Torn: G-Diaper cloth inserts vs. GRO baby's

[hipmummy]

Ok so G diapers finally caught on that a lot of CDing mamas are using clothin their covers. So they are now selling a cloth insert.
http://www.gdiapers.com/gdiapers101/.../cloth-diapers I am
need of some new diapers for the newborn stage and was thinking about going this route as my DH prefers velcro. But then I came across gro-baby https://www.kellyscloset.com/Gro-Bab...ers_c_815.html diapers and now I am torn. I have already used G's with cloth and I know they work and are comfy. Does anyone have any gro baby experience with the gro-baby system as I may need to buy a few as a lot of my BG's 1.0's may not make it through this second baby.

[SuzyLee]

I don't know but I would love to hear what others say.

I haven't used either so I am no help!

[ssj77]

I really like the Gro Baby system. I find them very easy to use and I like the shells a lot because they dry quickly. The inserts are really absorbant and organic cotton, which I like. I'm not a big G-diaper fan. That is great that g-diapers are doing cloth inserts, but I guess I don't understand the difference between washing cloth inserts (g-diapers) vs. washing cloth inserts and Gro baby shells (Gro Baby). If you went with the gro baby, you wouldn't be spending any money on the g-diaper shells. Just my 2 cents

Sultana

[Ifluffedthree]

ot: I am glad to see G- diapers approaching this route with cloth inserts.

Shell with cloth insert is a recycled system used in the early 60's when I was being diapered.

no experience with Gro baby to offer.

[Sarahstw]

I looked at the video for the new "gcloth" or whatever it's called. I gotta say that I'm a little sketched out by it's appearance... It's awfully small to do any kind of real absorbing. I'd wait to hear people's real experiences with them before buying any, myself.

[JudiAU]

We switched to gs with our toddler to "prepare" for using cloth with our newborn. We really like them and have very little washing. (We still disposable inserts.) I suggest doing some research in the yahoo group archives. Several WAHM make special inserts.

We'll probably forgoe cloth altogether in liu of g's with cloth inserts for the next. I love the need for less washing and water. Actually, they are much cheaper too. With our toddler, we only need about 6 covers and actually don't even need that many.

[Ifluffedthree]

Originally Posted by JudiAU

We switched to gs with our toddler to "prepare" for using cloth with our newborn. We really like them and have very little washing. (We still disposable inserts.) I suggest doing some research in the yahoo group archives. Several WAHM make special inserts.

We'll probably forgoe cloth altogether in liu of g's with cloth inserts for the next. I love the need for less washing and water. Actually, they are much cheaper too. With our toddler, we only need about 6 covers and actually don't even need that many.

G's covers with cloth inserts is cloth diapering. Wraps and covers with an insert has been part of the cloth diapering world for 40+ years. While my mother did not use these on me, my friends sisters and I have had conversations about the covers they used on her and the large menstrual type pads they inserted into the covers when they were diapering her in the early 1960's. G's markets an older idea now inclusive with cloth presented with a "new" be green twist. Advertising/Marketing = high jacking the intelligence long enough to take your money.

The plus I see to the G's Marketing is that it is a good gateway system to those seeing cloth and non approachable. I don't think the company anticipated that people would discontinue using the re-usable inserts for cloth prefolds, and in an effort to continue to capture this audience, shifted some to introducing cloth type inserts to retain some of the slice they unexpectedly lost when people lost some of their mainstream fears attached to the misrepresented difficulties attached to cloth diapering.

Diaper wraps and contour diapers or Diaper wraps with prefolds used inside without pins I would imagine to be pretty much the same. I used these with my oldest dd almost 20 years ago.

You can probably just google contours and get a similar product. Inserts and contours are not a difficult item to make for those with a sewing machine.

I have not followed how gro baby brings forth their product and know little to nothing about them.

