I recently wrote about my decision to try cloth diapers. I put quite a bit of time and effort into learning about the different options and selecting what I think will be the best diapers for us. For the long haul, I still think that the bumGenius Elemental diapers are a good pick for us, but as my continued obsessive research has led me to discover, one-size really stands for one-size fits most – and most does not typically include newborns. Makes sense, I guess. How is a diaper that fits a toddler’s behind also supposed to fit snugly on a newborn’s bottom?
Several companies make all-in-one cloth diapers sized for newborns, including Grovia and Swaddlebees, but newborns need a LOT of diapers (most people seem to say a minimum of 24), which means spending $300-$400 for just a few weeks of diapering. A lot of people seem to use inexpensive prefolds, which are basically thick layers of cloth that you pin or secure with a special fastener. These go under a waterproof diaper cover. Though many swear by this, I read enough about blow-outs to scare me away. Also, snaps and velcro I can handle, but I don’t know about pinning or snappi-ing. That might be above my skill level!
Then there are fitteds, which are kind of like all-in-ones, but lack a waterproof outer, so you use a separate cover. Fitted diapers plus covers seem to be slightly less expensive than all-in-ones. Most people seem to recommend 24 fitteds along with 4-6 covers for a newborn. After reading opinions from many parents, I found that Kissaluvs size 0 fitted diapers consistently get rave reviews for containing runny newborn poo and folding down to avoid rubbing on the baby’s cord stump.
This is still not a cheap option at over 300 beans, but would probably be worth it if they worked well for us and we could use them with subsequent children. But if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that no diaper is perfect for every baby or family out there. And with my husband not totally convinced that cloth is the best route for us, this seems like a large investment in something we aren’t sure about.
Sooooooooo….
Drum roll, please!
We are going to rent newborn diapers! For $100 (plus a refundable deposit), we get 25 Kissaluvs and 4 covers to use for 12 weeks, courtesy of Itsy Bitsy Bums. The best part? They are new! I am ecstatic! The things that make me happy these days…
