Is there any reason why I wouldn't want one-size CDs?

[LillianB]

I am expecting in late December and hoping/planning to cloth diaper. But I'm having the hardest time figuring out what I need and how much I should be buying now without really knowing what I'm doing. This is our first, so I really have nothing to go on.

This might be a really dumb question, but is there any reason why I wouldn't want to buy one-size diapers? It seems so much more economical and I wonder if I'm missing something?

Thanks!

[greenmulberry]

I am in the same boat as you on this!

We are expecting our first in January. I spoke with my mother who CD all of us kids and she was surprised diapers came in sizes these days. She said for all of us using prefolds, she just doubled them over to fit newborns, and then folded less and less as the babe grew.

So it seems to me like it might make the most sense to go heavy on the larger sizes since I don't know how big my baby is going to be. I have a friend who just had a babe who was large and already too big for the newborn size clothes at birth, so I don't want to have too many of the smallest diapers.

[LightForest]

I guess the main reason would be if you want a trim fit... I can't think of many NB sized clothes that would fit over a bum in a one size diaper! But your thinking is right - unless you have a really teeny baby, there's no reason you can't just put them in a one size from the start. I think I started using my MotherEase OS fitteds with my baby when she was about 2 weeks (9 lbs).

Flats are really the best one size solution out there. Those sized prefolds are nice, but seriously, my baby was needing the "medium" size (like GMD red edge) by 2.5 months. I wish I'd just bought more flats and fewer prefolds to begin with, but how was I to know my baby would be such a chunky monkey??

[curiouscanadian]

Only a couple minor reasons come to mind:

1) One size diapers tend to be very large on a newborn (bulky), and might not work at all on a premie.

2) While they theoretically will fit until your child is potty trained, it's a bit of a stretch if your child is big for their age or late PLing. Although we "started early" through ECing, DS isn't quite there yet and is really starting to push the limits of the BGs he still wears at night.

I think one-size dipes are still a good investment overall though.

[littlemizflava]

you may find that you will want more of a smaller fit for a NB. i would say go with a flat/prefold in a cover or a NB aio. the one size would work just fine for nite time and even at home but a smaller diaper for when out and about. you might find that the clothing will not even fit over a bulky diaper.

[EmmalinesMom]

The previous poster, curiouscanadian, had two good points.

Personally, I do like the one-size diapers. My biggest baby was 9 pounds 6 ounces at birth, and the one size diapers were not quite a good enough fit yet, but that can be a result of build. (If the fit isn't great, there can be leaks and blowouts.) By about 10 to 12 pounds, most of the one size diapers fit nicely though.

You might consider flats or prefolds for the beginning, and then moving into a one-size system later.

[eclipse]

One size diapers didn't work for my kids at all. They were way too big in the newborn stage, and all but my youngest would have out grown them well before potty learning (DD was out of diapers at under 2, but she was huge and wearing XL diapers at that point). The one sizes that I used, I mostly used when the kids were in mediums in other diapers - they lasted a bit longer than actual mediums and were great while transitioning from M to L, but they didn't last as long on the other side as Ls did.

[akind1]

the "one-size" varies from diaper to diaper also. FLIPs on the smallest setting may not fit newborns. I think Grobaby/Grovia might, as they run small to begin with.

[Carma]

The one-size are quite bulky in the beginning. I used medium sized pockets since DD was about 6 weeks. They also fit my 3 year old DS (we tried) who is potty trained. One-size are more expensive and I like the trimmer fit on my relative skinny kids, so I decided to stick with the medium size, hoping we will make it to potty training stage with those.

Carma

[Buzzer Beater]

I don't care for how my one-size FB fit my DD still- and she's over 5 mo. They are super bulky front and back, but especially between the legs. I don't use them at night- I can't imagine stuffing them even more. She weighs about 14 pounds now, and they're just too much. She doesn't roll over as often in them either, like she is stiff as a board. Live and learn, we're stuck with them.

[Ola_]

There are a few potential issues I think, and really a lot depends on your preferences.
- Bulk - anything that fits a 3 year old is going to be pretty big on a newborn. So newborn clothes may not fit and some people are concerned that the baby's bum is raised so much when they're laying down because of the bulky diaper.
- Will it fit to potty training? Some one-size diapers do, some don't, and this one depends on your kiddo: how big they get and how soon they potty train. Because of this and the previous point many people end up buying newborn, then one size, then extra large size diapers, which ends up being 3 different sizes not one. Some diapers are better at fitting newbies, others will fit much larger kids - depends on the brand.
- How long will the diaper last? Are you planning to use them on future kids? Many one size diapers will not last through multiple kids, which really is not that surprising since they'll be washed every other day for 2-3 years non stop, right? Having a large rotation of diapers will help with this, but if you spend more on a large stash you may find that it's not a big difference from getting a smaller stash of a couple of sizes and getting a more trim fit. Some of the cheap (meaning cheaply made, not inexpensive) diapers out there will not even last all the way through one kid before they wear out.