[~savah~]

I just bought my first gro-bay and haven't had the chance to use it yet, but here is my .02. Gro-baby are one size, G-Diapers are not. Gro-baby are made out of 6 layers of organic cotton, compared to 4 layers with the g-diapers 2 of which are hemp-cotton and 2 layers of polyester microfleece. Microfleece can contain odors and I have read studies that it releases phytoestrogens. I know that a lot of people still like it, so I guess it boils down to your preference. Also gro-baby says you can diaper for $19 per month. I'm not sure how accurate that figure is, or how that would compare to g-diapers, but it sure is enticing. So my vote is for the gro-baby, but if you are still unsure start out with one or two and go from there. GL, Alicia

[D'sMama]

I've used both and like them both fairly well. I find runny poop leakage 9into the pant/shell) to be about the same, but with the g-dipes, the poop usually stays on the snap-in liner and doesn't get in the cover. You can wash the liner quickly in the sink and air dry it. Can't really do that with the Gro-baby shells. I do like that Gro-Baby is one-size, BUT it seems really small to me. They are on the largest setting on my 5.5 month old 19 lb baby, and I still see some plumber butt on him sometimes, so I don't see how they'll last into toddlerhood. Also, gro-baby inserts take forever to dry - they require 2 cycles in the dryer, and that's with dryer balls and a dry towel. Also, the elastic on one of my four shells has broken after only using it 2 months. That may be a fluke, it may not, and I air dry the shells.
I don't know. They both work fine. I also use BG3.0, BG organics, HH, and G-dipe inserts in BSWW covers, and they all work. I have minor issues with each system - none is perfect, but all work well.

[JudiAU]

Originally Posted by Ifluffedthree

G's covers with cloth inserts is cloth

Yes, cloth covers and inserts are cloth diapering of course. I didn't mean to suggest that they weren't. Washing, though, is quite different though because the cover, at least with a toddler, isn't washed after a single use. The removable plastic liner does a remarkable job of catching poop and wetnesses.

We switched to g's at the same time I started buying cloth. I have a big bin of spos-easys, and some of the higher end pockets. My point is that the longer I use g's the more I like the cover system because there is so much less washing. We live in a drought area and in an apartment building. Easy washing and low water use are important. Pre-folds always seemed beyond me although I know that is another cover + easy washing system.

I think g's deserve a lot of credit for opening up the world of cloth diapering for some people. I never even thought about a cloth option insert until I started reading the yahoo group. DH is a SAHD and once he got the hang of it he got fully onboard. We have 1/2 a case of 7th generation languishing in the corner.

[JudiAU]

Originally Posted by sweetdaughter

I just bought my first gro-bay and haven't had the chance to use it yet, but here is my .02. Gro-baby are one size, G-Diapers are not. Gro-baby are made out of 6 layers of organic cotton, compared to 4 layers with the g-diapers 2 of which are hemp-cotton and 2 layers of polyester microfleece. Microfleece can contain odors and I have read studies that it releases phytoestrogens. I know that a lot of people still like it, so I guess it boils down to your preference. Also gro-baby says you can diaper for $19 per month. I'm not sure how accurate that figure is, or how that would compare to g-diapers, but it sure is enticing. So my vote is for the gro-baby, but if you are still unsure start out with one or two and go from there. GL, Alicia

I haven't used either insert but do read the yahoo group for gdiapers. In addition to the new gdiaper inserts, there are two gdiaper insert makers that get good reviews on the board. Cottonwood babies makes one as does Nappy Shoppe "gflapper." Both make them in various fabrics. Some people use plain old cotton prefolds as well.

[hipmummy]

Originally Posted by sweetdaughter

I just bought my first gro-bay and haven't had the chance to use it yet, but here is my .02. Gro-baby are one size, G-Diapers are not. Gro-baby are made out of 6 layers of organic cotton, compared to 4 layers with the g-diapers 2 of which are hemp-cotton and 2 layers of polyester microfleece. Microfleece can contain odors and I have read studies that it releases phytoestrogens. I know that a lot of people still like it, so I guess it boils down to your preference. Also gro-baby says you can diaper for $19 per month. I'm not sure how accurate that figure is, or how that would compare to g-diapers, but it sure is enticing. So my vote is for the gro-baby, but if you are still unsure start out with one or two and go from there. GL, Alicia

Thanks, that was one of my concerns. As I am moving away from synthetics.

