It's been so long since I've updated on here about how cloth diapering is going for us, but I finally got a chance to look at everything and put a little video together for you. Linc is now 2 years old (2 years and 3 months to be exact), and nowhere near potty training. His cute little potty just sits there in the corner feeling lonely and rejected, but alas, anytime I even bring up sitting on his potty for even a second, Linc turns up his nose and walks the other way. No way mom! That's what my hip looking diapers are for. Point well taken little man. You win.
I'm sure you all remember that my stash has not been on the small size. When it came to testing diapers, I was gaga for the latest new craze or the newest mommy made diaper. I just had to see if it was the ultimate diaper. Lining up all of my Linc's diapers in the past took up our entire King sized bed. OMG! Yes, I had a little problem. Haha! I'm proud to say that I've gotten my addiction under control though. A few Diaper Addicts Anonymous meetings, shaking hands as diaper ads skimmed across my e-mail inbox, and a few cancelled credit cards later, and I'm down to a manageable 14 diapers in my main stash, and 9 diapers in my backup stash.
So what do I mean by main stash and backup stash? Well I have to admit that there are days when I'm just not on top of my diaper laundry like I should be, so the backup stash is for those days that I forget to do laundry and my main stash has run out. Boo! I hate when that happens, but alas, it happens now and then. So here's what's in my stash. You might be amazed (at least I know I am), that I have pretty much settled on one brand (and if I could, one style). I always said that one diaper brand was just too boring, but I love these so much that I just don't care, and I'm not bored at all. Although I'm sure Linc would be happier if there was a Mickey Mouse, Hulk, or Spongebob design in the mix. Sorry Linc!
In honor of the 2012 Real Diaper Week, I've decided to kick off my Cloth Diapering 101 series. I'll be periodically adding to this series from time to time so keep your eyes peeled. First up ... All In One Diapers!
All In One cloth diapers (also known as AIO’s) are just that. They are diapers that have everything you need all in one. They are about as close to a disposable diaper as you are going to get. No need to worry about inserts, pins, or covers. All you have to do is put the diaper on, take it off when it gets dirty, and then throw it in your diaper pail. That’s it! Although AIO diapers vary between manufacturers, all AIO diapers have two things in common. The first is a waterproof or water-resistant exterior (or hidden layer under a decorative fabric) consisting typically of PUL or TPU. The second requirement for an AIO diaper is an absorbent interior attached soaker (this is the portion that soaks up the pee). Some soakers are completely sewn in resembling a disposable diaper. Some soakers are partially sewn in resembling an insert attached on one or both ends. Although each manufacturer has their own way of fulfilling these two requirements, you will always see them present. Listed below are some of the pros and cons of All In One diapers as well as some examples of All In One diapers. These are by no means all the options available. They are just a few that I have tried or are popular in the cloth diapering community.
**Please note that these pros and cons are typical but by no means an absolute. Some All In One diapers do not fit into the typical mold.
Pros
Easy on / Easy off system (Hook & Loop closure makes them even easier)
This post is a part of the Real Diaper Week 2012 blog hop. If you would like to read other great posts about cloth diapering then feel free to hop around to these other great blogs. Better yet, join in on the fun and link up your own post. Cloth diapers are reusable, eco-friendly, non-toxic, economical, simple, stylish, fun, healthy, and modern. Basically they are Real Simple. Real Diapers. Read up and have fun!
Ok, it's that time again. I just love sharing with you all the good, the bad, and the poopy details about each of the cloth diapers that I'm using on Linc. Today I thought I'd share with you the Blueberry One Size Deluxe Pocket Diaper. This diaper was actually one of the diapers I had on my "Must Have" list before Lincoln was born. I just had to have one of the green camo minky diapers. It was just the cutest thing I'd ever seen! Let me tell you, it's even cuter in person than it was in the photo. I LOVE it!
Diaper Features:
Diaper Type: Pocket Diaper (back loading pocket)
Size Range: One Size fitting babies from 10-35 lbs adjusted via a snap down rise
Waist Closure: Snaps or Hook & Loop
Exterior: Laminated Polyester Knit (in solids or prints) or Minky (in solids or prints)
Interior: Microfleece or Bamboo/Organic Cotton Velour
Inserts: Microterry (1 - four layer med/lg & 1 - three layer small). Can be upgraded to bamboo inserts. Also available are combination microterry/hemp inserts.
Performance Review:
Ease Of Use: ♥♥♥♥♥- This diaper is pretty easy to use. The snap down rise is fast and conveinent. I like that the snap wings have only two snaps. I'm a big fan of two snaps. Three is just too many sometimes. Having only two snaps on top of each other vs side by side also allows you to get the largest waist opening without having a waist snap exposed to your baby's skin. The hook and loop is really fast, but it is very strong so sometimes it takes a bit of work to pry it off. I'd still rather have it be too strong than too weak. The pocket opening is huge so stuffing these diapers takes no time at all. The adjustable inserts take no time to adjust as well.