Personally, I'm totally into cloth diapering. But DH is not that excited about it so I don't want the bulk at the beginning to put him off before we even get started. So I figure sized diapers may be a good investment. Plus there is quite a market out there for used diapers believe it or not, so if they stay in good condition you can resell them and get some of your money back. I actually bought some of ours used and if you can do that it may not be more expensive at all than going with one size.

And another strategy, which I've heard some use, is to invest in just a few sized diapers to go nicely in those tiny outfits or for photos or whatever and use a more bulky system the rest of the time.

[Thyme Mama]

ime, like pp's mentioned, it usually depends on the dipe and the baby.

for my first child i purchased 24 organic terrycloth imse vimse diapers. my baby was so tiny and stayed so tiny, that they didn't fit her until she was well over a year old, and then she was potty learning by that time. but they worked well for my subsequent average sized babies soon after birth.

for an robust, average-sized newborn (8+ lbs), i think *most* os diapers would work reasonably well.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by LillianB

This might be a really dumb question, but is there any reason why I wouldn't want to buy one-size diapers? It seems so much more economical and I wonder if I'm missing something?

Thanks!

IME:

they won't fit newborns well
they'll be bulky on young infants
they won't fit larger toddlers well
they'll wear out before your child is out of diapers

-Angela

[ChetMC]

I Don't Love Them

I have not loved any of my one size diapers.

I totally agree that they are either super bulky or just don't fit newborns.

They tend to fit about as long as a well designed size medium diaper anyway, so they're kind of a non-product in my mind.

By the time your child is two or three, if they are still in diapers, you often have very specific needs for diapers. Even if your kid haven't officially outgrown your one size diapers you might find that you need a diaper with snaps instead of velcro, or larger leg holes, or a narrow crotch, or made of a particular fabric that can catch a lot of pee fast, etc.

By the time we're done, we will have been diapering non-stop for nine years. No diaper is going to last for nine years. It makes more sense to size for the child... especially since two sizes are so often all you need.

[HappyMamaBeth]

I just bought 6 one-size diapers. BUT they were $15.95 so I don't feel too badly about it. I know for sure that we're going to have to do something different in the newborn stage. Right now I'm leaning toward GMD prefold fitteds ("Workhorse") and either Thirsties or Bummis covers (or Imse Vimse.. or.. or.. yeah, I'm not totally decided on that). I figure I'll see how those work in the beginning and go from there.

[DreamsInDigital]

I've cloth diapered 4 of my kids, 3 of them from birth. I've never liked the fit of a one size on a newborn, and I have had some pretty big newborns. I prefer flats or prefolds with a doubler with wool or PUL covers, personally.

[ASusan]

I did one-size, snap-adjustable pocket diapers.

They were very large on him as a newborn to about 6 weeks. I used pre-folds more during that time period.

They did get a bit tight as we neared 2 yrs, and I used them less from 24-30 months, when he finally stopped wearing diapers.

For the record, he was a 8+ lb newborn who gained rapidly in the first few months. By 2 years, he was as tall as the average 3.5 year-old, but had fallen in the weight percentiles.

[Galatea]

They won't be as trim as a size diaper until about 6 months or so, they are more expensive, and they will wear out sooner.  This is important if you plan several kids - a size small diaper will be worn for 4-6 months and then put away.  Mediums will be worn for 1.5 years and then put away.  Then if you need larges, you won't need very many and they'll be worn for a year.  One-size will be worn for 3 years, so they will get more wear and tear.  Also, what fits baby #1 may not fit baby #2 (all 4 of my kids have been a different shape.)

If you get one-size, get a snap version, and adjustable legs are key - FuzziBunz one-size are my favorite, though I also like Rump-a-rooz and BumGenius 4.0.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by Galatea 

They won't be as trim as a size diaper until about 6 months or so, they are more expensive, and they will wear out sooner.  This is important if you plan several kids - a size small diaper will be worn for 4-6 months and then put away.  Mediums will be worn for 1.5 years and then put away.  Then if you need larges, you won't need very many and they'll be worn for a year.  One-size will be worn for 3 years, so they will get more wear and tear.  Also, what fits baby #1 may not fit baby #2 (all 4 of my kids have been a different shape.)

If you get one-size, get a snap version, and adjustable legs are key - FuzziBunz one-size are my favorite, though I also like Rump-a-rooz and BumGenius 4.0.

On sizes- depends on how your kids grow    For my kids smalls are worn for 2 months and put away, mediums for 2-3 months and put away and larges for 1.5-2yrs  

-Angela

[Graceie]

We are useing fuzzybunz cloth deipers and have used a combo of them and some prefold we got at the shower from the beginieng he is almost 6 monthes and they have been working great even if they onley make it to a year it seems woth it . we have 12 fuzzy bunz and 6 prefolds and do laundery once a week . they were bulky at first witch was fine becuse he dint move much and now that he is scooting they work great and we havent added the extra insert yet exept at night .

sorry for the typos typeing with a sleeping baby in one arm