[hipmummy]

Originally Posted by JudiAU

I haven't used either insert but do read the yahoo group for gdiapers. In addition to the new gdiaper inserts, there are two gdiaper insert makers that get good reviews on the board. Cottonwood babies makes one as does Nappy Shoppe "gflapper." Both make them in various fabrics. Some people use plain old cotton prefolds as well.

I used prefolds with the med and large. They were too big for the smalls. My other option is to but little beetles prefolds but the other inserts were not as pricey.

[leavemealone]

I am sort of new to cloth diapering and I have never used G diapers but I do have a few Gro Babys and I like them OK. Overall, I don't like them as much as I like the Fuzzi Bunz that I have but there are features of them that I like better. I like the velcro like closure on the Gro Baby. It is a very soft, not hard and scratchy. I like how there's more than one strip of velcro so it's more adjustable. What I don't like about the Gro Baby is that the insert seems to bunch up a lot in the front. I have two boys so front absorbancy is important. I do think that I may need to perfect my technique in putting on the diaper and that my help with the problem. My 2.5 year old is very squirmy (hard to get a FB on him b/c he won't stay still long enough) so it may get bunched up then b/c it doesn't happen when I put the Gro Baby on my 6 month old. Then again, my 6 month old isn't mobile yet so maybe that's part of the problem (2.5 year old never stops moving). Someone else mentioned this above, but I also don't like how long the insert take to dry. I generally run them on two cycles (once with the other diapers I have and once with another load) and then hang them overnight in order to get them dry.

If you have facebook or Twitter, follow Gro Baby. Sometimes they have coupon codes that can help save some money on the diapers b/c they are expensive.

[hipmummy]

Originally Posted by ferrum97

I am sort of new to cloth diapering and I have never used G diapers but I do have a few Gro Babys and I like them OK. Overall, I don't like them as much as I like the Fuzzi Bunz that I have but there are features of them that I like better. I like the velcro like closure on the Gro Baby. It is a very soft, not hard and scratchy. I like how there's more than one strip of velcro so it's more adjustable. What I don't like about the Gro Baby is that the insert seems to bunch up a lot in the front. I have two boys so front absorbancy is important. I do think that I may need to perfect my technique in putting on the diaper and that my help with the problem. My 2.5 year old is very squirmy (hard to get a FB on him b/c he won't stay still long enough) so it may get bunched up then b/c it doesn't happen when I put the Gro Baby on my 6 month old. Then again, my 6 month old isn't mobile yet so maybe that's part of the problem (2.5 year old never stops moving). Someone else mentioned this above, but I also don't like how long the insert take to dry. I generally run them on two cycles (once with the other diapers I have and once with another load) and then hang them overnight in order to get them dry.

If you have facebook or Twitter, follow Gro Baby. Sometimes they have coupon codes that can help save some money on the diapers b/c they are expensive.

Thanks for the post! You are a wealth of information!

[leavemealone]

One more thing I thought about with Gro Baby - they are coming out with a snap version in addition to the velcro like closure. I prefer the velcro, but some people prefer the snaps so it'll be good to have a choice. I accidentally caught a part of my 2.5 year old's thigh in a FB snap the other day. Because of his squirmyness, I prefer velcro but snaps work great on my 6 month old.