Adjustability & Fit: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These diapers are great when it comes to adjustability and fit. I always get a great fit on the legs as well as the waist. I also love the insert snap adjustments. I can get the perfect length without it bulking up in the front or back like some other adjustable inserts I've tried. My only complaint on the fit is that these diapers are pretty bulky. Although they are one-size, these diapers are not for newborns. The width between the legs is just too big for a bitty baby, but perfect for an infant or toddler. The bulk also makes it a bit harder to fit under clothing, but if you size up on clothes then you'll have no problem.
Leak Protection: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These have leaked a few times while Linc was sleeping, but for the most part I don't have any problems with them. My favorite insert is the hemp/microterry insert. I get the mega hold of the microterry, but the backup protection of the hemp. It's a great combination. I've never had a poop blowout in these.
Wash Routine: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These are pretty easy when it comes to washing. The hook and loop closures always stay secure, and I don't have to worry about the snaps at all. The pocket opening is huge, so taking the inserts out before washing is super fast and easy. The only drawback is with the bamboo/organic cotton velour lining. It will get crunchy if you just hang dry it so you have to throw it in the dryer for a bit to get the super silky feeling back. Another option would be to rub it with your hands for awhile, but it still doesn't get quite as soft as when you dry it in the dryer. All it needs is 10 min or so.
Bang For The Buck: ♥♥♥♥♥ - $23.95 - $27.95 These are on the upper end of the price range for a pocket diaper and you can't use them on a newborn, so I gave this a slightly lower rating.
Quality & Durability: ♥♥♥♥♥ - The quality of these diapers is great! My snap diapers look brand new and the hook and loop is as strong as it was the first day I used them. The hook and loop has curled slightly, but it still looks fine to me. I would actually prefer the hook and loop to the snaps on this diaper.
The Look: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I LOVE the look of this diaper!!! That's what drew me in to get one in the first place. The minky is sooooo soft and squishy. It's probably some of the best minky I've seen on a cloth diaper. Love it! I also love all the prints. Blueberry is great at picking out stunning prints. My baby's bum always looks cute in these. It kills me to even put pants over them.
In Conclusion:
I love the Blueberry pocket diapers! They're my #1 when it comes to fluffy cuteness. I absolutely LOVE my camo minky one with hook and loop closure. I also love that it has the microfleece interior. This has been my favorite combination. I would definitely recommend these diapers for a bigger baby like Linc. These diapers have fluffy chunk written all over them. I'd love to try one of their PUL versions and plan on getting one in the future. Now the hard part. Deciding what print to go with. Ack! Too many cute ones to choose from.
Lincoln at 5 months and 19lbs
_________________________________________________________________________________ ** Please note that while I aim to provide the most thorough and honest reviews possible, this review is based on my own preferences and experiences. Each baby is different and each parent has different likes and dislikes. What works for one may not work for another, so keep that in mind while doing your research.**
**I purchased the above diapers and I was not paid or compensated in any way for this review. This review is comprised completely of my own opinions and was not influenced by any other outside source.**
I've been meaning to write this post for awhile now, but when DiaperShops.com posted their "No Pins Required Pinterest Contest" it really pushed me into gear. I've been officially cloth diapering Lincoln for over four months now and have a pretty good idea of what I bought that helped, what didn't, and what I couldn't live without. Listed below are my top 15 must haves for cloth diapering. Stick to this list and I assure that you will be ready for any and all cloth diaper situations ... Adventures In Fluff style.
DiaperShops.com
#1 - Supportive Community - Why is a supportive community number 1? Because you just can't do this alone. I don't know how many times my cloth diaper support groups have helped me. Too many times to count I would assume. This was especially true in the beginning. In the beginning I had nobody near me that knew about cloth or even supported my decision to cloth diaper. Where do I start? What do I do? How do I fix this? So many questions. Who else are you going to run to when you get a new diaper in the mail and want to share your excitement? Certainly not your next door neighbor that's going to think your pregnancy knocked one too many screws loose in your head. So where do you find these communities? Online forums like DiaperSwappers is great. There are tons of Facebook groups. If you have a local cloth diaper store then start there. Maybe they have a group. The Great Cloth Diaper Change is coming up April 21st. You'll meet LOTS of cloth mamas there. Whatever your source, you're going to need a group of parents that you can go to when it comes to The Good, The Bad, and The Poopy of cloth diapering. My Faves: Fertility Friend "The Cloth Diaper Crew" (paid subscription), Facebook Group "Cloth Diaper Chat", & all the cloth diaper Facebook pages (I tend to frequent my favorite brands, stores, & blogs).
