While I was pregnant I decided we would use cloth diapers. It is the most eco-friendly choice, in my opinion. True I use hot water and an extra rinse cycle, but from June (when my son was born) until middle of September I was able to dry them outside. I think it's the thought of diapers sitting in a landfill that does it for me. I will be dead and gone, but the diapers will live on. They might even outlive Noodle! Another reason was the amount of chemicals in disposables and the fact that they don't (and don't have to) tell you everything that's in them! I just don't trust someone who doesn't give me all the info.
In my search for the perfect diaper, I have tried...Monkey Doodlez (AIO), Fuzzi Buns (Pocket, perfect size), Bamboo Baby (AIO, one size), Bumgenius 4.0 (AIO, one size) and a Tots bots (AI2), Rainforest Babies, a homemade option (bought from usedvic) and Kawaii (Pocket, one size). Below are my opinions of each:
We used the Monkey Doodlez newborn until my son was about a month old, and smalls until my son was about 4 1/2 almost 5 months. He was 7lbs at birth and they fit until he was about 14lbs. They are great! There's no pocket and with infant poop you can rinse or not and throw in the washer. They do take longer to dry, but that is the trade off when you don't have to take the liner out. The drawback to Monkey Doodlez, they are sized. So after I spent about 25 dollars on each diaper, I then have to buy more when he outgrows them. This is fine as we are planning on having another child and then I will probably sell them, but not very economical when you are on a budget, which I am now that I am on Mat leave :) They also are not good overnighters unless pared with an added insert and at first I had trouble with the Velcro sticking to other diapers and creating diaper chains in my dryer. The Velcro then picked up bits of string from the clothes I use as wipes and then didn't hold as well. I have to clean out the Velcro every so often. This may not be the case for all the diaper because it didn't happen to all of mine.
The Fuzzi Bunz were a bust, right from the get go for us. I didn't like having to take out an insert when he was tiny and I was tired from carting him around all day. He slept so little at first during the day; I had little time to do diapers as it was. The diapers were too big, although they say 15lbs plus, but then again I have a skinny little boy :) They seem like good diapers but are not for this family.
The Bamboo baby diapers are good I found them to be too big between the legs though, and with the insert being attached I just found the diaper too bulky. I have also found the Velcro has died from going in the dryer and now they stick to all my other diapers. There are flaps to stick the Velcro to when putting them in the wash, however this never worked for me as they came apart and ruined all my other diapers. I used them as they have enough padding for overnight, but was not very pleased with them and replaced them quickly!
The Bumgenius 4.0 All in One, One size is on of my absolute favourites! It is small enough in the "crotch" area that his legs don't seem miles apart but is still absorbent and keeps him dry. I have used it overnight (6-8 hours) and had no problems when he was younger. It also has snaps instead of Velcro so it doesn't get stuck to other diapers in the dryer.
I didn't buy this diaper until he was 4 months old, so I don't know what it would be like for a smaller child; he was 14lbs when we started using it. I have found it dries as fast as my other all in one diapers but because the padding is only attached at the top and bottom I can turn it inside out and it will dry faster. I would love to sell all my other diapers and buy a ton more of these, but I will need the others for the next baby :)
The Tot Bots was a buy one get one freebie. I probably wouldn't have bought it otherwise, however I have found it to be a good diaper. The insert is attached so while you do have to stuff it, you don't have to look for the insert that matches, and it dries faster than the other AIOs. The Velcro so far seems really good, and I have no diaper chains because of this diaper. I would buy more of these, they are also great because you can add other liners if need be.
I bought some rainforest baby diapers online, at a deal of the day site. I thought what the hay? They come in small, medium and large and have a snap in liner. They come with 2 liners, one thick one and one you fold to fit. We LOVE them! I bought 2 (that was the deal), and then bought 2 more, and have since bought 4 of the large. I love that the liner snaps out. It comes with two liners so when the cover is dry I don't have to wait for the other liner to dry. They recommend that you unsnap the liner before you wash. I have no desire to do this, so I unsnap it to dry and have no problems since we bought them.
We also have some Bummis that I bought discount (deal of the day again) and they are great. An AIO, but the liner is sewn at the top and bottom so it dries faster. We bought the medium ones, and they fit big! My only issue with these diapers is that they don't hold a lot of liquid and are definitely not a night-time diaper, although they come with a liner that fits under the sewn in ones.
I started selling the Kawaii diapers, so I of course had to try one…and then two and now I have had to stop myself, as our fluff stash is getting out of control! Currently at 14 months, the goodnight heavy wetter’s are the only diaper that can last a whole night without leaks. We use one of their bamboo liners and a microfiber one. It’s fabulous! Now these are a pocket diaper, but I don’t unload them when I put them in the wash. They come apart in the rinse cycle so I don’t feel the need and I flat out refuse!!
I bought some handmade cloth diapers with PUL on them from usedvic. They work, but are not our favourites. I paid $40 for 5 diapers, so really I can’t complain. The leg gussets are really big, so it has taken him a while to grow into them. They have become our backup diapers for when we do laundry.
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