[Ifluffedthree]

Originally Posted by sweetdaughter

I just bought my first gro-bay and haven't had the chance to use it yet, but here is my .02. Gro-baby are one size, G-Diapers are not. Gro-baby are made out of 6 layers of organic cotton, compared to 4 layers with the g-diapers 2 of which are hemp-cotton and 2 layers of polyester microfleece. Microfleece can contain odors and I have read studies that it releases phytoestrogens. I know that a lot of people still like it, so I guess it boils down to your preference. Also gro-baby says you can diaper for $19 per month. I'm not sure how accurate that figure is, or how that would compare to g-diapers, but it sure is enticing. So my vote is for the gro-baby, but if you are still unsure start out with one or two and go from there. GL, Alicia

Thank you for the link to the diaperpin article. It was reinforcing to read.

[redpajama]

I haven't used either, but I'm 39 weeks pregnant and was hoping to try out both systems once the new baby gets to be a couple months old (I have newborn fitteds that I like, and I hate the way one-size diapers fit a newborn, even a big newborn).

I looked into both more closely and bought a few Gro Baby diapers this weekend--I think that system seems more promising, so I decided, rather than trying both, to try those and see if we like them (and only try the gDiapers if I *don't* like the Gro Babies). Here's why I think I like them better:

--They're one-size, so I can buy one set of covers that will last for the whole diapering-period. I've talked with people who are using them on 35 pound 3-year-old (both my kids were potty-trained before 2, so we shouldn't *need* them to fit anywhere near that size--except if we want to use them for bedwetting protection later, I guess), and someone using them on a 12-pound infant, and they both said the fit was great.

--I like that the whole cover (and not just a snap-in insert) is waterproof. They seem, to me, less apt to leak for that reason.

--The inserts seem more absorbent to me, although I'm just judging by looking.

--I like that I have the option of snaps or aplix. I bought two aplix and one snap cover to start out, because my husband prefers snaps and I...am undecided, but I think I like the aplix better, at least while they're little.

--Also, I'm not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread or not, but I learned when purchasing these that Gro Baby will soon be releasing a disposable insert, fully bio-degradable (not unlike the gdiaper--although I don't believe they bill it as "flushable," I've heard the gdiapers may not be as "flushable" as they seem and have been rather hard on some people's plumbing). This was one big draw to the gdiapers, because I thought it would be nice for travelling (we often have to buy disposables when we travel, so this would make a nice alternative), but it appears that the disposable inserts will be an option with either system.

Like I said, I don't anticipate really trying these out until the baby gets to be a couple months old--I used bumgenius pockets on my daughter, and I hated how they fit her as a newborn (and she was 10.7 at birth). Once she got to be about 2 months old, though, they fit her nicely--but I'm pretty excited about them. They seem really well-constructed to me, and simple. I'll let you know if I'm wrong on either account.

[leavemealone]

Originally Posted by redpajama

--They're one-size, so I can buy one set of covers that will last for the whole diapering-period. I've talked with people who are using them on 35 pound 3-year-old (both my kids were potty-trained before 2, so we shouldn't *need* them to fit anywhere near that size--except if we want to use them for bedwetting protection later, I guess), and someone using them on a 12-pound infant, and they both said the fit was great.



--Also, I'm not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread or not, but I learned when purchasing these that Gro Baby will soon be releasing a disposable insert, fully bio-degradable (not unlike the gdiaper--although I don't believe they bill it as "flushable," I've heard the gdiapers may not be as "flushable" as they seem and have been rather hard on some people's plumbing). This was one big draw to the gdiapers, because I thought it would be nice for travelling (we often have to buy disposables when we travel, so this would make a nice alternative), but it appears that the disposable inserts will be an option with either system.

I can put the Gro Baby diapers on my 2.5 year old and my 8 month old and they fit both just fine. I haven't had any leaks in the final production shells. I've had a few leaks in a shell that was a "tester" and is thinner than the shell that is for sale now and that was only from my 2.5 year old who is a heavy wetter. However, I did not use the additional booster and maybe that would have helped.

I have also tried the disposable inserts and they worked great. I would not use them on a daily basis, but they would work well for travel when I might have limited use of a washing machine and dirty diaper storage.