TIDE Ultra Detergent
#2 - Laundry Routine And Detergent - This was a VERY close second for me. I almost put it as number 1. I don't know how many people I've seen quit cloth diapering because they can't get a good laundry routine down. This was one of the areas that I spent most of my time researching before Lincoln was born. There's nothing more discouraging when you really want cloth diapering to work, but you keep getting leaks, stink, buildup, and stains. This is a tricky one though because everyone's laundry routine and detergent that works for them is different. It all depends on your water, your load size, the age of your child (pee concentration and poop type), the washer you have, and the types of diapers you have. Do you have hard or soft water? Do you have large or small loads of laundry? Do you have a newborn or a toddler? Do you have a top loader or a front loader washing machine? Do you have mostly synthetic diapers or natural diapers? It all comes into play when trying to come up with your laundry routine and detergent type. I don't mean to scare you. It's really not that bad. Most routines are fairly similar in fact. It's just a matter of tweaking it to fit your needs. My Faves: My Cloth Diaper Wash Routine with Tide Ultra.
Bumgenius 3.0 All In One
#3 - Easy All-In-One Diapers - These diapers are perfect for dad, grandparents, and childcare facilities. To tell you the truth I LOVE them for myself too. They're just so easy and about as close to a disposable diaper as you can get. Get these with hook and loop closures and you pretty much have a disposable diaper. Sure they take longer to dry and you can't customize the absorbency as easy as a pocket diaper, but they are soooooo easy. I just love them. These are my out and about diaper. If I have to run errands then you can bet an All-In-One diaper is what's in my diaper bag. My Faves: Ragababe & BumGenius 3.0 AIO (discontinued)
SoftBums Echo AI2 Diaper
#4 - Economical All-In-Two Diapers - When I first started researching cloth diapers I totally did not understand the point of an All-In-Two diaper. How could a little snap in insert contain everything? How could you possibly re-use the diaper shell again? Wouldn't that be gross? Wouldn't it be soaked with pee or smeared with poop? Ick!!!! Then I tried a few. OMG! I love them! I just love being able to take out a wet soaker (I just use my wipe to unsnap it and throw it in the laundry bag) and then snap in a new soaker for the next change. It makes me feel so great that I get to use my super cute shells more than once. If the shell is slightly damp then I let it dry and use it for the next diaper change. If it gets poop on it (Linc doesn't poop as often as I thought he would), then I just throw it in the laundry. Not only do I love that I can use my cute diapers more than once, but I'm saving money by doing so. The shell is the most expensive part and if I get to use it 2, 3, or even 4 times, then I'm usually paying wayyyy less than any other diaper system (except prefolds and covers). I also find that my All-In-Two systems are much trimmer fitting than most other diapers. Great when you're trying to fit jeans over a diaper. That said, I normally use my All-In-Two's at home so I have somewhere to hang my diaper shell up in between changes. I also use these for long distance travel since they take up the least amount of space in my luggage. My Faves: Ragababe Two Steps, SoftBums Echo, & Grovia Shells.
Tiny Tush Elite Pocket Diaper
#5 - Night Time Diaper Solution - When your baby starts sleeping through the night ... or more than a two hour stretch, you're going to need a night time diaper solution. Now that solution is different for everyone. It depends on several factors. Is your baby a heavy wetter? Is your baby sensitive to wetness? Does your baby sleep on their back, tummy, or side? Linc is easy. He sleeps on his back, he's not a heavy wetter, and he's not sensitive to wetness. We can do almost anything. That said, Linc does go 12 hours without a diaper change at night so we do need a solution that can hold a lot of liquid just in case. Some parents use fitted diapers with PUL or wool. Some parents use pocket diapers with lots of inserts. There are many other options as well. I myself am a pocket with inserts type of girl. My Faves: Tiny Tush Elite or Kawaii Heavy Duty, paired with a Thirsties Hemp Insert
Hefty Pail & Planet Wise Liner
#6 - Dirty Diaper Storage Solution - You're going to need somewhere to put all your stinky diapers until laundry day. There are lots of options out there, but I've found that it's best to take the following into consideration. A diaper pail with airflow keeps stink away better than a diaper pail that is tightly closed. I also find that a plastic container is best, just in case your pail liner springs a leak. Once in awhile I like to set that bad boy outside and let it air out with the fresh clean air. Using a pail liner will help to keep your pail clean and avoid having to wash it every other day. I own two so that while one liner is in the wash, the other goes into my pail. Another option is to use a large hanging wet bag. This is a great option if you just don't have the space for a diaper pail or if you move your diaper changing station from one area to another depending on what time of the day it is. My Faves: (2) Planet Wise Pail Liners and Hefty 13.3 Pivot Lid Wastebasket
Home Made Cloth Wipes
#7 - Cloth Wipes - I can't say enough good things about cloth wipes. I LOVE them! Gone are the days where it took 10 wipes to clean up a poopy mess. I use at the most 2 cloth wipes for each diaper change and 90% of the time I only need one. I have about 50 cloth wipes on hand, but you could easily get away with about 35. My Faves: Ragababe & My own home made cloth wipes made with terrycloth and flannel (tutorial here)
#8 - Newborn Diapers - Some debate on whether newborn diapers are necessary or not. Some go with prefolds and covers till their baby can fit in one-size diapers. Some just go with disposables. Not me! There's something about newborn diapers that just makes your eggs drop in hopes of another newborn to put them on. Newborn diapers are just toooooo cute to pass up. Not only are they too cute, but they have a great resale value so you usually get a lot of your money back on them. Not in the mood to buy newborn diapers and deal with selling them? Try renting them instead. I almost did. My Faves: Kissaluvs Cotton Fleece Fitted Diapers (Size: 0) with a Thirsties Duo Wrap (Size: 1). See more of my favorite newborn diapers HERE.
