bumGenius purchase help/advice

[Salem Lily]

I'm a FTM, due next week and need some help deciding on which bumGenius to get.
I'm looking at the 4.0 One Size and the Elementals (organic cotton). I've heard the Elementals can have some staining issues so I'm a little hesitant. What are your experiences with these 2 types? Pros and cons please.
Also, at what point can my little one wear these? I have 24 GMD prefolds and 4 Thirsties covers for the newborn period already.
Thanks mommas for your help!

[blessedwith7]

I'm due next week also! I've been cd'ing my soon to be 2yr. old. I have two Bumgenius 4.0 OS for nighttime. They are wonderful for keeping the wetness away from his skin all night. If he happens to look rashy or red his skin always looks better in the morning. Another pro is that they have never leaked. Huge con for me: I definitely don't like how the microfiber inserts take on stink. Even the shells need some extra attention if they get pooped in plus they are kind of a pain to rinse out vs. prefolds or flats. My only experience is with a 1yr. old though. I've read the organic cottons ones are better for smell issues? I would definitely look into that. I'm thinking of replacing the inserts for my BG 4.0's.

Theresa

[TangoMama]

NAK

I have both and like them both a lot. I have three elementals and six 4.0s, but when I go to buy I couple more this week, it'll be the 4.0s. I initially hated the idea of synthetics against DS's skin, and so bought the Kissaluvs, organic prefolds and elementals, but once he stopped pooping at night and needing to be changed, I realized the wonder of stay dry.

I do use prefolds and the elementals during the day at home or for short outings where I know I can change him easily and quickly to get the wet cotton off his skin, but he wears the 4.0s all night (9 hours - stuffed with one regular insert and 2 newborn inserts) at 3.5 months. I'll probably buy some joeybunz soon for stuffing.

I haven't had a problem really with staining of the elementals - they are all white right now. Sometimes it does take a couple of washes to get them back to white though. DS is EBF. I wash my dipes in Tide original for HE and have had no issues with stink - I used Charlie's for the first month and hated it - it didn't get anything clean i my hard water.

The BGs fit DS from 9 lbs on, which was at 3 weeks, but I could probably have put them on him sooner at ~8 lbs.

[TechieMom]

I have been using the BG 3.0's on my 20 month old since he was 2 months old. He was a big baby, so we could have switched sooner. We were so glad to switch from the prefolds because he moves a lot on the diaper table, and we loved how fast the BG are.

I don't know if you have decided between snaps and velcro, but here's my take. The velcro is nice because it's much faster to put on, and as I mentioned, he moves around a lot. Also, it's easier to get an exact fit. However, after 20 months, the laundry tabs have worn out, so the velcro comes off during the wash and we end up with this giant chain of diapers. CottonBabies sent me repair packs for free, but it's hard to find the time to sew. The 4.0's (we have one) seem to have better laundry tabs that should last longer, but still the velcro degrades over time.

We do have a smell problem with all of our diapers, but we love the BG the most out of the 8 brands we have.

Good luck, and congrats on your coming joy!

Shannon

[aphel]

The 4.0 one size (snaps) is my go-to night time diaper. You could probably stuff a throw pillow in that thing if you needed to . . . . As is, I use a tri-fold hemp plus a thin microfiber insert with no leaks for 12+ hours.

No smell issues here (yet, they're relatively new), and I love the fabric inside, which doesn't pill or get grungy like some other brands (ahem, fuzzibunz).

I do find them a bit bulky for day time use on my 14 lb. babe, so will usually use something else during daylight.

[macandcheese]

No experience using them yet, but I just wanted to share that lots of online stores are having a "Buy 5, get 1 free" sale on the 4.0s. Here's one that I saw today, but there are many more places that are having the same deal:

http://www.fluffenvy.com/item_354/bumGenius-4.0-One-Size-Cloth-Diaper--Buy-5-Get-1-Free.htm

[Galatea]

IME, those won't fit until 7 weeks or so.  They fit the same.  The difference is that the elementals are organic cotton and the 4.0 are polyester.  The 4.0 will feel dry to the baby (my kids all needed this) and they wash and dry more easily, but you do have to take the insert out of the pocket and re-insert it.  The elementals are lovely and trim but do take longer to dry and will stain if you are not religious about spraying off the poop.

I would not buy a ton in advance... they may not fit your baby (not that they have fit problems, but every baby is shaped differently.)  We prefer the FuzziBunz one-size pockets b/c they are harder to stain, the insert comes out in the wash, they fit lots of different shapes, and the colors are better.

[Salem Lily]

Thank you for all the advice!