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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

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One Size vs Sized Diapers

There is much debate over this topic and this question was posted last week thru our Fluff Friday giveaway.

I personally love one-size diapers and my product of choice is the bumGenius, hands down. At our house it is the first diaper I pick, my hubby picks, and my 11 year old daughter picks when we are changing Riley.

To be honest though, for the first 2-3 weeks a one size diaper, even the bumGenius one size diaper is big for an average size newborn (of 7-7.5 lbs).

At our house we used the BumGenius AIO Diaper in size XS for the first 3 weeks. Now you can use the BumGenius One Size Diaper but it will be a bit bulky, especially for those first few days/weeks.

Why do I think the tendency towards one size diapers? I think more people with the state of the ecomony are really trying to cut costs any way they can. Also, we are finding that new customers using cloth diapers (that were disposable users before) are looking to the one size for their first purchase.

On the flip side there are some absolutely wonderful sized diapers on the market like the Fuzzi Bunz. Fuzzi Bunz is the original pocket diaper and is our 2nd best selling diaper after the BumGenius.

Basically a one size diaper fits baby best once they are 9-10lbs thru 35 lbs. Happy Heiny's One Size diaper is a great one size if your baby is still in diapers after 35 lbs as it is more generously cut and has a 4th snap row so the rise (or height) of the diaper is higher than that of the bumGenius.

Remember, every baby is different and what work on one baby can work totally different on another baby. I think the one-size vs. sized diapers discussion is very similiar to the aplix (velcro) vs. snaps in that it is truly a personal choice. My advice is to do what works best for your baby, your family, and your budget.

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- By Kelly

This post refers to questions from two girls:
*Amanda asked "I'd like to see a post on the pros and cons of one-sized diapers versus diapers for each stage and size"; and
* Erika asked "what is your all time favorite cloth diaper".
Both of you get an extra comment on this week's giveaway.

31 comments:

N. Nicholes said...

Just writing to say that I have subscribed via My Yahoo! I have to confess that I think that I have become a cloth diapering addict. And to have someone with such deep knowledge is fantastic! Thanks!

K said...

Thanks so much for the info on the one-sized diapers to try with a larger child/toddler! I've found that the BumGenius one-sized diapers are too short/small for my 30 lbs.+ toddler (in the process of potty training). Now I know to give the Happy Heinys a try! Thanks! :)

Serena Michelle said...

Excellent post Kelly!

While I too am a fan of the one-size diapers for the overall value - there are times when sized diapers are more beneficial (particularly the newborn stage).

I recently purchased some Fuzzi Bunz mediums and given their ample sizing - these would easily fit my little guy for a very long time!

The Happy Heiney's are definitely cut slightly bigger than most one-size diapers. Just to give you all an idea - my 4 year old could fit them, just barely but I was able to fasten it on her. However I could not even get the tabs around her when I tried the bumGenius one-size diapers on her to see if they would fit.

Minnie said...

I started CD'ing my DD later than most...when she was 10 mo. old. (Better late than never). Until then I had no idea there were so many CD'ing options.

I chose to go w/ the One Size BG's because they seemed to be the most economical. I started w/ 18 in my stash and I recently added 2 more in the new Clementine color (so cute!). I hope to add a few more into the rotation so that there is less wear and tear and so I can use them for the next baby.

I do plan on registering for CD's when we are expecting the next baby and because of the info I read here, I will definitely register for a good stash of XS AIO's to get me through those newborn weeks.

Anonymous said...

I have often heard many great things about OS diapers, and a good friend of mine just bought a whole stash of BG 3.0s for her 3 girls (under 3!) so she doesn't have to worry about which goes with which girl. I would love to try some.

That said, I LOVE my snap closures. I HATE aplix. Do you think BG will ever make a snap OS pocket diaper? If not, is there another OS pocket diaper that is also trim, well-priced, and gets good reviews on fit, etc.?

Knit Wit said...

When I started CD'ing I didn't know much about the different diapers. And so I went with what we had purchased in our package. I didn't even look around on the internet. I liked them so I just went with them. We use Fuzzi Bunz and PF.

However; when my older dd turned one and the medium FB were to small we had trouble. The large just didn't fit right. Instead of searching around for a CD solution we went to sposies for a year, not something I am proud of, now with dd #2 we are at that same crossroads. The large only work for us at night. The medium FB's are leaving marks on her legs now from being to tight. So I am trying to decide what is best.

I like the fit of the BG OS on her. I have one from a giveaway you did. My older dd is getting to big for the large FB and we need a night time diaper. So I think I will be ordering some Happy Heiny's and some more BG to get use through to the next stage.

Thanks for the great info in this post. Since I have all 3 sizes of the FB, I am glad to know that my smalls were a good purchase for the newborn phase.

Denise said...

I didn't cd my newborn, but one of the diapers I have in my stash is a Baby Kanga one size pocket diaper, it has a snap closure & I LOVE it. The pocket has a zipper to keep the insert inside & we have snapped it down to its smallest size, it would fit a 20 inch baby doll, so I'm sure it would have fit my 10 lb newborn just fine. It is one of our favorite pocket diapers & if we have another baby I will definitely be buying more of them.