KAEL&KAED Wet Bag
#9 - Wet Bags - You're on the go and you've got to change a diaper. What do you do? Yes, you could throw it in your diaper bag and hope it doesn't leak (yes, I've done this before). You could leave it on the floor of your car till you get home (can someone say hot stink box? ... ummm no thank you!). You could just leave the diaper on the baby and let them marinate in their own sloshy mess (hmmmm ... not a bad idea. Ok, I'm not that mean). What you do is get a wet bag. Wet bags are waterproof bags that zip up and hold your wet stinky diapers till you get home or it's time to wash them. They come in several sizes and I recommend you get a couple sizes. I have a couple small ones (they'll hold about one or two diapers), and a couple medium ones (they'll hold about 6-8 diapers). The small ones are great for really quick trips out of the house. The medium ones are great for all day trips out of the house. The large ones are great for overnight trips (I still need to get one of those). The best part? When you're done with cloth diapering these can be used for pool or beach bags to hold your wet swim suits. My Faves: Planet Wise & KAEL&KAED
CJ's Butter
#10 - Diaper Rash Cream - Now one of the reasons that I decided to cloth diaper Lincoln was because I heard that babies got less diaper rash when cloth diapered due to the diaper being more breathable and less chemicals being used. For us that has been pretty much true, but we do still get the occasional diaper rash. When using cloth diapers you can't use the typical diaper rash creams that you would use with disposable diapers. They would leave a buildup on your diapers that would cause your diapers to repel and leak. You need to use a diaper rash cream that is labeled to be cloth diaper friendly. My Faves: CJ's Butter & Mum Mum Crafts Baby Booty Balm
Blueberry Pocket Diaper & Ragababe Doublers
#11 - Diaper Doublers - A diaper doubler is basically anything that you can use to boost up the absorbency of your cloth diapers. There are many reasons why you might want to increase the absorbency. You'll probably need a doubler at night since your baby will be in the diaper for a long time. You'll probably want a doubler for long car rides since your baby will be pressing on their diaper in a seat. You'll probably want a doubler for a heavy wetter baby. There are many options out there to choose from. You can use hemp, cotton, bamboo, microfiber, prefolds, etc. My Faves: Thirsties Hemp Inserts, Ragababe Doublers & Inserts & BabyKicks Joey Bunz
Sigma Diaper Sprayer
#12 - Diaper Sprayer - I haven't used my diaper sprayer yet, but you can bet that it was at the top of my list to buy one for later on down the road. We're actually only about a month or two away from breaking that bad boy out. So what's a diaper sprayer you ask? Oh well let me tell you it's a super fun device that you hook up to your toilet plumbing to spray your @$$ with after you take a dump. Haha! Ok, that's what my husband thinks it's for. Actually it is a device that you use to spray the poop from your diapers onto you, your toilet, and the walls of your bathroom (if you're not diaper sprayer skilled). That said, I plan to conquer the diaper sprayer technique so that I can avoid having to swish Linc's diapers in the toilet... and clean my walls The point of the diaper sprayer is to get as much poop off the diapers before you throw them in the wash. You don't need to do this with breastfed poo since it's water soluble (thus I have not broke my diaper sprayer out yet), but as soon as babies start solids or formula then you're going to need to break that bad boy out. I'll be practicing with a clean diaper at first. My Fave: Sigma Diaper Sprayer
Ju Ju Be . BFF Diaper Bag
#13 - Diaper Bag - Now here's an area where I splurged. I knew this item was going to be with me everyday and a part of my cool mommy wardrobe for the next 2-3 years (nothing says cool like a big teddy bear on the side of your diaper bag). I knew I needed something big enough to carry all of Lincoln's stuff as well as my stuff (this would be my new purse), plus some little things for the girls such as snacks. I also knew that I wanted a backpack. I just think that backpacks are super easy to carry around while trying to manage two kids and a baby at the same time. My Fave: Ju-Ju-Be B.F.F.
