Cloth Diapering From Day 1: One-Size Diapers

Hands down the most popular modern cloth diapers on the market right now are one-size diapers. There are many benefits to using one-size diapers!

• They are incredibly economical since they grow with your baby
• They are a great option for families who have more than 1 child in cloth diapers since children can "share" diapers
• They allow you to change settings on the diaper to accommodate change in baby's body shape as well as extra bulk for overnight diapers

There can also be a few cons to one-size diapers, especially when it comes to using them on a newborn.

• Most one-size diapers don't start fitting till 8-10 pounds (depending on baby's shape) so you will have to use a "newborn" diaper in the mean time, or some families choose to use disposable diapers till their little one fits into their one-size diapers.
• Since the diapers have to last through toddler hood, there will be some extra bulk on a smaller baby.

The good news is, I believe the pros certainly outweigh the cons! Since cloth diapers have such an awesome resale value (try your local craigslist or a cloth diaper resale website like undermycrib.com), you can start with a newborn stash for the first couple months and easily get a good amount back from re-selling!

When you are first trying one-size diapers on your little one, keep a few things in mind.

• They're going to look HUGE! But remember your baby is going to grow SO fast and they don't move around much as a newborn anyhow.
• Check the common spots for leaks do to poor fit. Lift their legs up and make sure you don't see any gaps. Make sure wings are tucked in and there is no gapping around the front.
• Try a few different brands. Something that fits your baby at 3 weeks might fit completely different at 3 months. I generally do not suggest people build their entire stash out of the same brand if they haven't tried other brands yet.
• Use a sized insert! Many one-size diapers come with 2 inserts, one of them usually termed a "newborn" or "small" insert. Take advantage of these as they will reduce bulk. Another great option is a system like the Best Bottom Diaper with the sized inserts that keep the diaper fitting nice and trim!

I've chosen some of the most popular brands of one-size diapers to show you on Emmett.

The BumGenius 4.0 One-Size Pocket Diaper is stuffed with 2 newborn inserts. It adjusts with a snap up rise and the stretchy tabs allow for a really custom fit around the waist. These started fitting Emmett (who has very skinny chicken legs) right around 10 pounds. These are also available in a hook & loop closure.

The Fuzzi Bunz One-Size Pocket Diaper is stuffed with the "small" insert. It adjusts with elastic in the back and legs to get a great fit! I did find these to have a little more bulk to them when the legs are cinched very tight but they fit closer to 9 pounds.

This Best Bottom One-Size Diaper has a small hemp/organic cotton insert snapped in it. These adjust with a snap up rise and close with either snaps or hook & loop around the waist. The extra leg gussets hold even the messiest of messes. These started fitting Emmett at about 9 pounds.

This Blueberry Coverall has a small Imagine Smart Fit Prefold under it. These generously sized covers fit suprisingly well on a small baby. The extra leg gussets also contain messes well! And just a sidenote, this particular cover was originally purchased for my now 4 year old when he was 1 1/2! This is the third child to wear it! :)

This Imagine One Size Pocket Diaper is stuffed with a small Nicki's Microfiber insert. The inner fleece of this pocket is so incredibly soft and the PUL has a really nice stretch to it. This diaper started fitting Emmett when he was about 10 pounds.



On finding 'stashisfaction'

I've been cloth diapering my oldest full-time for about 18 months.  My youngest is now 14 months old and he's been in cloth since day one.  I think at this point I've used just about every choice possible with varying degrees of success.  I thought at one point that I could purchase a whole system of one-size diapers that would work perfectly for both boys.  I forgot, however, that every kid is different.  My big guy is tall and lanky, and not potty-trained yet now at a bit over three years old.  My youngest is now a small but solid (stocky!) guy who finds great joy in taking off velcro diapers.

I used prefolds and covers for awhile, sized appropriately for my boys.  They are, unfortunately, very heavy wetters and have sensitive skin, so I needed something that was going to keep their skin drier, especially overnight.  Contours had essentially the same problem.  Just not the perfect fit for us.

I started using hemp and bamboo fitteds overnight.  The BabyKicks one-size hemp fitteds, Bamboozle fitteds, and Kiwi Pie fitteds are some of my favorites.  I really love using wool longies (like Aristocrat) over fitteds, especially at night.  Very simple and bulletproof.  I also use all-in-ones at night, but only Dream-Eze (for some reason their absorbency and fit is good for my boys - they're now the GroVia AIOs).

During the day, I found that pockets were easiest for us.  I stuff them right out of the laundry, and then they're ready to go.  My big guy is still in bumGenius pockets, and I hope those will work till he is out of diapers.  The little guy has a smorgasbord of diapers.  Pockets and all-in-ones are what I tend to stick with during the day, as that system just fits our lifestyle the best.  For him, I love the Blueberry pockets, Rumparooz pockets, and BabyKicks Bumboo pocket diapers.

It has taken a long time to find out what works for us.  I've bought and sold a TON of diapers.  My message to you is to not get discouraged if one brand or style doesn't work for you.  Try something else!  Tell us what you liked/didn't like and we'll try to help find the PERFECT diaper system for you.  Take advantage of our sampler packages and try lots of different things.  There is a perfect system out there for you, and we'll help you figure it out.

By Casey

Blueberry Diaper Review

Blueberry is one of my favorite diaper brands.  I just love the quality and fit of their diapers.  I bought a few of the One Size Deluxe Pocket diapers for my youngest son, and I love them.

The fit is excellent on him. I would say that this probably isn't the best option for tiny newborns, as the sizing is very generous.  My 25lb one year old still fits in the medium rise and the second to smallest waist snaps!  I really like that this is one diaper I never feel concerned about leaving red marks on legs or belly.

Excellent absorbency.  I use both microterry inserts with my heavy wetter, and I haven't had a leak yet.  I do like that there's an option for bamboo or microfiber/hemp as well.

The fleece inner is great for wicking moisture away from baby and the gussets do a great job at holding in messes.

Blueberry OS Deluxe Pocket

Blueberry is one of my favorite diaper brands.  I just love the quality and fit of their diapers.  I bought a few of the One Size Deluxe Pocket diapers for my youngest son, and I love them.

The fit is excellent on him. I would say that this probably isn't the best option for tiny newborns, as the sizing is very generous.  My 25lb one year old still fits in the medium rise and the second to smallest waist snaps!  I really like that this is one diaper I never feel concerned about leaving red marks on legs or belly. 

Excellent absorbency.  I use both microterry inserts with my heavy wetter, and I haven't had a leak yet.  I do like that there's an option for bamboo or microfiber/hemp as well.

The fleece inner is great for wicking moisture away from baby and the gussets do a great job at holding in messes.