3LittleFlowers said...

My three girls were preemies, and even though I wont be having more babies, I wanted to shoot this question here for Kelly or Serena (or even any of you readers) to help out others out there.....

What is the best option for a 4 - 5 pounder??? Both my middle and youngest daughters were 4 pounds and we couldnt find any cloth or disposable that fit any of them correctly.

Katrina said...

Like many people, I began cloth diapering buy purchasing a large (24) stash of Bum Genius 3.0 OS diapers. When I began CDing, both of my boys were in diapers, the oldest being 2 years old and 30 lbs, the youngest 3 months old and 16 lbs, so the Bum Genius seemed the easiest route to go for our family. I immediately fell in love with the diapers, and was sad when my oldest grew out of them at around 32 lbs. Not quite ready to potty train, I purchased a nice stash of large Fuzzi Bunz, which fit him much better. In fact, he still wears them at night, and probably will for quite some time.

Anelys - If I was planning on CDing a small newborn, I would probably go with Kissaluvs fitteds and a Thirsties cover. I've heard nothing but rave reviews using this method for small newborns. I personally can't fathom a baby that small. My boys were 8lbs 12oz, and 10lbs 2oz! My youngest never even wore newborn clothing!

Kelly said...

I love my one-size Bum Genius. They are awesome. I also have a Happy Heiny one size, which I wasn't thrilld with at first, but am starting to love. I think my daughter was a little between adjustments at first, but now it fits very nicely. I also have the medium size Fuzzi Bunz, and there is She has been in them for six months and there is still plenty of room. While they aren't one size, we have certainly used them for quite a while and I imagine for a while longer as we are still in the very tightest snaps. Actually, as she has thinned out a little, we actually adjust it more snugly than we were a couple months ago.
As for velcro vs snaps, velcro can be easier, but my daughter, at nine months, discovered how to undo the velcro. No big deal at the moment as she is always in a onesie under her cloths, but I am sure she will be stripping in the summer. Any chance bum genius will be coming out with a snap one size...even though that might be confusing.

Sara in Seattle said...

Brietta, if you love the fit of the BG 3.0s but want snaps, you may want to give Tiny Tush diapers a try. I found the fit very similar to BG, and the color selection is nice, too!


We started out with all one-size diapers, but I've found I like the trimness of sized diapers a bit more. That said, for an economical stash that still has the convenience of modern cloth diapers, one-size diapers can't be beat.

Serena Michelle said...

Brietta - There is talk of BG coming out with a snap version however it is unknown if/when it will happen. However, given the high demand from customers I suspect they will be meeting that demand sooner rather than later (makes more sense business wise anyhow). I believe BG is currently offering a snap version in the Organic OS but this is exclusively through their website.

My personal favorite/recommendation for anyone who wants snaps but loves the BG would be the Blueberry diapers. Yes, I know they're a bit expensive ($10 more) but after having tried them, they were worth it to me! They have snaps, a fleece liner rather than microsuede (great for babies allergic to the microsuede), and utilize a microfiber/hemp combo insert which provides excellent absorption without the added bulk AND they come in a wider assortment of colors!

Serena Michelle said...

Anelys - Excellent question.

There are two diapers which would work well for a precious preemie!

Happy Heiny's makes a MINI One-Size pocket diaper designed to fit the itty bitty legs of a newborn between 4-16 pounds.

And the Kissaluvs fitted diapers with a cover would work really well too - as the size 0 is designed for babies between 5 and 15 pounds.

Those are my two best recommendations!

Serena Michelle said...

Amanda: Registering for cloth diapers is an awesome idea! I don't think most parents know they even have that option!

If anyone else in interested or didn't realize it - Kelly's Closet offers a gift registry - click here to get started

Angela said...

For two of my other children I did prefolds and covers, I did not like it and they were bulky, at any age. When my fourth was born, I did sposie untill her cord fell of, I tried cloth(both and fitted and cover and the BGs) and they would go over her belly button. At a week her cord was gone and I started CDing. I had made some fitted and used small covers for part and the other part I used the BGS, She was only 7lbs, but for her they fit her and I had no problems with leaks. I have a HH and that one had to wiat till she was a bit older or I leaked at first pee:)I love BGs and wish I could buy my whole family them, I have one sister that just had a baby, another that is preg, with twins and a SIL that is preg:0 I did not find them bulky, but I was comparing to prefolds and not to sposies... there will always be a difference there and I like the cloth, I feel like I have something to hold on to them, hehe

Katie said...

I LOVE OS diapers. I have two in diapers, so it was a natural option for me. Before my youngest was born, I had a mix of OS and sized diapers. But when my third was born, I needed to keep things simple.

For the new born stage, I did not use the one sized diapers. Although I have seen Swaddlebee ecconappi OS minis that I may try if I have another baby; this time I used a combination of prefolds and fitteds. I used kissaluvs which were fine, but bulky. What I really liked were the newborn prefolds that Kelly's closet carries and Thristies fitteds and Thristies diaper covers. They were small and fit so well. These got me through the newborn stage until my son was big enough for the OS diapers.