Ragababe Easy All In One Diaper
#14 - Super Cute Diapers - You might say "What??? Why do I need cute diapers???". Ok, all cloth diapers are cute, but I'm talking super cute. Those diapers that just make you squee with delight and bust your budget trying to collect them all. Now you don't have to bust your budget to get super cute diapers. Just get at least one or two. So what's the point you ask? The point is to make other parents swoon and other babies wish they had back like your baby does. I find this really helps when all your friends and family can't understand your cloth obsession and swear you're going to quit one day. Oh yes! When they see that cute fluffy bum they will secretly wish they had picked cloth too. My Faves: Ragababe (I also have a Doodle Dypes on the way and Chelory on my purchase radar)
Smart Snugs Diaper & My Little Legs
#15 - Leg Warmers - I know technically leg warmers are not a cloth diaper accessory, but oh how they make cloth diapering easier. Don't be deceived by the name and have visions of Flashdance in your head (Oh memories! I should watch that movie again). They're basically really long socks with no feet that cover the entire leg. Ok... they're leg warmers, but I try not to call them that around my husband since Linc is a boy. I love that I can leave them on during diaper changes and I don't have to worry about pulling pants over his fluffy bum. Plus they come in so many cute prints and I can show off Linc's cute diapers since they're not covered up with pants. At the same time his legs are warm and protected while crawling. My Faves: My Little Legs & Making my own (tutorial here)
So there you have it! Those are my Top 15 Cloth Diaper Must Haves. Not sure what I would do without them. I definitely wouldn't be having as much fun as I am right now. I definitely had a lot of fun creating this list. Thanks DiaperShops.com for hosting such a great contest. Here's a link to my Official Adventures In Fluff "No Pins Required" Contest Entry. I'd LOVE to see all your entries too!!! Feel free to post a link to your No Pins Required contest entry below so we can all get some great ideas of new products to try.
Well, it's official... Linc is finally out of all his newborn diapers. Sniff Sniff. I actually sold most of them today. It's a bittersweet feeling. Yay! I've got more money to buy new diapers! Booo! Linc is growing too fast and I'll never get to use these little diapers again since 3 kiddos is the max limit for us. Bye Bye itti bitti fluff. We had a nice two months together and now you'll move on to another little baby's bum.
That brings me to the exciting part. Big boy fluff!!!! Linc's been in his big boy fluff for a month now, but I realized I hadn't shared it with you all. He looks soooo cute! I love having so many options on styles and colors and it seems like the possibilities are endless. Too bad my wallet isn't... or so my husband says. Darn! Listed below is my post newborn diaper stash. I'll be testing these babies on Linc to find out which ones we love and which ones we don't. In the process I'll be writing up reviews for you all to see. Can't wait to find out which ones we fall in love with and which ones we don't. If you're trying to decide upon a certain diaper I have listed below and you'd really like to see the review sooner rather than later then comment below with your diaper selection. I'll try and review those diapers first.
Now that I'm done posting my Newborn Cloth Diaper Reviews (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4) it makes me wonder. What would my newborn cloth diaper stash look like if I was to do it all over again? Mind you I don't plan on getting pregnant again so Lincoln will be the one and only newborn I get to cloth diaper, but it's fun to wonder... What if ?
I'm not sure if you remember way back when I wrote a post titled "The Newborn Stash". It went over all the diapers I planned to use during the newborn phase. LOL! I guess it changed a lot. Yes, I ended up getting the diapers I listed ... but I also got a lot more. Ok, "My name is Chana, and I'm a cloth diaper addict". I wonder if I still would have been happy if I had stuck to my original plan. I think I would have been. Would it have been my perfect newborn stash? No. But it would have worked. Here's a list of what I had planned on using for the newborn stage.
(Qty: 12) Green Mountain Diapers Cloth-eez Prefolds - Size: Newborn
(Qty: 12) Green Mountain Diapers Cloth-eez Prefolds - Size: Small
(Qty: 3) BabyKicks Hemparoo Fleece Prefold - Size: Small
Now that would have been all good and dandy, but having went through the newborn stage and knowing what I know now, I would have done things a little differently. Although I tried to spread the love and use all my newborn diapers I definitely had my favorites that I always grabbed first. Each diaper had it's specific purpose with a certain time of day I would use them or a certain activity that I preferred to use them during. Having said that, here is my perfect newborn stash. I only wish I was brave enough (or crazy enough) to have another baby so I could create this perfect stash and use it. Boo! Oh well. Maybe one of you could use it and let me know how it works out.
