert out and replacing with a fresh one in the middle of a diaper change can be very tricky.
My take: I love the Grovia Hybrid. The insert is very absorbent with 4 layers of hemp/cotton topped with microfleece. These are my choice for the easy go-to diapers. And definitely the choice for babysitters.The velcro makes them the closest to a disposable diaper. They are one size so they can go ideally from birth to potty-training.
4. All-in-Ones
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| (L)Swaddlebees Simplex (R) bumGenius Freetime |
These were my least favorite diaper. They're supposed to be very user-friendly but I found myself getting confused with all the flaps. The all-in-one diaper doesn't have any extra inserts. It's all in one! Everything you need is already attached to the diaper. The diaper shop told me these are a favorite for people who want easy diaper changes. But like I said, I got confused with all the flaps and folding and so did my husband and mother-in-law. So I don't think they're actually that easy. The Swaddlebees diaper had a pocket so I think the flap/insert could be stuffed inside of that. Or I guess you could even stuff another layer to add extra absorbency. I just didn't like these. They are big and bulky, hard to figure out initially, costly, and take a long time to dry. Not many pros in my opinion.
Pros:
1. Easy to use once you figure out.
2. No stuffing, snapping inserts, pinning etc
Cons:
1. take the longest to dry- they are supposed to air dry
2. difficult to figure out for first-time users
So there you have it. My first cloth diaper post. Everything stated is simply my opinion. I am not an expert by any means. Something else to remember is that every baby is different. Some have chicken legs, some have chunky legs. Different diapers work for different situations. What works on my baby might not work so well on yours.
During my three week trial, I consulted other friends that cloth diaper as well as lots of blogs and websites. Here are some of the most helpful sites I found:
http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2012/04/24/cloth-diaper-review-whats-the-best-cloth-diaper-for-you/
http://www.diaperjungle.com/folding-diapers.html
http://www.softbums.com/assets/Reusable-Diaper-Information-Booklet.pdf
Hopefully this is helpful for others interested in trying cloth diapers. I highly recommend the 3-week diaper trial from Diaper Daisy. I hope to update more in the future on what is working/not working for us.
For the mamas already cloth diapering, I'd like to hear from you. I don't have any diapers of my own yet besides the Sweet Pea Cover that I couldn't bear to part with from the trial. I'm open to suggestions. What works for you? What's your favorite? Why? What is your solution for nighttime diapering? I'm still trying to figure that one out.
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