We are well into our cloth diapering journey and while it started out humorously rocky, we’ve now gotten the hang of it and I must say, I’m actually really enjoying it!
I started building my “stash” of cloth diapers a few weeks before Pipsqueak arrived. Not knowing how big he would end up being, I bought a few newborn diaper covers and different inserts to try as well as borrowed a few from a friend. Luckily he’s a tall and skinny guy like his brother and sisters so we actually got decent use out of most of even the newborn diaper covers!
Here’s my opinions on the newborn diaper covers we used:
g Diapers
I really liked these and they fit Pipsqueak really well (we borrowed some tiny size which never fit him and smalls which fit him to about 6 weeks). The diapers are very trim and easy to put on and we never had a leaking issue. You can buy disposable insert but I just used the other inserts I owned and it worked out fine. I would have used these a lot more but I didn’t want his gross green poo (which doesn’t wash out easily) to stain my friend’s diapers.
Cutey Baby
This was one of my favorite diapers when I first received them all in the mail. I loved the fabric, slim design and gussetted area for inserts. Unfortunately this one did not live up to my excitement. The velcro didn’t stick to the diaper (or wash tabs) and this diaper leaked EVERY TIME I put it on him no matter what kind of insert I tried (the diaper is too small for standard sized inserts so I had to use my smaller cut “doublers” and inserts).
Bumkins
Though rated to 14 pounds, Pipsqueak outgrew this cover at around 12 pounds. This was one of my favorite covers. There are front and back flaps to secure the inserts which makes it easier to put on baby but it also means you have to wash each use because the flaps get wet when baby pees. The velcro tabs are nice and wide which creates a smoother fit across the tummy though I found the past few wears the entire tab didn’t reach the diaper though the rest of the fit was good which leaves part of the scratchy velcro on his skin so this diaper was retired before I would have liked.
Real Nappies
These covers are actually my favorite. The fabric is not a traditional PUL but rather a polyester which dries super fast so you can easily re-use for many changes or shortly after washing. These do not have an adjustable rise but fit him perfectly from the start until well over 12 pounds when used with a trim insert and there is a front flap for holding the insert in place. The wash tabs are small and so sometimes the edges of the velcro will catch on other items in the wash but I like these enough that I bought six more in the next size! I also like that they are plain white and without all the buttons are very trim and smooth under clothes and look very similar to disposables. Plus they are the most affordable newborn diaper cover we tried.
Rump-a-rooz
This one is comparable to most other traditional style covers we have, though a smaller cut. There are two rows of rise snaps and Pipsqueak easily fit into the smallest setting at a few days old (at just under 9 pounds). He moved up to the 2nd set of rise snaps at around 12 pounds (though he needs the diaper full-sized when using a prefold). The fit is good and leaks haven’t been a problem, nor have we had any poo blowouts (in any of our cloth diapers, actually). The velcro sticks well to the diaper and wash tabs though I’ve had some trouble with breastmilk poo staining, especially on the tag and elastic casing.
Imagine Baby
These covers are very similar to the Rump-a-rooz with two rows of rise snaps but run a lot bigger (Pipsqueak didn’t fit into them at all until close to 10 pounds though they’re supposed to fit around 8 pounds). But once we began using them, I’ve been happy and because they are affordable and a little roomier, ordered another one in a cute barnyard pattern. And at 13+ pounds, he still easily fits in the lowest rise so they will last a long while more!
We’ve also tried these different types of inserts with our newborn diaper covers:
Gerber cloth inserts
I am not a fan of these AT ALL! They don’t seem to really absorb anything and were the main cause of many of my leaking problems at the beginning though they fit nicely in the smaller covers like the Cutey Baby and g Diapers. Plus, the instructions said to put the side with the label up but there is no label so I’m not sure which side is officially supposed to go by baby’s bottom (I assume the soft cotton side, but it leaks either way!)
Flip Newborn inserts
These are basic microfiber inserts with a cotton cover on one side which goes closest to baby’s body. They’re shorter though wider than the microfiber inserts that come with most diapers and not super absorbent. These are my last resort inserts and I usually use two or use with the small cotton doublers I bought when I first started cloth with Sugarplum.
Prefolds
I have two kinds of prefolds, the basic Gerber ones that many people use as burp rags and Real Nappies newborn sized prefolds which I recieved with my Real Nappies covers. I’m okay with prefolds though they are a bit trickier than flat, ready to go inserts. The Gerber ones I only use to take up extra room in the covers that are still a bit big but the Real Nappies prefolds are perfect and my go-to choice for night-time. There are many tutorials for the different ways to use prefolds though I just fold up the end for extra boy absorbency, fold into thirds then fold open the back which is supposed to create a sort of envelope for poo and I don’t use pins or snappis, just lay it in the cover. Truthfully this way doesn’t protect the cover from the poo but I don’t mind so much.
Flour Sack Towels
I learned about these through a cloth diapering Facebook group I’m part of and these are now my most favorite! At less than 80 cents per towel (you can find them at Wal-Mart with the rest of the kitchen towels, usually on the bottom shelf, not hanging) you can’t go wrong. If they get horribly stained, I don’t care and I can have a ton around for Pipsqueak’s frequent changing needs without constantly having to do laundry. I usually just do a pad fold for boys (tutorial here) though if I can tell a poo is coming I will flap out the back like I do with my prefolds.
This is today’s newborn diaper model, Jewel. She was graciously loaned to me by her mommy, Honeybun, and this is how her size compares to a real infant. Pipsqueak is 3 months old and around 13 pounds, the diapers in all the pictures are set to the smallest rise adjustment and without any insert when modeled by Jewel (Pipsqueak is sporting a pad folded flour sack towel in his Imagine newborn diaper cover).