This would be my go to daytime diaper especially if anyone was going to see him in a diaper. Love the look. Love the fit. Love the absorbency. Don't love the price, but they have a great re-sale value so I would anticipate on getting a lot of my money back.
This would be my go to out of the house diaper during the first week or two when the umbilical cord is still on. I hate having a two piece system when out of the house. I loved the fit of this diaper and the price was pretty good as well.
This would be one of my daytime diapers. I love all the patterns that these come in and I love that they are so adjustable and last a long time size wise. They fit nice and are super easy for dad to put on. I also like that it's a pocket diaper and super easy to stuff.
This would be one of my daytime diapers while I was still using my fitted diapers at night, but later turn into my go to night time solution in the later months. I love the fit of these. I love the inserts (especially when you add an extra hemp insert for the night). The prints and colors are nice and you can't beat the durability and absorbency of these. I'd pick snaps over aplix because I found it to hold up way better than the aplix.
Gotta love a One-Size diaper that works on a newborn. I LOVE the Rump.a.rooz prints too. This diaper works great and looks even better. I like the snaps because even when your baby can use their hands, they'll have a hard time opening the snaps. Snaps last longer anyways which is great when you have a OS diaper. These will be great from beginning to end.
I LOVED my Kissaluvs for nighttime on a newborn. They were easy to put on, easy to take off, and oh so soft! They also helped to contain everything including those messy newborn poops during the night. I felt that because these contained so well, I didn't need that many covers. I NEVER got poop on my covers. I love that these have an umbilical cord snap down and fit on babies up to 15lbs.
Love my Thirsties Covers! These are great for those first couple of weeks. The Duos are great in the long run, but I feel that the sized covers fit better on a bitti newborn and look nicer. I'd only get three though because I'd want a couple covers to last past the newborn stage.
Love the economical value of the Duo Wraps. They get as small as an XS Thirsties cover, but last wayyyy longer. Although I think the snap version lasts longer, I wouldn't plan on using the wraps past the newborn stage so longevity isn't an issue for me with this one, thus I'm going for ease of use here.
Now, I'm not much of a prefold girl, but since I didn't like most of the newborn options with an umbilical cord snap down I would probably use these for the first week or two until the cord fell off (in addition to my Kissaluvs AIO's and Fitteds). After that point they'll just be use for back up diapers, doublers, burp cloths, and covers to lay over my changing pad.
So there's my perfect newborn stash! You'll probably notice I'm still a bit eclectic, but I think one type of diaper is just too boring. I like to spice it up a bit. Please note that when I selected my perfect newborn stash I took into consideration the size of my children when they were born. They were all 7lbs or above so I never had a bitti baby. If I had then my choices might be a bit different. But for the average size to large size newborn, I think this is the perfect stash that takes into consideration style, price, durability, longevity, and of course function. Hope this helps you in your newborn cloth diaper research. Happy Fluffy Shopping!
It's been 2 months and Lincoln is already out of his newborn stash. Some of it he's been out of for awhile. Originally I was going to write a review for each diaper, but if you've ever had a newborn in your home then you know that time is precious and one handed typing is not easy. What used to take me an hour to type up takes me days now, if not weeks. Ugh! So I've decided to lump my newborn stash into four categories: Part 1 - All In Ones, Part 2 - Pocket Diapers, Part 3 - Covers, Part 4 Fitteds and Prefolds. Today I'm going to focus on All In Ones, and we'll see how it goes with my chunky monkey on how many parts he lets me post the rest of the week.
As far as newborn All-In-One's, they were the easiest to use in those tiresome first weeks. I'd say they are the easiest for dads, grandparents, & babysitters, but I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that changed Lincoln while he was still in newborn diapers. Brian was still pretty anti cloth diapers ... ok, he still is (trying to work on that). I loved that there was no stuffing, no un-stuffing, and no two part system. It was just easy on, easy off. How much better can you get? Listed below are all the All-In-One diapers that I used during the newborn stage and how they ranked in each category. I've also done a quick video to give you a visual of each diaper and how it works as well as pictures of Lincoln in each of the diapers. I wish I would have done all the pictures at the same time so you could see the difference in size, but I've noted the age and weight on each diaper.
** Please note that while I aim to provide the most thorough and honest reviews possible, this review is based on my own preferences and experiences. Each baby is different and each parent has different likes and dislikes. What works for one may not work for another, so keep that in mind while doing your research.**
Ease Of Use: ♥♥♥♥♥- Very easy to use. The snaps work really well and I like that there is only one snap on each side to snap. That being said, aplix is still easier to use than snaps so I didn't give it a perfect score.
Adjustability & Fit: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I love the fact that these are adjustable on rise even though they're for a newborn. It made it possible for me to use them while Lincoln still had his umbilical cord. I liked the trimness of these diapers as well.