I like the BG, but I do not like Aplix. I LOVE snaps. They wear so much better. A bunch of my BG diapers no longer stay on my 2 year old because the aplix is wearing out and does not hold well.

I have a some swaddlebee ecconappis and blueberry OS snaps that I love a lot. I love the fit of the blueberry diapers. They seem to be trim and are not quite as big as other diapers out there. They fit both my 2 1/2 yr old and my 8 month old perfectly. The blueberry diapers are my choice for night too. I know they are a bit more expensive, but I feel they are worth the price.

Dani said...

We have a mixture of sized and one-size diapers. My personal favorite are Fuzzi Bunz because they fit my son the best and are trim. The Happy Heiny One-Size is, as stated, quite generous and I think they should last us up to potty training. The BG is a nice diaper, but I found it didn't fit my son well. I think I will be buying more one-size diapers in the future since we have a very large stash of sized diapers.

Sara said...

I bought one size diapers because of the cost factor. I have since switched to prefolds and covers for the trimmer fit (but am now looking to buy more one size because of diaper rash and my baby is bigger now!)

Amanda Bindel said...

I feel famous! Thanks for answering my question. My baby was born Thursday, so we are in the midst of figuring out newborn cloth right now. I'm not using my OS dipes as I'm not wanting anything on that umbilical cord stump. I'm not even using covers, just fitteds right now with frequent changes and a lap pad on the boppy when nursing to keep it dry.

Jut and Chris said...

I was a fan of the one-sized diapers, but we've worn them out! My stash won't make it through 2 kids...I'll just be happy if they make it through the next 6-8 months when we start potty training with my 1st.

However, we've worn out my sized diapers as well...the mediums fit for over a year and are on their last legs. Oh well. So goes life.

I have no idea what we'll do for diapers when #2 decides to join us...but if its a boy none of my current diapers would be appropriate anyways...too much pink! ;-)

Anonymous said...

I think you might REALLY like this review I found at my friend's blog. Kissaluvs and Fuzzibunz, newborn diapering and toddler diapering. Very good read!

http://dunphey.com/2009/01/13/newborn-diapering-my-kissaluvs-review/

Anonymous said...

we used mother-ease one-size for both kids. functional & cheap, however MAJOR bulk...even as they get bigger pretty darn bulky. when we have the next i plan to lobby for a small set of bumgenius one-size for my diaper bag...i've been drooling over them for a year and a half, lol.

Anonymous said...

forgot to mention we also have a "newborn stash", accumulated 99% via craigslist. some AIO's & some prefolds, just to get over that first couple weeks hump. then it's on to our mother-ease.

TheClothDiaperWhisperer said...

Hi Brietta,
BumGenius just introduced a snap version of the organic aio a few weeks ago but is only available directly from the manufacturer and retailers don't have them as of yet. There are no confirmed reports of snaps being made on the BumGenius os pockets. If you like BumGenius I would recommend the BlueBerry os deluxe diaper in snaps.

TheClothDiaperWhisperer said...

Hi Anelys,
The smallest diaper that would fit a 4-5 lb baby would be the Kissaluvs Fitted Diaper in size 0. It is the smallest diaper that we have available and has a v-notch to accomodate the cord area.
Mommy's Touch make a wonderful preemie diaper and it is an all in one and will fit a baby as tiny as 3lbs. We had some in stock but unfortunately we didnt move a lot of them. They are a wonderful diaper.

Erika said...

Thanks for this.....and answering my question :)

MaineMomma said...

My 2 favorite diapers are the fuzzi bunz (sized) and the bumgenius 3.0 (one size)! I love them for different reasons- the fuzzi bunz mediums still fit my 3y 2mo DD with room to grow, and I don't have to worry about closing the velcro before laundering- just dump and go! However, my DD#2 seems to by right between snaps right now... or her little milk belly is too big for the snaps I choose... so I pick the bumgenius 3.0 for her first. My husband loves the ease of the velcro on the bumgenius 3.0, and I love their inserts- so absorbent... and I LOVE that they come with 2!!! I'm not sure which I will love more when DD#3 arrives in March, but I think it will depend on which fit her better!

The McKitterick Family said...

I really love the BumGenius one size pocket diapers! I am due in August and not sure what I am going to do with our newborn diapering since these diapers will most likely be too big. It is expensive to buy cloth diapers in the XS size for just a few weeks of use, but I wonder what the price difference would be to buy the newborn disposable for the first few weeks verses the newborn size cloth diapers (besides the environmental reasons), do you think that you could do a price comparison sometime?

Anonymous said...

Hi, I heard that Fuzzi Bunz will soon release a One-Size diaper. Is that true? Will Kelly's be selling it?

Kimmy said...

Great topic! I currently used a sized diaper (Sposoeasy) because it just fits my little man much better than any one size has. Now, he's still an infant so that may change as he gets more chub on him.

Saph @ Frugal Wife Blog said...

I like the 2 size diapers of thirsties and applecheeks and sized diapers for a newborn.