Leak Protection: ♥♥♥♥♥ - Out of all my newborn diapers this one leaked the most. This was mostly due to the fact that the cotton interior lining extends out on the leg openings. Since Lincoln liked to sleep a lot, I couldn't change these diapers as fast as they need to be because of this feature. GroVia says you can fold the diaper ruffles in, but they seemed too stiff to do this when I tried. I think the only solution is to change them really often. I also had quite a few poop blowouts out the legs of this diaper.
Wash Routine: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I had no problems with staining or stink with these diapers. I love that I can just throw them into the wash without un-stuffing them and I don't have to worry about aplix getting stuck on everything else since it's a snap diaper. They do take quite awhile to dry though even with the flap type soaker. This diaper takes the longest to dry out of all my newborn diapers. Usually I end up letting it air dry overnight if it's taking too long in the dryer.
Bang For The Buck: ♥♥♥♥♥ - At $14.95 it's an average price for a newborn AIO but because of the rise snaps you can use it longer than the average newborn diaper.
Quality & Durability: ♥♥♥♥♥ - This is a great quality diaper. After two months it still looks like new. I love the snap quality on this diaper too. They are my favorite snaps on all my diapers.
The Look: ♥♥♥♥♥ - This diaper is super cute with lots of great modern looking prints and fun solid colors. I love the quality look of the snaps and the cute ruffle details on the legs and back elastic areas. I also love the feel of this diaper. The TPU exterior fabric is very soft and pliable. If I was going to show off Lincoln in a diaper this would definitely be one of them.
Ease Of Use: ♥♥♥♥♥- Very easy to use. The snaps work really well and I like that there is only one snap on each side to snap. That being said, aplix is still easier to use than snaps so I didn't give it a perfect score.
Adjustability & Fit: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I like that there are two rows of snaps to adjust the rise. Linc was pretty big so we only used the top set, but I can see how this diaper would fit a really small baby. I also love that these diapers have an umbilical cord snap down. Because of the snap down I was able to use these diapers sooner than some of my other newborn diapers.
Leak Protection: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I had quite a few leaks and a few blow outs with this diaper. I can't quite place the reason why.
Wash Routine: ♥♥♥♥♥ - This diaper was so easy to wash and washed up very well. After two months of use it still looks brand new. I was also surprised at how fast they dried for how thick they are. They're still not as fast drying as a pocket diaper though.
Bang For The Buck: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These diaper are so small that Lincoln grew out of them very fast. The price is pretty average for a newborn AIO diaper and I only got to use them about a month.
Quality & Durability: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I love the quality of this diaper. After two months of use you can't even tell that I used the diaper.
The Look: ♥♥♥♥♥ - Sooooooo cute! You can't get much cuter that this little diaper. They have awesome prints and the overall look of the design is great also. LOVE the look of this diaper!
Ease Of Use: ♥♥♥♥♥- Very easy to use. The snaps work really well and I like that there is only one snap on each side to snap. That being said, aplix is still easier to use than snaps so I didn't give it a perfect score.
Adjustability & Fit: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These diapers have an upper and lower set of snaps so you do get a bit of adjustability with the rise of the diaper. I also love that these diapers have an umbilical cord snap down. Because of the snap down I was able to use these diapers sooner than some of my other newborn diapers. For some reason they didn't fit as well without the top snapped down for the umbilical cord and I'd get leg gaps.
Leak Protection: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These were my favorite diaper in the beginning. I didn't have one leak. When Lincoln got bigger and was peeing more, these diapers couldn't take the increase in pee. They're a pretty thin AIO diaper. I ended up having to retire these diapers before he grew out of them for this reason. Adding a doubler didn't help because it messed up the fit of the diaper and created leg gaps.
Wash Routine: ♥♥♥♥♥ - Very easy wash routine and it dried VERY fast for an AIO diaper.
Bang For The Buck: ♥♥♥♥♥ - If you don't have a super pee'er then this diaper is great since it fits longer. If you do have a super pee'er like I do though, then you won't get to use it to it's full extent unless you're changing very often.
Quality & Durability: ♥♥♥♥♥ - The inner lining pilled up a bit, but not excessively.
The Look: ♥♥♥♥♥ - This diaper has an average look. There are only a few colors to choose from and no prints.
Ease Of Use: ♥♥♥♥♥- The aplix is very easy to use and makes this diaper a quick change. The only thing I didn't like was how the tabs bent when using the laundry tabs. The aplix is also very strong so sometimes it took awhile to pry the tabs off of the laundry tabs.
Adjustability & Fit: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I couldn't really get a great fit with these all the time and would get leg gaps. I think these would be better on a chunky leg baby.
Leak Protection: ♥♥♥♥♥ - Because of the leg gaps I did get leaking with this diaper periodically. It comes with a doubler, but I couldn't use it because it would just make the gaps worse.
Wash Routine: ♥♥♥♥♥ - Very easy wash routine and they were the fastest drying AIO I had. I love that the soaker is attached so I don't have to find it after washing, but I do still have to re-stuff the diaper.
Bang For The Buck: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These were on the higher end of the price range for a newborn AIO. They do fit a bit longer than some of my other newborn AIO diapers though, and they are also bamboo, so I feel that the price is justified. I just wish they didn't leak.
Quality & Durability: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These are a great quality diaper. The hook is loop is very strong and the seams look very nice. The extra insert looks a bit cheap, but other than that this diaper is great.
The Look: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I love the cut of this diaper. It's so cute! I do wish it came in fun prints, but I do like the bright colors that they have. Wish they didn't discontinue some of the best colors though. I'm not loving the new ones.
Ease Of Use: ♥♥♥♥♥- These were very easy to use. Easy on, easy off. The only thing I didn't like was that the laundry tab is in the center on the back of the diaper. This made it so I had to lift Lincoln up to attach it. Because of this I forgot to attach it sometimes.
Adjustability & Fit: ♥♥♥♥♥ - This diaper fit pretty well. Because it is an aplix closure I could get a really nice fit on the waist. There are no rise adjustments though.
Leak Protection: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I did have a few leaks with this diaper, but not an excessive amount.
Wash Routine: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These washed very well. The aplix closure is very strong so it never came undone in the wash or dryer. It also dried fairly quickly for an AIO diaper. I did have one instance where the poop went all the way up to the aplix laundry tab which is located in the center of the back of the diaper and I had a hard time getting it out. This wouldn't be a problem if the laundry tabs were on the side.
Bang For The Buck: ♥♥♥♥♥ - This diaper doesn't fit as long as some of the others, but the price is great. If you get a seconds quality diaper then the price is awesome!
Quality & Durability: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I had a bit of pilling on the wings, but other than that these diapers were a great quality.
The Look: ♥♥♥♥♥ - It's a pretty average looking diaper. It only comes in solid colors and is basic in it's shape.
Ease Of Use: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These diapers are so easy to use and idiot proof. They are an AIO diaper so no stuffing and un-stuffing unless you decide to stuff the optional pocket with a doubler. It's a hook and loop closure so easy on and easy off. It's also a sized diaper so no need to worry about adjusting the rise of your diaper. The laundry tabs are also extremely easy to use. They're easy to bend and in a good location to secure while taking the diaper off your baby.
Adjustability & Fit: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These diapers gave Lincoln an amazing fit. I don't have another diaper that fits as great as this one does. It's a sized diaper though so the only adjustability that you have is in the waist. If you're expecting a small baby I would add the crossover tab. There's still a gap on adjustability, but it will give you a tighter fit.
Leak Protection: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I've yet to have a leak or blow out with this diaper !!!
Wash Routine: ♥♥♥♥♥ - Very easy to wash and dry. The laundry tabs are very strong so I don't have a problem with them coming apart while in the wash or dryer. I've had no wear on these diapers in the 2 months that I've used them except for lint in the hook and loop portion, but it's easy to take out. I'm also amazed at how fast these diapers dry for an AIO diaper. They're my second fastest drying AIO, just behind my Tots Bots Easy Fit.
Bang For The Buck: ♥♥♥♥♥ - $26 - $28 may seem like a lot to some, but with how awesome these diapers are I would gladly pay that price any day. This diaper is a sized diaper though so you will have to size up. Not to worry though. As long as you take care of your diapers, Ragababe diapers have a GREAT resale value so you'll be able to recoup most of your money back before buying the next size up. Quality & Durability: ♥♥♥♥♥ - These are the best quality diaper I have. All of the seams are perfect and the hook and loop is a great quality. You can see the quality just looking at this diaper. They still look in perfect condition after using them for 2 months.
The Look: ♥♥♥♥♥ - I fell in love with the look of these diapers the minute I saw them. I love the cute little star on the front and the super hip patterns. I'm also a lover of clean lines and a trim diaper and Ragababe delivers with both. Not to mention these diapers look (and are) super well made. I even got my husband to love these diapers when I showed him the pattern "Money". I told him it's Lincoln's Vegas diaper. He's rollin' in the dough.
_________________________________________________________________________________ If you would like to purchase any of these diapers for your little one, then please visit their website links above or help support this blog by visiting one of my affiliate stores:Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique, Kelly's Closet, Diaper Junction, orThanks Mama.
**This review is comprised of my own opinions and was not influenced by any outside source. The products were purchased by myself and were not given to me or asked to be reviewed by any outside source. No advertising was purchased in order to feature these products. **
